After the Tsunami | Whole Life Times — Los Angeles Holistic Health Magazine

By Sharon Cummings

650934_xxl Last March 11, a local surfer sat peacefully centering himself on the beach at sunrise before pulling on his wetsuit to paddle out to sea; surfers cannot plan for the size of the swell, but can only be ready. As he slowly opened his eyes from his morning meditation, an officer asked him to evacuate the beach because of imminent tsunami danger on California shores. Just hours before, the same tsunami had crippled sea level towns, farms and Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Like surfers, we don’t know what size tsunami may someday reach our shores, but we need to be ready when it does. At the moment, it’s unclear whether we would fare any better than Japan has, and many California communities are likely to experience a wipeout of unanticipated proportions.

California’s coastline hosts two nuclear power plants: San Onofre, at about sea level near San Clemente, is protected by a 30-foot seawall; and Diablo Canyon in San Luis Obispo sits on a bluff 85 feet above sea level. Like Fukushima, California’s aging reactors (life expectancy for a nuclear power plant is 30 to 40 years) are located in seismically active zones; and also like Fukushima, both use ocean water for cooling radioactive waste. If an emergency evacuation of a 50-mile radius became necessary, approximately 9 million California residents would effectively become environmental refugees, assuming all survived.

The Fukushima nuclear incident has increased to Level 7 severity. The cost to life, health and wealth has been immeasurable in Japan, but as we know from fallout after the Chernobyl disaster, there are ripple effects yet to come. Scientists and other organizations still debate, 25 years later, the total number of deaths due to Chernobyl, with estimates ranging from a few thousand to more than a million. A 2006 report titled “Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation” published by the National Academy of Sciences concludes there is no safe level of radiation—even at low exposures, risk increases and continues to accumulate.

The mainstream media and government mantra regarding radiation harm to public health is one of underwhelming urgency: “Scarce,” “insignificant,” “well below levels of concern” and “harmless to human health.” Meanwhile, measurements made public by the EPA detect radioisotopes in rain water, tap water, milk and air throughout the United States have risen since the disaster, at distances of more than 9,000 miles from Fukushima.

“We’ve been disappointed by the lack of information the EPA is releasing,” says Elanor Starmer, Western region director of Food & Water Watch. “They keep telling us not to worry, but we’d worry a lot less if we knew they had a plan for testing and addressing any problems they find in our food and water supplies.”

The FDA has banned only one type of Japanese fish—the sand lance—she reports, while the rest are given “extra attention,” which still means that less than 2 percent of imported seafood is subject to inspection. Other official U.S. restrictions include some (but not all) veggies, mushrooms, and milk and dairy products from regions closest to Fukushima.

To protect our health, we must once again take healing into our own hands.

Eat Local Fish
It’s difficult to say which wild or farmed fish from overseas are safe to consume because we don’t know exactly in which waters they swim, feed and breed. For example, wild Alaskan salmon often swim through Japan in their migratory pattern. Skip sushi this summer, especially if you know the fish comes from Japan. Learn the source of your seafood and stick to U.S. wild-caught or sustainably farmed fish that are low on the food chain. “There is some evidence as bigger fish eat smaller fish, radiation (particularly cesium) accumulates,” says Starmer of Food & Water Watch; in much the same way, radioactive particulates can accumulate in our own bodies based on our water sources and food choices.

More Miso
When a diet of seaweed, rice, sea salt, no sugar and miso was implemented to staff and patients by Dr. Tatsuichiro Akiziki at St. Francis Hospital near Nagasaki, it proved effective in treating and preventing post-atomic radiation sickness and avoiding fatalities, compared to other hospitals that did not.

Bring on the Iodine
Although food produced or caught in Japan after 3/11/11 is unsuitable for human consumption, many sea foods prevalent in Japan evidentially support defenses and resistance against nuclear radiation in the body. Try to find organic iodine from natural sources such as seaweed, kelp, blue green algae and chlorella to protect the thyroid, which is where the body stores iodine. Integrative MD Robert Krochmal of Woodland Hills explains, “The body does not distinguish between [radioactive Iodine-131] and regular iodine. In the case that we were to have dangerous levels of I-131, more regular iodine in our diet would mean that less I-131 is absorbed into the thyroid tissue.” Instead it is passed through the body and eliminated.

