Japan’s nuclear-contaminated wastewater dumping into the Pacific Ocean sparks a rush to buy salt in China.

 

Japan announced the discharge of Fukushima’s nuclear-contaminated wastewater on August 24, sparking attention and debate, and a rush to buy salt in China.

 

In response to this, experts state that the raw materials used in China’s salt production are sea salt, well and mine salt, and lake salt, with a composition ratio of 22%, 61%, and 17% respectively. This shows that sea salt is not the main ingredient. Moreover, China’s salt production is safe and the salt reserves are sufficient, so there is no need to hoard salt.

 

Some people are stockpiling salt because they have heard that eating iodized salt can prevent radiation. However, in reality, the iodine and potassium iodide content in iodized salt is not high, and neither of these substances has a radiation prevention effect. Moreover, excessive intake of iodine and potassium iodide can easily lead to iodine poisoning, which can even be life-threatening. (Source: www.chinanews.com)

 

The impact of accumulated radiation on the body is subtle and imperceptible. It can directly act on cells, damage DNA, cause tissue cell degeneration and necrosis, lead to metabolic disorders in the body, and cause a series of pathological changes such as immune, neurological, and endocrine system dysfunction.

 

So, are there any good methods to reduce or minimize the aforementioned radiation damage to the human body?

 

Yes, there is a solution, and that is Reishi mushrooms. Professor Lin Zhibin of Peking University Health Science Center began conducting radiation resistance research related to Reishi mushrooms in the late 1970s. Let’s take a look at the research results of this Reishi mushroom research expert.

 

I. The earliest research on radiation resistance of Reishi mushrooms

 

In the late 1970s, in order to observe the effects of Reishi mushroom extract on enhancing the resistance of mice to harsh environments, Professor Lin Zhibin and his research team designed a series of experiments, such as resistance to hypoxia, cold, high temperature, fatigue, and radiation.

 

During the experiment, each mouse was fixed in a specially made glass cylinder, evenly distributed around a 60Co source, and subjected to 15 minutes of whole-body irradiation with 60Co γ rays. The dose rate of the 60Co rays was 60.4R/min (approximately 529.1mGy/min), with a total irradiation dose of 906R (approximately 7.9Gy). After irradiation, the mice were returned to the laboratory for breeding, and the mortality rate within 30 days was observed.

 

The results showed that after administering Ganoderma lucidum extract (equivalent to 10g/kg of the fruiting body) to mice by gavage for 20 days, the mortality rate of the mice was 44.4% within 30 days after irradiation. In contrast, the control group of mice, which were given physiological saline by gavage, had a mortality rate of 70.4%.

 

After irradiation with 60Co γ rays, the mice were treated with the same dose of Ganoderma lucidum extract. There was no significant difference in the mortality rate between the two groups within 30 days after irradiation, but the average survival time of the animals was significantly prolonged.

 

This discovery was published in both Chinese and English in the Chinese Science Bulletin in 1980. It was the first research paper on the radiation resistance of Ganoderma lucidum and attracted attention from the academic community.

 

II. Science can withstand repetition.

 

The results of scientific experiments should be able to withstand repetition. More than a decade later, similar results were obtained in some laboratory studies:

 

(1) Ganoderma lucidum extract has a certain protective effect against the damage caused by X-ray irradiation in mice. It can slightly increase the survival rate within 30 days after irradiation and promote the recovery of body weight and blood indicators in mice after irradiation.

 

(2) The preventive administration of Ganoderma lucidum extract has a significant protective effect against the damage caused by 4Gy γ-ray irradiation in mice. It can significantly alleviate the reduction of white blood cells and the decrease in immune function caused by irradiation.

 

(3) Administering Ganoderma lucidum spore powder to mice by gavage can alleviate the reduction of white blood cells caused by Cobalt-60 γ-rays and increase the survival rate of the mice.

 

(4) Feeding mice with the water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium (MAK) before X-ray irradiation has a protective effect against the damage caused by X-ray irradiation in mice. It can significantly prolong the survival time of mice and increase the survival rate of intestinal gland cells.

 

These studies have all demonstrated that the fruiting body, mycelium, and spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum have anti-radiation effects.

 

 

III. Clinical effectiveness is the most scientific.

 

The anti-radiation effects of Ganoderma lucidum have already been applied clinically. One application is to alleviate the damage caused by radiation therapy for tumors, such as leukopenia, gastrointestinal reactions (such as vomiting), and decreased immune function, which I have mentioned many times in my column. The second application is in the treatment of leukopenia. Leukopenia refers to a condition where the white blood cell count in peripheral blood is less than 3.5*10^9/L. The exact cause is not yet fully understood, but it may be related to the impact of physical and chemical pollution in the environment, genetic or immune mechanism disorders in the body, among which includes the influence of various radiation factors. The results of the aforementioned studies indicate that Ganoderma lucidum does indeed have a certain protective effect against radiation damage. Perhaps people who have been using Ganoderma lucidum for health maintenance for a long time may have stronger resistance to nuclear radiation than the general population. Of course, this hypothesis still needs further research to be confirmed. (Source: Pages 166-169 of Ganoderma: A Comprehensive Discussion by Lin Zhibin.)