Article summary: 

• Radiation in the environment, which you might not be aware of, could be contributing to your body’s toxic burden and interfering with optimal immune function.
• Exposure to very low levels of radioactive elements is common from air travel, drinking water, food, industrial processes, and medical procedures.
• Radioactive metals can be found naturally at varying levels throughout the entire earth, including in plants, rocks, soil, and water.
• Specific radioactive metals and elements are quite common throughout the entire planet, including cesium, polonium, radium, radon, thorium, and uranium.
• The health implications of radiation, like how these low doses and their cumulative effects impact the body, is not well understood. 
• While the earth has natural deposits of radioactive materials, recent human activities have elevated the amount readily available in our environment. 
• There are three different kinds of ionizing radiation, and all types may cause harm to living beings with strong or repeated exposures.
• Radiation toxicity can have a wide range of symptoms and lead to significant adverse health issues like immune system suppression.
• Radiation might be an overlooked toxin that contributes to chronic health issues, including epidemic levels of autism and cancer. 
• Solutions to counter radiation toxicity include drinking safe water, eating non-GMO foods, and taking supplements. 

Radiation: Is it the overlooked toxin?

You might not be old enough to remember the “duck and cover” civil defense advice from the 1950s film. This drill simulated what should be done in case of an attack by atomic bombs. In the film, an animated turtle named Bert told school children to dive under their desks and cover their heads during a nuclear attack. At the time, not much was known about radioactive fallout and the effects of radiation sickness. Shortly after, however, knowledge of the vast destructive power of atomic weapons along with hazards of radioactive fallout made the “duck and cover” drills ridiculous. (1)

The example above might be your impression of radioactivity. And you may feel reasonably safe from it, since the world now understands the short- and long-term devastating effects of nuclear weapons and will (hopefully) refrain from using them. Still, another form of radiation in the environment—which you might not be aware of—could be contributing to your body’s toxic burden and interfering with optimal immune function. Indeed, it might be the reason why you’ve been unsuccessful in healing a chronic illness or have hit a plateau.

Radiation: Low Dose Exposure Is Common

Exposure to very low levels of radioactive elements is common. Air travel, drinking water, food, industrial processes, and medical procedures expose people to such radiation every day. Radioactive metals can be found naturally at varying levels throughout the entire earth, including in plants, rocks, soil, and water. 

Examples of radioactive metals and elements common throughout the entire planet include:

• Cesium—Cesium is a radioactive metal that occurs naturally in the environment, typically from erosion and weathering of minerals and rocks. It is also discharged into the air, soil, and water through mining and milling of ores. Humans are usually exposed to cesium by breathing, drinking, or ingesting it. Cesium levels are generally low in the air, but radioactive cesium has been found in surface water and numerous kinds of foods. (2)

• Polonium—Polonium (Po-210) is a rare and highly radioactive metal that occurs naturally at very low concentrations in the environment. Po-210 can be found in trace amounts in the air and soil. It only becomes a radiation hazard if the radioactive particles get inside the body through ingestion, inhalation, or by entering through a wound. (3, 4)

• Radium—This radioactive metal exists in several forms called isotopes, such as radium-224, radium-226, and radium-228. Radium can be found at varying levels in food, plants, rocks, soil, and water. Of particular concern is the amount of radium that has been turning up in the tap water from public water systems. To meet demands, public utilities drill deep into the earth’s crust for water. Farther down, there is a much higher risk of extracting water with significant levels of radium. (5, 6, 7)

• Radon—Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in the earth’s crust. Over billions of years, uranium decays into radium, and then eventually into radon. It has no color, smell, or taste. Everyone is exposed to some level of radon in indoor and outdoor air. (8)

• Thorium—A source of nuclear power, thorium is a radioactive metal remarkably abundant in the earth’s crust. There is likely more untapped thorium energy available in the minerals found in the earth’s crust than from fossil fuel sources and uranium combined. Because it exists throughout the earth, people are continually exposed through the air, food, and water. Breathing in or ingesting thorium may increase the chances of developing many cancers and lung diseases. (9)