Murray Clarke, naturopath and OMD in Santa Monica, recommends the typical Japanese daily diet of 12 mg natural iodine as a model for iodine intake. Some say taking potassium iodide pills or nascent iodine daily at this dosage is warranted as a preventative measure if you do not otherwise consume regular iodine; but start the dosage slowly if it is new to you, and supplement with vitamin C.

Sea veggies from the Atlantic ocean rather than Pacific are preferable; and southern hemisphere rather than northern. Many seaweeds have a “packaged on” date, although there is no standardization in the way food products are dated. Only purchase foods from before 3/11/11 if they originate from Japan.

You can also take three to five tablets tablets of chlorella, spirulina or other blue or green sea algae with each meal (one to three for kids).

Dairy Dangers
Milk contamination represents food crops as well, because cows eat grass that is exposed to the the same rain, wind and water supplies. Consider almond or rice milk (preferably packaged before 3/11). When buying at farmers markets, ask about testing for pre- and post-Fukushima radiation levels; or contact the producer. Don’t buy milk without knowing it is safe, especially for pregnant woman, babies and developing children.

Load up on Antioxidants
Eat foods high in fiber and antioxidants—whole fruits and green veggies—to support the body’s natural defense systems. Antioxidants protect the body and help develop resistance in several ways. “One is to literally scavenge for and repair damaged DNA,” says Krochmal. “Other antioxidants neutralize ‘free radicals,’ which are waste products of our metabolism . . . Still others can work together with our existing detoxification systems (liver, kidneys) to make their function more efficient.”

Other Recommendations
Clarke suggests ginseng, gingko-biloba, curcumin and vitamin C, all proven effective against radioactive damage include. Also trace minerals nutrient NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine: up to 500 mg daily), a simple amino acid that binds to and eliminate toxins, and aids immune system response.

EVOLVING LIFESTYLES

Every day the same water that was once our first source of shared life on Earth continues to circulate through weather cycles of creation and destruction. The same seas that create the smooth sands of summer beaches also carry all the contaminants we have allowed to accumulate through our various attempts to dominate and profit from our rich resources.

Hours after the tsunami surged into Eastern Japan leaving little but devastation in its wake, the same crests came (more casually) crashing into a Berkeley marina on California’s west coast. Twelve days later, after a severe rainstorm, a UC Berkeley program monitored and reported radioactive rainwater measurements that exceeded maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) by 181 times.

The EPA initially reported its own results with false assurances: “While the levels in rainwater exceed MCLs for drinking water . . . [they are] calculated . . . based on chronic exposure.” With a containment solution at Fukushima currently months away, “chronic” describes the current situation. Some changes to our everyday lives may help decrease the risks of long-term radiation exposure.

Bottled Still Not Better
The most effective water filtration systems combine reverse-osmosis, carbon activation and ion exchange. Look for low water-waste water ratios on reverse osmosis systems. Many health food stores have reverse-osmosis system stations where you can fill your own containers for less than $1 per gallon.

Radioactive Rain
Wear clothing to cover skin when it rains, and leave outerwear and shoes outside to avoid bringing trace radioactive particulates into your living space.

Summer Swimming
Pacific Ocean levels of radioactivity are definitely greater than before Fukushima. Though the dose is dissipated over thousands of miles of open ocean before reaching California’s shores, there is still an increased risk of exposure and consequent cancer potential when radioisotopes are absorbed and accumulate in the body.

Detox Bath
If you spend lots of time outdoors or in the ocean, combine two cups epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) with one cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and one-third cup hydrogen peroxide. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes to alleviate stress and induce a sweat that will allow toxins to exit the body through the skin.