Dealing with Radiation: A Holistic Approach

Since the 1940's, all life on this delicate planet has been altered by increased radiation exposure. The effects of radiation are cumulative. Younger people are more sensitive to radiation and are more likely to die of cancer because of it.

Possible sources of radiation include nuclear fallout from weapons testing, fission materials from nuclear power plants, leaking radioactive disposal sites, flying at high altitudes, and mammograms and x-rays. A jet flight of six hours exposes us to 5 millirad of radiation (flight attendants have an increased incidence of breast cancer); a chest x-ray exposes us to 16 millirad; and the smallest dose of radiation from a single screening mammogram is 340 millirad.

It can take up to 40 or more years for a cancer to appear after radiation exposure. Many of the breast cancer patients I see now were exposed to high levels of radiation as children. Breast tissue is particularly sensitive to radiation. Radiation exerts a greater effect when absorbed into the developing breasts of young women 8-20 years old. When a woman receives significant radiation before the age of 20, she is more likely to develop breast cancer before the age of 35.

Protection from Radiation:

  • To limit the effects of radiation from flying, try to travel at night to decrease exposure and take 3 mg of melatonin before and after the flight to protect your cells from damage
  • Consume at least two tablespoons of seaweed daily, such as dulse, kelp, or nori, and learn to cook with it. Sea vegetables contain sodium alginate, which is able to bind to radioactive substances so they can be excreted.
  • A diet rich in antioxidants or supplements containing vitamins E and C, beta-carotene, grape seed, coenzyme Q10, and the minerals zinc and selenium, is also protective. Pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts provide us with food sources of zinc and selenium.
  • Investigate the possibility of using solar or wind power, design your home to be more energy efficient
  • Use fewer electrical devices in order to decrease reliance on nuclear power.
  • If you can, choose to live more than 100 miles from a nuclear power plant.

Chemical Toxins

It is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of the environmental devastation we participate in with our daily use of chemical toxins. I feel overwhelming grief when I reflect upon and absorb this information. Kundalini Yoga gives me the capacity to live with this knowledge and act on it to create positive change to protect the Earth.

I do what I can in my local sphere, and I ask you to join me to create a global shift. We can become the white blood cells of the Earth to create a healthier future for all by changing our own environment and educating others.

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Sat Dharam Kaur

Sat Dharam Kaur

Sat Dharam Kaur is a naturopathic doctor practicing at Trillium Healing Arts Centre in Owen Sound, Ontario. She was awarded the Naturopathic Doctor of the Year award by the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors in 2000 for her work in breast cancer prevention and environmental education. Sat Dharam's books, The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Breast Cancer and The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women’s Health are available in bookstores and online. For more information about the Healthy Breast Program and Sat Dharam’s teaching schedule, visit www.mammalive.net and www.trilliumhealingarts.ca or contact Sat Dharam Kaur at (519) 372-9212 or [email protected].
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Sat Dharam Kaur

Sat Dharam Kaur

Sat Dharam Kaur is a naturopathic doctor practicing at Trillium Healing Arts Centre in Owen Sound, Ontario. She was awarded the Naturopathic Doctor of the Year award by the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors in 2000 for her work in breast cancer prevention and environmental education. Sat Dharam's books, The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Breast Cancer and The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women’s Health are available in bookstores and online. For more information about the Healthy Breast Program and Sat Dharam’s teaching schedule, visit www.mammalive.net and www.trilliumhealingarts.ca or contact Sat Dharam Kaur at (519) 372-9212 or [email protected].