By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

February 13, 2012

• A little precaution goes a long way
• Little-known sources of radiation
• And about those fillings…

There’s no denying our ability to take an x-ray – the miracle of being able to see all the way through to our bones – has been helpful beyond measure. I have no doubt we keep our teeth longer, fix bones better, and figure out various health conundrums faster than we ever would have without harnessing radiation and using it for good.

But there’s also no denying radiation can be harmful beyond measure.

Disasters such as Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and more recently, Fukushima revealed the devastation of high-levels of radiation on the human body.

As with anything that can be both blessing and curse, the trick is to anticipate exposure whenever possible, and prepare for it as much as possible.

Today, I’ll share with you an easy way to prepare for low level exposure, such as a trip to the dentist, an annual mammogram, or even a trip through airport security.

You also might be surprised to know how much radiation you get without your knowledge and consent, which makes protecting yourself even more important…

I’ve shared many benefits of magnesium with you in the past. It plays an important role in bone development and has a symbiotic relationship with calcium.  It’s also critical for your heart health. In fact, it is one of the few “crossover” natural remedies used regularly in ER’s across the country for patients exhibiting symptoms of heart attack.

But you might not realize that magnesium is a powerful detoxifier, and can protect you – and even undo damage – when you are exposed to radiation.

In fact, prior to the Chernobyl disaster, Austrian dairy farmers wanted to improve the health, longevity and production of their cows. So they added magnesium and other minerals to the soil. After Chernobyl, when food and soil was contaminated for miles, they discovered the cheese from the re-mineralized areas had no radioactivity whatsoever. Austrians would stand on line for hours for a chance to purchase this particular cheese in the wake of the disaster.

This is an extreme example, but one that shows the important role magnesium plays in radiation protection.

Magnesium supports the body in producing glutathione – one of the body’s primary protective agents against oxidative stress. Magnesium deficiency – and the resulting loss of glutathione – robs you of natural protection against damage from cigarette smoke, environmental toxins, and yes, exposure to radiation.

While medical tests aren’t the only sources of radiation exposure, they are the most easily anticipated, and give us the most chance to prepare in advance. Same with the new unavoidable airport security devices. At least you know when you’ll be travelling and can prepare in advance.

But what about all the other sources of radiation exposure in your life?

Radiation exposure is far from a new, manmade phenomenon. It is present naturally, in everything from sunlight to soil. And as such, our body also has some protective resources, such as magnesium and glutathione, to counteract this natural phenomenon.

But we have certainly done our fair share to add to our load of natural exposure. Which means we also need to increase our awareness and add extra precaution for our cells, to compensate.

At one time, medical and dental tests and procedures accounted for the lion’s share of exposure in this country – as much as 15% of your exposure every year. So taking measures in advance of known procedures involving radiation is one of the most sensible approaches to limiting the effects of your exposure.

In recent years, we’ve added more and modern devices that increase our exposure to radiation – such as microwave ovens, cell phones, and laptops. You may choose to simply avoid exposure to these items. But for many people, that’s unrealistic. Better instead to add some magnesium into your diet and to your supplement regimen to boost your cells’ natural ability to handle the extra load.

And there is one more reason you might want to take additional magnesium before a trip to the dentist in particular…

A little over two years ago, the FDA broke down and reversed their earlier opinion about the safety of amalgam fillings that contain mercury. It was a long time coming.

And while it’s good news that we are finally being told the truth about the danger of amalgam fillings, and we have safer alternatives today – it doesn’t help the millions of people who have had mouths full of metal fillings since they were kids.

This is yet another reason to increase your magnesium intake before and after a trip to the dentist. Magnesium also offers protection against highly toxic mercury. Whether you are having amalgam fillings removed, or simply having other work done, your exposure to the mercury from these fillings could escalate. When you combine the increase of mercury leeching into your system, with the radiation exposure from the x-rays, a simple trip to the dentist isn’t simple at all.

My recommendation is that you work with a holistic dentist who is sensitive to these issues, and who knows how to minimize your exposure.  Protect yourself with magnesium supplementation before and after a visit to the dentist to support your cells. And then, keep your teeth as healthy as possible all year long so you can limit yourself to just one dental visit a year!

References:

Health Physics Society, Website: http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q824.html

Tiedge, M., et. al., Relation between antioxidant enzyme gene expression and antioxidative defense status of insulin-producing cells. Diabetes 46, 1733-1742.

Inoue, M., et. al., Free radical theory of apoptosis and metamorphosis. Redox Rep. 9, 237-247.

Kuzmenok O, et. al., Late effects of the Chernobyl radiation accident on T cell-mediated  immunity in cleanup workers. Radiat Res 159: 109–116.