• Uranium—This radioactive metal is widely spread throughout the environment in air, food, plants, rocks, soil, and water. Fortunately, air concentrations of uranium are very low. Water, however, runs over rocks and soil and can pick up this radioactive metal. And since uranium is naturally present in the soil, plants and foods (such as root vegetables) may also be contaminated in trace amounts. Mining processes can also increase its presence in the environment, including through uranium tailings (radioactive materials left over from uranium milling). (10, 11)

There are a number of radioactive elements naturally available in the earth. But the health implications, like how these low doses and their cumulative effects impact the body, is not well understood. 

An Increase of Naturally Occurring Radiation in Our Environment

While the earth has natural deposits of radioactive elements, recent human activities have elevated the amount readily available in our environment. This increases what we are exposed to in our air, food, soil, and water. Two major perpetrators are glyphosate and fracking. 

Glyphosate

Some man-made chemicals can magnify the availability of radiation. Of particular concern is the relationship between glyphosate and uranium. Glyphosate is the main ingredient in the herbicide RoundUp. RoundUp is sprayed liberally in the environment and slathered on genetically modified crops, such as canola, corn, and soy. This chemical alters crops to resist destruction. But the plants absorb the glyphosate toxin into themselves—it cannot be simply washed off. Even more frightening, the presence of glyphosate increases plant uptake of depleted uranium from soil seventeen fold. (12)

Industrial processes and fracking

Fracking operations are intensive industrial processes frequently performed by gas and oil companies. Unlike conventional gas and oil production, fracking can change the gas and oil wastestream. It adds hazardous components, including increased radioactivity. Fracking also drills down and disrupts natural sedimentary formations. Naturally occurring radioactive materials exist at higher levels in these deep underground seabeds. Carcinogens, heavy metals, and toxins also are more available in these seabeds. Fracking grabs these elements and pulls them up to the surface, increasing the amount in our environment. (13, 14, 15)

An Overview of Radiation and Its Impact

Radioactive metals give off toxic radiation, a form of energy that travels in waves or particles. Radiation is ever-present in the environment and from industrial and mining activities. When an individual comes in contact with radiation, this energy can get into the body and has the potential to do substantial damage. 

There are three different kinds of ionizing radiation: alpha, beta, and gamma. Many radioactive metals are alpha emitters. For example, radon emits alpha radiation and is most dangerous when ingested, like in drinking water. Beta radiation may occur from the natural breakdown of elements like thorium and uranium. The most common example of gamma rays is cancer treatment. All types may cause harm to living beings with intense or repeated exposures. (16, 17, 18)

Radiation: Health effects

Ionizing radiation can cause significant harm over time, even at low exposure levels. Some significant adverse health effects arising from exposure to radiation toxicity include: (19, 20, 21)

• Autoimmune disease
• Immune system suppression
• Inflammation 
• Promotion of candida overgrowth
• Slowing of the body’s drainage pathways
• Suppression of the body’s innate healing ability

Radiation symptoms

Radiation can cause symptoms by affecting multiple systems of the body in numerous ways. Because there is such a wide variety of related symptoms, radiation toxicity can be hard to pinpoint. (22)

General symptoms

• Anemia
• Emotional or mental issues
• Fatigue
• Hair loss
• Loss of appetite 
• Low blood cell counts
• Nausea and vomiting
• Osteoporosis
• Skin problems (color changes, dryness, itching)

Brain-specific symptoms

• Cognitive problems (memory and speech)
• Cranial nerve dysfunction
• Earaches or hearing issues
• Headaches
• Hormonal issues (hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid)
• Seizures

Head and neck symptoms

• Difficulty swallowing
• Dry eyes
• Dry or sore mouth
• Hoarse voice or vocal changes
• Stiff jaw
• Taste bud changes
• Tooth decay

Chest symptoms

• Cough
• Heartburn
• Heart issues (congestive heart failure, irregular heartbeat, palpitations)
• Soreness or swelling of breast tissue

