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Rosemary #3 – Powerful Protection from Radiation
Do you use a cell phone? WiFi? Have you been exposed to ionizing radiation? A new study shows that the risk for glioma (brain cancer) was tripled among those using a wireless phone for more than 25 years and that the risk was also greater for those who had started using mobile or cordless phones before age 20 years.These exposures also carry a high risk of other cancers and cardiovascular disease. Thankfully, along with other precautions, Rosemary can help us.
From “Rosemary Found to Offer Best Protection against Radiation Poisoning” by Barbara Minton we read:
RF/microwave exposure leads to cancer development
It has been know for a decade that RF/microwaves from cell phones and tower transmitters cause damage in human blood cells that results in nuclei splintering off into micronuclei fragments. The development of micronuclei heralds the development of pre-cancerous conditions. Many victims of Chernobyl developed blood cell micronuclei that rapidly turned into full blown cancers.
Numerous animal studies have demonstrated that mobile phone radiation quickly causes DNA single and double strand breaks at levels well below the current federal “safe” standards. A six-year industry study showed that human blood exposure to cell phone radiation had a 300 percent increase in genetic damage in the form of micronuclei, suggesting a health threat much greater than smoking or asbestos.….non-ionizing communications radiation in the RF/microwave spectrum has the same effect on human health as ionizing gamma wave radiation from nuclear reactions.
Its hard to believe that our familiar Rosemary is an effective natural agent to protect ourselves from radiation, but science says its true so let’s look at some of the studies.
Ionizing radiation generates massive free-radical production which damages cellular DNA. Four constituents found in Rosemary; carnosol, carnosic, rosmarinic and caffeic acids, ward off damage from radiation poisoning.
One study explored several compounds for their ability to protect cells from gamma-irradiation. As reported in the British Journal of Radiology, February 2, 2009 the fat soluble carnosol and carnosic acids in rosemary “provide highly significant protective anti-mutagenic activity”. It turns out that powerful water soluble antioxidants can’t match rosemary’s antioxidant activity against radiation damage. Even so, another study shows that water extracts of Rosemary were able to prevent skin damage from UV exposure.
Plants that grow in full sun develop strategies to protect themselves from excessive radiation. Rosemary is a good example of such a plant, whose sun protective compounds extend to those who consume it.Take, for example, it’s Rosmarinic acid. It acts as a photo-protector to the skin by scavenging free radicals and inducing the body’s own endogenous defense mechanisms. For example, malonyldialdehyde, one of the toxic compounds formed after exposure to UV radiation, it’s formation was inhibited by Rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinic acid was 3.34 times more effective in this action than any other compound tested. While taking Rosemary orally was found effective in protecting the skin from UV damage, it seems to me Rosemary essential oil would be ideal to add to your homemade sunscreen. Try blending coconut oil with a few drops of Rosemary EO.
Another constituent of Rosemary, Caffeic acid, was found to protect human lymphocytes from intense gamma radiation, finding that when lymphocytes were pre-treated with caffeic acid they were positively modulated against all radiation induced changes. Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology, 2008.
This animal study determined that Rosemary extract was a good radio-protector against lethal doses of gamma radiation. Animals were pre-treated with various doses of Rosemary extract prior to exposure and the dosage of 1000mg/kg of body weight turned out to be the most effective. This is more than I’d want to be taking on a regular basis but if I knew we were about to be exposed to high levels of gamma, I’d aim for this dose short term as a pre-treatment.
How much to take?
The German Commission E monograph on Rosemary suggests 3/4 to 1 1/4 teaspoons (4-6 grams) a day. An infusion can be made by adding 2 teaspoons (10 grams) to 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water (removed from the heat) and steeped, covered, for at least 15 minutes. Strain and sip several times a day.
Its standard to use the tincture at 2-5 ml (1/2 – 1 tsp) three times a day, HOWEVER, high doses of Rosemary can damage the kidney so I recommend using the smaller dose of tincture, 1-5 drops.
Rosemary essential oil can be added to skin lotions, oils or creams to use directly on the skin at a 2% dilution.
Cautions:
While culinary use is safe, medicinal doses of this herb are not recommended for those suffering from heat conditions. If you experience sharp headaches, flushing, increased pulse, roaring in the ears …this herb is not for you. Back off of it, or try using it externally as the essential oil.
