PROTECT YOURSELF NOW FROM JAPAN RADIATION

If you opened Yahoo news this morning you would have been greeted by this headline: Radiation levels Soar. The article states:

“Dangerous levels of radiation leaking from a crippled nuclear plant forced Japan to order 140,000 people to seal themselves indoors Tuesday after an explosion and a fire dramatically escalated the crisis spawned by a deadly tsunami."

Japanese officials told the International Atomic Energy Agency that

"the reactor fire was in a fuel storage pond — an area where used nuclear fuel is kept cool — and that radioactivity is being released directly into the atmosphere."

Japan's meteorological agency reported "one good sign":

“the prevailing wind in the area of the stricken plant was heading east into the Pacific, which would help carry away any radiation.”

That may be good news for Japan, but it is bad news for us. This wind will carry radiation to California in about 5 days. It will reach the Northeast U.S. a few days later. Now is the time to protect yourselves and your families. You must start preventive treatment three days before exposure to radiation.

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The radioactive materials being released at this time include: radioactive iodine(iodine-131), cesium, nitrogen, plutonium, and argon. Radio-active iodine presents the greatest risk, so I’ll deal with it first.

Iodine-131 is notable for causing mutation and death in cells which it penetrates and those close to them. When present in the environment from radioactive fallout, it can be absorbed through contaminated air and food, and will accumulate in the thyroid. The primary risk from exposure is thyroid cancer, but cancer can also spread elsewhere in the body.

The risk from Iodine 131 can be mitigated by taking iodine supplements (Potassium Iodine), to raise iodine levels in the body, therefore reducing uptake and retention of iodine, including the radioactive variety. The ‘good’ iodine binds to the receptor cites, so when the radioactive iodine shows up at your thyroid it finds a “no vacancy” sign. As a result it is washed out in the urine without causing damage. I’ll say even more below about what you can do now to protect yourself.

Now let’s look at the other radioactive materials in the fallout from Japan.

Another potential radioactive hazard is cesium. Caesium-137 is water-soluble and chemically toxic in small amounts. Its half-life is about 70 days. According to experts,

"Prior to Chernobyl, we believed that the cesium would be diluted out, that once the cloud went through and it rained, the cesium would be washed out. What we found out was there was an accumulation of cesium in certain types of vegetation, and it accumulated rather than diluted,"

Caesium-137 can cause leukemia. To protect yourselves from cesium toxicity, take supplements of anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C, E and mineral Selenium, eat more fruits and vegetables.

Radioactive Plutonium accumulates in the bone and liver. Its half-life 88 years, and it is more dangerous when inhaled than when ingested. The risk of lung cancer increases once the total dose exceeds 400 mSv , but as of now we do not know how much Plutonium we’ll get with the wind from Japan.

Radioactive nitrogen decays within seconds of its release, and argon poses no threat to health.

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The time to start protecting yourself and your family is now!

Here are the active steps you can take:

To prevent thyroid cancer take supplements of Potassium Iodine.

I have only 60 pills now in each office. Every supplier I called today was out of stock. The five most popular items this week on Swanson were all iodine supplements, and all five were sold out

I will have more iodine in the form of 2% iodine solution coming in soon.

I’ll dispense Iodine pills in the envelope in count of 5 pills per envelope for free, starting tomorrow in my Fairfield office, until I run out. Please drop in between 12:30 and 5:30 pm.

2% iodine solution also will be available for free starting Friday in Fairfield office and Monday in my Stamford office Take 2 drop per day for adults and 1 drop per day for children younger than 12 years old in 1oz of water.

Iodine can also be absorbed through the skin. However, the exact received dose cannot be measured. Many households have 1% iodine solution in the medicine chest. You can also buy this at CVS and apply topically (see the picture how to do that).

Sea weed or sea kelp is also a very good source of nutritional iodine, though the dose you receive is hard top measure. It is safe, high dose assuming it did not just come from Japan! You can add it to many dishes as you cook them; cooking does not destroy the iodine.

For some protection against the other radioactive substances, take a good high dose multi-vitamin and mineral supplement as a source of vitamins C and E and Selenium. If you do not have these at home I have some in my office ($40.00per 180 pills). Take 1-2 pills per day.

If you have any questions, please, call me 203-331490