Tuesday, May 17, 2011
NEW Research Explains 61% of Multiple Sclerosis Cases
New research shows that low levels of sunlight, coupled with glandular Posted By Dr. Mercola | May 17 2011 | 47,057 views
fever, could increase your risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS).
This could be one reason that MS tends to be more common away from the equator.
The study suggested that low levels of sunlight could affect how your body responds to infection. Vitamin D deficiency could be another possible link.
BBC News reports:
"The researchers found that by just analyzing sunlight, they could explain 61 percent of the variation in the number of MS cases across England. However when they combined the effect of sunlight and glandular fever, 72 percent of the variation in MS cases could be explained."
Remember, when the American Cancer Society, or dermatologists, tell you that you should be avoiding the sun at all costs, they are dead wrong.
Sources:
BBC News April 19, 2011
Neurology April 19, 2011;76(16):1410-4
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I have been a renegade physician for over two decades now and when you are as far ahead of the conventional mode of thinking as I try to be, it takes five to 20 years for the "scientific" studies to confirm what I have been advising people to do all along.
I have seen this dozens of times now, and it is great when it occurs. Some of the more significant shifts that have occurred since I have been a renegade have been the widespread acceptance of vitamin D and omega-3 fats and the gradual recognition that the low fat diet approach is a disaster for most people as they typically replace fat with unhealthy carbs.
However there are some major battles that need to be won, like vaccine freedom, GMO elimination, and fluoride and mercury removal still have a ways to go before we see a major shift.
So let's examine the recent research which validates another long held position I have had.
What is MS?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, degenerative disease of the nerves in your brain and spinal column, caused through a demyelization process. Myelin is the insulating, waxy substance around the nerves in your central nervous system, and when the myelin is damaged by an autoimmune disease or self-destructive process in your body, the function of those nerves deteriorate over time, resulting in a number of symptoms, including:
Muscle weakness
Imbalance, or loss of coordination
Astigmatism and vision loss
Tremors
MS may progress steadily, or acute attacks may be followed by a temporary remission of symptoms.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Viral Exposure Explain Vast Majority of MS Cases
A large number of studies have confirmed that your risk of MS increases the farther away you live from the equator. In fact, a lack of sunlight was identified as a risk factor for MS as early as 1922. Within the United States, your risk of developing MS roughly doubles if you spend your childhood—up to the age of 15—in northern states than if you live in the south.
Another previously established risk factor is the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), which causes glandular fever. Eleven years ago, German researchers demonstrated the association between EBV and MS, showing that in contrast to control populations, 100 percent of MS patients had antibodies against EBV. The authors suggested that EBV might play an indirect role in MS as an activator of the underlying disease process.
In the most recent study, published in the journal Neurology last month, researchers assessed the relationship between ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) exposure in British MS patients.
Using English national Hospital Episode Statistics, they obtained the prevalence of MS and infectious mononucleosis (caused by the Epstein-Barr virus) during the seven-year period from 1998 to 2005. The UVB intensity data was collected from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
After evaluating the relationships between these three variables: MS prevalence, Epstein-Barr virus prevalence, and UVB intensity, they found that UVB exposure alone could explain 61 percent of the variations of MS cases across England. When they combined UVB exposure and incidence of glandular fever, 72 percent of the variations could be explained.
The authors concluded that:
"UVB exposure and infectious mononucleosis (IM) together can explain a substantial proportion of the variance of MS. The effect of UVB on generating vitamin D seems the most likely candidate for explaining its relationship with MS. There is a pressing need to investigate the role of vitamin D and EBV and how they might interact to influence MS risk to identify potential prevention strategies."
Vitamin D—An Essential Health Factor that Can No Longer Be Ignored
Previous studies have shown that vitamin D can positively affect MS by altering chemicals called cytokines, which modulate your immune system and can either fight or increase inflammation. Therefore, one of the best things you can do for your health in general is also one of the best preventive strategies against autoimmune diseases like MS -- getting enough regular sun exposure so your body can produce optimal amounts of vitamin D.
Studies have also found that increased dietary intake of vitamin D helps protect against the development of MS, so if you don't have access to regular sun exposure, or a safe tanning bed, you may want to seriously consider oral supplementation with vitamin D3.
One such study, published in 2004, found that women who took vitamin D-containing multivitamin supplements were 40 percent less likely to develop MS than women who did not supplement. Keep in mind that this study was based on FAR lower vitamin D dosages than what we now know are needed, so if you optimize your levels, you're likely to reduce your risk by far more than 40 percent…
There's simply no question that one of the most important physical steps you can take to control your health is to make sure your vitamin D levels are optimized to between 50-70 ng/ml.
Beware of Conventional MS Treatments
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a very serious illness, and I used to dread when people came to my office with MS because there really wasn't much I could do for them at the time. Things have changed since then, however. In researching a vast array of natural health therapies, I came to realize there are a number of different strategies available—the most important of which is optimizing your vitamin D levels.
Personally, I believe it's medical malpractice to treat someone with an autoimmune disease and not address and monitor their vitamin D levels.
If you go the conventional route, please beware that the routine treatment of MS includes a variety of very toxic and dangerous medications that in no way address the underlying cause of the disease. I strongly recommend avoiding these drugs, and if you're already on them, to wean yourself off, as they are some of the most toxic drugs used in the field of medicine.
These drugs include:
Prednisone, a steroid hormone that can significantly impair your immune system, and cause diseases like osteoporosis and cataracts
Interferon. This drug is quite deceptive, because even though it's a natural substance, it's typically given in a dose that shuts down your body's natural feedback loop. As a result, it tends to do more harm than good
The chance of going into remission with conventional treatments is close to zero. Your chances actually increase considerably when employing natural therapies, such as the ones discussed below.
How to Treat Multiple Sclerosis Without Dangerous Drugs
Many of the recommended strategies for MS are identical to the general-health principles I've been teaching for years, but a few stand out as being specifically applicable to the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as MS.
Optimize your vitamin D levels – This is an essential step, and while the optimal level for general health lies between 50-70 ng/ml, when treating diseases such as cancer, heart disease, or autoimmune diseases, your level should ideally be somewhere between 70-100 ng/ml. The preferred method to raise (and maintain) your vitamin D levels is by regularly exposing large amounts of your skin to sunshine, or by using a safe tanning bed. If neither is available, you can use an oral supplement of vitamin D3.
Keep in mind that the daily recommended allowance (RDA) is woefully inadequate! Depending on your situation, you may need anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 IU's a day… As a general guideline, vitamin D experts recommend taking 35 IU's per pound per day. However, you must get your vitamin D level tested prior to starting, and regularly thereafter, to evaluate the success of the dose you're taking. This is the only way to determine the ideal dosage, as it's highly individual and dependent on a variety of factors.
Optimize your essential fat intake – Secondly, you need to make sure you're getting a good supply of animal-based omega-3 fats, such as krill oil. You also need to avoid damaged, processed fats found in most all processed foods. Especially damaging are the omega-6 fats found in soy-, canola-, and corn oil. These are usually highly oxidized and also contain trans fats and cyclic fats that imbed themselves into your cell membranes, distorting the cellular functions.
Eliminate sugar, particularly fructose – Another crucial element is to eliminate as much sugar and fructose as possible from your diet. Cutting out processed foods and sweetened beverages will go a long way to reduce excess fructose, in addition to eliminating the majority of damaging fats in your diet. You simply must keep your daily total fructose intake below 25 grams.
If you haven't yet grasped the toxic nature and profound health dangers of fructose, now's the time to get with it. Sugar can contribute to the development of a number of autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis, asthma, and multiple sclerosis. It also increases uric acid levels, which leads to chronic, low-level inflammation, which has far-reaching consequences for your health.
Eliminate pasteurized milk and dairy—This is another critical element. Studies have shown that cow's milk consumption is correlated with MS prevalence (Neuroepidemiology 1992;11:304-12, and Neuroepidemiology 1993;12:15-27).
Avoid aspartame or commercial fruit juices. Aspartame rapidly metabolizes to methanol a potent neurotoxin. Additionally fruits and vegetables are also loaded with methanol but when they are consumed fresh it is bound to pectin and your body does not have the enzymes to break it down. However when fruits and vegetables are processed and put into glass jars or cans the methanol dissociates and can be liberated in high quantities.
Eat plenty of raw food – This is an important principle for optimal health that I normally recommend for everyone. However, I've found that for people with severe autoimmune disease, it's even more important. Some of the most dramatic improvements we've seen in patients using nutritional changes have come about as the result of eating their food raw instead of cooked. That includes free-range organic eggs and high-quality, organic meats as well.
Tailor your diet to your nutritional type-- Without out a doubt, Nutritional Typing™ has been the most profound nutritional intervention I have ever seen, and physicians are now starting to use nutritional typing in the treatment of many serious diseases, particularly cancer. Dr. Burzynski and Dr. Gonzalez are just two pioneering doctors making use of this powerful strategy in their cancer protocols.
This is helpful for nearly all diseases but particularly for MS. I never really started seeing dramatic improvements in the MS patients our clinic was caring for until we aggressively implement NT. I've now made it as easy and as affordable as humanly possible for everyone to take advantage of this exceptional tool, by offering the full online nutritional typing test for FREE.
Check your iron levels-- Excess iron can cause damage to the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels as well as create massive amounts of free radicals. It can also damage your DNA. Therefore, if you have MS it is very important to check your blood for iron overload, a process that is easily done through a simple blood test called a serum ferritin test. The healthy range of serum ferritin lies between 20 and 80 ng/ml. Below 20, you are iron deficient, and above 80, you have an iron surplus. Ferritin levels can go really high. I've seen levels over 1,000, but anything over 80 is likely going to be a problem. The ideal range is between 40-60 ng/ml.
If you find that your iron levels are high, simply donate your blood. Normally a person would require 1-3 blood draws per year, up to as many as one per month if your system can tolerate it, until your ferritin levels have been sufficiently lowered.
Low-dose Naltrexone and alpha lipoic acid – One of the newer treatment strategies for MS is low dose Naltrexone (LDN), along with alpha lipoic acid. Naltrexone (generic name) is a pharmacologically active opioid antagonist, conventionally used to treat drug- and alcohol addiction – normally at doses of 50mg to 300mg. As such, it's been an FDA approved drug for over two decades.
However, at very low dosages (3 to 4.5 mg), naltrexone has immunomodulating properties that may be able to successfully treat cancer malignancies and a wide range of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. As explained on the informative website www.lowdosenaltrexone.org, when you take LDN at bedtime -- which blocks your opioid receptors for a few hours in the middle of the night -- it is believed to up-regulate vital elements of your immune system by increasing your body's production of metenkephalin and endorphins (your natural opioids), hence improving immune function.
Dr. Bert Berkson is an expert on this regimen. For more information about his findings and successes using this combination, please review this previous article.
Mercury detox – Mercury is clearly a neurotoxic poison that should be avoided, so avoiding eating fish and refusing or removing mercury dental amalgams are also important aspects. Certain supplements can also help eliminate mercury from your system, such as chlorella, and OSR (Oxidative Stress Reliever) developed by Dr. Boyd Haley.
Address early childhood emotional traumas—Last but certainly not least, in my experience with MS patients, there is nearly always a precipitating traumatic emotional event that causes your immune system to crash, leading to the disease. Just as vitamin D deficiency seems to be present in most cases of autoimmune disease, there is also typically an emotional element involved. More often than not, some form of hidden emotional wound can be found in patients suffering with autoimmune diseases like MS.
Typically, this wounding occurred at a very young age, almost always before the age of seven; typically before the age of five. Issues related to this event need to be addressed by using an effective energy psychology tool like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), but only with the help of an experienced practitioner.
Related Links:
The Sunny Solution That Slashes Your Multiple Sclerosis Risks
Multiple Sclerosis Radically Improves With Simple Diet Changes with the Help of Nutritional Typing
MS Drug Continues to Cause Disastrous Side Effects
fever, could increase your risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS).
This could be one reason that MS tends to be more common away from the equator.
The study suggested that low levels of sunlight could affect how your body responds to infection. Vitamin D deficiency could be another possible link.
BBC News reports:
"The researchers found that by just analyzing sunlight, they could explain 61 percent of the variation in the number of MS cases across England. However when they combined the effect of sunlight and glandular fever, 72 percent of the variation in MS cases could be explained."
Remember, when the American Cancer Society, or dermatologists, tell you that you should be avoiding the sun at all costs, they are dead wrong.
Sources:
BBC News April 19, 2011
Neurology April 19, 2011;76(16):1410-4
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I have been a renegade physician for over two decades now and when you are as far ahead of the conventional mode of thinking as I try to be, it takes five to 20 years for the "scientific" studies to confirm what I have been advising people to do all along.
I have seen this dozens of times now, and it is great when it occurs. Some of the more significant shifts that have occurred since I have been a renegade have been the widespread acceptance of vitamin D and omega-3 fats and the gradual recognition that the low fat diet approach is a disaster for most people as they typically replace fat with unhealthy carbs.
However there are some major battles that need to be won, like vaccine freedom, GMO elimination, and fluoride and mercury removal still have a ways to go before we see a major shift.
So let's examine the recent research which validates another long held position I have had.
What is MS?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, degenerative disease of the nerves in your brain and spinal column, caused through a demyelization process. Myelin is the insulating, waxy substance around the nerves in your central nervous system, and when the myelin is damaged by an autoimmune disease or self-destructive process in your body, the function of those nerves deteriorate over time, resulting in a number of symptoms, including:
Muscle weakness
Imbalance, or loss of coordination
Astigmatism and vision loss
Tremors
MS may progress steadily, or acute attacks may be followed by a temporary remission of symptoms.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Viral Exposure Explain Vast Majority of MS Cases
A large number of studies have confirmed that your risk of MS increases the farther away you live from the equator. In fact, a lack of sunlight was identified as a risk factor for MS as early as 1922. Within the United States, your risk of developing MS roughly doubles if you spend your childhood—up to the age of 15—in northern states than if you live in the south.
Another previously established risk factor is the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), which causes glandular fever. Eleven years ago, German researchers demonstrated the association between EBV and MS, showing that in contrast to control populations, 100 percent of MS patients had antibodies against EBV. The authors suggested that EBV might play an indirect role in MS as an activator of the underlying disease process.
In the most recent study, published in the journal Neurology last month, researchers assessed the relationship between ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) exposure in British MS patients.
Using English national Hospital Episode Statistics, they obtained the prevalence of MS and infectious mononucleosis (caused by the Epstein-Barr virus) during the seven-year period from 1998 to 2005. The UVB intensity data was collected from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
After evaluating the relationships between these three variables: MS prevalence, Epstein-Barr virus prevalence, and UVB intensity, they found that UVB exposure alone could explain 61 percent of the variations of MS cases across England. When they combined UVB exposure and incidence of glandular fever, 72 percent of the variations could be explained.
The authors concluded that:
"UVB exposure and infectious mononucleosis (IM) together can explain a substantial proportion of the variance of MS. The effect of UVB on generating vitamin D seems the most likely candidate for explaining its relationship with MS. There is a pressing need to investigate the role of vitamin D and EBV and how they might interact to influence MS risk to identify potential prevention strategies."
Vitamin D—An Essential Health Factor that Can No Longer Be Ignored
Previous studies have shown that vitamin D can positively affect MS by altering chemicals called cytokines, which modulate your immune system and can either fight or increase inflammation. Therefore, one of the best things you can do for your health in general is also one of the best preventive strategies against autoimmune diseases like MS -- getting enough regular sun exposure so your body can produce optimal amounts of vitamin D.
Studies have also found that increased dietary intake of vitamin D helps protect against the development of MS, so if you don't have access to regular sun exposure, or a safe tanning bed, you may want to seriously consider oral supplementation with vitamin D3.
One such study, published in 2004, found that women who took vitamin D-containing multivitamin supplements were 40 percent less likely to develop MS than women who did not supplement. Keep in mind that this study was based on FAR lower vitamin D dosages than what we now know are needed, so if you optimize your levels, you're likely to reduce your risk by far more than 40 percent…
There's simply no question that one of the most important physical steps you can take to control your health is to make sure your vitamin D levels are optimized to between 50-70 ng/ml.
Beware of Conventional MS Treatments
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a very serious illness, and I used to dread when people came to my office with MS because there really wasn't much I could do for them at the time. Things have changed since then, however. In researching a vast array of natural health therapies, I came to realize there are a number of different strategies available—the most important of which is optimizing your vitamin D levels.
Personally, I believe it's medical malpractice to treat someone with an autoimmune disease and not address and monitor their vitamin D levels.
If you go the conventional route, please beware that the routine treatment of MS includes a variety of very toxic and dangerous medications that in no way address the underlying cause of the disease. I strongly recommend avoiding these drugs, and if you're already on them, to wean yourself off, as they are some of the most toxic drugs used in the field of medicine.
These drugs include:
Prednisone, a steroid hormone that can significantly impair your immune system, and cause diseases like osteoporosis and cataracts
Interferon. This drug is quite deceptive, because even though it's a natural substance, it's typically given in a dose that shuts down your body's natural feedback loop. As a result, it tends to do more harm than good
The chance of going into remission with conventional treatments is close to zero. Your chances actually increase considerably when employing natural therapies, such as the ones discussed below.
