| Whether you are worried about the radiation | | | | spoonfuls of vinegar (but only if made with fresh |
| from dental x-rays, a mammogram, or fallout, | | | | roots). |
| here are some Wise Woman Ways to help you | | | | - Dried beans, especially lentils can reverse DNA |
| stay healthy. We are adapted to survive mild | | | | damage done by radiation. So can red clover |
| exposures to radiation. After all, the sun is a kind | | | | (Trifolium pratense) and astragalus (Astragalus |
| of controlled nuclear bomb and it releases a lot of | | | | membranaceous) - two powerful members of the |
| radiation. Of course, this radiation, and man-made | | | | legume (bean) family. |
| radiation, can also cause cancer and a host of | | | | - Homeopathic remedies can be taken before and |
| short- and long-term health problems. | | | | after exposure to radiation: Plumbum (lead) is said |
| Whether you are worried about the radiation | | | | to help those who feel overwhelmed and in need |
| from dental x-rays, a mammogram, or fallout, | | | | of protection. Belladonna is used to prevent and |
| here are some Wise Woman Ways to help you | | | | relieve radiation burns and pains - even long after |
| stay healthy. (If you are using radioactive | | | | the immediate exposure. |
| therapies in your cancer treatment, there is a | | | | - Selenium protects DNA from radiation damage |
| chapter full of information specifically for you in | | | | and helps prevent damage to the skin surface, |
| Breast Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman | | | | too. Get plenty of selenium by eating a daily dose |
| Way.) | | | | of 2 cups/500 ml of nettle infusion, one-half ounce |
| - Japanese researchers found that diets high in | | | | 15 g kelp, 2 ounces/60 g cooked burdock root, or |
| carotenes significantly reduced DNA damage in | | | | 1 cup/250 ml organic yogurt daily. Shellfish, green |
| humans exposed to radiation. Supplements of | | | | and black teas, and garlic contain significant |
| beta-carotene (or of vitamins C or E) did not | | | | amounts of selenium, as do many mushrooms. |
| show this effect. Eating lots of orange and dark | | | | The best sources however are nettles (2200 mcg |
| green foods (sweet potatoes, winter squash, | | | | per 100 grams), kelp (1700 mcg/100 g), burdock |
| beets, carrots, kale, collards, chard, and spinach, | | | | (1400 mcg/100 g), catnip (Nepeta cataria), |
| for example) can protect you from | | | | ginseng, Siberian ginseng, and astragalus. |
| radiation-induced cancers. | | | | - In clinical trial with humans, those who took |
| - Envision yourself and all your cells protected | | | | ginseng extract (Panax quinquefolium) for thirty |
| from damage. (One woman wrapped herself in | | | | days following exposure to radiation showed |
| psychic lead.) | | | | hastened recovery from injuries to their bone |
| - Guinea pigs bombarded with radiation lived a lot | | | | marrow, organs, skin, and blood cells according to |
| longer if they ate broccoli or cabbage. All cabbage | | | | Paul Bergner in The Healing Power of Ginseng, |
| family plants - including arugula, turnips, radishes, | | | | The Enlightened Person's Guide, Prima, 1996. He |
| cauliflower, mustard greens, bok choy, Brussels | | | | quotes Japanese researcher Dr M. Yonezawa as |
| sprouts, broccoli d'rappe, kale, collards, and of | | | | saying that "ginseng appears to be the most |
| course broccoli - protect your cells from the | | | | useful agent available for protection against |
| damaging effects of radiation. | | | | radiation damage." |
| - Choose an image, an icon, something meaningful | | | | - It's important to keep yourself well nourished if |
| to you, as a focusing agent. Put your affirmations, | | | | you are exposed to radiation. Make it a habit to |
| blessings, prayers, visualizations, and healing love | | | | drink at least two big cups of nourishing herbal |
| into it, for easy access when you need help. | | | | infusion daily. Nettles, red clover, and violet leaves |
| - Miso broth is the classic food for prevention of | | | | supply generous amounts of the nutrients you |
| radiation damage. There's twice the protection if a | | | | need most: protein and minerals, especially |
| quarter-ounce/5 grams of dried kelp seaweed is | | | | potassium and zinc. |
| added to the soup. In scientific studies, seaweed | | | | For best results, do not use capsules of the herbs |
| was able to neutralize radioactive isotopes in the | | | | mentioned in this article. Instead, cook with them |
| human body. Researchers at McGill University say | | | | (kelp, astragalus, Siberian ginseng, ginseng, reishii, |
| radioactive strontium binds to the algin in brown | | | | and burdock), brew nourishing herbal infusions with |
| seaweeds to create sodium alginate, a compound | | | | them (nettles, red clover, astragalus, burdock, |
| easily and harmlessly excreted. Common black | | | | catnip, and ginseng), make mineral-rich vinegars |
| tea exhibited the same anti-radiation effects in | | | | with them (nettles, burdock, catnip, ginseng, and |
| several Japanese studies. | | | | astragalus), or take a high-quality non-standardized |
| - In Fighting Radiation and Chemical Pollutants with | | | | tincture of them (burdock, ginseng, Siberian |
| Foods, Herbs, and Vitamins (Vitality, 1991), Steven | | | | ginseng, astragalus). |
| Schecter tells us that both black and green tea | | | | To make a nourishing herbal infusion: |
| showed "radioprotective effects" whether taken | | | | - Put one ounce of dried herb into a quart jar; fill |
| before or after exposure to radiation. Among | | | | jar to the top with boiling water and cap tightly. |
| other modes of operation, tea catechins absorb | | | | - Strain after 4-8 hours and drink hot or cold. |
| radioactive isotopes and remove them from the | | | | - Refrigerate what you don't drink right away; |
| body before they do damage. The action is similar | | | | drink that within a day. |
| he says, to that of sodium alginate (the "active | | | | To make a vinegar: |
| ingredient" in kelp seaweed). | | | | - Fill any size jar with fresh herb (best!!) or one |
| - Eating any amount of reishii (a mushroom) | | | | quarter full of dried herb (not nearly so good). |
| reduces damage from radiation. | | | | - Pour room temperature apple cider vinegar over |
| - St. Joan's/John's wort oil protects my skin from | | | | the herb, filling jar to the top. |
| radiation damage. I use it as my only sunscreen | | | | - Cover with plastic wrap or a cork. |
| (and I am outside a lot) and find it not only | | | | - Label with date and name of plant. |
| immediately effective in preventing and treating | | | | - Let sit for six weeks. |
| sunburn, but even more protective with continuing | | | | - Decant into a pretty bottle and use to season |
| use over years. | | | | soups, beans, and salads. |
| - Burdock root (Arctium lappa) removes | | | | This is the Wise Woman Way the world 'round. |
| radioactive isotopes from the body. A dose is 1-4 | | | | Take good care of yourselves. Green blessings to |
| ounces/300-120 grams of cooked fresh root, up | | | | all. |
| to a pint of infusion daily, or several large | | | | |