Worrying about the damages ionizing radiation could do to your
health? Learn how these two compounds can protect you
In 2011, an earthquake and tsunami triggered nuclear crisis in Japan
sparked worldwide concerns about the danger of nuclear radiation in
global communities.
But do you know that even without this accident, you and I are also
constantly exposed to background radiation in our environment?
Cosmic and solar rays as well as radiation released from buildings,
rocks, soil and spring water are some examples. These radiations are
usually very low and are definitely no cause for alarm.
However, there are also other sources of radiation that may expose
you to higher than normal levels of ‘ionizing’ radiation, sometimes
without you realizing.
Ionizing radiation refers to those that carry enough energy to
electrically charge or ionize atoms. Charged atoms in living cells
are unstable and would either cause the cells to die, repair the
damage, or mutate and become cancerous. That’s where the potential
danger of ionizing radiation lies.
In this article, we will look at common sources of ionizing
radiation we may be exposed to, their possible side effects and
lastly, how we can reduce damages caused by them.
At a Glance
Sources of Radiation
Side Effects of Radiation
How to Detox Radiation
Sources of Radiation
Excessive smoking. Cigarette smoke contains enough radioactive lead
and polonium to give you an equivalent of one chest X-ray for every
stick that you puff. Even if you don’t smoke, but live with someone
who does, you may also receive up to twelve ‘free’ X-rays per year
as a result of second-hand smoke. And you don’t need to be reminded
that the deadly mix of compounds inhaled through cigarette smoke is
one of the leading causes of lung cancer, heart attacks and other
debilitating diseases.
Exposure to radon gas at home. Radon is a dense, odorless and
colorless radioactive gas released by the decaying of uranium and
radium in soil, rock and water. Radon gas tends to accumulate in
enclosed or confined buildings, especially attics and basements due
to poor air ventilation. The US Environmental Protection Agency
attributed exposure to high concentrations of radon as the second
most frequent cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking.
Protect Yourself From Radiation Exposure
Nuclear medical procedures. X-ray, CT scan, cancer radiation
therapy, fluoroscopy procedure and nuclear medicine are the most
common sources of man-made ionizing radiation which most people will
be exposed to in their lifetime. Due to their prevalence, there is,
however, a false sense of their safety, especially when it comes to
X-rays.
X-ray is considered carcinogenic by WHO and the fact that many
people are getting it, does not make it any safer. The extent of
damage X-ray can cause depends on frequency of exposure, individual
radiation sensitivity, the type of test being carried out (with CT
scanning being more damaging than plain film tomography due to the
higher dosage used), the body part that is being exposed to the
radiation (testes and ovaries are more sensitive than others) and
age (fetuses, infants and children are much more vulnerable to
radiation than adults due to their rapid growth).
Here are some words of caution about the use of CT scan and X-ray
from Wikipedia:
“An abdominal or chest CT would be the equivalent to 2–3 years of
background radiation, increasing the lifetime cancer risk between 1
per 1,000 to 1 per 10,000. For instance, the effective dose to the
torso from a CT scan of the chest is about 5mSv. This is compared to
the roughly 40% chance of a US citizen developing cancer during
their lifetime.”
“Fathers exposed to diagnostic X-rays are more likely to have
infants who contract leukemia, especially if exposure is closer to
conception or includes two or more X-rays of the lower
gastrointestinal (GI) tract or lower abdomen. The risk of radiation
is greater to unborn babies, so in pregnant patients, the benefits
of the investigation (X-ray) should be balanced with the potential
hazards to the unborn fetus… Avoiding unnecessary X-rays (especially
CT scans) will reduce radiation dose and any associated cancer
risk.”
Irradiated foods. In a bid to increase the safety of foods and
extend shelf-life, many countries have approved the sales of
irradiated foods. By exposing foods to radioactive rays, food
irradiation works by destroying or altering the DNA of insects,
bacteria and viruses beyond repair.
Despite the benefits, opponents of food irradiation said that
irradiated foods are devitalized, chemically different from
non-irradiated foods, promote the growth of harmful bacteria and may
not be safe in the long term. There is also a fear that irradiation
of foods is used as a quick-fix by sloppy companies to cover up poor
food quality and bad hygiene.
To date, there is limited evidence to suggest that irradiated foods
can cause cancer or genetic damage in humans, as the dosage used on
human foods is low.
However, in Australia, there have been suspected cases of pets
suffering from serious health repercussions after eating approved
feeds that have been treated with high radiation.
Frequent air travel. Traveling by an airplane exposes you to higher
cosmic and solar rays than you are on ground due to lesser
atmospheric shielding at elevated height. But the exposure is often
very low, unless you are a frequent air traveler, work as part of an
air cabin crew, or travel during intense solar activities. Long
distance cross-country air travel also gives you more radiation than
inter-country flight as the former flies at a higher altitude.
Side Effects of Ionizing Radiation
Side effects of ionizing radiation depends on many factors,
including how sensitive you are to radiation, the strength of
radiation you are exposed to, duration of exposure, how often you
are exposed, how far are you from the source of radiation, the body
part that is being exposed, your state of health and etc.
Exposure to very strong ionizing radiation, such as during a nuclear
warfare or nuclear power plant accident, can cause acute radiation
poisoning or even death.
Radiation Health Effects
Acute radiation poisoning is also possible during certain nuclear
medical procedures such as cancer radiation therapy in which
patients are exposed to high but controlled levels of radiation.
Such patients may experience short-term side effects for example
fatigue, lack of energy, hair loss, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting,
difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, changes or loss of taste,
mouth ulcers, difficulty urinating, erectile dysfunction,
infertility, dry skin, skin peeling and redness within days or even
hours after the treatment. These adverse effects vary from person to
person and are dosage- and parts-dependent.
On the other hand, regular exposure to low doses of ionizing
radiation can also increase the risk of longer term side effects
such as cataract and cancer. For instance, healthcare workers who
operate or come in contact with medical devices that produce
ionizing radiation on a regular basis may be at risk of developing
brain, head and neck tumor due to their cumulative exposure to
radiation scattered from patients.
Ionizing radiation can also cause oxidative damage in skeletal
tissues, and result in an imbalance in bone remodeling. These
changes in remodeling activity can lead to accelerated bone loss,
impaired bone structural integrity and fragility, and symptoms that
resemble osteoporosis. Studies estimated that exposure to relatively
low doses of radiation (up to 2 Gray) for three days to one month
may be enough to trigger rapid and progressive strut thinning and
removal of bone-building tissue).
"For most of us, we are more likely to be exposed to background
low-dose radiation, which our bodies are more than capable of
neutralizing and repairing the damages done."
You can also take common sense steps to minimize unnecessary
radioactive exposure by not smoking and avoiding exposure to
secondhand smoke, not taking unnecessary nuclear (ionizing) medical
procedures, and airing your attic and basement regularly.
Source
But for those who are exposed to higher than normal amount of
radiation due to unavoidable medical treatment or work, it may be
worthwhile to take proactive steps to cut down on the amount of
cellular damages done.
