When you think about “radiation,” you might think of glowing green radioactive stones, like the uranium used in atomic bombs. But ionizing radiation is all around us. It’s in the soil, the environment, our homes, and it’s even blasting down on us from the sun’s cosmic rays (and your exposure is higher if you’re up in a plane).
Ionizing radiation is a high energy wave (consisting of highly energized particles) emitted by unstable, radioactive atoms. As these atoms decay, they send out energy powerful enough to knock electrons off other molecules lying in their path.
If a molecule that gets in the way of this blast is a part of living tissue, the radiation will mutate, damage, or even kill the cell. This causes many types of cancer, including leukemia – and makes cancer worse if it’s already present.
I’ve been concerned for a long time that medical professionals rely on radiation so heavily for diagnostic scans like x-rays, CT and PET scans. The use and overuse of scans presents a huge problem for anyone concerned about cancer. This publication has already been on record for a long time opposing routine mammograms (See Issue #218.)
Besides the energy rays they blast through the body, some scans also require the patient to inhale, swallow, or inject radioactive materials.
Medical professionals insist that the radiation used in medical imaging is “minimal,” and that the “benefits greatly outweigh the risks.” Does that make you feel comfortable blasting vulnerable parts of your body with radiation? Me either.
So how much radiation are we really talking here? And how do you know whether the benefits of medical imaging truly do outweigh the risks? Find out the facts you need to know to make the right decision for you or your loved ones. . .
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There are plenty of reasons your doctor will want to use a PET scan to find cancer, for example. It’s the most effective tool for diagnosing cancer available today. Yes, the best test to find cancer causes cancer. Doctors focus on the “best test” benefit and gloss over the “causes cancer” part. That’s why 90% of diagnostic cancer scans are PET scans.
And there are plenty of reasons you might agree with your doctor and want to have these exams done. You want to be proactive and be sure there’s no cancer lurking in your body, especially if you’re at risk genetically or demographically. And if you’ve been diagnosed with early stage cancer, you want to track it and make sure it hasn’t metastasized.
But, getting scanned multiple times a year could worsen cancer … or make it grow where you were previously cancer-free.
Thus, the conundrum.
How much radiation are we
really talking about?
Ionizing radiation is typically measured in millisieverts (mSv). You may also see radiation units in rems, an old unit that only Americans use anymore. 1 rem is the equivalent of 10 mSv. For the purposes of this article, we’ll stick to mSv.
As citizens of Earth, we’re exposed to about 3.0 mSv of natural “background” radiation per year from radiation in the soil, natural radon gas, and the sun. Those living at high altitudes get 1.5 mSv more per year than those living at sea level.
Here are a few more examples:
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Your risk of cancer from ionizing radiation increases approximately 5.5% per 1000 millisieverts. That’s likely what medical professionals are referring to when they say the “benefits outweigh the risks.”
However, if you’re already at risk for cancer, there’s no telling whether that extra radiation will tip the scale … or how much damage it could really do. That extra mammogram or PET scan starts to look more dangerous and less beneficial. As many alternative doctors have stated, “No amount of exposure is safe!”
And it’s not just a matter of whether radiation will give you cancer. Whether you get cancer or not, radiation still affects your cells and DNA … so much so, scientists have been able to estimate how exposure to radiation reduces the average person’s life expectancy … to the minute.
Though it’s an oversimplified model, experts have estimated a PET scan involving 50 mSv is the equivalent of 100 hours of life lost, just by exposure to dangerous radioactive material.3
What options do you have?
When it comes to the sheer size of the radiation dose, the worst offender in the medical world is the PET scan. Ironically, this test is the one used most often for diagnosing and keeping tabs on cancer. But after just three PET scans, you’ve lost nearly four days of your life, not including the cancerous growths they cause or exacerbate.A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a popular test because it allows doctors to watch how your body is functioning at the chemical level. It uses a radioactive tracer, either through inhalation, oral administration, or injection, depending on which organ is being studied.
To find cancer, they might inject you with glucose that’s been tagged with radioactive material. Because glucose goes straight to cancer cells – cancer cells love sugar – the radiation lights up the scan and the diagnostician can tell exactly where you have cancer and how much.
As it stands, there are no other tests that measure metabolic and chemical functions in the body—CT and MRI scans only measure anatomical structures. So, an MRI will be able to determine location and size of a tumor … but only a PET scan can determine whether the tumor is metabolically active or whether it’s responding to treatment.
Even though your options for non-radiative exams are limited, you always have the option to say “no” to unnecessary tests—especially because repeat exposure and build-up of radiation is the primary cause for concern.
Experts say the damage is cumulative – from the first X-ray you ever had as a child to the one you had last week, the damage has built up in your body.
Appoint yourself to be your own protector and advocate when it comes to your health. Only get medical imaging tests that are absolutely necessary. Say no to regular mammograms and other “just in case” tests. And when you have the option, insist on using non-radiative tests such as MRI and ultrasounds first.
If a test is absolutely necessary—and I concede there are times when that’s the case—ask your medical tech for the following safety procedures. And don’t feel bad about “overstepping your bounds.” This is your health; do not assume someone else is going to protect it.
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If you must have a radioactive test done, there are also many natural steps you can take to protect your sensitive DNA before and after the exam.
Natural ways to protect your
cells after radiation exposure
If you’ve been through recent radiative tests or you’re expecting one, you might consider detoxifying your body with these natural “radioprotective” steps.
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Someday, I hope we’ll leave the Dark Ages of blasting people with carcinogenic radiation, and invent medical imaging techniques that don’t put vulnerable patients at risk.
Until then, I hope you feel empowered to ask your doctor for another option … and at the very least, keep all unnecessary tests to a minimum and use the natural steps listed above to protect your health.
Kindest regards,
Lee Euler, Publisher
References