Putin’s veiled threats of exercising the nuclear option make this a great time to review what happens when people are exposed to nuclear radiation and fallout, and what we can do to treat the symptoms. And if we want to be able to treat those symptoms, we have to be prepared—especially because some of the treatment options are not on anybody’s list of normal items to stock.
When it comes to nuclear radiation and fallout, an ounce of prevention is worth a megaton of cure. Much of this prevention involves topics way beyond my level of expertise, and besides, extremely informed and competent individuals have already written on these topics and provide their information free of charge. I can’t recommend the following sources highly enough.
- Nuclear War Survival Skills by Cresson Kearny has been previously reviewed here on the blog. This manual provides extensive information on all aspects of preparing for and surviving a nuclear event. And it’s a free download. Link below.
- In his The Good News About Nuclear Destruction Shane Connor distills the essential information we all need to know for surviving a nuclear blast. In addition, he has posted several other articles on his website addressing various aspects of preparing for such an occurrence. What’s interesting to me is that while Shane sells potassium iodide tablets that prevent the thyroid from assimilating radioactive iodine following a nuclear disaster, he recognizes that most Americans won’t prepare. Experience with public panic following 9/11 and Fukushima showed that potassium iodide tablets all over the country were sold out within days. And yet, Shane also provides information on substitutes and action plans for the 99% of people who don’t act until it’s (too?) late. There is really a lot of good information that bears reviewing by even the most devout preppers.
In addition to printing Nuclear War Survival Skills (if you haven’t already) and reviewing the information at Shane’s site, take a look at the following substances you may wish to acquire for preventing radiation uptake and eliminating it from the body. Other topics on treating radiation sickness and burns will be covered in the future. Stuff like constructing shelters is way above my pay grade and is addressed very well in the aforementioned references.
The three kinds of radiation we are most concerned with are iodide, cesium, and strontium. Radioactive iodide is a fine, light particle that can affect areas even hundreds of miles downwind. Fortunately, it has a short half-life. Radioactive cesium and strontium do not travel as far, but they have much longer half-lives. All can cause rapid death in high doses and slower death due to cancer in lower doses. Anything we can do to prevent exposure and uptake will increase our chances for survival.
Radioactive iodide options
Potassium iodide tablets like Iosat, ThyroSafe, and Thyroshield saturate the thyroid with iodine to prevent absorption of radioactive iodide. They must be taken before exposure to be effective. Attempting to order the pills after an event just won’t work. But not everybody needs them. A previous blog post addressed this topic and should be reviewed.
Iodine tincture or povidone iodine (Betadine) may be painted on the skin to prevent iodine uptake by the thyroid. However, this treatment needs to begin days in advance of exposure, as uptake through the skin is slower than by using the iodide tablets. This procedure is also discussed in the blogpost linked below on the need for potassium iodide tablets.
Kelp is high in iodine and may help saturate the thyroid to prevent absorption of radioactive iodide.[1] However, dosing is difficult at best. And, of course, the kelp has to be harvested before the disaster occurs.
Levothyroxine may possibly decrease the absorption of iodide. According to Dr. Cynthia Koelker, full dose thyroid replacement therapy (100-200 micrograms, or 0.1-0.2 milligrams, daily, for adults) could be attempted. Levothyroxine has been used to treat patients for depression, and when the medication is discontinued, thyroid function returns to normal.[2]
Radioactive cesium and strontium options
Calcium and vitamin D. In the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, Russian scientists suggested that ingesting excessive calcium and vitamin D might decrease the absorption of radioactive strontium. Strontium, like calcium, has a high affinity for bone cells. If the body is saturated with calcium and the receptor sites in the bone cells can be filled with calcium, there will be no place for the strontium to go, and it will be eliminated from the body. However, while scientists assert that it is a sound theory, it hasn’t actually been tested.[3]
Prussian blue is currently used in the treatment of cancer. The US FDA determined that Prussian blue (the medicine, not the paint) is safe and effective for treating internal contamination with radioactive cesium and thallium.[4] Unfortunately, it is available by prescription only and is not generally available through overseas pharmacies. If any of you can find a source for it, please share.
Milk thistle has been shown to prevent the development of skin cancer in mice. It was also shown that the milk thistle did not do so as a sunscreen but rather acted by some intrinsic pathway that is not yet understood.[5]
Pectin, specifically apple pectin, was employed by doctors treating children up to 16 years after the disaster at Chernobyl. In just one month of treatment, daily use of pectin reduced the radioactive cesium in children by over 62%.[6]
Corn silk was shown to exhibit a protective effect in mice by preventing damage caused by gamma radiation. [7]
Peppermint. The results of a 2013 study published in Cytotechnology showed that peppermint worked well to protect mice from the effects of gamma radiation. Fresh peppermint leaves were harvested, washed, air dried, and then heated in 80°C water for 36 hours. The mice were given the peppermint infusion in a dosage of 1 g/kg for seven days before exposure to gamma radiation in a dose of 6 Gy (a dose that will be lethal for more than half the population).[8] The researchers concluded that the peppermint treatment offered some level of protection, but didn’t say much more than that.
Most of these substances are fairly inexpensive and easily obtained. If nuclear disaster is a concern, you have options for mitigating the risk.
Links to related posts:
Nuclear War Survival Skills—review and a link to free download
Do You Really Need Potassium Iodide Tablets?
The Medicinal Uses of Peppermint
The Medicinal Uses of Milk Thistle
References:
The Good News About Nuclear Destruction http://www.ki4u.com/goodnews.htm
What to Do if a Nuclear Disaster Is Imminent http://www.ki4u.com/guide.htm
[1] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 472.
[2] Ibid, 471-72.
[3] Survival and Austere Medicine, 3rd Edition, 2017, 366.
[4] FDA ENCOURAGES NEW DRUG APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS FOR PRUSSIAN BLUE AS A TREATMENT FOR THALLIUM OR RADIOACTIVE CESIUM CONTAMINATION, 31 January 2003, https://www.fda.gov/drugs/bioterrorism-and-drug-preparedness/fda-encourages-new-drug-application-submissions-prussian-blue-treatment-thallium-or-radioactive (accessed 22 March 2022).
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4116427/
[6] VB Nesterenko, et al., Reducing the 137Cs-load in the organism of "Chernobyl" children with apple-pectin, Swiss Medicine Weekly, 10 January 2004, Vol 134 No 1-2, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14745664/ (accessed 7 March 2022).
[7] K Hasanudin, et al., Corn Silk (Stigma Maydis) in Healthcare: A Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review, Molecules, 2012, Vol 17 No 8, https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/17/8/9697/htm (accessed 3 February 2022).
[8] Hassan HA, Hafez HS, Goda MS. Mentha piperita as a pivotal neuro-protective agent against gamma irradiation induced DNA fragmentation and apoptosis : Mentha extract as a neuroprotective against gamma irradiation. Cytotechnology. January 2013, Vol 65 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3536878/ (accessed 22 March 2022).
No comments:
Post a Comment