Is Fear of Radiation More Damaging than Radiation Itself?

More than two and a half years ago, the Fukushima nuclear disaster began to unfold, and the world still watches on with fear and apprehension. Even though a lot of time has passed since then, you still find yourself concerned for your wellbeing, and that of those involved in the disaster, when you hear such reports as one this month that six workers at the plant had been accidentally doused with radioactive water. However, leading wellness experts and health scientists assert that the radiation from Fukushima has had a limited, if at all harmful, impact on your environmental wellness, so why does your fear of all things nuclear persist?

 

According to David Ropeik, an instructor at the Harvard Extension School and the author of How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match the Facts, ‘Our anxiety about nuclear radiation is rooted in our understandable fear of the terrible power of nuclear weapons. But in the 68 years since those weapons were first used in anger, we have learned, from the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki themselves, that ionising radiation — the type created by a nuclear reaction — is not nearly the powerful carcinogen or genetic mutagen that we thought it was.’

 

Atomic bomb survivors have been tracked by epidemiologists and radiation biologists ever since the end of World War II, comprising of about 112,600 Japanese: 86,611 who had been within 10 kilometres of the centre of the explosions, and 26,000 who were not exposed. Of these people in the exposed population, 10,929 have died of cancer, but only 527 of those deaths were caused by radiation from the atomic bombs. To help you get your head around those numbers, that’s a cancer mortality rate of about 0.6% which is crazy when you consider the entire population was exposed to, in many cases, extremely high levels of radiation.

 

Ropeik adds, ‘Perhaps most importantly, research on the bomb survivors has found that at lower doses, below 100 millisieverts, radiation causes no detectable elevations in normal rates of illness and disease. (Among several measures of radiation exposure, sieverts reflect the biological effects of radiation.) The vast majority of the doses received by people living near Fukushima or Chernobyl were well below this 100 millisievert threshold. The robust evidence that ionising radiation is a relatively low health risk dramatically contradicts common fears.’

 

However, while ionising radiation hasn’t, by itself, caused health concerns, the fears that you have of the radiation may do real damage to your wellbeing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) conducted a 20-year review of the Chernobyl disaster, which revealed that the radiation exposure did minimal damage to health compared to the psychological impacts of the disaster. The researchers commented that a principle cause of the population’s debilitating stress was ‘an exaggerated sense of the dangers to health of exposure to radiation.’ So what does that mean for those involved in the Fukushima disaster?

 

Ropeik notes, ‘Epidemiologists are already seeing the same things in Fukushima, where radiation exposures were far lower than at Chernobyl. Radiation biologists say the increased cancer risk from Fukushima will be so low it won’t change general cancer rates for that area, or Japan generally…Nonetheless, thousands of people are refusing to return to their homes and businesses in evacuated areas, even where dose levels have fallen low enough to declare those areas safe. Levels of stress, anxiety and depression are significantly elevated. One survey found that stress among children in the Fukushima area is double the level of other children in Japan.’ He concludes, ‘Without a much broader and persistent effort by various branches and levels of government to help the public understand the actual biological effects of radiation, we will continue to face the threat of deep historic nuclear fears that simply don’t match the facts.’

Categories: biological effects, bomb survivors, fears, Fukushima, health, ionising radiation, nbsp ropeik, radiation, radiation biologists, radiation exposure

What is Tanning Really Doing to Your Skin?

There’s no such thing as a healthy tan, whether you’ve done it naturally or with the use of a sun bed. Exposing yourself to too much ultraviolet radiation is extremely dangerous for your health, leading to sunburn, eye damage, and an increased risk of skin cancer. In order to really protect yourself from this damage, you should educate yourself on the risks of the sun and how you can protect your skin in the future. Ultraviolet, or UV, rays are a type of invisible light given off by the sun and certain kinds of lamps such as tanning beds. There are differences between UVA and UVB rays, such as how deep they penetrate the skin, but both are associated with health risks and sun lamps emit both kinds. Depending on the kind of sunbed you’re using will depend on how strong the lamp is, and as such how strong the exposure to these damaging rays is. Studies show that a tanning bed can emit up to 15 times the amount of UVA radiation that the sun produces. This goes some way to showing just how damaging these rays are.