How to Treat Multiple Sclerosis Without Dangerous Drugs
Many of the recommended strategies for MS are identical to the general-health principles I've been teaching for years, but a few stand out as being specifically applicable to the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as MS.
Optimize your vitamin D levels – This is an essential step, and while the optimal level for general health lies between 50-70 ng/ml, when treating diseases such as cancer, heart disease, or autoimmune diseases, your level should ideally be somewhere between 70-100 ng/ml. The preferred method to raise (and maintain) your vitamin D levels is by regularly exposing large amounts of your skin to sunshine, or by using a safe tanning bed. If neither is available, you can use an oral supplement of vitamin D3.
Keep in mind that the daily recommended allowance (RDA) is woefully inadequate! Depending on your situation, you may need anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 IU's a day… As a general guideline, vitamin D experts recommend taking 35 IU's per pound per day. However, you must get your vitamin D level tested prior to starting, and regularly thereafter, to evaluate the success of the dose you're taking. This is the only way to determine the ideal dosage, as it's highly individual and dependent on a variety of factors.
Optimize your essential fat intake – Secondly, you need to make sure you're getting a good supply of animal-based omega-3 fats, such as krill oil. You also need to avoid damaged, processed fats found in most all processed foods. Especially damaging are the omega-6 fats found in soy-, canola-, and corn oil. These are usually highly oxidized and also contain trans fats and cyclic fats that imbed themselves into your cell membranes, distorting the cellular functions.
Eliminate sugar, particularly fructose – Another crucial element is to eliminate as much sugar and fructose as possible from your diet. Cutting out processed foods and sweetened beverages will go a long way to reduce excess fructose, in addition to eliminating the majority of damaging fats in your diet. You simply must keep your daily total fructose intake below 25 grams.
If you haven't yet grasped the toxic nature and profound health dangers of fructose, now's the time to get with it. Sugar can contribute to the development of a number of autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis, asthma, and multiple sclerosis. It also increases uric acid levels, which leads to chronic, low-level inflammation, which has far-reaching consequences for your health.
Eliminate pasteurized milk and dairy—This is another critical element. Studies have shown that cow's milk consumption is correlated with MS prevalence (Neuroepidemiology 1992;11:304-12, and Neuroepidemiology 1993;12:15-27).
Avoid aspartame or commercial fruit juices. Aspartame rapidly metabolizes to methanol a potent neurotoxin. Additionally fruits and vegetables are also loaded with methanol but when they are consumed fresh it is bound to pectin and your body does not have the enzymes to break it down. However when fruits and vegetables are processed and put into glass jars or cans the methanol dissociates and can be liberated in high quantities.
Eat plenty of raw food – This is an important principle for optimal health that I normally recommend for everyone. However, I've found that for people with severe autoimmune disease, it's even more important. Some of the most dramatic improvements we've seen in patients using nutritional changes have come about as the result of eating their food raw instead of cooked. That includes free-range organic eggs and high-quality, organic meats as well.
Tailor your diet to your nutritional type-- Without out a doubt, Nutritional Typing™ has been the most profound nutritional intervention I have ever seen, and physicians are now starting to use nutritional typing in the treatment of many serious diseases, particularly cancer. Dr. Burzynski and Dr. Gonzalez are just two pioneering doctors making use of this powerful strategy in their cancer protocols.
This is helpful for nearly all diseases but particularly for MS. I never really started seeing dramatic improvements in the MS patients our clinic was caring for until we aggressively implement NT. I've now made it as easy and as affordable as humanly possible for everyone to take advantage of this exceptional tool, by offering the full online nutritional typing test for FREE.
Check your iron levels-- Excess iron can cause damage to the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels as well as create massive amounts of free radicals. It can also damage your DNA. Therefore, if you have MS it is very important to check your blood for iron overload, a process that is easily done through a simple blood test called a serum ferritin test. The healthy range of serum ferritin lies between 20 and 80 ng/ml. Below 20, you are iron deficient, and above 80, you have an iron surplus. Ferritin levels can go really high. I've seen levels over 1,000, but anything over 80 is likely going to be a problem. The ideal range is between 40-60 ng/ml.
If you find that your iron levels are high, simply donate your blood. Normally a person would require 1-3 blood draws per year, up to as many as one per month if your system can tolerate it, until your ferritin levels have been sufficiently lowered.
Low-dose Naltrexone and alpha lipoic acid – One of the newer treatment strategies for MS is low dose Naltrexone (LDN), along with alpha lipoic acid. Naltrexone (generic name) is a pharmacologically active opioid antagonist, conventionally used to treat drug- and alcohol addiction – normally at doses of 50mg to 300mg. As such, it's been an FDA approved drug for over two decades.
However, at very low dosages (3 to 4.5 mg), naltrexone has immunomodulating properties that may be able to successfully treat cancer malignancies and a wide range of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. As explained on the informative website www.lowdosenaltrexone.org, when you take LDN at bedtime -- which blocks your opioid receptors for a few hours in the middle of the night -- it is believed to up-regulate vital elements of your immune system by increasing your body's production of metenkephalin and endorphins (your natural opioids), hence improving immune function.
Dr. Bert Berkson is an expert on this regimen. For more information about his findings and successes using this combination, please review this previous article.
Mercury detox – Mercury is clearly a neurotoxic poison that should be avoided, so avoiding eating fish and refusing or removing mercury dental amalgams are also important aspects. Certain supplements can also help eliminate mercury from your system, such as chlorella, and OSR (Oxidative Stress Reliever) developed by Dr. Boyd Haley.
Address early childhood emotional traumas—Last but certainly not least, in my experience with MS patients, there is nearly always a precipitating traumatic emotional event that causes your immune system to crash, leading to the disease. Just as vitamin D deficiency seems to be present in most cases of autoimmune disease, there is also typically an emotional element involved. More often than not, some form of hidden emotional wound can be found in patients suffering with autoimmune diseases like MS.
Typically, this wounding occurred at a very young age, almost always before the age of seven; typically before the age of five. Issues related to this event need to be addressed by using an effective energy psychology tool like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), but only with the help of an experienced practitioner.
Related Links:
The Sunny Solution That Slashes Your Multiple Sclerosis Risks
Multiple Sclerosis Radically Improves With Simple Diet Changes with the Help of Nutritional Typing
MS Drug Continues to Cause Disastrous Side Effects
Saturday, March 26, 2011
A Comprehensive Holistic Approach to the Plague of Radiation and What To Do
A Comprehensive Holistic Approach to the Plague of Radiation and What To Do
Today, although our focus is on Japan’s nuclear power plant disaster and tsunamis, we actually have a variety of radiation exposures that have been with us since the 1960’s. Nuclear plant meltdowns are the most serious threat that we most immediately share, but there are also accidents at sterilization and food radiation facilities, which have in the past released cesium 137 as well as cobalt 60. There are also routine leaks and emissions from common devices and equipment that use nuclear technologies such as x-rays, mammograms, CAT-scans, and full-body scans. We also have radiation exposure from accidents at nuclear weapons sites, nuclear submarine accidents, radon gas, and cigarette smoking. Microwave towers, cell phones, and this whole new technology are additional major sources of cancer causing radiation exposure. We are literally drowning in a continual sea of radiation exposure. The earth changes that have brought about the Japanese nuclear disaster have given us another opportunity to wake up to what is happening. Our total radiation cultural exposure is a symptom and a reflection of our struggle between the Culture of Death and the transition into the Culture of Life. In this context, a nuclear meltdown at a power plant is not our sole concern, although it is a major acute problem. Last, but not least, is the nuclear fall-out from depleted uranium ammunition, missiles, and bombs, and nuclear war. All are happening within these times of complicated earth and consciousness changes.
Unfortunately, aside from the nuclear blowouts at Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986), and now at Fukishima (2011), accidents at nuclear power plants happen more frequently than we are aware. Over a 15-year study, ending in 1985, there were 151 significant nuclear accidents in 14 western countries with a total of close to 3,000 mishaps at nuclear plants. We don’t have to wait for a mishap, when being within 50 miles of a nuclear plant, in itself, is a serious lifestyle mistake. The lack of civilian regulations at nuclear military facilities adds an additional danger. These are things worth considering in the bigger picture and not just in the immediate crisis.
Additionally we have increased radiation exposure at airport security checkpoints through the backscatter x-ray devices. These are clearly dangerous and add to the health risk, when we understand what all the serious radiation experts have made clear: total overall radiation exposure is an accumulative problem that may result in all levels of disease.
Radon gas (mostly from cement) and cigarette smoking also create radiation exposure. Cigarette smoking gives off two radioactive particles: polonium 210 and lead 210, which are breakdown products from radium 226, found in phosphate fertilizers used in commercial tobacco farming. Cigarette smoke is found to contain radioactive radium 226 and potassium 40. This is significant when again we are talking about total radiation build up.
Contrary to the popular belief, the most serious threat of radiation exposure is not an atomic thermal blast (if you survive the heat of it), it is low level radiation that builds up over a long period of time. This is not a new understanding. It was discovered in 1972 through the research of Dr. Abram Petkau. Serious radiation damage is the result of free radical activity and its destruction of cellular structures. This free radical destructive activity may happen from small amounts of radiation exposure as a result of eating radioactive particles that have fallen on food and water. These radioactive minerals are incorporated into the body’s cellular structure. Free radical production causes radiation sickness and contributes to higher rates of cancer, as well as cross-linking among tissue proteins. These free radicals cause inflammations, damage to lung cells and blood vessels (contributing to higher rates of atherosclerosis as pointed out by world radiation expert Dr. John Gofman, MD, PhD), produce mutations, and cause degenerative diseases, including cancer. Long-term exposure to low levels of radiation is extremely dangerous, which is why there is no safe level of radiation exposure. According to Dr. John Gofman and other top radiation physicists and medical doctors, the total dose from our total exposure impacts us, it is accumulative.
According to Dr. Ernest Sternglass, Professor Emeritus of Radiological Physics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Dr. Petkau found the free-radical effect from chronic low radiation exposure to be one thousand times greater than from a single large exposure from an atomic blast. In this context there is no safe permissible level of exposure. What is called “safe” is simply what the governments can get away with. It is actually at low levels of radiation exposure that free radical damage becomes more efficient according Dr. Pekau’s observation. This explains why leukemia and other cancers are occurring at 100 to 1,000 times more than initially predicted at Hiroshima.
In summary, “There is no safe dose of radiation since radiation is cumulative. Harm in the form of excess human cancer occurs at all doses of ionizing radiation, down to the lowest conceivable dose and dose rate.” ~ John Gofman, Ph.D., M.D. in Radiation and Human Health
“There is no safe level of exposure and there is no dose of radiation so low that the risk of malignancy is zero… the genetic risks, and especially those associated with recessive mutations, may be as harmful and debilitating to the human race as the increases of cancer.” ~ Dr. Karl Z. Morgan, director of the Health Physics Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in Sept. 1978 Bulletin of Atomic Scientists
The late Dr. John Gofman, as both a physician and a physicist, was hired by the Atomic Energy Commission to investigate the effects of radiation on human beings. I have read all his books, and he has published an immense amount of material. He concluded that radiation exposure produces a direct linear correlation in the increase of cancer incidence. His findings in 1985 indicated that the dose of radiation allowable by nuclear plants (permissible radiation leakage) would result in an additional 16,000 to 32,000 cancer deaths each year.
In the book, Killing Our Own: The Disaster of America’s Experience with Atomic Radiation by Harvey Wasserman, it’s reported that following the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor accident the cancer rate of those living in a 50 mile area increased sevenfold and that 58% of the births had complications. Dr. Gofman estimates in his book X-rays Health Effects of Common Examinations that more than 45,000 fatal cancers are induced yearly by X-rays. Radiation is far more toxic than chemicals and pesticides.
Another problem the world faces is that radioactive isotopes stay active for a long time. Strontium-90 has a radioactive lifetime of 560 years. Plutonium-239 has a full radioactive life of 500,000 years. Cesium-137 has a radioactive lifetime of 600 years. I-131 is radioactive for 160 days.
An English physician, Dr. Alice Stewart, a recognized world authority on nuclear epidemiology, discovered that women exposed to diagnostic X-rays during pregnancy had offspring with two times the likelihood of developing leukemia as did children who had not been exposed in utero. Babies exposed to one x-ray during their first trimester were 12 times more likely to have leukemia than those that were not exposed. I obviously do not recommend air travel for pregnant women during the first three months of pregnancy. Dr. Sternglass pointed out that this discovery of a one-thousandfold radiation sensitivity in the early human embryo could explain his findings of increased infant mortality due to all causes following an exposure to nuclear fallout from bomb testing or nuclear plant explosions like Chernobyl. Sternglass hypothesizes that when the fetus or infant is exposed to radioactive elements, such as strontium-90, the radioactive particles accumulate in the bone marrow, where the cells of the immune system are developing, and disrupt their functioning.
We are not simply talking theory. The point is that we have historical models of radioactive disasters. Unfortunately one of our best historical models is the tragedy of Chernobyl. We find in the post Chernobyl statistics for the U.S., compiled by Dr. Sternglass and presented at the First Global Radiation Victims Conference in New York in September of 1987, infant mortality following the Chernobyl fallout showed a general 54% increase. In the Pacific region of the U.S. for three months Washington State had the highest rate in the region with a 245% increase in deaths per thousand live births. California was next highest with a 48% increase in infant mortality as compared to June of the year before. The worst impact was in the Boston area, which showed an increase of 900% per thousand live births. Massachusetts also showed a 70% decline in newborns, and the total U.S. fertility rate decreased 8.3% in July and August to the lowest level ever observed in U.S. history. In the eight months following the accident, there was a total decrease of 60,000 newborns in the United States. This was followed by a return to the approximated average rate of live births in September. There was an additional increase in mortality amongst all ages during this time period, with Massachusetts being the highest, with a total increase in mortality of 43%, followed by California and Washington State with increased mortality rates of 39% and 40% respectively. The statistics show 35,000 more deaths for all ages in the US in the eight months following the arrival of Chernobyl radioactivity than would be expected based on the normal rates for this time in previous years. The potential plagues of the Japanese meltdowns are not a trivial problem, no matter what the mainstream media, or even the President, tells us. For example, the calculations from the Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics expert, Dr. Gerhard Wotawa, said the I-131 released in the first 3 to 4 days from the Fukishima nuclear plant was about 20% of that released from Chernobyl in its first 10 days and the cesium-137 was 50% of that released from Chernobyl during its first 10 days. This can be extrapolated to 120%-150% of the cesium-137 released by Cheronobyl in its first 10 days may have been released from the Fukishima plant during its first 10 days, provided that estimated release has remained constant.
Two major worldwide causes of radiation exposure that seem to have been overlooked by the general public in this bigger picture is the use of depleted uranium used by the allied forces against Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. According to geophysicist Leuren Moret, the equivalent atomic bombs released by the use of depleted uranium (DU) in Iraq, in 2003, was 400,000 Hiroshima bombs. The DU particle has a half-life of 4.5 billion years. Thirty-eight out of 40 people I tested in a pilot study in the United States had depleted uranium in their system; all DU was removed with NCD. In 1996, the UN passed a resolution that said DU weapons were weapons of mass destruction. In 2001 the European Parliament also passed a resolution against the use of DU. As a result of the use of DU as a weapon of mass destruction, the rate of cancer has gone up at least ten-fold in Iraq and the rate of congenital defects has gone up 600%. It is significant that there are at least 17 countries stock piling and using DU.
The use of medical x-rays is another source of lethal danger is. CT scans, for example, expose patients to hundreds and sometimes thousands of times more radiation. In 1980 there were 3 million CT scans done and by 2007 it increased to 70 million. CT scans have now been found to produce up to 4 times more radiation than before. A study led by the National Cancer Institute showed that CT scans administered in the year 2007 alone may contribute to 29,00 new cancer cases and nearly 15,000 cancer deaths. A CT scan of the head is equivalent to 100 chest x-rays. A CT scan of the abdomen is equivalent to 500 chest x-rays. Whole body scans, which people are using “preventatively” is the equivalent to 900 chest x-rays. Dr. Goffman in the 1960’s documented x-rays cause not only cancer, but also cause vascular disease, because it damages the endothelial of the arteries and causes a cancer-like phenomena known as atheroma. It also seems to cause arterial cells to multiply abnormally clogging the arteries.
The evidence that has been studied thoroughly is radiation affects on breast cancer and the rates are at least more than double for women who have received mammograms. Dr. Goffman has since proven that 75% of all breast cancer would not exist if people were not exposed to medical radiation; his statements have yet to be disproven. Moreover, women 20 years old and younger, exposed to mammograms, had a 13 fold-increase in breast cancer by the time they reach 35 years old.
TSA naked body scanners are also part of the serious environmental exposure as they greatly concentrate radiation on the skin and are not spread throughout the body. A Los Alamos scientist has shown that TSA scanners shred human DNA.
Another major source of radiation is the use of cell phones and microwave towers. In terms of physiology, the damage to the DNA from radiation is identical to the effects of electromagnetic radiation. RF/microwave and gamma waves are identical in their ability to create cancer at the cellular level and there is no safe dose of either. The RF/microwave energies also disrupt the communication between cells. Many studies show people exposed to RF/microwave have increased cancer rates, particularly children. These have also been shown to disrupt mental functioning, cognitive abilities, and information processing abilities. In countries such as Russia, the protection against microwaves is 100 times more careful than here. The full research on cancer exposure from microwave radiation is building and we will see in the next ten years that the results of their impact on causing cancer especially in younger children who are using this technology will be proven significant.
