According the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: The simplest nuclear preventions against harmful radiation exposure are time, distance and shielding. Limit the time you are exposed to the radioactive source; increase the distance between you and the source; and shield yourself by placing objects between you and the source. These concepts form the basis of nuclear regulation so that we may enjoy the beneficial uses of radioactive materials while minimizing the risk to public health and the environment. For additional information, see the NRC

Know your distance from a Nuclear Power Station: There is a chart listed at the bottom of this page showing the 100+ nuclear reactors in the US that are used for power generation (coutesy of the NRC)

Take your Personal Radiation Dose exposure quiz to calculate your current exposure: Click Here

Wanting to "run away" , the 29 yr. old Medical Director Dr. Tatsuichiro Akizuki stayed with the patients pouring into the 300 bed St. Francis Hospital after the Nagasak, Japan bombing. In order to save the lives of his patients from the radiation fallout the followed the initial blast, (74,000 people killed and 75,000 injured during this time) Dr. Akizuki created a strict diet for his hospital (all 300 patients survived)
Dr. Akizuki fed them "brown rice, miso (aged Barley and Soy beans)and tamari soy soup, wakame, kombu and other seaweed, Hokkaido pumpkin, and sea salt." He also prohibited the consumption of sugar and sweets, white breads, or processed foods..

Whole Grains are important to eat during radiation exposure because they:
1. Contain less radiation risk because of being low on the food chain, compared to fish, beef who have years of exposure time.
2. High fiber and phosphorus counts help bind to and flush out toxins that may be in the body
3. Create bulk quickly and are passed through the digestive system at a rapid pace
4. Whole grains also provide vitamin B6, which is necessary for the thymus. also, the calcium content guards against uptake of radioactive strontium, and their vitamin E and selenium prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals.

You can find these at your local health food stores, Trader Joes, etc.

"Radiation Pills" Potassium iodide (KI) protects people from thyroid cancer caused by radioactive iodine, a type of radioactive material that can be released in nuclear explosions. KI should only be taken in a radiation emergency that involves the release of radioactive iodine. Since the use or release of radioactive iodine from a “dirty bomb” is highly unlikely, KI pills would not be useful in that instance.

PROTECTIVE SUITS: You can purchase Radiation Protective Coveralls and full body suits made of Demron from Radiation Shield Technologies of FL Handheld Radiation Detection Devices are available from Amazon, Ebay, and SelectScientific.com

How is someone decontaminated if they get radioactive material on them such as from a dirty bomb?

A “dirty bomb” is one type of “radiological dispersal device” that combines a conventional explosive (such as dynamite) with radioactive material. Most dirty bombs would not release enough radiation to kill people or cause severe illness. However, these steps can be taken to reduce the risk of contamination:

• Remove contaminated clothes as soon as possible, and place them in a sealed plastic bag. The clothing could be used later to estimate a person's exposure.
  
  
• Gently wash skin to remove any possible contamination, making sure that no radioactive material enters the mouth or is transferred to areas of the face where it could easily be moved to the mouth and swallowed.

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