Millions of
Americans DO opt to receive radiation treatment for cancer, however.
In fact, today two-thirds of Americans diagnosed with cancer will
undergo radiation treatment, including thousands of the estimated
250,000 women with breast cancer each year.
If you decide to receive radiation treatment for your particular
cancer condition, educate yourself about the side effects and risks
of the procedure beforehand. Also, be aware of specific actions you
can take after your course of treatment is over to reduce the
long-term effects of radiation on your overall health. In other
words, a radiation detox.
What Radiation Therapy Does to Your Body
The most important thing to remember about conventional radiation
treatment is that even though it may help to reduce the size of a
noticeable tumor, it will not reduce the number of circulating
cancer stem cells in the body. Stem cells are responsible for
reseeding cancer (sometimes years after a person has been deemed
“cancer free”), refueling tumor growth and sparking metastasis.
In fact, radiation therapy may actually increase your breast cancer
risk in the long run. According to a 2009 study by Harvard Medical
School, “exposure to ionizing radiation has clearly been established
as one of the risk factors for the development of breast cancer.”
Radiation Detox: 5 Natural Protocols to Heal after Radiation
Reducing the side effects of radiation poisoning are paramount.
Fortunately, there are many key natural substances that can help to
do this while also boosting your immune system and helping to
prevent cancer recurrence.
Here are five substances that can be part of your health recovery
toolbox after radiation:
#1 Curcumin. Hands-down, curcumin is a must-take for reducing
inflammation and boosting the immune system for almost all health
conditions. For reducing the side effects of radiation in
particular, it has been shown by hundreds of studies (a quick search
on Pubmed comes up with close to 500!) to have a
radiation-protective effect. As heavy-duty antioxidant, it also has
direct anti-tumor effects as well.
In fact, according to a Chilean study published in the International
Journal of Oncology in 2016, curcumin appears to have an anti-cancer
effect on most forms of breast cancer, including triple-positive,
triple-negative, and estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone
receptor positive.
#2 Genistein: Genistein is a bioflavonoid which has been shown to
decrease many side effects of radiation. Studies published since the
mid-1990s show that it can instigate cancer cell apoptosis
(programmed cell death) as well as shut down the mechanisms by which
cancer cells can self-repair. In addition to other flavonoid
substances such as apigenin, quercetin, and non-GMO soy, genistein
has proven to also have radiation-protective properties as well.
#3 Astragalus. For thousands of years, Astragalus has been used in
Chinese medicine as an herb for supporting the Immune System. During
modern times, it has been proven to decrease organ damage that may
occur with radiation damage. A 2011 Chinese study found that
astragalus increased survival and immune function in laboratory mice
that had been exposed to radiation. It also recovered DNA damage to
“normal standards.”
#4 Ginkgo Biloba Extract. Clastogenic factors (CFs) are found in the
blood of persons irradiated accidentally or for therapeutic reasons.
They are considered mutagenic, since they break up chromosomes and
often lead to the development of cancerous tissues. Researchers at
the Institut Biomédical des Cordeliers in Paris, France, found that
Ginkgo Biloba reduced blood markers for ionizing radiation exposure
in individuals who had been exposed in the workplace.
#5 Miso (fermented soybean paste). The disaster at Hiroshima during
World War II exposed thousands of Japanese to radiation poisoning.
Doctors noticed, however, that the people who consumed miso soup
daily had fewer side effects compared to those who did not consume
the soup on a regular basis. Miso helps to heal after radiation
exposure through the bacteria in the bean paste. This bacteria binds
with the radiation and helps to expel it from the body at a rapid
pace. A 2013 study by Hiroshima University published in the Journal
of Toxicologic Pathology also found that miso soup was
cancer-protective against breast, lung, and liver tumors. (Note: If
you take miso, make sure it is made from non-genetically modified
soybeans.)
Deciding on a course of action after a cancer diagnosis is
ultimately a personal decision. Whatever decision you make, it has
to be right for you. If you choose conventional radiation treatment,
know the facts. After treatment, consider beginning a healing
protocol using some or all of the substances mentioned above right
away.
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