The important question is: What can be done?
Firstly, be as healthy as possible. Dr. Stewart’s study, titled “Delayed Effects of A-Bomb Radiation: A Review of Recent Mortality Rates and Risk Estimates for Five-Year Survivors”, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health in 1982, showed that those who were the healthiest were the ones with the best survival rates. Dr. Irwin Bross, in his article published in the New England Journal of Medicine in July 1972, was able to select which children would be 25 times more likely to develop leukemia from X-ray exposure. His work reinforced the point that one cannot determine “safe levels of radiation exposure” based on an “average exposure” of “average individuals”. This fallacious concept of an “average”, safe exposure limit does not provide an exposure limit that protects the most susceptible groups. There is no such thing as an average or safe dose of radiation. Susceptibility varies according to the quality of one’s health. The population groups that are most susceptible are those in poor health, fetuses, infants, young children, and older people.
My radiation protection approach is built on six principles:
I. The first is the principle of selective uptake, which essentially means that if one has enough minerals in the system, the cells become saturated with healthy minerals. Once cellular mineral saturation occurs, there is less opportunity for radioactive minerals to be absorbed into the system. Key mineral protection approaches are as follows:
1) Calcium protects the bones from strontium-90, strontium-85, barium-140, and radium.
2) Potassium protects the muscles, kidneys, liver, and reproductive organs from cesium-137, cesium 134, potassium-42, and potassium-40.
3) Iodine protects the thyroid and gonads from iodine-131.
4) Iron protects the lungs, liver, and gonads from plutonium-238, plutonium-239, iron-238, and iron-239.
5) Zinc protects the bones and gonads from zinc-65.
6) Vitamin B12 protects the liver and reproductive organs from cobalt-60.
7) Sulfur protects the skin from sulfure-135.
Radioactive iodine is a major nuclear plant meltdown contaminant. Research suggests that one milligram of iodine for children and 5 milligrams for adults would reduce the amount of radioactive iodine from direct I-131 exposure accumulated in the thyroid by 80%. Other high iodine foods are swiss chard, turnip greens, wild garlic and onion, watercress, squash, mustard greens, spinach, asparagus, kale, citrus foods, watermelon, and pineapple. Too much iodine may cause overstimulation of the thyroid. (If one is being treated for hyperthyroidism or cardiovascular disease one needs to contact a physician about how much iodine they should take.)
II. The second action in the protection against radiation exposure is that of chelation. Certain foods actively draw the radioactive materials to them and pull them out of the body via the bowel and kidney excretion process. An important chelator for pulling radioactive material out of the system is sodium alginate. Sodium alginate reduces the amount of strontium-90 absorbed by the bone by 53-80%. Sea vegetables are high in this natural chelator. The kelp family contains the most sodium alginate. It includes kelp, arame, wakame, kombu, and hijiki. Work by J.F. Sara at the Environmental Toxicology Laboratory of the EPA, and A. Huag, reported in the Composition and Properties of Alginates, Report no. 30, showed that the alginate binds other metal pollutants, such as excess barium, lead, plutonium, cesium and cadmium. Brown sea vegetables bind excess strontium and iron. Red sea vegetables, such as dulse, are best for binding plutonium. The green algaes bind cesium-137 most effectively. Pectin found in apples and sunflower seeds, zybicolin found in miso, phytates found in grains, beans, and peas, and cellulose and lignin found in nondissolvable food fibers are all excellent chelation agents. A particular concern that I have is that after radioactive materials are chelated, they can collect in the kidneys and not be fully excreted.
I strongly recommend Natural Cellular Defense (NCD) to move elements out of the kidneys safely and effectively, as well as from the rest of the body. Researchers have estimated that it is up to 9-20 times a more powerful chelator than naturally occurring zeolites because of its purification and empty shell. It has been explicitly shown in research to pull out radiation, heavy metals, and radioactive minerals. The research on the use of zeolite in Chernobyl show that giving 1-2 zeolite cookies per day cleared all radiation after 3 days for adults and children. However, the zeolite powders primarily remove the radioactive minerals from the intestines, whereas the NCD, which is micronized and purified, not only cleans the gut, but moves through the intestines into the body’s tissues and circulatory system to remove radiation particles from the blood and brain. This is remarkable. NCD plays an important role against radioactive minerals, which it specifically chelates throughout the body. This is the most powerful chelating agent we have available to us and I strongly recommend 10 drops, 4 times daily for maintenance and up to 10 drops 6 times, daily, for acute exposure. NCD has also proven very effective in removing depleted uranium from the system. It is the number one chelating agent for all types of radioactive minerals. Clay is also excellent for chelating radioactive materials out of the intestines. It is best to use if there is a major exposure. An excellent and moderately priced clay is Therapeutic Living Clay (a natural calcium bentonite purified clay). A reasonable dose is 1 tsp. orally daily. For a heavy thyroid exposure I recommend 2 Tbsp of Medi-Body Pack mixed with 2 tsp. of Nano-Green Tea Extract and 1 capful of hydrochloric acid to place over the thyroid to draw toxins out of the thyroid. One pound of bicarbonate of soda and 1 pound of sea salt (or salts of magnesium) in a bath to remove uranium from the kidneys and total system for heavy exposure is also recommended.
III. The third protection principle is to keep the body high in antioxidant nutrients and enzymes, which will nullify the free radicals created by the radiation exposure. I recommend two antioxidant supplements:
1) Take two capsules of MegaHydrate twice daily.
2) Antioxidant Extreme 10 capsules twice a day, under extreme circumstances.
IV. The fourth protection principle is that there are certain foods and herbs that specifically protect against the overall effects of radiation or radiation treatments. Foods containing chlorophyll have long been known to protect against radiation. Research has found that cabbage, leafy green vegetables, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, any sprouts, and blue-green algae all reduce the effects of radiation. Additional foods that protect against radiation include:
Soy miso according to post-Hiroshima research, was shown to increase resistance to radiation amongst laboratory mice by five times.
Beets protect against the uptake of plutonium-238, -239, iron-55, and -59. J. Wolsieffer reported in the Journal of Dental Research, in 1973, that rats fed a diet of 20% beet pulp had 97-100% less cesium-137 absorption than rats exposed to the same radiation but not given the beet pulp. Beet juice is particularly high in a specific anthocyan, which is active against cancer and leukemia.
Bee pollen is another potent antiradiation food. Bee pollen is also high in vitamins A, B, C, and E, nucleic acids, lecitin, cysteine, and vital minerals such as selenium, calcium, and magnesium. All of these nutrients contribute in their own way in helping to protect against radiation. One study reported in Fighting Radiation and Chemical Pollutants with Foods, Herbs, and Vitamins, conducted by Dr. Peter Hernuss at the University of Vienna Women’s Clinic, showed that been pollen significantly reduced the usual side effects of both radium and cobalt-60 radiotherapy in 25 women treated for inoperable uterine cancer. As compared to the women who did not receive bee pollen, subjects had ½ as much nausea, 80% less loss of appetite, 50% less urinary, rectal, and sleep disorders, and 30% less general malaise and weakness after the treatment. Bee pollen has 15% lecithin, which is useful in protecting against strontium-90, X-rays, iodine-131, krypton-85, ruthenium-106, zinc-65, barium-140, potassium-42, and cesium-137. Bee pollen specifically protects the gonads against the accumulation of iodine-131 and plutonium-239. Bee pollen is high in nucleic acids, which a variety of research has shown increases the survival of mice against radiation.
Garlic, onions, and ginseng are also protective against radiation due to antioxidants and factor X.
The best iodine supplement is Iodoral (50 mg in the morning 1 hour before food. It is two forms of active iodine together. Other superior forms are Iosol and Atomadine.
Siberian ginseng is an outstanding protective herb as an adaptogenic to double post-radiation lifespan of rats.
Chaparral contains a potent anti-oxidant known as NGRA. It was one of the few plants to survive atomic testing in Nevada.
Herbs including astragalus, echinacea, panax ginseng have all been shown to counteract radiation toxicity to some extent.
I also have researched my list of kidney herbs, and it appears that the best for helping the kidney excrete radiation is a combination of herbals we carry at the Tree of Life called Quiet Contemplative, which is a yin kidney herb, and Dynamic Warrior, which is a yang kidney herb.
After 55 years of being listed as classified, research has released showing that 20 cups of green tea a day gave 97% or more protection against exposure to the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For this reason alone green tea should be in the number one category for protection against radiation exposure. I recommend a Nano-Green tea concentrate (fluoride-free) from Premium Research at ½ tsp twice per day.
There has been a significant study around Russia, Chernobyl and China that spirulina and chlorella are exceptionally good at detoxifying the body of heavy metals, providing up to a 50% decrease in side effects from radiation.
Rosemary (herb) has also been shown to protect against radiation.
V. The fifth protection principle is to alkalize your diet and to eat low on the food chain. A radiation protection diet has two aspects to be considered. Research published in the International Journal of Radiation in 1980, showed that if the pH of the cellular fluid was slightly more alkaline then it would protect the cells against radiation. An alkalizing diet, which is also a live-food, plant-source diet is going to serve us best in these times.
Research at the Department of Radiation adopted from the radiological assessment of the Wyhl Nuclear Power Plant by the Department of Environmental Protection at the University of Heidelberg Germany in 1978, showed as a result of air exposure to radiation that cows milk was 15 times more concentrated with radioactive materials, and beef was 30 times more concentrated than leafy green vegetables. Freshwater fish were more concentrated with radioactive elements than seawater fish. Eating lower on the food chain is a logical and scientific approach to dealing with radiation. The evolutionary diet for humanity to take us into the Culture of Life and Liberation is indeed a plant-source-only, live-food diet. It is also clearly a diet for our survival in these chaotic times as it has us eating lowest on the food chain. It has us eating an alkalizing diet. There are some practical things we can do to protect our food. Cover your garden with plastic. We do this at the Tree of Life gardens. We have also gone to greenhouses not only because of the potential for nuclear fallout, but also to protect from chemtrails.
VI. The sixth principle is political action. For optimal protection, we must stop all nuclear plants, food radiation, and minimize X-ray exposure and backscatter airport radiation scanning. We must shut down these plants, as research has shown the risk of spills, which has already occurred, particularly with cesium-137, do happen. People who eat irradiated food have a potentially increased rate of cancer. Unfortunately, most research on food irradiation, but not all, has been done on animals. Minimize X-ray exposure and exposure to back-scatter x-ray security devices. Again the most significant concept here is total accumulative exposure. Finally, minimize exposure to mammograms, CAT-scans, full body scans and other radiation procedures, which surely raise our radiation exposure to higher levels.
It is important that we take a political stance against any further construction of nuclear plants. Existing nuclear plants, some of which are significantly unsafe, need to be closed down. In looking at the long-term effects of Chernobyl, which are quite tragic, we may want to consider that the meltdown death of a nuclear reactor is only the beginning of the problem, and it doesn’t have an end in our lifetimes, but it may prove to end our lifetimes. That is of grave concern. The Chernobyl area is unlivable and is 15,000 square miles. This is an area the size of Switzerland. The area will be uninhabitable for at least 30 years. Just dealing with maintaining the protection against the radiation (200 tons of nuclear fuel) at Chernobyl is a huge effort. The whole area has become a desolate forest. This is not a temporary problem; it is a lasting disaster. Even now the radioactivity given off in the area is so intense that scientists cannot even approach the facility. At the time of this writing, 25 years after the disaster, radiation levels are currently 2,000 times higher than the limit mandated by the industry.
We have our work cut out for us. We have been given the warnings. Prophecy has spoken. Will we pay attention? I pray that we do. Thirty-three hundred years ago in Deuteronomy 30:19, Moses said, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” As you see, the problem of radiation and EMF’s goes way beyond a nuclear tragedy in Japan. We are surrounded by ionizing radiation and EMF caused radiation in a way that is actively supporting the Culture of Death. In these very unique times, it would be very important to look at our lifestyles to see how we can change our lifestyles to minimize our radiation and EMF exposure. What turns out to be a technological convenience may turn out to be a more serious inconvenience of disability and death. I would urge you to choose life.
Based on the post-Chernobyl studies of peri-natal mortality and overall mortality, the increase in the U.S. in these two statistics faded out about 3 months after the Chernobyl meltdown, which, in the Japan meltdowns, would be approximately the period between now and the end of June as the most important time to follow the recommended protocol.
In review, some simple things to do to choose life:
I. Mineralize well for nuclear plant meltdowns with
A. Iodoral (50-100 mg daily) – 1-2 tablets daily
B. Kelp tablets – 4-10 tablets daily
C. Spirulina is a great source of iron to protect against radioactive plutonium.
II. Chelate
A. Use NCD as the primary chelator at 10 drops, 4 times daily.
B. Use kelp (5-10 tablets) for I-131
C. Use dulse for chelating plutonium
III. Increase your antioxidant intake.
A. Nano-Green Tea (½ tsp, 2 times daily)
B. Mega Hydrate (400 mg, 2 times daily)
C. Antioxidant Extreme (10 capsules, 2 times daily)
IV. Foods and Herbs
A. Increase spirulina, chlorella, and E-3 Live in the diet
B. Increase all leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables
C. Take bee pollen (2 Tbsp, 2 times daily)
D. Increase garlic and onion intake
E. Use Siberian Ginseng, Panax Ginseng, Chapparel, and Rosemary
V. Eat an organic, plant-source-only diet, which naturally alkalizes the body and is low on the food chain. Additionally, cover your garden.
VI. Take political action to eliminate all potential sources of radiation exposure such as use of nuclear power plants, DU weaponry, and all nuclear weapons, as well as minimize use of cell phones and cell phone towers, for minimized EMF exposure to the environment. It is significant and a hopeful inspiration that Germany is the first country in the world with an explicit plan to shut down and phase out all nuclear power plants. They plan to do this by 2020.
Japan's nuclear and industrial safety agency has admitted that the disaster was a level 5 (classified as a "Crisis causing several radiation deaths", by the UN International Automic Energy Agency). Radiation in Japan is reportedly 1,600 times normal levels.
May we all be protected from future accidents by paying attention to the warnings of God to give it full attention so that we will outlaw all potential radiation causes and proceed with great care in radiation diagnostic testing, which is currently overused. May we realize that we are in a time of changes that require action on the physical plane and action on the spiritual plane to improve the quality and meaning of our lives so that we may move from the Culture of Death into the Culture of Life and Liberation in every aspect of our lives. Blessings to your health.
Gabriel Cousens, MD, MD(H), DD, Diplomate American Board of Holistic Medicine, Diplomate Ayurveda
http://www.gabrielcousens.com/DRCOUSENS/DRCOUSENSBLOG/tabid/364/PostID/151/language/en-US/A-Comprehensive-Holistic-Approach-to-the-Plague-of-Radiation-and-What-To-Do.aspx
Today, although our focus is on Japan’s nuclear power plant disaster and tsunamis, we actually have a variety of radiation exposures that have been with us since the 1960’s. Nuclear plant meltdowns are the most serious threat that we most immediately share, but there are also accidents at sterilization and food radiation facilities, which have in the past released cesium 137 as well as cobalt 60. There are also routine leaks and emissions from common devices and equipment that use nuclear technologies such as x-rays, mammograms, CAT-scans, and full-body scans. We also have radiation exposure from accidents at nuclear weapons sites, nuclear submarine accidents, radon gas, and cigarette smoking. Microwave towers, cell phones, and this whole new technology are additional major sources of cancer causing radiation exposure. We are literally drowning in a continual sea of radiation exposure. The earth changes that have brought about the Japanese nuclear disaster have given us another opportunity to wake up to what is happening. Our total radiation cultural exposure is a symptom and a reflection of our struggle between the Culture of Death and the transition into the Culture of Life. In this context, a nuclear meltdown at a power plant is not our sole concern, although it is a major acute problem. Last, but not least, is the nuclear fall-out from depleted uranium ammunition, missiles, and bombs, and nuclear war. All are happening within these times of complicated earth and consciousness changes.
Unfortunately, aside from the nuclear blowouts at Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986), and now at Fukishima (2011), accidents at nuclear power plants happen more frequently than we are aware. Over a 15-year study, ending in 1985, there were 151 significant nuclear accidents in 14 western countries with a total of close to 3,000 mishaps at nuclear plants. We don’t have to wait for a mishap, when being within 50 miles of a nuclear plant, in itself, is a serious lifestyle mistake. The lack of civilian regulations at nuclear military facilities adds an additional danger. These are things worth considering in the bigger picture and not just in the immediate crisis.
Additionally we have increased radiation exposure at airport security checkpoints through the backscatter x-ray devices. These are clearly dangerous and add to the health risk, when we understand what all the serious radiation experts have made clear: total overall radiation exposure is an accumulative problem that may result in all levels of disease.
Radon gas (mostly from cement) and cigarette smoking also create radiation exposure. Cigarette smoking gives off two radioactive particles: polonium 210 and lead 210, which are breakdown products from radium 226, found in phosphate fertilizers used in commercial tobacco farming. Cigarette smoke is found to contain radioactive radium 226 and potassium 40. This is significant when again we are talking about total radiation build up.
