Fukushima Evacuees Screened For Radiation-How Will Their Thyroid Glands Be Affected?

March 13, 2011 - PRLog -- As reported on ABC News: Japanese health authorities confirmed that at least 22 people have been exposed to radiation following the hydrogen explosion at the plants No 1 reactor building early Saturday morning.  Up to 150 more are suspected to have been exposed while waiting for evacuation.  

The biggest question after this disaster is what will be the long term effects on the people living in the 13 mile radius danger zone surrounding Fukushima’s nuclear plant.  

In our history there has been several similar disasters that have occurred.  The one that is most remembered is the Chernobyl explosion that had its toxic effects promote the evacuation of more than 300,000 people and was directly implicated in 50 or more deaths.

The other disaster, although never implicated in deaths or cancers, was the partial meltdown at Three Mile Island.

It is very difficult to directly link such accidents to thyroid cancer diagnoses but it is known the the thyroid gland will readily absorb radioactive iodine that is in the environment.  People in the immediate danger zone in Fukushima have been given potassium iodide which will guard against thyroid cancer.

In a big nuclear disaster the radioactive iodine will get into the grass that the cows eat and than into the milk.  Because of this occurring in Chernobyl, there were a large number of children that were diagnosed with cancer.

Savard, whose website http://www.fucoidanforhealth.com/ deals with thyroid cancer, states that the butterfly shaped thyroid gland takes up iodine which is needed to produce hormones for many vital functions in the body.  When potassium iodide is administered, it blocks the environmental radioactive iodine from being absorbed.

After Savard had a thyroidectomy in 1997, she was administered 5 radioactive iodine treatments, under strict medical watch.  This radioactive iodine was absorbed by any remaining cancerous thyroid tissue in her body.

There are other causes of thyroid cancer that Savard presents in detail on her website http://www.fucoidanforhealth.com  She also offers a free 6 day mini healthy eating series promoting a healthy lifestyle which in the long run prevents many conditions and diseases.  Savard also offers an e-book titled “10 Ways Fighting Cancer” with a bonus guide “8 Steps To Reduce The Risks Of Cancer”.

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Elaine Savard is a thyroid cancer survivor. In her blog http://www.fucoidanforhealth.com she shares her experiences with the disease and how she dealt with them.