Never use this herb in high medicinal doses, greater that the above recommendations, because it can cause digestive upset, kidney damage and even convulsions.
Do not use medicinal doses during pregnancy, it can act as an abortifacient.
Ozark Herbal Academy offers a course on Radiation Protection that covers all of the risk factors and what to do to protect yourself, including the use of rosemary herb.
Overcoming Radiation Pt 2 – Miso
Miso belongs to the highest class of medicines, those which prevent disease and strengthen the body through continued usage.
— Dr. Shinichiro Akizuki,
Director, St. Francis Hospital, Nagasaki
When Hiroshima was destroyed by nuclear bombs, a physician named Tatuichirou Akizuki, was treating 70 tuberculosis patients at St. Francis hospital only a mile from the epicenter. Neither he, nor his staff of 20, nor his patients suffered the effects of the radiation. Akizuki attributed this to the wakame miso soup all of them consumed daily.
The University Hospital, also a mile from the epicenter, served a modern diet of white rice, sugar, refined flour products…but no miso. Its 3,000 patients suffered terrible radiation burns and leukemia.
Later, when Chernobyl had its 1986 meltdown, word on miso had already spread so many Europeans took to eating miso soup. Here we are again, with Fukushima, miso is back in the limelight. But does it really work? Will any miso do?
For those asking, “What is miso?” – it’s a natural living fermented food containing vitamins,probiotic microorganisms, salts, minerals, plant proteins, carbohydrates, enzymes and fat. Miso also contains saponin inhibiting lipids peroxide, trypsin inhibitor, isoflavon, lecithin, choline, and prostaglandin E . Its an alkalizing food that provides energy throughout the day. Many drink it in the morning instead of coffee.Think of it as a probiotic condiment, usually made of soybeans but can also be made from other beans, wheat,rice,oats and even peanuts. While there are several varieties, for the purpose of radiation protection, we’re most interested in barley miso aged for three years.
Dr. Watanabe (see below) states,
It is considered as a food with health-promoting benefits, such as effectiveness in relieving fatigue, regulation of the intestinal function, digestive supplement, protection against gastric ulcer, decrease of cholesterol, decrease of blood pressure, whitening ability, prevention of diseases associated with adult lifestyle habits, apoplexia cerebri, accumulation of brain metabolism, protection of aging, healing radiation damage and prevention of cancers for biological effects.
Scientists and physicians confirm miso can protect us from cancer, even when caused by ionizing radiation.
In The Cancer Prevention Diet (pg. 335) we read;
In 1985 Lidia Yamchuk and Hanif Shaimardanov, medical doctors in Chelyabinsk, organized Longevity , the first macrobiotic association in the Soviet Union. At their hospital they have used dietary methods and acupuncture to treat many patients, especially those suffering from leukemia, lymphoma, and other disorders associated with exposure to nuclear radiation. Since the early 1950s, wastes from Soviet weapons production had been dumped into Karachay Lake in Chelyabinsk, an industrial city about nine hundred miles east of Moscow. In particular they began incorporating miso soup into the diets of patients suffering from radiation symptoms and cancer. “Miso is helping some of our patients with terminal cancer to survive, “ Yamchuk and Shaimardanov reported. “Their blood (and blood analysis) became better after they began to use miso in their daily food.”
Over a 25-year period, the Japanese Cancer Institute tested and tracked 260,000 subjects. These were divided into three groups; those eating miso daily, those eating it 2 or 3 times a week, and those who never ate it. Those who never ate miso had a 50% higher cancer rate.
Another study showed that miso soup protects against breast cancer risk, but other forms of soy do not.
Then there’s the case of a California surgeon, Dr. Evelyn Waselus, who, having read about how Dr. Akizuki used miso as a plaster over radiation burns, used it as a plaster over her own breasts after a double mastectomy. It took away the terrible pain. Now she uses miso in her practice with outpatients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation. Her patients don’t lose their hair ( there’s a direct relationship between intestinal villi and our hair). She uses three-year barley miso to restore their beneficial “gut flora”. Her external plaster for patients in radiation treatment combines miso and aloe vera.
Dr. Kazumitsu Watanabe, professor of cancer and radiation research at Hiroshima University investigated the radioprotective effect of miso by testing small intestine cells of lab mice. These cells absorb nutrients and are particularly sensitive to radiation, which can easily destroy these cells. Radiation damage to these cells in humans is seen as severe diarrhea after exposure.