Contrary to the popular belief, the most serious threat of radiation exposure is not an atomic thermal blast (if you survive the heat of it), it is low level radiation that builds up over a long period of time. This is not a new understanding. It was discovered in 1972 through the research of Dr. Abram Petkau. Serious radiation damage is the result of free radical activity and its destruction of cellular structures. This free radical destructive activity may happen from small amounts of radiation exposure as a result of eating radioactive particles that have fallen on food and water. These radioactive minerals are incorporated into the body’s cellular structure. Free radical production causes radiation sickness and contributes to higher rates of cancer, as well as cross-linking among tissue proteins. These free radicals cause inflammations, damage to lung cells and blood vessels (contributing to higher rates of atherosclerosis as pointed out by world radiation expert Dr. John Gofman, MD, PhD), produce mutations, and cause degenerative diseases, including cancer. Long-term exposure to low levels of radiation is extremely dangerous, which is why there is no safe level of radiation exposure. According to Dr. John Gofman and other top radiation physicists and medical doctors, the total dose from our total exposure impacts us, it is accumulative.
According to Dr. Ernest Sternglass, Professor Emeritus of Radiological Physics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Dr. Petkau found the free-radical effect from chronic low radiation exposure to be one thousand times greater than from a single large exposure from an atomic blast. In this context there is no safe permissible level of exposure. What is called “safe” is simply what the governments can get away with. It is actually at low levels of radiation exposure that free radical damage becomes more efficient according Dr. Pekau’s observation. This explains why leukemia and other cancers are occurring at 100 to 1,000 times more than initially predicted at Hiroshima.
In summary, “There is no safe dose of radiation since radiation is cumulative. Harm in the form of excess human cancer occurs at all doses of ionizing radiation, down to the lowest conceivable dose and dose rate.” ~ John Gofman, Ph.D., M.D. in Radiation and Human Health
“There is no safe level of exposure and there is no dose of radiation so low that the risk of malignancy is zero… the genetic risks, and especially those associated with recessive mutations, may be as harmful and debilitating to the human race as the increases of cancer.” ~ Dr. Karl Z. Morgan, director of the Health Physics Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in Sept. 1978 Bulletin of Atomic Scientists
The late Dr. John Gofman, as both a physician and a physicist, was hired by the Atomic Energy Commission to investigate the effects of radiation on human beings. I have read all his books, and he has published an immense amount of material. He concluded that radiation exposure produces a direct linear correlation in the increase of cancer incidence. His findings in 1985 indicated that the dose of radiation allowable by nuclear plants (permissible radiation leakage) would result in an additional 16,000 to 32,000 cancer deaths each year.
In the book, Killing Our Own: The Disaster of America’s Experience with Atomic Radiation by Harvey Wasserman, it’s reported that following the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor accident the cancer rate of those living in a 50 mile area increased sevenfold and that 58% of the births had complications. Dr. Gofman estimates in his book X-rays Health Effects of Common Examinations that more than 45,000 fatal cancers are induced yearly by X-rays. Radiation is far more toxic than chemicals and pesticides.
Another problem the world faces is that radioactive isotopes stay active for a long time. Strontium-90 has a radioactive lifetime of 560 years. Plutonium-239 has a full radioactive life of 500,000 years. Cesium-137 has a radioactive lifetime of 600 years. I-131 is radioactive for 160 days.
An English physician, Dr. Alice Stewart, a recognized world authority on nuclear epidemiology, discovered that women exposed to diagnostic X-rays during pregnancy had offspring with two times the likelihood of developing leukemia as did children who had not been exposed in utero. Babies exposed to one x-ray during their first trimester were 12 times more likely to have leukemia than those that were not exposed. I obviously do not recommend air travel for pregnant women during the first three months of pregnancy. Dr. Sternglass pointed out that this discovery of a one-thousandfold radiation sensitivity in the early human embryo could explain his findings of increased infant mortality due to all causes following an exposure to nuclear fallout from bomb testing or nuclear plant explosions like Chernobyl. Sternglass hypothesizes that when the fetus or infant is exposed to radioactive elements, such as strontium-90, the radioactive particles accumulate in the bone marrow, where the cells of the immune system are developing, and disrupt their functioning.
We are not simply talking theory. The point is that we have historical models of radioactive disasters. Unfortunately one of our best historical models is the tragedy of Chernobyl. We find in the post Chernobyl statistics for the U.S., compiled by Dr. Sternglass and presented at the First Global Radiation Victims Conference in New York in September of 1987, infant mortality following the Chernobyl fallout showed a general 54% increase. In the Pacific region of the U.S. for three months Washington State had the highest rate in the region with a 245% increase in deaths per thousand live births. California was next highest with a 48% increase in infant mortality as compared to June of the year before. The worst impact was in the Boston area, which showed an increase of 900% per thousand live births. Massachusetts also showed a 70% decline in newborns, and the total U.S. fertility rate decreased 8.3% in July and August to the lowest level ever observed in U.S. history. In the eight months following the accident, there was a total decrease of 60,000 newborns in the United States. This was followed by a return to the approximated average rate of live births in September. There was an additional increase in mortality amongst all ages during this time period, with Massachusetts being the highest, with a total increase in mortality of 43%, followed by California and Washington State with increased mortality rates of 39% and 40% respectively. The statistics show 35,000 more deaths for all ages in the US in the eight months following the arrival of Chernobyl radioactivity than would be expected based on the normal rates for this time in previous years. The potential plagues of the Japanese meltdowns are not a trivial problem, no matter what the mainstream media, or even the President, tells us. For example, the calculations from the Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics expert, Dr. Gerhard Wotawa, said the I-131 released in the first 3 to 4 days from the Fukishima nuclear plant was about 20% of that released from Chernobyl in its first 10 days and the cesium-137 was 50% of that released from Chernobyl during its first 10 days. This can be extrapolated to 120%-150% of the cesium-137 released by Cheronobyl in its first 10 days may have been released from the Fukishima plant during its first 10 days, provided that estimated release has remained constant.
Two major worldwide causes of radiation exposure that seem to have been overlooked by the general public in this bigger picture is the use of depleted uranium used by the allied forces against Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. According to geophysicist Leuren Moret, the equivalent atomic bombs released by the use of depleted uranium (DU) in Iraq, in 2003, was 400,000 Hiroshima bombs. The DU particle has a half-life of 4.5 billion years. Thirty-eight out of 40 people I tested in a pilot study in the United States had depleted uranium in their system; all DU was removed with NCD. In 1996, the UN passed a resolution that said DU weapons were weapons of mass destruction. In 2001 the European Parliament also passed a resolution against the use of DU. As a result of the use of DU as a weapon of mass destruction, the rate of cancer has gone up at least ten-fold in Iraq and the rate of congenital defects has gone up 600%. It is significant that there are at least 17 countries stock piling and using DU.
The use of medical x-rays is another source of lethal danger is. CT scans, for example, expose patients to hundreds and sometimes thousands of times more radiation. In 1980 there were 3 million CT scans done and by 2007 it increased to 70 million. CT scans have now been found to produce up to 4 times more radiation than before. A study led by the National Cancer Institute showed that CT scans administered in the year 2007 alone may contribute to 29,00 new cancer cases and nearly 15,000 cancer deaths. A CT scan of the head is equivalent to 100 chest x-rays. A CT scan of the abdomen is equivalent to 500 chest x-rays. Whole body scans, which people are using “preventatively” is the equivalent to 900 chest x-rays. Dr. Goffman in the 1960’s documented x-rays cause not only cancer, but also cause vascular disease, because it damages the endothelial of the arteries and causes a cancer-like phenomena known as atheroma. It also seems to cause arterial cells to multiply abnormally clogging the arteries.
The evidence that has been studied thoroughly is radiation affects on breast cancer and the rates are at least more than double for women who have received mammograms. Dr. Goffman has since proven that 75% of all breast cancer would not exist if people were not exposed to medical radiation; his statements have yet to be disproven. Moreover, women 20 years old and younger, exposed to mammograms, had a 13 fold-increase in breast cancer by the time they reach 35 years old.
TSA naked body scanners are also part of the serious environmental exposure as they greatly concentrate radiation on the skin and are not spread throughout the body. A Los Alamos scientist has shown that TSA scanners shred human DNA.
Another major source of radiation is the use of cell phones and microwave towers. In terms of physiology, the damage to the DNA from radiation is identical to the effects of electromagnetic radiation. RF/microwave and gamma waves are identical in their ability to create cancer at the cellular level and there is no safe dose of either. The RF/microwave energies also disrupt the communication between cells. Many studies show people exposed to RF/microwave have increased cancer rates, particularly children. These have also been shown to disrupt mental functioning, cognitive abilities, and information processing abilities. In countries such as Russia, the protection against microwaves is 100 times more careful than here. The full research on cancer exposure from microwave radiation is building and we will see in the next ten years that the results of their impact on causing cancer especially in younger children who are using this technology will be proven significant.
The important question is: What can be done?
Firstly, be as healthy as possible. Dr. Stewart’s study, titled “Delayed Effects of A-Bomb Radiation: A Review of Recent Mortality Rates and Risk Estimates for Five-Year Survivors”, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health in 1982, showed that those who were the healthiest were the ones with the best survival rates. Dr. Irwin Bross, in his article published in the New England Journal of Medicine in July 1972, was able to select which children would be 25 times more likely to develop leukemia from X-ray exposure. His work reinforced the point that one cannot determine “safe levels of radiation exposure” based on an “average exposure” of “average individuals”. This fallacious concept of an “average”, safe exposure limit does not provide an exposure limit that protects the most susceptible groups. There is no such thing as an average or safe dose of radiation. Susceptibility varies according to the quality of one’s health. The population groups that are most susceptible are those in poor health, fetuses, infants, young children, and older people.
My radiation protection approach is built on six principles:
I. The first is the principle of selective uptake, which essentially means that if one has enough minerals in the system, the cells become saturated with healthy minerals. Once cellular mineral saturation occurs, there is less opportunity for radioactive minerals to be absorbed into the system. Key mineral protection approaches are as follows:
1) Calcium protects the bones from strontium-90, strontium-85, barium-140, and radium.
2) Potassium protects the muscles, kidneys, liver, and reproductive organs from cesium-137, cesium 134, potassium-42, and potassium-40.
3) Iodine protects the thyroid and gonads from iodine-131.
4) Iron protects the lungs, liver, and gonads from plutonium-238, plutonium-239, iron-238, and iron-239.
5) Zinc protects the bones and gonads from zinc-65.
6) Vitamin B12 protects the liver and reproductive organs from cobalt-60.
7) Sulfur protects the skin from sulfure-135.
Radioactive iodine is a major nuclear plant meltdown contaminant. Research suggests that one milligram of iodine for children and 5 milligrams for adults would reduce the amount of radioactive iodine from direct I-131 exposure accumulated in the thyroid by 80%. Other high iodine foods are swiss chard, turnip greens, wild garlic and onion, watercress, squash, mustard greens, spinach, asparagus, kale, citrus foods, watermelon, and pineapple. Too much iodine may cause overstimulation of the thyroid. (If one is being treated for hyperthyroidism or cardiovascular disease one needs to contact a physician about how much iodine they should take.)
II. The second action in the protection against radiation exposure is that of chelation. Certain foods actively draw the radioactive materials to them and pull them out of the body via the bowel and kidney excretion process. An important chelator for pulling radioactive material out of the system is sodium alginate. Sodium alginate reduces the amount of strontium-90 absorbed by the bone by 53-80%. Sea vegetables are high in this natural chelator. The kelp family contains the most sodium alginate. It includes kelp, arame, wakame, kombu, and hijiki. Work by J.F. Sara at the Environmental Toxicology Laboratory of the EPA, and A. Huag, reported in the Composition and Properties of Alginates, Report no. 30, showed that the alginate binds other metal pollutants, such as excess barium, lead, plutonium, cesium and cadmium. Brown sea vegetables bind excess strontium and iron. Red sea vegetables, such as dulse, are best for binding plutonium. The green algaes bind cesium-137 most effectively. Pectin found in apples and sunflower seeds, zybicolin found in miso, phytates found in grains, beans, and peas, and cellulose and lignin found in nondissolvable food fibers are all excellent chelation agents. A particular concern that I have is that after radioactive materials are chelated, they can collect in the kidneys and not be fully excreted.
I strongly recommend Natural Cellular Defense (NCD) to move elements out of the kidneys safely and effectively, as well as from the rest of the body. Researchers have estimated that it is up to 9-20 times a more powerful chelator than naturally occurring zeolites because of its purification and empty shell. It has been explicitly shown in research to pull out radiation, heavy metals, and radioactive minerals. The research on the use of zeolite in Chernobyl show that giving 1-2 zeolite cookies per day cleared all radiation after 3 days for adults and children. However, the zeolite powders primarily remove the radioactive minerals from the intestines, whereas the NCD, which is micronized and purified, not only cleans the gut, but moves through the intestines into the body’s tissues and circulatory system to remove radiation particles from the blood and brain. This is remarkable. NCD plays an important role against radioactive minerals, which it specifically chelates throughout the body. This is the most powerful chelating agent we have available to us and I strongly recommend 10 drops, 4 times daily for maintenance and up to 10 drops 6 times, daily, for acute exposure. NCD has also proven very effective in removing depleted uranium from the system. It is the number one chelating agent for all types of radioactive minerals. Clay is also excellent for chelating radioactive materials out of the intestines. It is best to use if there is a major exposure. An excellent and moderately priced clay is Therapeutic Living Clay (a natural calcium bentonite purified clay). A reasonable dose is 1 tsp. orally daily. For a heavy thyroid exposure I recommend 2 Tbsp of Medi-Body Pack mixed with 2 tsp. of Nano-Green Tea Extract and 1 capful of hydrochloric acid to place over the thyroid to draw toxins out of the thyroid. One pound of bicarbonate of soda and 1 pound of sea salt (or salts of magnesium) in a bath to remove uranium from the kidneys and total system for heavy exposure is also recommended.
III. The third protection principle is to keep the body high in antioxidant nutrients and enzymes, which will nullify the free radicals created by the radiation exposure. I recommend two antioxidant supplements:
1) Take two capsules of MegaHydrate twice daily.
2) Antioxidant Extreme 10 capsules twice a day, under extreme circumstances.
IV. The fourth protection principle is that there are certain foods and herbs that specifically protect against the overall effects of radiation or radiation treatments. Foods containing chlorophyll have long been known to protect against radiation. Research has found that cabbage, leafy green vegetables, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, any sprouts, and blue-green algae all reduce the effects of radiation. Additional foods that protect against radiation include:
Soy miso according to post-Hiroshima research, was shown to increase resistance to radiation amongst laboratory mice by five times.
Beets protect against the uptake of plutonium-238, -239, iron-55, and -59. J. Wolsieffer reported in the Journal of Dental Research, in 1973, that rats fed a diet of 20% beet pulp had 97-100% less cesium-137 absorption than rats exposed to the same radiation but not given the beet pulp. Beet juice is particularly high in a specific anthocyan, which is active against cancer and leukemia.
Bee pollen is another potent antiradiation food. Bee pollen is also high in vitamins A, B, C, and E, nucleic acids, lecitin, cysteine, and vital minerals such as selenium, calcium, and magnesium. All of these nutrients contribute in their own way in helping to protect against radiation. One study reported in Fighting Radiation and Chemical Pollutants with Foods, Herbs, and Vitamins, conducted by Dr. Peter Hernuss at the University of Vienna Women’s Clinic, showed that been pollen significantly reduced the usual side effects of both radium and cobalt-60 radiotherapy in 25 women treated for inoperable uterine cancer. As compared to the women who did not receive bee pollen, subjects had ½ as much nausea, 80% less loss of appetite, 50% less urinary, rectal, and sleep disorders, and 30% less general malaise and weakness after the treatment. Bee pollen has 15% lecithin, which is useful in protecting against strontium-90, X-rays, iodine-131, krypton-85, ruthenium-106, zinc-65, barium-140, potassium-42, and cesium-137. Bee pollen specifically protects the gonads against the accumulation of iodine-131 and plutonium-239. Bee pollen is high in nucleic acids, which a variety of research has shown increases the survival of mice against radiation.
Garlic, onions, and ginseng are also protective against radiation due to antioxidants and factor X.
The best iodine supplement is Iodoral (50 mg in the morning 1 hour before food. It is two forms of active iodine together. Other superior forms are Iosol and Atomadine.
Siberian ginseng is an outstanding protective herb as an adaptogenic to double post-radiation lifespan of rats.
Chaparral contains a potent anti-oxidant known as NGRA. It was one of the few plants to survive atomic testing in Nevada.
Herbs including astragalus, echinacea, panax ginseng have all been shown to counteract radiation toxicity to some extent.
I also have researched my list of kidney herbs, and it appears that the best for helping the kidney excrete radiation is a combination of herbals we carry at the Tree of Life called Quiet Contemplative, which is a yin kidney herb, and Dynamic Warrior, which is a yang kidney herb.
