Rich Travis, Staff Writer
Thyroid Nation
We are fast approaching the 3rd anniversary of the Fukushima disaster. March 11th to be exact, the day a massive earthquake and tsunami literally rocked the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to its core, causing a catastrophic failure that continues to put Chernobyl to shame.
Is the release of nuclear radiation really a threat to your thyroid? Why is this threat not on the front page of every newspaper, every day? Some experts believe we should be supplementing with iodine, while others disagree (always talk with your healthcare professional). We need to pay attention and take action, especially those with autoimmune disease or thyroid issues. Drinking filtered water and noticing where things are bought or caught should be part of our new age instincts to care for ourselves as well as the health of our children.
The American Thyroid Association states that the thyroid gland needs special protection after a release of radioactive material.
The thyroid gland needs iodine to produce hormones that regulate the body’s energy and metabolism. The thyroid absorbs available iodine from the bloodstream. The thyroid gland cannot distinguish between stable (regular) iodine and radioactive iodine and will absorb whatever it can. In babies and children, the thyroid gland is one of the most radiation sensitive parts of the body.
Most nuclear accidents release radioactive iodine into the atmosphere which can be absorbed into the body. When thyroid cells absorb too much radioactive iodine, it can cause thyroid cancer to develop several years after the exposure. Babies and young children are at highest risk. The risk is much lower for people over age 40. Thyroid cancer seems to be the only cancer whose incidence rises after a radioactive iodine release. Potassium iodide protects only the thyroid, but it is the organ at greatest risk from radioactive iodine.
Fukushima Meltdown & Modern Radiation: Protecting Ourselves and Our Future Generations
In this short clip, well respected anti-nuclear scientist Dr. Helen Caldicott, author of the ground-breaking “If you Love This Planet“, describes the situation in Fukushima, Japan, which resulted due to the March 2011 nuclear disaster.
Source
American Thyroid Association
Helen Mary Caldicott
ThyroidCancerCanada.org
About the Author
Rich Travis is a staff writer for ThyroidNation.com. Living with his wife and 2 children, he has a front row seat to the devastation thyroid disease can cause and offers an in-depth, up close and personal view of his experience. His wife of 17 years suffers from Hypothyroidism and was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease in 2012. Seeking help, compassion and cures for those that suffer please follow him on Twitter, Tumblr and read more of his articles here.
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