Sunday, January 5, 2014

Rethinking My Thoughts on Fukushima and Radiation

In the wake of the disaster at the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant, with an abundance of good intentions, but not quite enough discernment, I put out into the world some initial thoughts on how North Americans could protect ourselves from any radiation exposure from the accident.

As a teacher, a practitioner, and a person, I feel like its important to admit my mistakes.   After a great deal of reading and research, and conversations with my friends and colleagues (especially Ryan Drum and Yarrow Willard,)  I no longer believe that seaborne radioactive contamination poses a significant threat to people on the west coast of North America.   For a good explanation of the issue see http://deepseanews.com/2013/11/true-facts-about-ocean-radiation-and-the-fukushima-disaster/

Absolutely, the accident at Fukushima has had devastating effects in Japan.

And, yes, we could do with better monitoring of radiation levels in fish caught of the US and Canadian coasts that migrate to Japanese waters.   Frankly, we could need better monitoring of contamination in fish and shellfish generally.

And it is likely that everyone in the world was exposed to some airborne radioactive contamination in the days following the accident that may contribute to cancers down the road in those made more vulnerable by elevated systemic inflammation, poor detoxification, or immune dysregulation -- the same people who are already most vulnerable to cancer from the myriad physical and emotional toxins in our world today.    The best way to deal with these risks is to do all the things we do to mitigate other cancer risks:
  • Eat a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids (from foods from animals that eat their natural diets) and low in Omega-6 fatty acids (from grains, nuts, seeds, and the creatures that eat them.)
  • Eat an abundance and a wide variety of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables.
  • Drink lots of water.
  • Support the liver with herbs like Milk Thistle, Reishi, and Schizandra (unless contraindicated due to effects on liver clearance of medications).
  • Support lymphatic movement through exercise, bodywork, and herbs like Cleavers and Red Clover.
  • Take a variety of immune modulating mushrooms.
  • Work to reduce stress and get support in healing trauma.

But the idea that people in North America are at risk from Fukushima radiation seems ill founded to me.  And I am disturbed by the proliferation of alarmist articles by unscrupulous websites like Natural News (which also peddle articles denying the reality of global warming, claiming that the Boston Marathon bombing was a government conspiracy, and asserting a variety of bizarre and insulting theories about autism.)    These articles are always claiming to present the truth that the ubiquitous "they" don't want you to read.   But let's turn the tables on Natural News and their ilk:  what are the stories the conspiracy theorists aren't telling you?

  • We are living in a world awash in ionizing radiation right now -- from routine tritium releases from nuclear power plants to the legacy of nuclear testing to the radioactive pollution from nuclear medicine.  The greatest radioactive threats we face come from close to home, and are in our power to address through political organizing.
  • The people suffering most from radiation related health risks in North America are never talked about in places like Natural News:  (mostly Indigenous) people who have lived near or worked at uranium mines, (mostly poor) people who live near nuclear waste repositories, workers in the nuclear industry and in nuclear medicine, people living downwind and downstream from places where nuclear weapons have been manufactured or tested.
  • We are seeing massive die-offs of sea life not because of radiation, but because of global warming.
Unlike the stories about Fukushima poisoning the Pacific, these are all well documented realities.   And the panic generated by sensationalist stories about Fukushima is making people too focused on their own safety to pay attention to these slow but devastating effects of the nuclear age. 

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think you're right on the money that our fear of Fukushima poisoning here in the States is completely overblown. While at the same time, we live in a world that is changing rapidly due to AGW. This is creating the template for increased stress on all creatures, humans included. I have been strongly interested in working with mushrooms as primary supportive medicines for healing, regeneration and adaptation. I was wondering your thoughts on the local (Cascadian)species of Ganoderma.

Unknown said...

I think you're right on the money that our fear of Fukushima poisoning here in the States is completely overblown. While at the same time, we live in a world that is changing rapidly due to AGW. This is creating the template for increased stress on all creatures, humans included. I have been strongly interested in working with mushrooms as primary supportive medicines for healing, regeneration and adaptation. I was wondering your thoughts on the local (Cascadian)species of Ganoderma.

Unknown said...

I think you haven't had first hand experience. I went swimming in the Pacific Ocean when I visited San Diego for a nutrition conference and I got Fu_kushima_ed. For two months following exposure I had menstruation for 3 weeks with 1 week in between. This happened for two cycles and I went Vegan and detoxed and nothing has been the same since. Check out http://NutritionFacts.org Video update http://youtu.be/Uy5GGzIOpHc no one can really trust seafood any more.

Veronica said...

A little off-topic but, what are your thoughts on the roots/causes of autism?

Sean Donahue said...

Sorry I am just seeing these now. Kate -- I use all Ganoderma spp. in similar ways. (Including Artist's Conch.

Veronica -- I am an Autistic person and my belief is that we have always existed and served the role of bridging between worlds. See my two most recent posts.

Unknown said...

I have to support and second Rivka's statement. I went to the far northwest coast and it was devastating. There were dead fish EVERYWHERE. It was like something out of a horror movie. Needless to say, I didn't get in the water. I think it is a very big deal as it's still dumping toxic, nuclear radiated water in the ocean at this very moment.

Norm said...

People really need to watch Pandora's Promise. So much of what people believe regarding radiation exposure and the risks are overblown or completely wrong.

Viola Grace: You are making an assumption you know what killed the fish. You don't. Have a look at that life in the Chernobyl exclusion zine. Animals have been living in that radiated area for decades. Guess what happened to them. Nothing. They are thriving. None of the expected sickly mutations or dead zones. ALL life there is thriving. It will be the same with the ocean. It's not really as big a deal as the press and wildly political environmental groups claim.