Abdominal symptoms

• Bloating and gas
• Diarrhea
• Indigestion
• Kidney problems
• Stomach ulcers

Pelvic symptoms

• Bladder infection (cystitis)
• Burning sensation or pain while urinating
• Fertility problems
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Painful bowel movements
• Sexual issues (female and male)

Underlying Issue Behind Chronic Illness and Disease

Radiation might be an overlooked toxin that contributes to significant health issues. People with chronic illnesses who can’t get well or progress past a certain point in their health recovery may be experiencing immune system suppression and other challenges from radiation toxicity. 

Consider that: 

• Autism is increasing exponentially
• Cancer rates are becoming astronomical

Could radiation toxicity be an underlying reason for these major health complications?

Researchers suggest that radiation exposure during pregnancy is one of the biggest causes of autism in children. Radiation damages brain cells and negatively impacts the growth and functioning of the baby’s brain. A developing fetus is then susceptible to developing autism in the womb. (23)

Cancer is associated with exposure to many radioactive elements. In particular, radioactive elements like radium, thorium, and uranium can replace calcium in your bones. This can lead to issues like osteoporosis and bone cancer. Along with this, inhaling radon and thorium increases an individual’s risk of getting lung cancer. Lung cancer risk from radon depends on the amount of radon in the air being breathed, how long exposure lasts, and whether or not an individual is a smoker. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 86% of radon-related lung cancer deaths occur in current or former smokers. (24, 25, 26)

Radiation Toxicity: Solutions

If you are oversensitive or struggle with a difficult, hard-to-treat chronic infection, radiation toxicity may be the missing piece of the puzzle. Healing requires removing the source of the toxin. It is necessary to clear radiation residing deep in the body’s organs, structures, and tissues. Let’s take a look at potential ways to limit or reduce radiation toxicity in your body.

Non-GMO foods

As mentioned above, glyphosate and other chemicals can impact availability of radiation in crops. Look for non-GMO, organic labels at stores to limit radiation exposure through food. You can also start a personal garden to ensure certain fruits and vegetables are uncontaminated. 

Safe drinking water

Analysis of drinking water from 2010 to 2015 found that approximately 170 million Americans may be affected by radiation in their drinking water. At this scale, radioactive metal toxicity could pose a substantial, potentially epidemic problem. To check for radium levels in your city, go here. If you live in a hot area, be sure to take steps to lower radiation risk. Look for safe, filtered water sources to limit radioactive consumption through drinking. (27)

Supplements

Supplements can be a helpful tool to bind radioactive elements, replenish essential minerals, and support your body’s natural immune and detox functions. 

BioActive Carbon—Made from plant-based extracts of fulvic acid, BioActive Carbon is a new type of binder. Unlike older binders like activated charcoal, BioActive Carbon can grab a wide variety of toxins, work throughout your body, and then add nourishment to your body. Certain BioActive Carbon-based binders are specially designed to remove radioactive elements from the body. (28, 29)

Drainage support—To properly drain toxins like radioactive elements out of the body, you need open drainage pathways. Look for intestinal-moving supplements to promote healthy elimination. You may also want support to lessen the strain on your detox organs. 

Iodine—Iodine supplements can help kick radioactive elements out of your cells. Iodine can also help promote healthy thyroid function and lymphatic drainage, which may support your recovery from radiation exposure. (30)

Mitochondrial support—Radiation can interfere with health at the cellular level. Mitochondrial-supporting supplements may help prevent your essential biological batteries from mutating. Plus, it could help replenish much needed energy. (31)

Zinc—Zinc adds an extra punch to radiation toxicity detox by helping to upregulate immune function and supporting immune cells. (32)

No matter where you live, radiation toxicity could be a far-reaching threat to your health. If you intend to recover from chronic illness, overcoming this type of overlooked toxicity may be part of the solution. Being proactive through measures like non-GMO foods, safe drinking water, and supplements might help you recover and maintain your vibrant health.