Conquering Radiation Fears from CT Scans and X-rays: A Naturopathic Guide

While it is common knowledge that radiation exposure can cause serious harm to our bodies, the most common diagnostic tests that confirm medical conditions often use radiation as their energy source. This irony (and later on considered misconception) caused a lot of people to refuse CT scans and medical professionals to choose less accurate diagnostic modalities to avoid getting exposed to radiation. Here’s the catch: the risks of radiologic imaging are far less than the benefits that come from the knowledge gained because of the procedure, prevention of harm from undergoing less efficient or more invasive alternatives, and lower costs associated with not undergoing more tests just to arrive at the correct diagnosis. 

Understanding Radiologic Radiation

Radiation is present everywhere we go, especially since we are exposed to the sun’s UV rays every day. Aside from natural sources, imaging studies used to diagnose disease conditions, such as x-rays, are considered the largest man-made source of ionizing radiation.1 Radiation is used by these diagnostic machines to create images of bones, tissues, fluids, tumors,  and even foreign bodies that were dislodged inside. Up to the present, the use of radiation in diagnostic imaging has helped identify millions of diagnoses and treatments for billions of people, helping improve healthcare delivery and save lives.

The Ongoing Fear

Ionizing radiation, although widely used in health imaging, can be harmful to your health in high amounts. A lot of people worldwide choose not to undergo imaging studies that use radiation in light of the fear that their exposure may cause more harm than good to their health. Although other imaging modalities that do not use radiation are available, these can be expensive and may not be helpful in visualizing certain body structures. Scientifically, ionizing radiation can damage the body at the atomic level, causing cell death and destruction through damaging human deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).2 The body is wonderfully made to repair these damages immediately. However, if the damages are irreparable, the cells die or undergo mutations that can lead to the development of aberrant cells and tumors.2

Risks vs Reality

The human body can withstand a certain level of radiation exposure, especially since we are naturally exposed to radiation from the sun everyday. This means that exposure to ionizing radiation is normal in our daily lives and so our bodies have processes in place to prevent and repair damage. On average, people all over the world are typically exposed to about 3 mSv/year of radiation from all sources, while imaging studies that make use of radiation sources contribute approximately 0.6 mSv/year.1 This radiation exposure is small compared to the big amount of help imaging studies can contribute in locating the problem and identifying the correct diagnosis.

Imagine you're taking a flight across the United States. During that journey, you're exposed to a certain amount of radiation from cosmic rays. Now, let's compare that to the radiation you receive from a diagnostic mammogram. Surprisingly, the levels aren't that different! A mammogram involves a relatively low level of radiation, similar to what you'd experience on your flight to your favorite destination.

Now, let's talk about the effectiveness of mammograms compared to thermal imaging. Despite some patients' concerns about radiation exposure from mammograms, they remain far superior in the early detection of breast cancer. Thermal imaging, on the other hand, may sound appealing as it doesn't involve radiation, but it's significantly less effective in diagnosing breast cancer. It's like choosing between a high-resolution camera and a blurry lens!
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Natural Ways to Protect the Body

Foods, herbs, and supplements that are rich in antioxidants and flavonoids can help nurture your body’s natural wonders. These components can help detoxify free radicals from radiation, regulate your body’s inflammatory response against damage, and attenuate pathways responsible for regulated cell death.3 All these act as your body’s personal defense team, dedicated to preventing and combatting cancer. Additionally, healthy sleep promotes the body’s repair and detoxifying process and getting enough rest every day can help with recovery. 

Because radiation exposure is normal whether you are feeling sick or doing your daily activities, nurturing your body’s abilities to repair and control the damage brought by radiation exposure is very important.
 
When exploring your health options, safety and guidance are paramount. It is important to remember that some supplements and herbs may not be suitable for everyone. Despite being natural products, certain herbs can be contraindicated, especially if you have specific medical conditions or are pregnant or breastfeeding. Choosing the right supplements and herbs for your health is essential and should be done under the guidance of a qualified naturopathic doctor. They will help ensure that the use of natural medicine is appropriately monitored and regulated to align with your individual health needs. By doing so, you can safely incorporate the benefits of herbs into your wellness journey.
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The Naturopathic Approach

Discovering the right regimen for your optimal health is very important, which is why our team at Natural Path to Wellness is committed to guiding you in selecting the most suitable nutrition, lifestyle, and health choices for your optimal well-being. Since radiation exposure is an inevitable part of our daily lives, especially when you have to undergo diagnostic imaging during hospital visits, it is important to mitigate its effects on our optimal health. To learn more about how to discover the right sources of antioxidants for you, talk to us today!
 

BECOME A CLIENT

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​This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your licensed naturopathic physician or other licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your medications or supplements. 

Disclosures & Policies: This and other blog posts may contain affiliate links. Please view our disclosures page for more information.

​REFERENCES:

​1. Ribeiro A, Husson O, Drey N, et al. Ionising radiation exposure from medical imaging - A review of Patient's (un) awareness. Radiography (Lond). 2020;26(2):e25-e30. doi:10.1016/j.radi.2019.10.002
2. Akram S, Chowdhury YS. Radiation Exposure Of Medical Imaging. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; November 14, 2022.
3. Yahyapour R, Shabeeb D, Cheki M, et al. Radiation Protection and Mitigation by Natural Antioxidants and Flavonoids: Implications to Radiotherapy and Radiation Disasters. Curr Mol Pharmacol. 2018;11(4):285-304. doi:10.2174/1874467211666180619125653

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