Two foods that can reduce radiotherapy damage
Radiotherapy damage may be prevented by Flaxseed
Eating flaxseed could help protect patients from the damaging effects of radiotherapy on healthy cells. A 24 June 2011 report in BioMed Central shows that dietary flaxseed can protect against the harmful effects of radiation. The cancer studied was small cell lung cancer, or ED-SCLC. The study was conducted by the Pearlman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and used mice. Not only did flaxseed reduce radiation damage, but it was shown to repair damage after radiotherapy ceased. A clinical trial on humans is now proposed. The Flaxseed-fed mice survived doses of radiation that killed the control group.
Amongst other benefits, flaxseed is known to help oxygenate the blood through its short-chain omega-3 content.
and radiotherapy damage can be lessened by taking probiotics
According to researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, radiotherapy patients who take probiotics prior to treatment may experience less intestinal damage. The research, published in the online journal Gut, looked at the effects of radiation on mice. Those who had been given a probiotic mix that included Lactobacillus rhamnosus before exposure, were protected against radioactive damage in their intestines.
Dr. William F. Stenson and colleague Dr. Nicholas V. Costrini stated "If the epithelium breaks down as the result of radiation, the bacteria that normally reside in the intestine can be released, travel through the body and cause serious problems such as sepsis." The dose of probiotic was only moderate in humans it would equate to the amount commonly found in a typical serving of yogurt.
Readers interested in reducing damage from radiotherapy cancer treatment should also read our article on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. (
CLICK HERE)