Radiation is a big concern in many disaster scenarios and one that has been prominent in the news lately, with reports that a wave of radiation from the explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan may be headed towards the West Coast of North America. Reports vary on the intensity of that radiation and its possible effects, but they do raise the question: if you were in the path of radiation, what might you do to protect your health? My answer? Homeopathy!

Homeopathy has an impressive and extensively documented record with voluminous studies showing its efficacy as a medical paradigm. It has been widely used in thousands of hospitals and clinics worldwide for more than 200 years.

Though not as well known in North America, homeopathy has long been accepted in Europe, India and South America, and it is the fastest growing method of medicine in the world today. According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, the Indian market is likely to grow 30% per year. This same organization estimates global growth at 25% annually, with France being the largest contributor.

“Wait a minute,” you say. “Haven’t I heard something about homeopathy being a scam?” Sadly, we face many scoffers who do not understand homeopathy’s power and ridicule its use, calling it a scam or its action “simply a placebo effect.” Homeopathy is based on a principle that Hippocrates proposed hundreds of years ago: the principle of “like cures like.” This principle says that any substance that can cause illness in a healthy person can cure that illness if manipulated in such a way as to antidote the toxic properties and leave only the curative ability. This is accomplished through a series of dilutions.

Because the substance is diluted to the point that it is impossible to identify anything of the original substance, many people believe that what is left is “just water.” But in the 1700s, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician called the Father of Homeopathy, produced proof after proof in years of trials that revealed that these remedies do work. Current scientific studies also support the efficacy of homeopathy in healing. Sadly, many of these studies have been suppressed by skeptics and the pharmaceutical industry, who want to bury the competition.

Something of that original substance is left in the homeopathic remedy, and this curative property triggers the body’s own healing action. Rather than simply covering up or suppressing symptoms, as conventional drugs do, homeopathic remedies help the body uproot the cause of the illness and bring the body back into balance.

At this point in time, we may not be able to measure what is left of the original substance in the remedy. But I believe that as science explores the potential of nano-technology, we will someday understand how this works. At one time, electricity, radiation, hormones…even gravity…were mysterious forces that were hard to explain. Fifty years ago, who would have guessed we would find the existence of quarks and other subatomic particles? Someday science will have the technology to explain how homeopathy works. In the meantime, I have seen so much healing in my own life, in my family and in others, I am content in simply knowing that it does work. It is effective, affordable, easy to store and convenient to have on hand to handle any emergency.

So, back to our radiation problem. Homeopathy has been successfully used both before and after radiation poisoning. I compiled the following information from homeopaths around the world: Israel, India, England, the Netherlands and Canada. These remedies have been used during and after atomic activities. Some of them are more difficult to find, while others are common to most homeopathic household kits. Only one or two may be needed to help protect your family.

The symptoms of radiation sickness vary depending on how much radiation the person absorbed. Initial symptoms usually include nausea and vomiting, followed by lack of appetite, diarrhea, dehydration, headache and fever. Most people exposed to radiation also suffer some skin damage, such as sunburn, hemorrhages under the skin and bleeding from the nose, gums or mouth. Dizziness, disorientation, hair loss and anemia may also appear immediately after intense exposure or as much as four weeks after a mild exposure.

Some homeopathic remedies used to treat diarrhea, nausea and fever, for example, may be helpful, but if you are sure the cause is radiation poisoning, the following specific remedies are the top remedies to consider. For homeopathic remedies provided in pellet form, a dose is generally 4 pellets for an adult or 2-3 for children.

These are generally used as a prophylactic, with one dose (4 pellets for an adult, 2-3 pellets for children) taken before and one dose taken after an atomic explosion. These are generally used before symptoms appear but can be used after as well for many weeks or even months, especially if symptoms present. Cadmium in particular is the go-to remedy for violent nausea, retching and vomiting