4. Milk also does a good job of delivering other radioactive contaminants, such as cesium-134 and cesium-137. Although not important for human health, radioactive cesium mimics potassium, which we do need, and is readily absorbed by the body.
You can also get some of the fluid you need from milk, sports drinks, tea, and moist foods like soup, Jell-O, yogurt, sherbet and pudding. Beverages containing alcohol do not count as part of your daily hydration. Patients should talk to their doctor about the use of alcohol during treatment.
Radiation gets into the milk because it falls on grass eaten by cows. The milk does not itself absorb radiation.
Potassium iodide (KI) is a type of iodine that is not radioactive and can be used to help block one type of radioactive material, radioactive iodine (I-131), from being absorbed by the thyroid.
Lead has long been considered "the element of choice" for radiation shielding due to its attenuating properties. Lead is a corrosion-resistive and malleable metal. Lead's high density (11.34 grams per cubic centimeter) makes it an effective barrier against X-ray and gamma-ray radiation.
Limit your intake of foods or drinks that can cause gas or bloating such as soft drinks, beer, corn, leeks, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnip, squash, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, beans, garlic, peas and onions; Also reduce your intake of caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate) and lactose (milk, cheese).
Sometimes there are no symptoms, and radiation pneumonitis is found on a chest x-ray. Symptoms often go away on their own, but if treatment is needed, it is based on trying to decrease the inflammation. Steroids, like prednisone, are usually used. With treatment, most people recover without any lasting effects.
What vitamins and supplements can I take? Not all vitamin and mineral supplements have antioxidants. For example calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 are not antioxidants. These vitamins and minerals are safe to take during your radiation treatment.
Good sources of protein include lean meat, fish, poultry, dairy products (cheese, Greek yogurt, milk, cottage cheese), eggs, nuts, beans & lentils, soyfoods (tofu, soymilk, tempeh, edamame), commercial nutrition beverages (like Ensure® , Boost®, or Orgain™, Enu™) and protein powders.
His final recommendation is vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that may also help combat stress, at a dose of 250-500mg per day. If you had radiation to the left breast (near where you heart is), you may also consider taking CoEnzyme Q10 60-100mg in a soft gel capsule to protect your heart muscle after radiation.
Breast cancer: Women with breast cancer have an overall 30% chance of recurrence. Many cases happen within five years of completing the initial treatment. Cervical cancer: Of those with invasive cervical cancer, an estimated 35% will have a recurrence.
Don't wear tight clothing over the treatment area. It's important not to rub, scrub or scratch any sensitive spots. Also avoid putting anything that is very hot or very cold—such as heating pads or ice packs—on your treated skin.
By far the largest source of natural radiation exposure comes from varying amounts of uranium and thorium in the soil around the world. The radiation exposure due to cosmic rays is very dependent on altitude, and slightly on latitude: people who travel by air, thereby, increase their exposure to radiation.
What is the 10-day rule? The 10-day rule was established by the International Commission on Radiological Protection to minimize the potential for performing x-ray exams on pregnant women. The basis of the rule was to do abdominal and pelvic x-ray exams only during the 10 days following the onset of menstruation.
Non-lead shielding materials are manufactured with additives and binders mixed with attenuating heavy metals that fall into the same category of materials as lead that also absorb or block radiation. These metals may include tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), tungsten (W) bismuth (Bi) or other elements.
Ask your radiation therapy team before you use anything on the skin in the treatment area. Powders, creams, perfumes, deodorants, body oils, ointments or lotions can irritate skin or may affect your response to the radiation treatment.
The tiredness often reaches its maximum 1 to 2 weeks after the end of treatment. A small number of people are asleep for a lot of the day after a long course of radiotherapy to the brain. This called somnolence syndrome.
Most side effects generally go away within a few weeks to 2 months of finishing treatment. But some side effects may continue after treatment is over because it takes time for healthy cells to recover from the effects of radiation therapy. Late side effects can happen months or years after treatment.
This is a very small amount of radiation. To put that in context, you would need to eat about 100 bananas to receive the same amount of radiation exposure as you get each day in United States from natural radiation in the environment.