Why did the TV media only broadcast radiation levels for Sacramento, which were only trace amounts?

If you listened to TV news broadcasts a few days ago on TV news, you'll notice the sign up there in the broadcast announced that there were only trace amounts of radiation announced for Sacramento, but not for any other city along the West coast. Was it shown on the TV program because Sacramento on the map lies in a straight horiztonal line from Japan? And no one defined what trace amounts were and how trace amounts might influence anyone's thyroid.

If you're still worried about radiation coming to Sacramento, the Saturday Sacramento Bee newspaper had a graph of the measured radiation levels for iodine and strontium in Sacramento on Saturday, March 19th. Also check out the latest March 18, 2011 news release on the low radiation levels in the USA, "Radiation risks to health: A joint statement from leading scientific experts."

The growing concern surrounding the release of radiation from an earthquake and tsunami-stricken nuclear complex in Japan has raised fears of radiation exposure to populations in North America from the potential plume of radioactivity crossing the Pacific Ocean.

To help Americans understand their radiation-related health risks, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), the American Thyroid Association (ATA), The Endocrine Society and the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) issued a joint statement.

The statement suggests that the principal radiation source of concern, in regard to impact on health, is radioactive iodine including iodine-131.This presents a special risk to health because exposure of the thyroid to high levels may lead to development of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer years later.

Radioactive iodine uptake to the thyroid can be blocked by taking potassium iodide (KI) pills. However the statement cautions KI (postassium iodide) pills should not be taken unless there is a clear risk of exposure to high levels of radioactive iodine.

While some radiation may be detected in the United States as a result of the nuclear reactor accident in Japan, current estimates indicate radiation levels will not be harmful to the thyroid gland or general health, according to the March 18, 2011 news release, "Radiation risks to health: A joint statement from leading scientific experts." If radiation levels did warrant the use of KI, the statement (reported by the news release) recommends it should be taken as directed by physicians or public health authorities until the risk for significant exposure dissipates.

The statement discourages individuals needlessly purchasing or hoarding of KI in the United States. Since there is not a radiation emergency in the United States or its territories, the statement does not support the ingestion of KI prophylaxis at this time. KI (potassium iodide) can cause allergic reactions, skin rashes, salivary gland inflammation, hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism in a small percentage of people.

AACE, ATA, The Endocrine Society and SNM will continue to monitor potential risks to health from this accident and will issue amended advisories as warranted. What you should do in the meantime is find out whether your body tolerates seaweeds/sea vegetables.

Or find out whether your hyper or fast thyroid is over-stimulated by sea vegetables. Some people have a thyroid that becomes over stimulated and creates a fast heart beat when too many sea vegetables, tofu or other soy products, strawberries, cruciferous vegetables, or even vitamin B are eaten. On the other hand hypothyroid or slow thyroid conditions may tolerate sea vegetables, but you need to find out how your body responds first.

When will the run on potassium iodide pills in Sacramento stop?

Maybe you just want to keep a bottle in your first aid kit in case a nuclear reactor in California explodes near you, but for the last few days, there has been a run on potassium iodide pills in Sacramento stores. For example, health food stores locally such as Sacramento Natural Food Coop and Elliot's Natural Foods a few days ago were out of the pills because of people rushing to buy protection. Sacramento pharmacies were sold out.

The pills are supposed to be for people with certain thyroid conditions. But what most folks don't realize is the protection given by ordinary seaweeds also known as sea vegetables.

See the March 16, 2011 article, Seaweed for protection against radiation. But be careful not to eat excess seaweeds if you have a fast thyroid such as hyperthyroidism because your thyroid autoimmune condition could speed up your already too fast heart beat.

Have you heard the old news of two different Japanese hospitals which were about one mile away from the atomic blasts of World War II? Check out the PDF file article, Dietary Practice of Hiroshima/Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors.

Dr. Akizuki fed his patients traditional Japanese food such as seaweed, vegetables, and brown rice of that communal area. One hospital used all natural seaweed and vegetables and the other used commercial foods. In the former institution eating the sea vegetables, "virtually 100 percent" of the people lived, while, in the latter hospital, on commercial foods that did not include seaweed, brown rice, and lots of vegetables such as cabbage, all of the people died.

One natural method to treat a radiation cloud if you ever encounter one, is eating sea vegetables. Natural iodine in seaweeds can reduce by almost 80% radioactive iodine-131 that is absorbed by the thyroid. SeaweedSeaweeds of various types are so effective that even the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission recommends that people consume two to three ounces of seaweeds a week (or 2 tbsp. of algin supplements a day) for maximum protection against radiation poisoning.

For example, dulse provides 100 percent of your daily requirement of iodine to protect your thyroid. There are lots of natural methods for radiation protection that work. Check out the audio broadcasts of cancer researcher, Dr. John Apsley.

You even have a run on online sources of potassium iodide, with all its side effects, and some people noted on various online sites the price was jacked up for the panic runs as if people were trying to protect themselves against a forthcoming Earthquake in California that was sure to crumble some of the California nuclear reactors because a big Earthquake sometime in the next 30 years is predicted for California.

So were people rushing to pack the pills into a first-aid kit just in case it happens in California or the rest of the West coast? See the site, cabbage & seaweed protect against radiation | Salt Spring Exchange.

You have cancer patients being advised to eat a lot of cabbage with seaweed. Also see the site, "The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission recommends that, for maximum protection against radioactive poisoning, humans consume a minimum of two to three ounces (wet weight) of sea vegetables per week, or 10 grams (two tablespoons) a day of seaweed supplements.