After 55 years of being listed as classified, research has released showing that 20 cups of green tea a day gave 97% or more protection against exposure to the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For this reason alone green tea should be in the number one category for protection against radiation exposure. I recommend a Nano-Green tea concentrate (fluoride-free) from Premium Research at ½ tsp twice per day.
There has been a significant study around Russia, Chernobyl and China that spirulina and chlorella are exceptionally good at detoxifying the body of heavy metals, providing up to a 50% decrease in side effects from radiation.
Rosemary (herb) has also been shown to protect against radiation.
V. The fifth protection principle is to alkalize your diet and to eat low on the food chain. A radiation protection diet has two aspects to be considered. Research published in the International Journal of Radiation in 1980, showed that if the pH of the cellular fluid was slightly more alkaline then it would protect the cells against radiation. An alkalizing diet, which is also a live-food, plant-source diet is going to serve us best in these times.
Research at the Department of Radiation adopted from the radiological assessment of the Wyhl Nuclear Power Plant by the Department of Environmental Protection at the University of Heidelberg Germany in 1978, showed as a result of air exposure to radiation that cows milk was 15 times more concentrated with radioactive materials, and beef was 30 times more concentrated than leafy green vegetables. Freshwater fish were more concentrated with radioactive elements than seawater fish. Eating lower on the food chain is a logical and scientific approach to dealing with radiation. The evolutionary diet for humanity to take us into the Culture of Life and Liberation is indeed a plant-source-only, live-food diet. It is also clearly a diet for our survival in these chaotic times as it has us eating lowest on the food chain. It has us eating an alkalizing diet. There are some practical things we can do to protect our food. Cover your garden with plastic. We do this at the Tree of Life gardens. We have also gone to greenhouses not only because of the potential for nuclear fallout, but also to protect from chemtrails.
VI. The sixth principle is political action. For optimal protection, we must stop all nuclear plants, food radiation, and minimize X-ray exposure and backscatter airport radiation scanning. We must shut down these plants, as research has shown the risk of spills, which has already occurred, particularly with cesium-137, do happen. People who eat irradiated food have a potentially increased rate of cancer. Unfortunately, most research on food irradiation, but not all, has been done on animals. Minimize X-ray exposure and exposure to back-scatter x-ray security devices. Again the most significant concept here is total accumulative exposure. Finally, minimize exposure to mammograms, CAT-scans, full body scans and other radiation procedures, which surely raise our radiation exposure to higher levels.
It is important that we take a political stance against any further construction of nuclear plants. Existing nuclear plants, some of which are significantly unsafe, need to be closed down. In looking at the long-term effects of Chernobyl, which are quite tragic, we may want to consider that the meltdown death of a nuclear reactor is only the beginning of the problem, and it doesn’t have an end in our lifetimes, but it may prove to end our lifetimes. That is of grave concern. The Chernobyl area is unlivable and is 15,000 square miles. This is an area the size of Switzerland. The area will be uninhabitable for at least 30 years. Just dealing with maintaining the protection against the radiation (200 tons of nuclear fuel) at Chernobyl is a huge effort. The whole area has become a desolate forest. This is not a temporary problem; it is a lasting disaster. Even now the radioactivity given off in the area is so intense that scientists cannot even approach the facility. At the time of this writing, 25 years after the disaster, radiation levels are currently 2,000 times higher than the limit mandated by the industry.
We have our work cut out for us. We have been given the warnings. Prophecy has spoken. Will we pay attention? I pray that we do. Thirty-three hundred years ago in Deuteronomy 30:19, Moses said, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” As you see, the problem of radiation and EMF’s goes way beyond a nuclear tragedy in Japan. We are surrounded by ionizing radiation and EMF caused radiation in a way that is actively supporting the Culture of Death. In these very unique times, it would be very important to look at our lifestyles to see how we can change our lifestyles to minimize our radiation and EMF exposure. What turns out to be a technological convenience may turn out to be a more serious inconvenience of disability and death. I would urge you to choose life.
Based on the post-Chernobyl studies of peri-natal mortality and overall mortality, the increase in the U.S. in these two statistics faded out about 3 months after the Chernobyl meltdown, which, in the Japan meltdowns, would be approximately the period between now and the end of June as the most important time to follow the recommended protocol.
In review, some simple things to do to choose life:
I. Mineralize well for nuclear plant meltdowns with
A. Iodoral (50-100 mg daily) – 1-2 tablets daily
B. Kelp tablets – 4-10 tablets daily
C. Spirulina is a great source of iron to protect against radioactive plutonium.
II. Chelate
A. Use NCD as the primary chelator at 10 drops, 4 times daily.
B. Use kelp (5-10 tablets) for I-131
C. Use dulse for chelating plutonium
III. Increase your antioxidant intake.
A. Nano-Green Tea (½ tsp, 2 times daily)
B. Mega Hydrate (400 mg, 2 times daily)
C. Antioxidant Extreme (10 capsules, 2 times daily)
IV. Foods and Herbs
A. Increase spirulina, chlorella, and E-3 Live in the diet
B. Increase all leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables
C. Take bee pollen (2 Tbsp, 2 times daily)
D. Increase garlic and onion intake
E. Use Siberian Ginseng, Panax Ginseng, Chapparel, and Rosemary
V. Eat an organic, plant-source-only diet, which naturally alkalizes the body and is low on the food chain. Additionally, cover your garden.
VI. Take political action to eliminate all potential sources of radiation exposure such as use of nuclear power plants, DU weaponry, and all nuclear weapons, as well as minimize use of cell phones and cell phone towers, for minimized EMF exposure to the environment. It is significant and a hopeful inspiration that Germany is the first country in the world with an explicit plan to shut down and phase out all nuclear power plants. They plan to do this by 2020.
Japan's nuclear and industrial safety agency has admitted that the disaster was a level 5 (classified as a "Crisis causing several radiation deaths", by the UN International Automic Energy Agency). Radiation in Japan is reportedly 1,600 times normal levels.
May we all be protected from future accidents by paying attention to the warnings of God to give it full attention so that we will outlaw all potential radiation causes and proceed with great care in radiation diagnostic testing, which is currently overused. May we realize that we are in a time of changes that require action on the physical plane and action on the spiritual plane to improve the quality and meaning of our lives so that we may move from the Culture of Death into the Culture of Life and Liberation in every aspect of our lives. Blessings to your health.
Gabriel Cousens, MD, MD(H), DD, Diplomate American Board of Holistic Medicine, Diplomate Ayurveda
http://www.gabrielcousens.com/DRCOUSENS/DRCOUSENSBLOG/tabid/364/PostID/151/language/en-US/A-Comprehensive-Holistic-Approach-to-the-Plague-of-Radiation-and-What-To-Do.aspx
Monday, March 14, 2011
Treatments for Nuclear Contamination
Treatments for Nuclear Contamination
Iodine – Glutathione – Natural Chelation – Clay – Baking Soda
It is too early to call everyone in North America to prepare for a radiation cloud streaming down radioactive particles from the accident in Japan. According to the media and government, America is not at risk due to radioactive fallout from the recent Japanese nuclear accidents in several reactors but that could change in a heartbeat as authorities race to combat the threat of multiple nuclear reactor meltdowns. Nuclear plant operators are working frantically to try to keep temperatures down in several reactors crippled by the earthquake and tsunami, wrecking at least two by dumping sea water into them in last-ditch efforts to avoid meltdowns.
Now, just hours after writing this above paragraph we get a report in the New York Times indicating that even best case scenarios include radioactive releases of steam from the crippled plants could go on for weeks, months or even years. So prepare we must. "Pentagon officials reported Sunday that helicopters flying 60 miles from the plant picked up small amounts of radioactive particulates — still being analyzed, but presumed to include Cesium-137 and Iodine-121 — suggesting widening environmental contamination. More steam releases also mean that the plume headed across the Pacific could continue to grow," printed the Times.
The incident is a reminder that preparedness should include being prepared for nuclear events with foods and medicinals in our medical cabinets that will protect us and our families as much as humanly and medically possible. Many people in Japan and elsewhere around the world that live and work close to nuclear plants will be seriously affected by nuclear accidents. When a meltdown happens the effects can be carried thousands of miles by the prevailing winds.
It is unclear how far the impact of a meltdown might reach. In the United States, local communities plan for evacuation typically within 10 miles of a nuclear plant. However, states must be ready to cope with contamination of food and water as far as 50 miles away. When it comes to risks and toxic exposure levels we can count on the government and medical officials to understate the threat. This is something consistent in their approach to all types of toxic exposures.
Besides having iodine on hand for emergencies, we can grow (and, at present, purchase) herbs and foods that prevent our bodies from storing radioactive particles. Some of these foods and herbs even remove radioactive particles from our bodies. As we are all already being affected by radiation released by numerous sources, eating these foods and doing detoxification and chelation protocols regularly is a good idea.
If you have been exposed to too many X-rays or CAT scans, if you fly too much, work with diagnostic medical equipment or are environmentally sensitive and have ingested elevated levels of radioactive contaminated food, air or water, you also want to partake of the following protocol on a regular basis.
Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)
The oral administration of sodium bicarbonate diminishes the
severity of the changes produced by uranium in the kidneys.
The kidneys are usually the first organs to show chemical damage upon uranium exposure. Old military manuals suggest doses or infusions of sodium bicarbonate to help alkalinize the urine if this happens. This makes the uranyl ion less kidney-toxic and promotes excretion of the nontoxic uranium-carbonate complex. The oral administration of sodium bicarbonate diminishes the severity of the changes produced by uranium in the kidneys. So useful and strong is sodium bicarbonate that at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, researcher Don York has used baking soda to clean soil contaminated with uranium. Sodium bicarbonate binds with uranium, separating it from the dirt; so far, York has removed as much as 92 percent of the uranium from contaminated soil samples. I started writing about baking soda after discovering that the United States Army recommends the use of bicarbonate to protect the kidneys from radiation damage.
Sodium bicarbonate can safely remove paint, grease, oil and smoke residue, decreasing workers’ exposure to harsh chemicals and eliminating much of the hazardous waste associated with other cleaners. “Sodium bicarbonate is able to clean in areas where other substances pose fire hazards, because baking soda is a natural fire extinguisher,” says Kenneth Colbert, a general manager for Arm & Hammer. This is the reason it’s used by oncology centers to control chemo agent spills and it’s actually used intravenously to protect patients from the hazardous toxicity of chemotherapy.
“Uranium is one of the only metals that get significant bonding from carbonate. Just flushing a lot of bicarbonate through the system, along with whatever kidney support you are going to use, will be very helpful,” writes Dr. Chris Shade. There is no better therapy for radiation sickness then intense sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and magnesium baths with the appropriate clay added in. Even sodium thiosulfate can be added to these baths and that instantly neutralizes any chlorine in the bath water while simultaneously providing sulfur for the vital sulfur pathways.
Bicarbonate and Nuclear Fallout
If the bombs start dropping anywhere on earth, or if you live near a nuclear plant, you will want to have a large amount of sodium bicarbonate on hand. Minimum stocks should be 25 or 50 pounds. Normally I recommend someone start with using one pound of bicarbonate in a bath but that could easily be two or three pounds in an emergency situation. It is not a joke that one can get 50 pounds of the most powerful medicines on earth for 35 bucks. You will also need a lot of magnesium salts and the very best and most penetrating of them is the magnesium chloride in the form of magnesium bath flakes. Dead Sea salt is also quite fine for this application.
Exposure to radiation causes a cascade of
free radicals that wreak havoc on the body.
Radiation decimates the body’s supply of glutathione.
Please read my essay on Glutathione and Bicarbonate Nebulization. Nebulization is one of the best ways to quickly increase glutathione levels as is the use of glutathione suppositories. The main cancer risk from inhaled uranium oxide and other airborne radioactive particles would be from tiny insoluble particles lodged deep in the lungs. That’s a good reason to nebulize both glutathione and bicarbonate directly into the lungs and one must wonder why governments and health officials have not sponsored this treatment.
Dr. Sarah Mayhill, speaking about uranium oxide says, “It can be inhaled by soldiers and civilians, it sticks to the lining of the lungs, it is taken up by cells of the immune systems and gets into lymph glands, bone, brain, hormone producing glands, ovaries and testes. It stays in these organs for many decades and is only very slowly excreted in urine.” Nebulization transdermally treats the lung tissues allowing for best effect on contaminated lung tissues.
I have had the pleasure through the years to learn from some of the most intelligent doctors and scientists about heavy metal chelation and the opening of detoxification pathways. The individual who wins the Nobel Prize in the area of chelation, the scientist with the greatest genius, especially when it comes to mercury chelation, is Dr. Chris Shade. He has developed a sophisticated detoxification system based on enhancing the natural removal of metals through the intestines.
Though his specialty is mercury, detoxification and chelation of radioactive poisons use the same pathways as mercury. He has developed three products that are effective for the removal of mercury including a liposome formula that allows us to get glutathione into the system via oral administration. (For more information or ordering of Dr. Shade’s products I only have a phone: 1- 866-257-8168, talk to Karen.)
Combining his formulas with HMD (Heavy Metal Detox) from Dr. George Georgiou, another medical genius, gives us, in my opinion, the best possible medical formula to help remove radioactive contamination as long as iodine, magnesium chloride, a super food spirulina-based formula like Rejuvenate and edible clay are used as well. Rejuvenate is a powerful chlorophyll-rich formula that is easy to administer in high quantities because of its exceptionally pleasant taste. The intense levels of RNA in Rejuvenate will quickly help build up a person’s immune system and help them recover from the RNA/DNA damage caused by radiation exposure.
It is interesting to see that uranium-238 is being eliminated in the hair using the HMD protocol; to date there is no natural chelating agent known to mobilize and eliminate uranium-238 from body tissues. HMD is the only chelation product that I have seen that has actually been tested and shown to be effective for uranium toxicity.
HMD’s cilantro will move heavy metals and radioactive material out of the cells into the detoxification pathways with Dr. Chris Shade’s IMD (Intestinal Metal Detox) pulling down hard on those pathways to get the stuff out through the intestines. The internal consumption of edible clay and external clays dramatically facilitate this process. Clay baths are a very effective way of removing heavy metals from the body and increase one’s chances of survival if exposed to nuclear fallout.
Iodine
Iodine is the most obvious and important element in protecting against radiation damages. Radioactive iodine will plunge in to any and all iodine receptor cites that have no iodine in them due to iodine deficiencies. This is a serious problem because over 90 percent of people in North America, according to Dr. David Brownstein, are iodine deficient. This leaves them incredibly vulnerable to radioactive iodine, which is one of the principle forms of radiation given off in nuclear accidents and from nuclear weapons.
In as separate article are videos of an interview I did today with Dr. Brownstein and a lot of important information about iodine supplementation as a vital defense against radiation contamination and damage.
Intravenous Cocktails
In cases of serious exposure, IV cocktails with high dosages of vitamin C, magnesium chloride or sulfate, sodium bicarbonate and very pure seawater full of all the minerals necessary for life would be ideal.
Dr. David Brownstein administers a slow IV vitamin C drip—usually 25-50 gm, with minerals, and he adds 10cc of sodium bicarbonate. The addition of bicarb to the IV's made a huge clinical improvement. He also adds 1 cc of bicarb to all Myers cocktail IV's, which he says is “a great addition.”
Nutrients to the Rescue
Spirulina and chlorella have been used heavily by the Russians after the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster. And the Japanese love their miso soup and that was said to help some of their citizens survive the fallout after the Americans attacked two of their cities. This is why I recommend Rejuvenate in high doses because of its high spirulina and chlorella content and because it is like refined rocket fuel for the cells providing them with a broad range of concentrated nutrients.
Tan Koon Peng from Singapore writes: “Miso is effective for detoxifying your body of radiation. During World War II, two hospitals that were located side by side were hit with atomic radiation, in one hospital people consumed Miso and all of them survived while many people in the other hospital that did not take miso died. Miso is rich in vitamin B therefore it is suitable for vegetarians who are in shortage of vitamin B. For best results do not cook miso.”
Herbalist Brigitte Mars says, “There are a number of foods that can better help our bodies tolerate the effects of pollution. Eating lower on the food chain minimizes our chemical intake. Consuming more whole grains has a multitude of benefits. Their high fiber content binds with toxins and lessens intestinal transit time. Their vitamin B6 content nourishes the thymus gland and their vitamin E content helps the body to better utilize oxygen. The grain buckwheat is high in rutin and helps to protect against radiation and stimulates new bone marrow production. The mucilaginous fiber in seaweed helps to prevent the reabsorbing of radioactive strontium 90.
“Following the bombing of Nagasaki, a group of surviving macrobiotic doctors and their patients avoided radiation sickness by eating brown rice, miso and seaweed. They also did not get leukemia. Seaweeds also help to break down fatty deposits. High-chlorophyll foods like wheatgrass and barley grass strengthen cells, transport oxygen, help to detoxify the blood and liver as well as help to neutralize polluting elements and stimulate RNA production. Sulfur-rich vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and mustard greens combine with heavy metals and help prevent free radical damage,” says Mars.
