Americans are justified in worrying about potential risks resulting from the Japanese nuclear disaster, says Dr. David Brownstein.
And those concerns are propelling questions to him about using iodine to ward off health problems related to nuclear fallout, says Brownstein, one of the nation’s foremost practitioners of natural health methods and editor of “Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health” newsletter, which Newsmax Media publishes.
They also have caused a run on iodine in the United States, with widespread news reports of shortages.
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| Dr. David Brownstein |
The questions and iodine rush don’t surprise Dr. Brownstein, because he says so much remains unknown about the effects of the continuing deterioration of the Japanese nuclear plants since the deadly earthquake and tsunami rocked the island nation Friday.
“First, I believe the Japanese government is not being truthful about the magnitude of the disaster,” says Brownstein, medical director of the Center for Holistic Medicine in West Bloomfield, Mich. “I believe they do not want to create a panic. This disaster is far from over. In Japan, I feel the situation will get much worse before it gets better.”
As the crippled Japanese nuclear reactors release radiation into the air, Brown stein says, “The jet streams will push this radiation to the western U.S. and Canada. I have seen estimates that it is expected that 750 RADS may contaminate these areas.”
To put that in perspective, radiation from one chest X-ray is about three-one-hundredths of a RAD, and one CT scan is 1 RAD.
“Fortunately, we have an item that can prevent this fallout from damaging us: iodine,” advises Brownstein, who also is the author of “Iodine Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It.”
[Editor’s Note: Click here to get Dr. Brownstein’s “Iodine Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It” FREE.]
“If there is enough inorganic, non-radioactive iodine in our bodies, the radioactive fallout has nowhere to bind in our bodies. It will pass through us, leaving our bodies unharmed,” Brownstein says. “That is the form of iodine I have been researching and using in my practice for nearly 10 years.”
“If we are iodine deficient, exposure to radioactive iodine can potentially result in damage to all the cells of the body,” he says. “My experience has shown over 95 percent of patients are deficient in iodine. It is important to ensure that we have adequate iodine levels before this fallout hits.”
Although Brownstein notes that he doesn’t want to cause panic, he adds, “I find it hard to believe no one in the U.S. government has any idea on the amount of radiation that has been released and the amount of radiation that is predicted to fall over the U.S. in the next three to seven days. Now it is time to get off the fence. The average Japanese ingests around 13 milligrams of iodine per day. This is 100 times more than the average U.S. citizen.”
However, he adds, “I do not recommend starting the first dose of iodine right now. It is important to follow the news reports and supplement accordingly. I would suggest starting iodine supplements within one to two days of the expected fallout, but of course, always consult your primary physician before beginning any supplementation regimen.”
[Editor’s Note: For More Information on Dr. Brownstein’s Book – “Iodine Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It” – Click Here.]
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