During or after direct exposure to radiation, the A.E.C. recommends increasing this amount to four times daily." The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission recommends that people consume two to three ounces of seaweed a week (or 2 tbsp. of algin supplements a day) for maximum protection against radiation poisoning. Also see, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

By the end of the week, people in Sacramento and other cities on the west coast were buying radiation protection suits online, the kind people wear who work with radioactive materials. Masks were selling well, the same kind of masks people bought by the dozens when the 2009 flu epidemic sent people online for protective clothing and sanitizers.

Radio talk show hosts had guests from various universities talk about the topic. But few mentioned the protective effects of plain old seaweed and how seaweed/sea vegetables kept people alive when they were exposed to radiation during World War II.

You know that there is no safe level of radiation. Radioactive material has a half-life of 25,000 years. It's emitting destructive effects upon our cells once inside the body for a lifetime. Apsley praised the benefits of kelp as a means of warding off the damage of radiation. You could also eat nori sea vegetables in your soup or sprinkle some dulce on your canned salmon.

Seaweeds purify all the world’s oceans- they can do the same for your body. But seaweed also stimulates your thyroid if you eat too much. Seaweed such as kelp, dulse, and Irish Moss can protect you from a wide range of toxic elements in the environment, including radiation by-products, converting them into harmless salts that your body can eliminate.

See, Combating radiation poisoning tips. Another tip is to soak your body in baking soda baths to help pull out the radiation from your body. Patients who have had mouth cancer and were given radiation therapy treatments to get rid of the cancer are sometimes also told to gargle with baking soda mixed in water.

So before you wonder what will happen if an Earthquake comes to a California nuclear reactor near you, think about why patients who are given radiation treatments for cancer or other heavy X-ray treatments for diagnosis, are told by some nutritionists to eat cabbage and seaweed and use baking soda and water as a mouthwash.

Then again, you could sprinkle dulse on your food to get 100 percent of your daily iodine requirements. Dulse is a low-sodium product. Just don't overload on seaweed for the sake of your thyroid because excess sea vegetables do stimulate the thyroid.

If you have a slow thyroid condition such as Hypothyroidism, the digital naturopath.com, website notes that "Kelp is a large, leafy brown edible seaweed rich in vitamins and minerals that grows along colder coastlines. Kelp is an excellent source of iodine, a major component of thyroxine and triiodothyronine, hormones that affect weight gain and cellular metabolic rates." But people with certain conditions shouldn't be chowing down on the seaweeds.

The digital naturopath.com site also notes, "One to two milligrams of iodine per week are required to prevent goiter. Based on epidemiological studies, thyroid disease is practically unknown in people who regularly eat kelp." Kelp is also on the list of recommended seaweeds for those with varicose veins, Lyme disease, and TB (from the point of view of traditional Asian medicine).

When Not to Eat Kelp or Excess Seaweed

Don't eat kelp if you have hyperthyroidism, a too-fast thyroid condition. It's listed under autoimmune issues. Your thyroid may be overstimulated already, and with a fast heart beat, you don't want to make it faster by eating too many sea vegetables.

So don't eat kelp if you have a fast thyroid. There's a link between too much iodine and hyperthyroid (fast thyroid) conditions, which affect the heart beat. See the site, Hyperthyroidism.

Don't eat excess seaweeds such as kelp if you have heavy metal toxicity. Some kelps concentrate arsenic. There have been cases where kelp supplementation resulted in blood cell abnormalities. Don't eat kelp or excess seaweeds if your blood test shows that you have a Low Platelet Count.

According to the digital naturopath.com, website, kelp can concentrate heavy metals, and that some kelp preparations contain substantial levels of arsenic. Don't take kelp if you have peripheral neuropathy. It has been noted that urinary arsenic excretion in patients with peripheral neuropathy, who have been taking kelp tablets, has increased, and seaweed ingestion has been linked with chronic thyroiditis.

If you eat too much seaweeds, for example, kelp, you could develop arsenic intoxication. You don't want this condition because arsenic intoxication can cause bone marrow depression and megaloblastic changes. Is your doctor aware of the potential dangers of contaminants in some kelp preparations? So be careful. And read the medical study, Severe dyserythropoiesis and autoimmune thrombocytopenia Associated with Ingestion of Kelp Supplements," Pye, Kathryn G., et al, The Lancet, June 20, 1992;339:1540.

The Endocrine Society

Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 14,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 100 countries.

Society members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy ChaseChevy Chase, Maryland. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit The Endocrine Society site.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists AACE is a professional medical organization with more than 6,500 members in the United States and 91 other countries. AACE members are physicians who specialize in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. For more information about AACE, visit the association's website on Facebook at AACE. Or become a fan on Facebook. Also you can follow AACE on Twitter.

American Thyroid Association

The American Thyroid Association (ATA) is the lead organization in promoting thyroid health and understanding thyroid biology. The ATA values scientific inquiry, clinical excellence, public service, education, collaboration, and collegiality.

A non-profit medical society founded in 1923, the ATA fulfills its mission through supporting excellence and innovation in research, clinical care, education, and public health. ATA members are physicians and scientists who work to enhance the understanding of thyroid physiology and pathophysiology, improve the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases, and promote the education of physicians, patients, and the public about thyroid disorders. Visit ATA's website for more information.

Society of Nuclear Medicine

SNM is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to raising public awareness about what molecular imaging is and how it can help provide patients with the best health care possible. SNM members specialize in molecular imaging, a vital element of today's medical practice that adds an additional dimension to diagnosis, changing the way common and devastating diseases are understood and treated.

SNM's more than 17,000 members set the standard for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine practice by creating guidelines, sharing information through journals and meetings and leading advocacy on key issues that affect molecular imaging and therapy research and practice. For more information, visit The Society of Nuclear Medicine's website.