Dr. Shade commenting on the above said, “In the last sentence Brigitte Mars, a local friend actually mentions the broccoli family. A normal misconception is restated here - namely that the sulfur compounds in the broccoli family bind the heavy metals. Actually the sulfur compounds trigger increased expression of your glutathione system, which results in both metal detoxification and free radical neutralization. The other group of food compounds that do this is the polyphenolic antioxidants - pine bark extract, green tea extract, grape seed extract, and my favorite Haritaki or terminalia chebula, an Ayurvedic fruit that is the basis for many medicines including the intestinal detoxifier Triphala. This fruit is used extensively in Tibetan Medicine where it is pictured being held by the Medicine Buddha and call the "King of Herbs". It has potent effects on the glutathione system and on expression of other intracelluar antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase. Haritaki is one of the superpowers in Clear Way. Clear Way also includes other polyphenolics such as Pine Bark extract, large amounts of liver cleansing dandelion root extract, natural iodine and minerals from fucus extract (or what is known as bladderwrack, a sea vegetable), the metal chelator and super antioxidant R-Lipoic acid, nerve protectors gotu kola and bacopa monniera, and B-vitamins 1, 5, and 6.
Research on animals indicates that curcumin (an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound found in the curry spice turmeric) may help protect against radiation-induced damage to the skin. Other research in animals shows that the herb ginkgo biloba may help shield against organ damage resulting from radiation therapy. And aloe vera is often touted as a natural remedy for radiation-induced skin changes preventing or minimizing radiation-induced skin reactions.
Mark Sircus Ac., OMD
Director International Medical Veritas Association
http://publications.imva.info
http://blog.imva.info
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Thursday, February 24, 2011
What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an ancient medical system that takes a deep understanding of the laws and patterns of nature and applies them to the human body. TCM is not "New Age," nor is it a patchwork of different healing modalities. TCM is a complete medical system that has been practiced for more than five thousand years.
At the heart of TCM is the tenet that the root cause of illnesses, not their symptoms, must be treated. In modern-day terms, TCM is holistic in its approach; it views every aspect of a person�body, mind, spirit, and emotions�as part of one complete circle rather than loosely connected pieces to be treated individually.
The following is a brief introduction to some of the key terms and concepts in traditional Chinese medicine.
Major TCM Treatment Modalities
Often Western CAM practitioners and their patients or clients derive their understanding of TCM from acupuncture. However, acupuncture is only one of the major treatment modalities of this comprehensive medical system based on the understanding of Qi or vital energy. These major treatment modalities are:
The Theory of Qi
The true foundation of TCM is Qi, which is loosely translated as vital energy. In TCM, Qi is considered to be the force that animates and informs all things. In the human body, Qi flows through meridians, or energy pathways. Twelve major meridians run through the body, and it is over this network that Qi travels through the body and that the body's various organs send messages to one another. For this reason, keeping the meridians clear is imperative for the body's self-regulating actions to occur. Through proper training, people can develop the sensitivity to feel the flow of Qi.
While it is often described in the West as energy, or vital energy, the term Qi carries a deeper meaning. Qi has two aspects: one is energy, power, or force; the other is conscious intelligence or information. Each Organ System carries its own unique Qi, which allows it to perform its unique functions�both physical (which Western medicine can describe) and energetic (which Eastern medicine can identify). This energetic function also includes an Organ System's relationship with other Organs. (Organ is here capitalized to distinguish the TCM concept of an Organ System and its functions from the Western concept of the physical organ.)
TCM frequently references several major Qi, or energy function, problems. One is an overall "Qi deficiency," which is often described in Western medical terms as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). TCM also has the knowledge and ability to pinpoint which Organs have an energy deficiency. Another major condition is described as "Qi stagnation," which means energy and information cannot move smoothly to or from its appropriate location. For example, TCM considers pain, headache and stomachache the result of Qi stagnation.
In TCM theory, blood and Qi are inseparable. Blood is the "mother" of Qi; it carries Qi and also provides nutrients for its movement. In turn, Qi is the "commander" of the blood. This means that Qi is the force that makes blood flow throughout the body and provides the intelligence that guides it to the places where it needs to be. Blood and Qi also affect one another and have the dynamic ability to transfer various properties back and forth. For example, after labor and delivery, a woman may develop a fever. TCM understands this fever to be related to blood loss, not normally an infection. Losing too much blood causes an overall Qi deficiency. When there is a Qi deficiency, the body cannot function properly and therefore presents with a fever.
Five-Element Theory
TCM believes that the human body is a microcosm of the Universal macrocosm. Therefore, humans must follow the laws of the Universe to achieve harmony and total health. The Yin/Yang and Five-Element theories are actually observations and descriptions of Universal law, not concepts created by man. In ancient times, practitioners of TCM discovered these complex sets of interrelationships that exist on deep energetic levels below the material surface. Over time, these insights developed into a unified body of wisdom and knowledge�TCM theories�and were applied to a way of life and to healing the human body. Even today TCM practitioners use these essential theories to understand, diagnose and treat health problems.
The Five-Element Theory is the bedrock of TCM. It evolved as a way of naming and systematizing patterns of perceived related phenomena, ranging from something as tangible as the weather to more rarified realms such as emotion and capacities of character, into five major groups named for the universal elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. The Five-Element Theory states that the five major Organ Systems (Liver/Gallbladder, Heart/Small Intestine, Spleen/Stomach, Lung/Large Intestine, and Kidney/Urinary Bladder) are each related to a particular element and therefore to a broad category of correspondences or classifications: from a season of the year to a time of day, to particular colors and foods, etc. Both the Yin/Yang Theory and the Five-Element Theory reflect the entire Universal law in one complete, comprehensive system of related categories.
TCM does not consider the Five Elements themselves to be inert substances. They are fundamental energies alive in nature and always in motion. The Five-Element Theory encompasses two dynamic relationships�generation and control�that explain how the five major Organ Systems are interconnected. Each element generates, or gives energy to, another. These element pairs are known as mother and child. Each element also restrains or controls another. The proper amount of control keeps all the elements in proportion. With control, one Organ System acts as a feedback loop for its opposite pair as well as its partner Organ to keep them functioning smoothly: neither excessively nor deficiently, neither too strongly nor too weakly. These dynamic interactions enable all the Organ Systems to work in one harmonious, greater system. If their relationships are good, a state of wellness prevails; if any of the relationships become unbalanced, health problems result.
The Five-Element Theory gives a skilled TCM practitioner a range of options for addressing health problems. For instance, when a patient presents with skin problems, the TCM practitioner understands that the Organ System of the Lung and Large Intestine are involved because the skin is the "tissue" of the Lung, according to the Five Elements. Therefore, he or she can decide to heal one or both Organs to treat the root cause, not just the symptom of the skin problem.
You can download our Five-Element chart as a PDF (you'll need software like Adobe Reader or Foxit Reader to open it).
Meridian Theory
Meridians, or channels, are invisible pathways through which Qi flows that form an energy network that connects all parts of the body, and the body to the universe. TCM understands that our body has twelve major meridians. Each one is related to a specific Organ System. The meridian network links meridians with each other and connects all body structures�skin, tendons, bone, internal organs, cells, atoms. TCM also understands that meridians connect the interior with exterior and the upper body with the lower body. This interlinked, animating network through which Qi flows freely makes the body an organic whole.
The meridian network is like a system of highways, roads and streets that links major cities. The highways (meridians) and the cities (organs) make up an entire energy map (the body). It is through this system of roadways that energy (Qi) runs. For example, if a city's internal streets are blocked with traffic, eventually this situation will cause a problem with the highways leading into this city. If the traffic condition worsens, even the cities linked by the major highways will experience a problem. Or, two cities may be fine and traffic may be flowing smoothly within their areas. Yet, if there is an accident and traffic builds up on one of the roads linking the cities, eventually one or both of these cities will find themselves affected by traffic congestion. This analogy offers a way to understand how blockages in meridians can cause problems in organs.
Meridians form a powerful information system within which each Organ also forms its own data system. In addition to transmitting Qi, meridians also transmit actual information to and among the Organ Systems. It is through the meridians and the flow of Qi that the various parts of the body communicate with each other faster than the speed of light. Interestingly, meridians are also sensitive to time and place. They reflect and respond to the changing energy of the seasons, the time of day and the climate of a particular place. TCM understands that when the meridian system functions well, the body (including its mind, spirit and emotions) is healthy and maintains homeostasis, a dynamic condition of internal harmony where yin and yang energies operate seamlessly.
The ancient medical text Nei Jing states: "The function of the channel (meridian) is to transport the Qi and blood and circulate yin and yang to nourish the body." Because meridians respond to and carry stimulation as well as transmit information, they have the ability to bring healing energy to local, as well as distant, parts of the body. This can create physiological and other changes as Qi circulates. It is this function that makes acupuncture and acupressure work: at specific points along the meridian, the flow of Qi can be enhanced or modified either with needles or with the pressure of the finger or the hands. The energy practice of Qigong, with its postures and movements, also affects the flow of Qi.
The energy pathways and the Organ Systems they link provide TCM with a framework for identifying the root cause of health problems and the diagnoses to heal them. Meridians work by regulating the energy functions of the body and keeping it in harmony. If a dysfunction occurs, acupuncture or other therapy can stimulate the relevant meridian(s) to help bring an affected Organ back into balance. If Qi stagnates for too long in any meridian, it can become blocked and eventually turn into matter, setting the stage for conditions that can create a physical mass. Dysfunctional meridians can also become susceptible to external pathogenic factors that can migrate to Organs along the route of the affected meridian.
TCM Meridian Theory states: "As long as Qi flows freely through the meridians and the Organs work in harmony, the body can avoid disease."
Yin/Yang Theory
TCM understands that everything is composed of two complementary energies; one energy is yin and the other is yang. They are never separate; one cannot exist without the other. This is the yin/yang principle of interconnectedness and interdependence; it is not oppositional. The intertwined relationship is reflected in the classic black and white yin/yang symbol. No matter how you might try to divide this circle in half, the two sections will always contain both energies. The energies themselves are indivisible. From the TCM perspective, this is Universal law at its simplest and deepest.
The Theory of Yin and Yang contains no absolutes. The designation of something as yin or yang is always relative to, or in comparison with, some other thing. For example, the sun and daytime are considered to be yang in relation to the moon and the night, which are yin. However, early morning is yang in comparison to late afternoon, which is more yin. According to the Theory of Yin and Yang, male is yang; female is yin. Everything in the body is also under the control of the binary system of yin and yang. Because yin and yang have an inseparable relationship, if there is a problem with one, the other will definitely be affected.
Ideally, yin and yang should always remain in harmony, not just in balance. Understanding harmony is an important aspect of understanding TCM. Often, in Western understanding of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), the term "balance" is described as the desired state, however, in TCM, "harmony" is the ultimate goal. Although the words "balance" and "harmony" are sometimes used interchangeably, in TCM theory they are quite different: balance is merely the first step toward harmony. Two things can be balanced; they can be of equal proportion or have equal weight, and yet still be separate. Balance has to do with the relationship between two separate entities: for instance, the relationship between the Heart and Kidney. First, a relationship must be in balance; the next step is to achieve harmony. When two things are in harmony, their energies are not just equally proportioned but blended together into a seamless whole. When two elements exist in harmony, there is an ongoing, unconscious dance between them that happens naturally. When one predominates, the other recedes; this is homeostasis�internal harmony that is a dynamic condition. In a healthy system, harmony happens naturally�within the body itself, and between the body and external forces of Nature and the Universe. So, when nature's Qi undergoes change as it does seasonally, a person's internal Qi will respond automatically. If, for any reason, it can't make a smooth transition to the energy of the next season, TCM understands that illness will result.
In Western medicine, this lack of harmony can be seen in patients with hot flashes. Those who suffer from this condition during the day have a yang Qi or energy deficiency; those who suffer nightly hot flashes are experiencing a yin Qi deficiency. If a woman experiences hot flashes at both times, then both energies are deficient and must be strengthened.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an ancient medical system that takes a deep understanding of the laws and patterns of nature and applies them to the human body. TCM is not "New Age," nor is it a patchwork of different healing modalities. TCM is a complete medical system that has been practiced for more than five thousand years.
At the heart of TCM is the tenet that the root cause of illnesses, not their symptoms, must be treated. In modern-day terms, TCM is holistic in its approach; it views every aspect of a person�body, mind, spirit, and emotions�as part of one complete circle rather than loosely connected pieces to be treated individually.
The following is a brief introduction to some of the key terms and concepts in traditional Chinese medicine.
Major TCM Treatment Modalities
Often Western CAM practitioners and their patients or clients derive their understanding of TCM from acupuncture. However, acupuncture is only one of the major treatment modalities of this comprehensive medical system based on the understanding of Qi or vital energy. These major treatment modalities are:
- Qigong: an energy practice, generally encompassing simple movements and postures. Some Qigong systems also emphasize breathing techniques.
- Herbal Therapy: the use of herbal combinations or formulas to strengthen and support organ system function Acupuncture: the insertion of needles in acupoints to help Qi flow smoothly.
- Acupressure: the use of specific hand techniques to help Qi flow smoothly.
- Foods for Healing: the prescription of certain foods for healing based on their energy essences or energy signatures, not nutritional value.
- Chinese Psychology: the understanding of emotions and their relationship to the internal organ systems and their influence on health.
The Theory of Qi
The true foundation of TCM is Qi, which is loosely translated as vital energy. In TCM, Qi is considered to be the force that animates and informs all things. In the human body, Qi flows through meridians, or energy pathways. Twelve major meridians run through the body, and it is over this network that Qi travels through the body and that the body's various organs send messages to one another. For this reason, keeping the meridians clear is imperative for the body's self-regulating actions to occur. Through proper training, people can develop the sensitivity to feel the flow of Qi.
While it is often described in the West as energy, or vital energy, the term Qi carries a deeper meaning. Qi has two aspects: one is energy, power, or force; the other is conscious intelligence or information. Each Organ System carries its own unique Qi, which allows it to perform its unique functions�both physical (which Western medicine can describe) and energetic (which Eastern medicine can identify). This energetic function also includes an Organ System's relationship with other Organs. (Organ is here capitalized to distinguish the TCM concept of an Organ System and its functions from the Western concept of the physical organ.)
TCM frequently references several major Qi, or energy function, problems. One is an overall "Qi deficiency," which is often described in Western medical terms as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). TCM also has the knowledge and ability to pinpoint which Organs have an energy deficiency. Another major condition is described as "Qi stagnation," which means energy and information cannot move smoothly to or from its appropriate location. For example, TCM considers pain, headache and stomachache the result of Qi stagnation.
In TCM theory, blood and Qi are inseparable. Blood is the "mother" of Qi; it carries Qi and also provides nutrients for its movement. In turn, Qi is the "commander" of the blood. This means that Qi is the force that makes blood flow throughout the body and provides the intelligence that guides it to the places where it needs to be. Blood and Qi also affect one another and have the dynamic ability to transfer various properties back and forth. For example, after labor and delivery, a woman may develop a fever. TCM understands this fever to be related to blood loss, not normally an infection. Losing too much blood causes an overall Qi deficiency. When there is a Qi deficiency, the body cannot function properly and therefore presents with a fever.
Five-Element Theory
TCM believes that the human body is a microcosm of the Universal macrocosm. Therefore, humans must follow the laws of the Universe to achieve harmony and total health. The Yin/Yang and Five-Element theories are actually observations and descriptions of Universal law, not concepts created by man. In ancient times, practitioners of TCM discovered these complex sets of interrelationships that exist on deep energetic levels below the material surface. Over time, these insights developed into a unified body of wisdom and knowledge�TCM theories�and were applied to a way of life and to healing the human body. Even today TCM practitioners use these essential theories to understand, diagnose and treat health problems.
The Five-Element Theory is the bedrock of TCM. It evolved as a way of naming and systematizing patterns of perceived related phenomena, ranging from something as tangible as the weather to more rarified realms such as emotion and capacities of character, into five major groups named for the universal elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. The Five-Element Theory states that the five major Organ Systems (Liver/Gallbladder, Heart/Small Intestine, Spleen/Stomach, Lung/Large Intestine, and Kidney/Urinary Bladder) are each related to a particular element and therefore to a broad category of correspondences or classifications: from a season of the year to a time of day, to particular colors and foods, etc. Both the Yin/Yang Theory and the Five-Element Theory reflect the entire Universal law in one complete, comprehensive system of related categories.
TCM does not consider the Five Elements themselves to be inert substances. They are fundamental energies alive in nature and always in motion. The Five-Element Theory encompasses two dynamic relationships�generation and control�that explain how the five major Organ Systems are interconnected. Each element generates, or gives energy to, another. These element pairs are known as mother and child. Each element also restrains or controls another. The proper amount of control keeps all the elements in proportion. With control, one Organ System acts as a feedback loop for its opposite pair as well as its partner Organ to keep them functioning smoothly: neither excessively nor deficiently, neither too strongly nor too weakly. These dynamic interactions enable all the Organ Systems to work in one harmonious, greater system. If their relationships are good, a state of wellness prevails; if any of the relationships become unbalanced, health problems result.
The Five-Element Theory gives a skilled TCM practitioner a range of options for addressing health problems. For instance, when a patient presents with skin problems, the TCM practitioner understands that the Organ System of the Lung and Large Intestine are involved because the skin is the "tissue" of the Lung, according to the Five Elements. Therefore, he or she can decide to heal one or both Organs to treat the root cause, not just the symptom of the skin problem.
