Fukushima & the Delusion of Health in America

By now, you have definitely heard about the Fukushima incident that took place in Japan at the beginning of 2011. You may have heard that the radiation leakage from Fukushima into the groundwater, which then made its way into the Pacific Ocean, amounted to thousands of gallons of radioactive water entering the sea each day. Perhaps you even did some of your own research and learned that deep in the Pacific Ocean, radiation levels were measured to be millions of times higher than what is allowable by EPA standards. Yes, that is correct— not hundreds or thousands of times higher, but greater than 1,000,000 times.

Perhaps you have a background in science and understand a little about how the air became contaminated with radiation, which then caused fallout here in the western part of the United States, leading to illness in the elderly and babies. You may even recall reading that there was a 30% increase in new baby deaths in California and surrounding states in the months following the Fukushima incident in 2011. You may know how radiation enters the food chain, and realize that if the algae in Hawaii, California, and throughout the western part of the continent is contaminated with radiation, then the fish that eat it are also contaminated. If you’ve heard about these things, you’ve heard correctly. Every one of them is true. And yet, you see very little about the Fukushima disaster in the news these days.

Japan had contracts in place with the United States, requiring the U.S. to continue buying seafood from Japan for a certain period, regardless of the quality of that seafood. The United States has kept its promise and continues to purchase and distribute Japanese seafood throughout the country.

I have had several patients get sick from seafood coming out of the North Pacific Ocean. Many of these patients seem to have symptoms of radiation poisoning. The same is happening with a number of my colleagues. Some of us have bought Geiger counters and have measured very, very slight increases in radiation levels in fish. These increases in radiation are barely detectable.

Radiation exposure is cumulative, meaning repeated exposure causes radiation to build up in the body. A person could be getting sick from radiation poisoning for many years and not even realize it. They could have very few symptoms from being poisoned for years at a time without realizing what’s happening. Then, one day, when the cumulative exposure to radiation in their body reaches a turning point, symptoms appear. They might vomit after eating radioactive fish, mistakenly thinking the fish was spoiled or had parasites. They might start feeling nauseous and tired all the time. They may require more sleep. They could experience itchy skin, constipation, gas, diarrhea, or bloating, along with other digestive upsets. Their hair might start falling out, and they could experience cloudy thinking. They may feel cold and as if they’re catching the common cold. The symptoms of radiation poisoning are very similar to those of heavy metal poisoning. Radiation also shuts down the thyroid gland.

Here is a map of the areas that have reportedly experienced the most fallout:

As utopian and idealistic as it may sound, I would like to believe that getting the right information to stay healthy can make a huge impact on your life and health. When you go to a restaurant and sit down to eat, you have a choice. You can choose to eat food that contains radiation and may make you sick, or you can eat food that does not.

With the proper coaching, guidance, and understanding of how your body works, you can choose between eating foods that you are allergic to (which could make you sick) and eating foods that are safe and can contribute to your health. Dr. Skolnikoff helps patients make these critical distinctions through personalized nutritional guidance and functional testing.

I hope you choose wisely. Triad of Health Family Healing Center is here to help.