RESEARCH + inFORMATION

Rosemary Found to Offer Best Protection against Radiation Poisoning The U.S. is turning into radiation nation. In the twenty-three years since Chernobyl, Americans seem to have forgotten the impact of radiation on health. Swept up in the euphoria over an endless parade of wireless devices, we have turned our backs on the common sense that informed us that Chernobyl was a really big deal when we heard the news. Today Americans act as though they are addicted to radiation and completely oblivious of the jack-hammering effect it has on human cells. They appear willing to accept cancer and even death as small prices to pay for the ability to communicate with anyone, anywhere, anytime. As the nation eagerly anticipates the rollout of WiMAX, promising bone-incinerating coverage of 3,000 square miles from a single tower, those who object find they have no voice and no choice. However, recent research has shown there are steps to take in self-preservation. Carnosic and rosmarinic acids naturally deter radiation poisoning. RF/microwave exposure leads to cancer development It has been know for a decade that RF/microwaves from cell phones and tower transmitters cause damage in human blood cells that results in nuclei splintering off into micronuclei fragments. The development of micronuclei heralds the development of pre-cancerous conditions. Many victims of Chernobyl developed blood cell micronuclei that rapidly turned into full blown cancers. Numerous animal studies have demonstrated that mobile phone radiation quickly causes DNA single and double strand breaks at levels well below the current federal "safe" standards. A six-year industry study showed that human blood exposure to cell phone radiation had a 300 percent increase in genetic damage in the form of micronuclei, suggesting a health threat much greater than smoking or asbestos. Compounds from rosemary fight against mutagenic effects of radiation In two separate studies, scientists in Spain found that nothing fights radiation damage to micronuclei like a simple garden herb known as rosemary. They noted that ionizing radiation causes the massive generation of free radicals that induce cellular DNA damage. They studied the protective effects of several compounds against gamma ray induced chromosomal damage in micronuclei testing by adding various compounds to human blood before and after irradiation. When the compounds were added after gamma-irradiation treatment, the protective effects relied not on scavenging ability, but on activity against free radicals already present in the cells, such as lipoperoxy radicals which are mainly responsible for continuous chromosomal oxidative damage. The fact that carnosic acid and carnosol found in rosemary are fat soluble allows them to provide highly asignificant protective anti-mutagenic activity. Even the most powerful water- soluble antioxidants lack the capacity to protect against gamma ray induced damage. This study can be found in the British Journal of Radiology, February 2 edition. In their second study, the generation of radiation induced cellular DNA damage to skin from free radicals was the focus. The researchers sought to demonstrate that rosmarinic acid from rosemary would act as a photo- protector both by acting as a scavenger of free radicals and as an inducer of the body's own endogenous defense mechanisms by regulating tyrosinase activity and stimulating melanin production. They found that formulation of toxic malonyldialdehyde was delayed by the use of rosmarinic acid, and the protection factor was 3.34 times greater than for other compounds studied, as measured in micronucleus testing. In vivo testing showed the capacity of orally administered rosmarinic acid to inhibit skin alterations as a result of UV radiation exposure. This study was reported in the February edition of Food and Chemical Toxicology. www.hawaiianwellness.com