When the mice were exposed to lethal x-rays, of those consuming miso 60% survived. Only 9% survived from the group that wasn’t fed miso. Dr. Watanabe went on to test different kinds of miso and discovered that the greatest radiation protection came from 3-year aged miso, with 2-year providing good results, and less impressive results shown as the age declined down to newly made miso.
Researchers at Hiroshima University concluded that people who eat miso regularly may be up to five times more resistant to radiation than those who don’t. Akihiro Ito, head of one of the research teams found that it eliminates toxins from the body by stimulation of circulatory and metabolic systems.
You can read Watanaby’s study here.
How to Use Miso
Use as a condiment, just a few teaspoons daily per adult since it has a high salt content. I love making a very simple soup/beverage. Never heat it, first make your basic broth and add the miso only after removing the pot from heat. I even let it cool down a little just to be sure I don’t “kill” the beneficial organisms. My simplest quick soup: heat water over the stove, add a pinch of powdered ginger, a few dashes of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or a quality soy sauce), a tsp of onion or garlic powder, stir and remove from heat. When its at drinking temperature, I take up to a tablespoon of miso and hold it in the broth while rubbing it with another spoon (its a thick paste) until it’s mixed smoothly into the broth. If you have green onions, chop a few to float in the soup.
You can experiment with adding other wonderful ingredients to your broth; astragalus root (immune system enhancer); instead of powdered ginger, simmer chopped fresh ginger; medicinal mushrooms like shitake or reishi; seaweeds (if you can find them grown away from radioactive ocean dumping)…the alginate in seaweeds helps remove internal radionuclides. And check out miso recipes on the web. Its delicious!
Although it does lose flavor over time, it will keep for up to a year in your refrigerator. If you discover blue or white mold, just scrape it off, it’s fine. However, if you discover pink mold…toss it out.
This is just one of the delicious options available to ward off the nuke demons…stay tuned for part 3 where we unlock Kombucha.
Sources for aged barley miso
Overcoming Radiation Pt 1
This spring’s gardening and herbal workshops are overshadowed by radiation streaming out of Japan. Overshadowed by the callous disregard for life demonstrated by governments and corporations telling us its not harmful, hiding the facts not only from us, but each other!! The EPA’s clever side-step…just increase the “safe level” of radioisotopes several thousand times (see here). Its got to be “safe” so long as we aren’t immediately keeling over on exposure, right? Is that all they can do? Obfuscate, cover-up? I just watched a lecture by a chemical geologist who explained that the EPA was created by the military and nuclear industry to protect – not the environment – but the nuclear industry! Finally, the odd behavior of the EPA makes sense! (There’s a link to the video below, its a ‘must watch’ to understand what we’re up against regarding the Fukushima event)
Thankfully, “the people” are going into action. Many are setting up independent monitoring networks, others are providing expert, credentialed, analysis. And we have scientists, physicians, health care workers informing us as to how to overcome exposure to the various isotopes that threaten our well-being.
Ever since the March 11 quake in Japan, I’ve been reporting the developments of Fukushima’s multiple nuclear meltdowns-in-progress on my blogs at www.dcoda.amplify.com and www.ozarkherbs.tumblr.com. I’ll continue to track the story there, and offer my research into the health aspects here. Below, you’ll find some links on radiation & health concerns.
The big question on everyone’s mind is just how exposed they are, has the radiation reached them and to what degree. I’ve spent countless hours researching to get answers to this question in order to give you accurate information and avoid alarming folks for no good reason. What I’m personally finding alarming is that NO one really knows what’s going on!! We have computer models telling us that the plumes are reaching us, estimating the types of radiation they contain but actual measurements are withheld. Independent testing of foods by the Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, U.C. Berkley, in California, showed the presence of radionuclides on foods such as spinach,mushrooms,strawberries (see here). But there’s little in the way of a follow up or wider testing. Closer to home, on April 10 we learned that Little Rock, Arkansas tested out with the nation’s highest levels of iodine-131 in milk, some 300% over the EPA’s limit (see here). So we know its in our food and water, but testing and reporting is sporadic at best. Since radiation continues to spew out of the reactors, since is accumulates, we know we’re exposed enough to take precautions.