You can download our Five-Element chart as a PDF (you'll need software like Adobe Reader or Foxit Reader to open it).
Meridian Theory
Meridians, or channels, are invisible pathways through which Qi flows that form an energy network that connects all parts of the body, and the body to the universe. TCM understands that our body has twelve major meridians. Each one is related to a specific Organ System. The meridian network links meridians with each other and connects all body structures�skin, tendons, bone, internal organs, cells, atoms. TCM also understands that meridians connect the interior with exterior and the upper body with the lower body. This interlinked, animating network through which Qi flows freely makes the body an organic whole.
The meridian network is like a system of highways, roads and streets that links major cities. The highways (meridians) and the cities (organs) make up an entire energy map (the body). It is through this system of roadways that energy (Qi) runs. For example, if a city's internal streets are blocked with traffic, eventually this situation will cause a problem with the highways leading into this city. If the traffic condition worsens, even the cities linked by the major highways will experience a problem. Or, two cities may be fine and traffic may be flowing smoothly within their areas. Yet, if there is an accident and traffic builds up on one of the roads linking the cities, eventually one or both of these cities will find themselves affected by traffic congestion. This analogy offers a way to understand how blockages in meridians can cause problems in organs.
Meridians form a powerful information system within which each Organ also forms its own data system. In addition to transmitting Qi, meridians also transmit actual information to and among the Organ Systems. It is through the meridians and the flow of Qi that the various parts of the body communicate with each other faster than the speed of light. Interestingly, meridians are also sensitive to time and place. They reflect and respond to the changing energy of the seasons, the time of day and the climate of a particular place. TCM understands that when the meridian system functions well, the body (including its mind, spirit and emotions) is healthy and maintains homeostasis, a dynamic condition of internal harmony where yin and yang energies operate seamlessly.
The ancient medical text Nei Jing states: "The function of the channel (meridian) is to transport the Qi and blood and circulate yin and yang to nourish the body." Because meridians respond to and carry stimulation as well as transmit information, they have the ability to bring healing energy to local, as well as distant, parts of the body. This can create physiological and other changes as Qi circulates. It is this function that makes acupuncture and acupressure work: at specific points along the meridian, the flow of Qi can be enhanced or modified either with needles or with the pressure of the finger or the hands. The energy practice of Qigong, with its postures and movements, also affects the flow of Qi.
The energy pathways and the Organ Systems they link provide TCM with a framework for identifying the root cause of health problems and the diagnoses to heal them. Meridians work by regulating the energy functions of the body and keeping it in harmony. If a dysfunction occurs, acupuncture or other therapy can stimulate the relevant meridian(s) to help bring an affected Organ back into balance. If Qi stagnates for too long in any meridian, it can become blocked and eventually turn into matter, setting the stage for conditions that can create a physical mass. Dysfunctional meridians can also become susceptible to external pathogenic factors that can migrate to Organs along the route of the affected meridian.
TCM Meridian Theory states: "As long as Qi flows freely through the meridians and the Organs work in harmony, the body can avoid disease."
Yin/Yang Theory
TCM understands that everything is composed of two complementary energies; one energy is yin and the other is yang. They are never separate; one cannot exist without the other. This is the yin/yang principle of interconnectedness and interdependence; it is not oppositional. The intertwined relationship is reflected in the classic black and white yin/yang symbol. No matter how you might try to divide this circle in half, the two sections will always contain both energies. The energies themselves are indivisible. From the TCM perspective, this is Universal law at its simplest and deepest.
The Theory of Yin and Yang contains no absolutes. The designation of something as yin or yang is always relative to, or in comparison with, some other thing. For example, the sun and daytime are considered to be yang in relation to the moon and the night, which are yin. However, early morning is yang in comparison to late afternoon, which is more yin. According to the Theory of Yin and Yang, male is yang; female is yin. Everything in the body is also under the control of the binary system of yin and yang. Because yin and yang have an inseparable relationship, if there is a problem with one, the other will definitely be affected.
Ideally, yin and yang should always remain in harmony, not just in balance. Understanding harmony is an important aspect of understanding TCM. Often, in Western understanding of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), the term "balance" is described as the desired state, however, in TCM, "harmony" is the ultimate goal. Although the words "balance" and "harmony" are sometimes used interchangeably, in TCM theory they are quite different: balance is merely the first step toward harmony. Two things can be balanced; they can be of equal proportion or have equal weight, and yet still be separate. Balance has to do with the relationship between two separate entities: for instance, the relationship between the Heart and Kidney. First, a relationship must be in balance; the next step is to achieve harmony. When two things are in harmony, their energies are not just equally proportioned but blended together into a seamless whole. When two elements exist in harmony, there is an ongoing, unconscious dance between them that happens naturally. When one predominates, the other recedes; this is homeostasis�internal harmony that is a dynamic condition. In a healthy system, harmony happens naturally�within the body itself, and between the body and external forces of Nature and the Universe. So, when nature's Qi undergoes change as it does seasonally, a person's internal Qi will respond automatically. If, for any reason, it can't make a smooth transition to the energy of the next season, TCM understands that illness will result.
In Western medicine, this lack of harmony can be seen in patients with hot flashes. Those who suffer from this condition during the day have a yang Qi or energy deficiency; those who suffer nightly hot flashes are experiencing a yin Qi deficiency. If a woman experiences hot flashes at both times, then both energies are deficient and must be strengthened.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Understnanding Water
If You're Tired, You are Probably Lacking This
Posted By Dr. Mercola
February 21 2011
By Dr. Mercola
Woman Drinking WaterWith all the different types of water out there and all the hype that goes with each, it can be very easy to get confused about which types of water are really best for your health. And, if you find yourself struggling with the environmental concerns of bottled water versus the dangerous chemicals in tap water, I understand.
That's why I created this page to help clear up some confusion and help you take control of your health.
Symptoms of Dehydration
Since most of you are no longer tuned in to your bodies the way your ancestors were hundreds of years ago, you may be overlooking your body's many cries for water.
There is a silent and growing epidemic of chronic dehydration. So many suffer from it yet are simply unaware of the symptoms.
Are you one of them? The major symptoms of dehydration are thirst, dry skin, dark colored urine and fatigue but take a look at some commonly overlooked symptoms of chronic dehydration.They are:
* Digestive disturbances such as heartburn and constipation
* Urinary tract infections
* Autoimmune disease such as chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis
* Premature aging
* High cholesterol
* Weight gain
Types of Water – How Your Choice Makes the Difference
When it comes to water, there's more to choose from than simply tap versus bottled. Let's closely examine each so you can make informed decisions about your water and your health.
Tap Water – Danger in Every Glass
Plain old tap water: It's easy. It's convenient and it comes right out of your kitchen faucet. However, as I'm sure you've heard, most tap water is contaminated with a host of pollutants that increase your risk of serious health problems. Let's take a look at some of these contaminants and how they can adversely affect your health and that of your family.
Arsenic
As I've been stating in my articles about water since 2001, the level of arsenic in US tap water is incredibly high. This poisonous element is a powerful carcinogenic, which has been linked to an increased risk of the development of several types of cancer. In 2001 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lowered the maximum level of arsenic permitted in drinking water from 50 ug/L to 10 ug/L due to the established cancer risk.
The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates as many as 56 million Americans living in 25 states drink water with arsenic at unsafe levels. For more information, see the USGS website, which offers maps showing where and to what extent arsenic occurs in ground water across the United States.
Aluminum
You may have heard how aluminum increases your risk for Alzheimer's disease, but did you also know that the aluminum found in your municipal water supply can cause a wide variety of other health problems?
Aluminum has been linked to:
* Hyperactvity
* Learning disabilities in children
* Gastrointestinal disease
* Skin problems
* Parkinson's disease
* Liver disease
Fluoride
If you still believe fluoride in your drinking water prevents cavities and helps build strong teeth, you've fallen for a cleverly devised mass-deception.. As this recent study done on children in India shows, fluoride is anything but a cavity fighter. fluoride is a well-known toxin that actually leads to an increased risk of cavities and can cause a wide range of health problems, including weakening your immune system and accelerating aging due to cellular damage.
Prescription and OTC Drugs
You may have been told that if you dispose of your unwanted or expired prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs in the trash instead of the toilet that you do not run any risk of it ending up in the water supply. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
As I mentioned in this previous article, water that drains through landfills, known as leach rate, eventually ends up in rivers. Although not all states source drinking water from rivers, many do.
According to studies, human cells do not grow normally when exposed to even minute amounts of prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Some drugs that were never meant to be combined are mixed together in the drinking water you consume every day. Millions of people have drug allergies. Are you among them? If so, how do you know the strange symptoms you've been experiencing are not due to ingesting small doses of the drugs you're allergic to from your water?
Pregnant women should be especially wary. The toxic substances you take into your body from tap water will have a negative effect on the development of your unborn child.
Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)
Most tap community water supplies are treated with chlorine and although it may not be the healthiest element you can consume, it is far better for you than what is left behind. In my video, "Tap Water Toxins – is Your Water Trying to Kill You?", I interview water filtration pioneer Robert Slovak about the dangers of disinfection byproducts.
Disinfection byproducts are the result of disinfecting water with chlorine. It is important to note that while consuming chlorine is certainly not healthy, DBPs are TEN THOUSAND TIMES more dangerous!
In addition to being a powerful carcinogenic, DPBs have also been linked to liver, kidney and nervous system problems.
So, Bottled Water is the Way to Go, Right?
If you're thinking you're safe from all of the harmful contaminants I listed above because you drink bottled water instead of tap water, I'm afraid I must be the bearer of some bad news:
40 percent of bottled water is bottled TAP WATER!
Yes, you read correctly. As I stated in my article about the deceptions of bottled water, 40 percent of bottled water is just bottled tap water, which may or may not have received additional filtration. Remember the arsenic and DPBs you were trying to avoid from tap water? Well, an independent test done by the Environmental Working Group found these and 36 other harmful pollutants hidden in bottled water.
Also, drinking from plastic bottles is not a good idea. Plastic bottles contain a chemical called bisphenol A or BPA, which is a synthetic hormone disruptor that has been linked to serious health problems such as:
* Learning and behavioral problems
* Altered immune system function
* Prostate and breast cancer
* Risk of obesity
* Early puberty in both genders
Aside from the health risks, the devastating impact bottled water has had on our ecosystem is staggering!
Distilled Water – Use with Caution
Some health conscious people have been misled into believing that distilled water is healthy for them. As I've stated before, this is simply not true.
The problem with distilled water is that it is boiled and evaporated away from its dissolved minerals. The water then becomes acidic and seeks to balance itself by drawing minerals right out of your body. It will also draw out contaminants from the container it's stored in for this same reason.
What's worse, any contaminant in the water that vaporizes at a lower temperature than the water, such as volatile organic compounds, like disinfection byproducts that are thousands of times as toxic as chlorine, will be condensed and actually concentrated in the finished distilled water. So what you end up with is water that contains even more dangerous contaminants than what you started with!
I only recommend using distilled water for a short period of time and only for the purpose of detoxification, as this water can help pull toxins from your body. Drinking it long-term, however, will most likely invite health problems.
Alkaline Water
In my interview with water filtration expert, Houston Tomasz, I asked for his thoughts on the growing use of alkaline water. There are several potential problems with alkaline water.
First of all, most water ionizers and alkalizers are marketed by multi-level marketing (MLM) companies with questionable ethics
Some people experience an initial "high" when they start drinking alkaline water. This can easily be attributed to detoxification, and the fact that they are likely just becoming better hydrated.
Detoxification is about the only benefit of alkaline water, and this benefit is limited to very SHORT TERM USE (no more than a week or two). An additional concern is that many individuals have stomach dysfunctions like GERD or ulcers that are largely related to having too little stomach acid. Long-term use of alkaline or ionized water can interfere with your body's natural digestive process by reducing the acid needed to properly break down and absorb food. This could then lead to an upset of your body's good bacteria, which can then open the door to parasitic infection, ulcers and malabsorption.
For more information, please review my special report on this topic.
"Vitamin" Waters – Do NOT Be Fooled!
If you've recently switched from soda to vitamin water because you believed it to be a healthier choice, you may be disappointed by what I have to say about them: Vitamin waters are nothing more than a clever marketing scheme designed to promote a product that is just as unhealthy as soda!
Vitamin waters often contain dangerous high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), artificial colors, additives, preservatives and caffeine. What's even worse is these manufacturers use distilled water to make their products, which, as you've read above, is one of the worst types of water you can put into your body!
Now that you know which types of water to avoid, let's take a look at the water you should be drinking for optimal health!
Filtered Tap Water – Getting to the Gold
The most economical and environmentally sound choice you and your family can make is to purchase and install a water filter for your home. I recommend three different types of water filters and weigh the pros and cons of each. Let's take a brief look below.
Reverse Osmosis Filter
In addition to removing chlorine, inorganic, and organic contaminants in your water, an RO filter will also remove about 80 percent of the fluoride and most DPBs. The major drawback is the expense of installing an RO filter as most need a plumber to get up and running.
Ion Exchange Filter
Ion exchange is designed to remove dissolved salts in the water, such as calcium. This system actually softens the water or exchanges natural-forming mineral ions in the water with its own ions, thereby neutralizing their harmful effect of creating scale build-up.
The ion exchange system was originally used in boilers and other industrial situations before becoming popular in home purifying units, which usually combine the system with carbon for greater effectiveness.
Granular Carbon and Carbon Block Filters
These are the most common types of counter top and under counter water filters.
Granular carbon filters and carbon block systems perform the same process of contaminant removal, adsorption, which is the chemical or physical bond of a contaminant to the surface of the filter media.
Granular activated carbon is recognized by the EPA as the best available technology for the removal of organic chemicals like herbicides, pesticides and industrial chemicals. However, one of the downfalls of granular carbon filters is that the loose material inside can channel--the water creates pathways through the carbon material, escaping filtering.
Carbon block filters offer the same superior filtering ability but are compressed with the carbon medium in a solid form. This eliminates channeling and gives the ability to precisely combine multiple media in a sub-micron filter cartridge. By combining different media, the ability to selectively remove a wide range of contaminants can be achieved.
Ideally, you want a filtration system that offers a variety of methods to remove different contaminants. Most systems do not address a combination of organic, inorganic, cyst, sediment and metals.
I'm pleased to announce that I have located a family of filters that I believe are the best filters on the market in terms of effectiveness, value, and ease of use. They are all manufactured in the U.S. under exclusive contract with a company specializing in advanced water treatment products, and will include both countertop and under-counter filters.
Living Water – Keeping the Balance
In choosing the right type of water for you and your family, you want to aim for pH balance. Distilled water is too acidic and alkaline water is too alkaline. The ideal pH of your water should be between 6.5 to 7.5, which is neutral.
Mountain spring water is in this ideal range. It is some of the healthiest water on the planet because it is "living water". Living water, like "living food is in its raw, natural state the way nature intended.
One of the main reasons I am such an advocate for eating raw, organic vegetables is because these "living foods" contain biophotons, small units of light stored by all organic organisms, including you.
Gravity-fed spring water is alive in much the same way. When you take this vital energy into your body, you are re-charging it with health and encouraging it to return to a whole and balanced state.
Now, when I mention mountain spring water, I don't mean the two-gallon jugs you see sitting on your grocery store shelf. I'm talking about water you bottle yourself from a gravity-fed spring. There's a great website called FindaSpring.com where you can find a natural spring in your area. This is a great way to get back to nature and teach your children about health and the sources of clean water.
The best part is that most of these spring water sources are free!
It is important to bring either clear polyethylene or glass containers on your trip to collect the water so no unsafe chemicals can contaminate your pure drinking water on the way home. If you choose to use glass bottles, be sure to wrap them in towels to keep them from breaking in the car.
How Much Water Should You Drink?
So, how much pure filtered or spring water should you drink per day? Six glasses? Eight?
Well, here's a good rule of thumb:
You should be drinking enough water to turn your urine a light-colored yellow.
If you are outside on a hot day or engaging in strenuous activity, it is advisable to increase your water intake as needed. It is also important to note that as you age, your thirst mechanism works less efficiently. Older adults need to pay more attention to the color of their urine to see if their water intake is adequate.
Coconut Water and Vegetable Juicing – Adding a Little Variety
As I mentioned in a previous article, coconuts are an excellent source of fresh, pure water and electrolytes. Coconuts are also rich in lauric acid, which is known for its immune-boosting as well as its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties so it's an ideal choice when you're sick.
An even better pure healthy water is vegetable juicing. I recommend buying pesticide-free, organic vegetables for optimal nutritional benefit.
Health Benefits of Drinking Pure Water
I can't say enough about the health benefits of drinking pure water. Here are only a few of the many health benefits you and your family will enjoy once you make the switch to pure water, it will help you:
* Maintain a healthy body weight
* Properly digest food and absorb nutrients from food
* Have healthy, glowing skin
* Decrease muscle and joint inflammation
* Have better circulation
* Detoxify your body naturally
Finally, the extensively researched and fascinating book, Your Body's Many Cries for Water, should be required reading by all, and definitely belongs on every health care practitioner's bookshelf.
Related Articles:
General
* Do You Really Need Eight Glasses of Water a Day?