 

Exposing your skin to UV rays produces a tanned effect, which has become increasingly desirable in recent years. You may think you’re achieving that healthy glow you’ve been craving, but the reality is that a tan is the sign of damaged skin. Many people also mistakenly believe that tanning on  sunbed provides a certain level of natural protection from sunburn on holidays to sunnier climes. This isn’t true, and actually provides very limited protection from solar UV. It’s not all bad news, of course – sunbeds do help to kill germs and treat some skin conditions, such as rickets, eczema and psoriasis, but the UV radiation you’re exposed to far outweighs the benefits. You shouldn’t attempt to treat these conditions with UV radiation without consulting your GP first, as it can be very dangerous. One of the common associations with UV radiation is that your body produces the much-sought after vitamin D after your skin is exposed to it. Your body can change how much this happens though, such as your skin pigmentation, age and how much sunscreen you use. In addition to this, there have been no studies as to whether UV-induced vitamin D synthesis can happen without increasing your risk of skin cancer. You can source vitamin D far more safely from your diet, by eating more eggs, fish and fortified products like bread and cereal. Supplements are also useful if you’re finding that you’re not getting enough vitamin D through your diet alone.

If you are exposing yourself to solar UV radiation, you should try to protect your skin as best you can. Try to find shade where possible, and always wear sunscreen to protect your skin. Wear protective clothing, such as sunglasses and a hat, and try to avoid sitting in the direct sunlight between 11am and 4pm as this is when it is at its strongest. If you have young children, they should be discouraged from spending too much time out in the sun. If you are going to use sunbeds, make sure that you follow safe practices outlined by the staff and check that the bed you’re using has been labelled for safety, so that you know it is as safe as it can be. Too much sun exposure can be very dangerous, as well as causing premature ageing, so it’s best to avoid it where possible to keep your skin healthy.

Categories: radiation, rays, skin, Skin Cancer, solar uv, Sun Exposure, Tanning, uv radiation, uv rays, vitamin

Is Your Microwave Killing You? Not According to the Evidence

Though it has completely revolutionised cooking convenience, many people believe microwaving to be a major health concern. Let’s be honest; the idea of cooking by using an oven that passes electromagnetic waves over food doesn’t exactly smack of wellness! These waves excite water molecules, causing heat-generating friction which cooks your food. But does that radiation really hamper your wellbeing?

 

There are several reasons why people are afraid of the microwave effect:

 

1. Potential carcinogenic toxins (or, in other words, cancer)

 

2. Zapping all the valuable nutrients from food

 

3. Long-term brain damage

 

4. Unknown by-products in microwaved food that the human body is unable to metabolise

 

5. Alteration of male and female sexual hormones

 

6. Weakened immune system

 

7. Mental health problems, such as memory loss, lack of focus and emotional instability

 

However, even though these are commonly asserted fears, finding evidence for these claims amongst distinguished, highly researched and peer-reviewed journals is pretty much impossible. On a technical level, microwaves emit radiation. However, these radiations are not damaging to DNA by any means. The radiation emitted from microwaves – as well as radio and mobile phone towers – is known as non-ionising radiation and researchers are still struggling to show that there’s a definitive link between this kind of radiation and cancer.

 

Seeing as a few studies have managed to show a correlation between cancer and non-ionising radiation, let’s take a micro second to dissect the possibility that microwaves cause cancer. Even if the radiation is nuking your food, this does not instantly mean that these radiations then become passed on to your body or the environment. The microwave has been gracing kitchen counters every since 1954, so if it really was doing that much damage to everyone’s wellbeing, we’d all be walking round with severe cancer, radiation poisoning, retardation and malnutrition. Ok, maybe we wouldn’t be walking around, but you get the point.

 

Finally, if you’re concerned about the nutritional content of the food that has been microwaved, don’t forget that chemical reactions happen to any food which is cooked. Whether you steam it, bake it or sauté it, you will lose the vitamin B and other water soluble nutrients from your veg. One study has even found that exposing food to electromagnetic rays can actually kill bacteria, making it much safer to eat! So, as long as you use your microwave responsibly and make sure it’s in a good, working condition, I wouldn’t worry about it.