The first question I get is, “Should I be taking potassium iodide?” Given that iodine intake has dropped 50% in the U.S. since the 1970s, most Americans have hungry thyroids that will snap it up in whatever form comes along. When the thyroid is full of iodine, it won’t absorb more of it, that’s why potassium iodide is used to block the radioactive iodine-131. But it takes some time to fill the thyroid up with healthy iodine , that’s why the fast-acting pharmaceutical forms, potassium iodide and p. iodate, are handed out a.s.a.p. to everyone in range of a nuclear accident. But these forms can have some toxic side-effects and cannot be taken long-term. Its a little late now for potassium iodide anyway. Better to start ingesting safer, bioavailable iodine in the hope we can block additional absorption of iodine-131. Some forms, like atomic Nascent iodine also help clear out the bad stuff once its in our glands.
Seaweed is recommended but I’m not comfortable with that option now that the ocean has become the dumping ground for Fukushima’s radioactive water…how can we know where the seaweed is coming from and when it was harvested? If we can get “older” seaweed, then yes, let’s add it to our diet.
Two of the nation’s leading experts on iodine are Dr. Mark Sircus and Dr. David Brownstein. Dr. Brownstein has tested 5000 patients for iodine, 95% were deficient. They are the “go-to” guys for finding out about iodine supplementation.
Another doctor, Dr. Michael B. Schachter, says, “The treatment dose when a person is iodine insufficient is generally between 12.5 mg and 50 mg daily. Preliminary research indicates that if a person is iodine insufficient, it takes about three months to become iodine sufficient while ingesting a dosage of 50 mg of iodine daily and a year to achieve that while ingesting a dosage of 12.5 mg of iodine daily.
Since there can be side effects to high doses, and some cautions for folks who already have thyroid problems, its important to read up on this before taking these high doses. Sircus’ website covers it well.
Watch the video discussion between Sircus & Brownstein, then read Dr. Sircus’ iodine information here (the video is also located on this site). Regarding Nascent Iodine, Dr. Sircus writes:
Nascent iodine, though more expensive, actually tastes and feels good while going down and is gentle enough to give to children, who do not seem to complain about its taste. My recommendation would be to use the Nascent Iodine in high dosages to both saturate the thyroid (which makes it less vulnerable to chemical and radioactive attack) while it will also knock out any contaminants already absorbed. Nascent iodine contains approximately 400 mcg per drop so 10 drops is 4 mg and 100 drops is only 40 so it’s safe to take much higher dosages than is suggested on the bottle. In fact one has to completely ignore the suggested dosages on the bottle and take some of the information below as ones guidance for dealing with threatening radiation dropping down out of the clouds that are moving along with the jet stream.
One hundred drops a day is a strong dose, but when treating life threatening diseases it would not be unheard of to use upward of 200 drops a day in divided doses, but if you get your iodine on the day the news is sounding the radiation alarm I would jump right to 100 drops or 50 drops in divided dosages for children. It is my belief that the Nascent atomic form is much more efficient than the molecular form meaning you would need less but when confronted with a cloud of radiation one wants to work beyond the speculative. Again the government is recommending a onetime dosage, which makes sense if there is no time to address iodine deficiencies.
He goes on to say that under normal conditions one wouldn’t start with such high doses. He covers the side effects and ,also, other forms of iodine we can take.
Unfortunately, radioactive iodine isn’t the only issue. In addition, we’re exposed to cesium-137, strontium-90, uranium and plutonium, plus other nucleotides. Check out Dr. Sircus’ full protocol using Iodine, Glutothione, Natural Chelation, Clay and Baking soda here.
LINKS:
- This is THE best presentation on, not only Fukushima, but on our exposure to nuclear isotopes since 1945. Its two hours long and worth every minute. Geoscientist, Leuren Moret, who worked for nuclear research labs and has been tutored by Dr. Marion Fulk, a former Manhattan
- Project scientist, tells us that she and her scientific friends around the world are "terrified" at the situation in Japan. See it here.
- EU and EPA up safety level of cesium-137 in food
- Beyond Nuclear, useful updates & info
- Regular video updates by nuclear expert, Gunderson here
- University of Maryland Computer Model using NOAA data tracking plume here Note; lately it hasn’t been keeping up to date, check in on it though.
- Europe, Radioactive Monitoring (shows global) here
I’ll be back with part 2 soon…please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
Granny Woman Ozark Herbs 