* Visual Evidence of the Power of Prayer, Gratitude and Appreciation
* Careful With Your Water Filters -- Hotel Filtered Water Can Kill You
* Dangers of Drinking Water from a Water Fountain
Bottled Water
* What You Didn't Know About Fiji Water
* The Many Ways the Government Protects the Business of Bottled Water
* The Waste of Bottled Water in America
* How Most Americans Were Conned Into Drinking Bottled Water
* This Common Beverage Can Spike Brain Damage, Obesity, and Cancer Risk
* Is Bottled Water Really Pure?
* Bottled Water Not So Pure
Tap Water
* Even Drugs Thrown in the Trash Can End Up in Your Drinking Water
* Your Tap Water Is Legal But May Be Unhealthy
* Cancer Drugs Found in Tap Water
* Chlorine Alternative Makes Tap Water More Deadly
* Tap Water Toxins: Is Your Water Trying to Kill You?
* Villages in India Show the U.S. Just How Dangerous Fluoride in Our Water Is…
* Why are Millions in the US Drinking Filthy Water – Even in Upscale Suburbs?
* Tap Water Toxins: Discover Your 3 Best Solutions, Straight from the Expert...
Distilled Water
* Early Death Comes From Drinking Distilled Water
* Why I Now Say No to Distilled Water Only
Alkaline Water
* If You Fall for This "Water Fad" - You Could Do Some Major Damage
Water Filters
* Is Your Water Filter Really Working?
* Instruction for Proper Water Fileter Installation
* Say Goodbye to Those Potentially Harmful Chemicals... Say Hello to a Truly Refreshing Shower!
Vitamin Water
* Coca-Cola Sued for Marketing Vitaminwater as Healthy
* Is This Popular Sports Drink as Damaging as Coca-Cola?
* Exactly What is the New Sweetener Erythritol?
Coconut Water
* Nuts About Coconuts: Everything You Need to Know About This Supreme Health Food
* Coconut Water is Sweet Hangover Relief
Vegetable Juicing
* Juicing Benefits: Your Key to Radiant Health
Water Bottles
* Nalgene Water Bottles Appear to be Unsafe
Water Videos
* Tap Water Toxins: Is Your Water Trying to Kill You?
* This Common Beverage Can Spike Brain Damage, Obesity, and Cancer Risk
* Is Bottled Water Really Pure?
* Villages in India Show the U.S. Just How Dangerous Fluoride in Our Water Is…
* Bottled Water Not So Pure
* Why are Millions in the US Drinking Filthy Water – Even in Upscale Suburbs?
* Tap Water Toxins: Discover Your 3 Best Solutions, Straight from the Expert...
* If You Fall for This "Water Fad" - You Could Do Some Major Damage
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/21/how-drinking-spring-or-filtered-water-can-improve-your-health.aspx
Posted By Dr. Mercola
February 21 2011
By Dr. Mercola
Woman Drinking WaterWith all the different types of water out there and all the hype that goes with each, it can be very easy to get confused about which types of water are really best for your health. And, if you find yourself struggling with the environmental concerns of bottled water versus the dangerous chemicals in tap water, I understand.
That's why I created this page to help clear up some confusion and help you take control of your health.
Symptoms of Dehydration
Since most of you are no longer tuned in to your bodies the way your ancestors were hundreds of years ago, you may be overlooking your body's many cries for water.
There is a silent and growing epidemic of chronic dehydration. So many suffer from it yet are simply unaware of the symptoms.
Are you one of them? The major symptoms of dehydration are thirst, dry skin, dark colored urine and fatigue but take a look at some commonly overlooked symptoms of chronic dehydration.They are:
* Digestive disturbances such as heartburn and constipation
* Urinary tract infections
* Autoimmune disease such as chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis
* Premature aging
* High cholesterol
* Weight gain
Types of Water – How Your Choice Makes the Difference
When it comes to water, there's more to choose from than simply tap versus bottled. Let's closely examine each so you can make informed decisions about your water and your health.
Tap Water – Danger in Every Glass
Plain old tap water: It's easy. It's convenient and it comes right out of your kitchen faucet. However, as I'm sure you've heard, most tap water is contaminated with a host of pollutants that increase your risk of serious health problems. Let's take a look at some of these contaminants and how they can adversely affect your health and that of your family.
Arsenic
As I've been stating in my articles about water since 2001, the level of arsenic in US tap water is incredibly high. This poisonous element is a powerful carcinogenic, which has been linked to an increased risk of the development of several types of cancer. In 2001 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lowered the maximum level of arsenic permitted in drinking water from 50 ug/L to 10 ug/L due to the established cancer risk.
The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates as many as 56 million Americans living in 25 states drink water with arsenic at unsafe levels. For more information, see the USGS website, which offers maps showing where and to what extent arsenic occurs in ground water across the United States.
Aluminum
You may have heard how aluminum increases your risk for Alzheimer's disease, but did you also know that the aluminum found in your municipal water supply can cause a wide variety of other health problems?
Aluminum has been linked to:
* Hyperactvity
* Learning disabilities in children
* Gastrointestinal disease
* Skin problems
* Parkinson's disease
* Liver disease
Fluoride
If you still believe fluoride in your drinking water prevents cavities and helps build strong teeth, you've fallen for a cleverly devised mass-deception.. As this recent study done on children in India shows, fluoride is anything but a cavity fighter. fluoride is a well-known toxin that actually leads to an increased risk of cavities and can cause a wide range of health problems, including weakening your immune system and accelerating aging due to cellular damage.
Prescription and OTC Drugs
You may have been told that if you dispose of your unwanted or expired prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs in the trash instead of the toilet that you do not run any risk of it ending up in the water supply. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
As I mentioned in this previous article, water that drains through landfills, known as leach rate, eventually ends up in rivers. Although not all states source drinking water from rivers, many do.
According to studies, human cells do not grow normally when exposed to even minute amounts of prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Some drugs that were never meant to be combined are mixed together in the drinking water you consume every day. Millions of people have drug allergies. Are you among them? If so, how do you know the strange symptoms you've been experiencing are not due to ingesting small doses of the drugs you're allergic to from your water?
Pregnant women should be especially wary. The toxic substances you take into your body from tap water will have a negative effect on the development of your unborn child.
Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)
Most tap community water supplies are treated with chlorine and although it may not be the healthiest element you can consume, it is far better for you than what is left behind. In my video, "Tap Water Toxins – is Your Water Trying to Kill You?", I interview water filtration pioneer Robert Slovak about the dangers of disinfection byproducts.
Disinfection byproducts are the result of disinfecting water with chlorine. It is important to note that while consuming chlorine is certainly not healthy, DBPs are TEN THOUSAND TIMES more dangerous!
In addition to being a powerful carcinogenic, DPBs have also been linked to liver, kidney and nervous system problems.
So, Bottled Water is the Way to Go, Right?
If you're thinking you're safe from all of the harmful contaminants I listed above because you drink bottled water instead of tap water, I'm afraid I must be the bearer of some bad news:
40 percent of bottled water is bottled TAP WATER!
Yes, you read correctly. As I stated in my article about the deceptions of bottled water, 40 percent of bottled water is just bottled tap water, which may or may not have received additional filtration. Remember the arsenic and DPBs you were trying to avoid from tap water? Well, an independent test done by the Environmental Working Group found these and 36 other harmful pollutants hidden in bottled water.
Also, drinking from plastic bottles is not a good idea. Plastic bottles contain a chemical called bisphenol A or BPA, which is a synthetic hormone disruptor that has been linked to serious health problems such as:
* Learning and behavioral problems
* Altered immune system function
* Prostate and breast cancer
* Risk of obesity
* Early puberty in both genders
Aside from the health risks, the devastating impact bottled water has had on our ecosystem is staggering!
Distilled Water – Use with Caution
Some health conscious people have been misled into believing that distilled water is healthy for them. As I've stated before, this is simply not true.
The problem with distilled water is that it is boiled and evaporated away from its dissolved minerals. The water then becomes acidic and seeks to balance itself by drawing minerals right out of your body. It will also draw out contaminants from the container it's stored in for this same reason.
What's worse, any contaminant in the water that vaporizes at a lower temperature than the water, such as volatile organic compounds, like disinfection byproducts that are thousands of times as toxic as chlorine, will be condensed and actually concentrated in the finished distilled water. So what you end up with is water that contains even more dangerous contaminants than what you started with!
I only recommend using distilled water for a short period of time and only for the purpose of detoxification, as this water can help pull toxins from your body. Drinking it long-term, however, will most likely invite health problems.
Alkaline Water
In my interview with water filtration expert, Houston Tomasz, I asked for his thoughts on the growing use of alkaline water. There are several potential problems with alkaline water.
First of all, most water ionizers and alkalizers are marketed by multi-level marketing (MLM) companies with questionable ethics
Some people experience an initial "high" when they start drinking alkaline water. This can easily be attributed to detoxification, and the fact that they are likely just becoming better hydrated.
Detoxification is about the only benefit of alkaline water, and this benefit is limited to very SHORT TERM USE (no more than a week or two). An additional concern is that many individuals have stomach dysfunctions like GERD or ulcers that are largely related to having too little stomach acid. Long-term use of alkaline or ionized water can interfere with your body's natural digestive process by reducing the acid needed to properly break down and absorb food. This could then lead to an upset of your body's good bacteria, which can then open the door to parasitic infection, ulcers and malabsorption.
For more information, please review my special report on this topic.
"Vitamin" Waters – Do NOT Be Fooled!
If you've recently switched from soda to vitamin water because you believed it to be a healthier choice, you may be disappointed by what I have to say about them: Vitamin waters are nothing more than a clever marketing scheme designed to promote a product that is just as unhealthy as soda!
Vitamin waters often contain dangerous high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), artificial colors, additives, preservatives and caffeine. What's even worse is these manufacturers use distilled water to make their products, which, as you've read above, is one of the worst types of water you can put into your body!
Now that you know which types of water to avoid, let's take a look at the water you should be drinking for optimal health!
Filtered Tap Water – Getting to the Gold
The most economical and environmentally sound choice you and your family can make is to purchase and install a water filter for your home. I recommend three different types of water filters and weigh the pros and cons of each. Let's take a brief look below.
Reverse Osmosis Filter
In addition to removing chlorine, inorganic, and organic contaminants in your water, an RO filter will also remove about 80 percent of the fluoride and most DPBs. The major drawback is the expense of installing an RO filter as most need a plumber to get up and running.
Ion Exchange Filter
Ion exchange is designed to remove dissolved salts in the water, such as calcium. This system actually softens the water or exchanges natural-forming mineral ions in the water with its own ions, thereby neutralizing their harmful effect of creating scale build-up.
The ion exchange system was originally used in boilers and other industrial situations before becoming popular in home purifying units, which usually combine the system with carbon for greater effectiveness.
Granular Carbon and Carbon Block Filters
These are the most common types of counter top and under counter water filters.
Granular carbon filters and carbon block systems perform the same process of contaminant removal, adsorption, which is the chemical or physical bond of a contaminant to the surface of the filter media.
Granular activated carbon is recognized by the EPA as the best available technology for the removal of organic chemicals like herbicides, pesticides and industrial chemicals. However, one of the downfalls of granular carbon filters is that the loose material inside can channel--the water creates pathways through the carbon material, escaping filtering.
Carbon block filters offer the same superior filtering ability but are compressed with the carbon medium in a solid form. This eliminates channeling and gives the ability to precisely combine multiple media in a sub-micron filter cartridge. By combining different media, the ability to selectively remove a wide range of contaminants can be achieved.
Ideally, you want a filtration system that offers a variety of methods to remove different contaminants. Most systems do not address a combination of organic, inorganic, cyst, sediment and metals.
I'm pleased to announce that I have located a family of filters that I believe are the best filters on the market in terms of effectiveness, value, and ease of use. They are all manufactured in the U.S. under exclusive contract with a company specializing in advanced water treatment products, and will include both countertop and under-counter filters.
Living Water – Keeping the Balance
In choosing the right type of water for you and your family, you want to aim for pH balance. Distilled water is too acidic and alkaline water is too alkaline. The ideal pH of your water should be between 6.5 to 7.5, which is neutral.
Mountain spring water is in this ideal range. It is some of the healthiest water on the planet because it is "living water". Living water, like "living food is in its raw, natural state the way nature intended.
One of the main reasons I am such an advocate for eating raw, organic vegetables is because these "living foods" contain biophotons, small units of light stored by all organic organisms, including you.
Gravity-fed spring water is alive in much the same way. When you take this vital energy into your body, you are re-charging it with health and encouraging it to return to a whole and balanced state.
Now, when I mention mountain spring water, I don't mean the two-gallon jugs you see sitting on your grocery store shelf. I'm talking about water you bottle yourself from a gravity-fed spring. There's a great website called FindaSpring.com where you can find a natural spring in your area. This is a great way to get back to nature and teach your children about health and the sources of clean water.
The best part is that most of these spring water sources are free!
It is important to bring either clear polyethylene or glass containers on your trip to collect the water so no unsafe chemicals can contaminate your pure drinking water on the way home. If you choose to use glass bottles, be sure to wrap them in towels to keep them from breaking in the car.
How Much Water Should You Drink?
So, how much pure filtered or spring water should you drink per day? Six glasses? Eight?
Well, here's a good rule of thumb:
You should be drinking enough water to turn your urine a light-colored yellow.
If you are outside on a hot day or engaging in strenuous activity, it is advisable to increase your water intake as needed. It is also important to note that as you age, your thirst mechanism works less efficiently. Older adults need to pay more attention to the color of their urine to see if their water intake is adequate.
Coconut Water and Vegetable Juicing – Adding a Little Variety
As I mentioned in a previous article, coconuts are an excellent source of fresh, pure water and electrolytes. Coconuts are also rich in lauric acid, which is known for its immune-boosting as well as its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties so it's an ideal choice when you're sick.
An even better pure healthy water is vegetable juicing. I recommend buying pesticide-free, organic vegetables for optimal nutritional benefit.
Health Benefits of Drinking Pure Water
I can't say enough about the health benefits of drinking pure water. Here are only a few of the many health benefits you and your family will enjoy once you make the switch to pure water, it will help you:
* Maintain a healthy body weight
* Properly digest food and absorb nutrients from food
* Have healthy, glowing skin
* Decrease muscle and joint inflammation
* Have better circulation
* Detoxify your body naturally
Finally, the extensively researched and fascinating book, Your Body's Many Cries for Water, should be required reading by all, and definitely belongs on every health care practitioner's bookshelf.
Related Articles:
General
* Do You Really Need Eight Glasses of Water a Day?
* Visual Evidence of the Power of Prayer, Gratitude and Appreciation
* Careful With Your Water Filters -- Hotel Filtered Water Can Kill You
* Dangers of Drinking Water from a Water Fountain
Bottled Water
* What You Didn't Know About Fiji Water
* The Many Ways the Government Protects the Business of Bottled Water
* The Waste of Bottled Water in America
* How Most Americans Were Conned Into Drinking Bottled Water
* This Common Beverage Can Spike Brain Damage, Obesity, and Cancer Risk
* Is Bottled Water Really Pure?
* Bottled Water Not So Pure
Tap Water
* Even Drugs Thrown in the Trash Can End Up in Your Drinking Water
* Your Tap Water Is Legal But May Be Unhealthy
* Cancer Drugs Found in Tap Water
* Chlorine Alternative Makes Tap Water More Deadly
* Tap Water Toxins: Is Your Water Trying to Kill You?
* Villages in India Show the U.S. Just How Dangerous Fluoride in Our Water Is…
* Why are Millions in the US Drinking Filthy Water – Even in Upscale Suburbs?
* Tap Water Toxins: Discover Your 3 Best Solutions, Straight from the Expert...
Distilled Water
* Early Death Comes From Drinking Distilled Water
* Why I Now Say No to Distilled Water Only
Alkaline Water
* If You Fall for This "Water Fad" - You Could Do Some Major Damage
Water Filters
* Is Your Water Filter Really Working?
* Instruction for Proper Water Fileter Installation
* Say Goodbye to Those Potentially Harmful Chemicals... Say Hello to a Truly Refreshing Shower!
Vitamin Water
* Coca-Cola Sued for Marketing Vitaminwater as Healthy
* Is This Popular Sports Drink as Damaging as Coca-Cola?
* Exactly What is the New Sweetener Erythritol?
Coconut Water
* Nuts About Coconuts: Everything You Need to Know About This Supreme Health Food
* Coconut Water is Sweet Hangover Relief
Vegetable Juicing
* Juicing Benefits: Your Key to Radiant Health
Water Bottles
* Nalgene Water Bottles Appear to be Unsafe
Water Videos
* Tap Water Toxins: Is Your Water Trying to Kill You?
* This Common Beverage Can Spike Brain Damage, Obesity, and Cancer Risk
* Is Bottled Water Really Pure?
* Villages in India Show the U.S. Just How Dangerous Fluoride in Our Water Is…
* Bottled Water Not So Pure
* Why are Millions in the US Drinking Filthy Water – Even in Upscale Suburbs?
* Tap Water Toxins: Discover Your 3 Best Solutions, Straight from the Expert...
* If You Fall for This "Water Fad" - You Could Do Some Major Damage
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/21/how-drinking-spring-or-filtered-water-can-improve-your-health.aspx
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