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Created on Monday, 21 March 2011 04:34

 Many Americans are taking or stockpiling potassium iodide due to the catastrophe in Japan.  It was reported on Friday that miniscule fallout from Japan was detected In Los Angeles.  However, it is Sunday  evening as I write this, and I have not seen any updates to that in the mainstream media.   An alternative media website reports that French authorities have announced that the radioactive plum has already crossed North America, reaching the western Atlantic Ocean, and is now headed towards Europe. They do not consider the amount of radiation being detected to be dangerous.  But, the entire Northern Hemisphere is expected to be affected eventually, which was also true of Chernobyl.

The basis for taking potassium iodide is that radioactive iodine-131 is formed from uranium and plutonium during nuclear fission.  Iodine-131, a potent carcinogen, will find its way to the thyroid gland and cause cancer. Other organs that accumulate iodine are also vulnerable, particularly women’s breasts.  

However, if tissues are fully saturated with iodine, they won’t pick up iodine-131. The standard emergency dose of potassium iodide is to take 130 mgs, which comes to 100 mgs of iodine.  100 mgs is 700x the US RDA for iodine. However, it is only 8x as much as is typically consumed in Japan on a daily basis  The seafood and seaweeds that they consume in large amounts deliver a lot of iodine.

But, it doesn’t have to be potassium iodide for emergency protection.  Any form of iodine will do.  Just don’t rely on iodized salt because consuming that much sodium could kill you.  Lugol’s solution will work, and so will Iodoral.  I keep the 12.5 mg Iodoral  around, which means that I would have to take 8 tabs to get the recommended 100 mgs.  And I will do that, if push comes to shove. Iodoral contains a combination of potassium iodide and elemental iodine.  This is advantageous because some tissues, including the breasts, like the elemental iodine better.

But timing counts for a lot. In order to be effective in blocking I-131 uptake, the 100 mg dose of iodine needs to be taken in a window of 24 hours before and 2 hours after exposure to fallout. If I hear of significant fallout on the West Coast, I am going to take 4 Iodoral  tablets immediately and then more later.  

Although the nuclear fallout from Japan has lost top billing, it’s far from over. As of Sunday night, they are saying that 2 of 6 reactors have been successfully cooled down. However, a third reactor is experiencing high pressure, and they may have to release some radioactive steam into the atmosphere.  They are saying that the risk of a core meltdown has dropped substantially, but it is not non-existent.  

Like most companies, VRP has been sold out of Iodoral and Potassium Iodide, however, they did locate a supply a Potassium Iodate, which is also safe and effective.  If you are interested, you can order it here: http://www.1to1vitamins.com/daily-program.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=354&category_id=21