Categories: cancer, cancer nbsp, Food, ionising radiation, Microwaves, nbsp, radiation

Could Exposure to Radiation be Affecting your Sperm Quality?

New research has shown that environmental factors could have an influence on your wellness, particularly with regards to your fertility. The study by a team of medical scientists in India has revealed that those who are exposed to radiation in their workplaces over a long period of time are likely to experience problems with their reproductive wellbeing. The fertility experts from Manipal University looked at the quality of sperm in 83 men who had worked for between 3 and 18 years in radiation-based units at a number of different hospitals.

 

Tests were carried out on the sperm, and the results of this were then compared to tests that were carried out on 51 men who worked in hospitals, had similar lifestyles to the test subjects but had no regular exposure to radiation. Tests carried out on the semen looked at the shape, vitality, sperm number and also the DNA quality.

 

In the sperm of the men who were exposed to radiation, the researchers found a large number of abnormal characteristics. These included a decrease in the motility of the sperm, lower vitality and an altered shape. Sperm motility is extremely important as it represents the ability of the sperm to swim quickly and directly towards the egg in the female body, in order for fertilisation to take place.

 

In addition to this, the researchers found that in the men who were regularly exposed to radiation, the DNA quality of the sperm had been severely compromised. This could have a significant impact on the health of any child that was conceived using this damaged sperm.

 

Whilst a little damage is a normal occurrence in all fertile men, when this damage reaches the high proportions seen in the study, the sperm can go on to fertilise an egg and transmit the damage to the embryo and then to the baby. This can result in increased incidences of miscarriages and genetic abnormalities.

Categories: dna quality, exposure, nbsp, quality, radiation, sperm

How Does Technology Impact Our Wellbeing?

Many people worry about the effects of mobile phones on our health, as they are so widespread now – in 2011, it was estimated that around five billion people used a mobile phone. Medical research suggests that even small health risks associated with this technology could lead to significant public health concerns. In order to assess whether you’re willing to undertake these risks, you should be aware of the possible side effects that mobile phones bring. Mobiles use base stations and radio frequency radiation to communicate – if this is high enough, it can have a thermal effect, which means that it raises the body temperature. There are concerns from some people that low levels of this RF radiation emitted from mobile phones could lead to headaches and brain tumours when usage is continued over a number of years. There has been intensive research carried out which shows no conclusive evidence that mobile phones are damaging to our health in the short or long term. In May 2011, however, the World Health Organisation stated that RF radiation could be possibly carcinogenic to humans, after a study showed that there was an increased risk of glioma – a type of brain cancer. The risk of RF radiation depends on how long you use the phone, how close you hold the phone to your body, and the distance you are to the base station – if there is a weak signal from the base station, the phone will increase its radiation level to compensate.

 

There have been a number of studies into the effects of RF radiation on the body. For example, it has been shown that the radiation from a mobile has the biological effect of raising the temperature in a localised area on the brain by a fraction of a degree – this doesn’t automatically carry any risks to your health, though. The body can adjust to the variations of temperature to keep itself safe from damage. Phones have been connected to cancer scares as well, but because RF radiation is a form of non-ionising radiation it can’t affect the risk of cancer. There are a number of myths surrounding mobile phone use, but many of them are unfounded.

 

One such myth is that using a hands-free device will make you safe from the radiation that mobile phones emit – this isn’t true though, as all mobiles emit low levels of radiation so even if it isn’t pressed against your body, you will still be exposed to them. Most experts agree that keeping your phone away from your body when you can will help to reduce the risk of any health problems attributed to the technology. Using your phone sparingly and sensibly is the best course of action. This is because the longer you are exposed to the radiation, the more risks you’re taking with your health. It’s thought that taking shorter calls instead of long ones could reduce the amount of radiation you’re exposed to, but this isn’t necessarily true – there is a surge of radiation every time you dial a new number, so taking lots of short calls means that you’re exposing yourself to more. Metal-rimmed glasses, earrings and fillings can actually increase your radiation levels around the eye by up to 20pc – researchers are unsure what the health consequences might be from this though. And if you’re pregnant, some scientists think that absorbing radiation through the torso could affect your unborn baby – because of this, it’s probably best to avoid keeping your phone in your pocket or holding it near your unborn child.

Categories: mobile phones, radiation, technology