Is Depleted Uranium Causing Diabetes? One doctor researches the link between depleted uranium and diabetes
by Ask a Healer
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Top 5 diabetes-related complications
Has depleted uranium fallout from bombing in Iraq, spread a dangerous substance around the globe? Some doctors believe so.
War is a horrible thing and I'm certain people everywhere have great empathy for those in the thick of it, over in Iraq.
However, as horrible as the experience of being in active combat is, there is new information suggest that the war in Iraq may be affecting the world beyond the battlefield; affecting people who never set foot on the battlefield at all.
Aside from the obvious stress and emotional toll of war, and of course the financial cost of such a participation, there may be enough fallout pollution from the war in Iraq, to be causing health concerns on a global scale.
So, how fast can this stuff travel? Dr. Chris Busby, a leading British radiation expert, got data from a nuclear weapons air monitoring facility at Aldemaston, England.
This data dentified depleted uranium in the British atmosphere only nine days after the carpet bombing of Baghdad, started in March of 2003!
How dangerous is depleted uranium (D.U.)?
The answer to that depends a lot on who you ask.
According to the Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses this substance doesn't seem to pose a significant risk as a radiation source. In other words, just being around it isn't so bad but breathing the dust of it, after it has been cooked off in fires of explosions, can present a long-term health hazard.
Just exactly what "long-term health hazard" means is not covered in that article, but it doesn't sound good, does it?
At least one doctor, a famous surgeon from India named Dr. Mishra, believes that there may be a direct link between the almost epidemic increase in those diagnosed with diabetes and the types of bombs being used in Iraq.
Dr. Mishra came to this conclusion after speaking with international radiation expert, Leuren Moret. The use of uranium weapons has caused a global diabetes epidemic since 1991, according to Moret.
Tracing the link even further back, Moret notices a correlation between the very beginning of the diabetes pandemic facing the world now, and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
How might D.U. factor in as a causative agent in diabetes?
Interestingly enough, uranium was once used as a diabetes treatment. This was in the early 20th century and continued up to 1930, when the last such product, called vin uran", was introduced.
The use of uranium to treat diabetes was finally discontinued and determined to be a dangerous treatment, contraindicated in cases of diabetes, possibly due to the renal pathology associated with it.
If the effect on the kidneys was such a factor, maybe inhaling this polluted dust in significant amounts could affect the kidneys in some way that is a link to diabetes development or diabetes-related complications? I don't know.
I have spent a good deal of time searching for actual information on how this substance figures into the diabetes picture but I have not found anything on that.
How Fast Does D.U. Travel When Airborne?
Basically, Moret says that increases in diabetes can be noticed within months of battles where D.U. is a factor. And that, after the battles, incidences again drop off to more normal numbers. To her, this has been a consistent pattern and so, she feels the D.U. is definitely a factor.
It is further estimated that there may be enough residual uranium dust in Iraq to cause 25,000 cancers in the next 10 years, according to Moret.
Of course, this estimate is in stark contrast to the information released by the The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
In its Toxicological Profile for Uranium, the agency stated that no type of cancer in humans had ever been seen as a result of exposure to depleted uranium, or natural uranium for that matter.
This is based on our troops which, we assume, are well-protected and trained in avoiding contamination.
No studies have been done on Iraq civilians, to gauge whether their incidence of cancer has increased since the war started. One report said many Iraq citizens now have multiple cancers but I could find no numbers on that.
Diabetic Health Disclaimer: The link between bomb fallout from the war in Iraq and diabetes has not been proven. There are those on both sides of the issue that passionately believe one way or the other. I'm opening the door for you to explore this question on your own and come to your own determination. There are lots of sites with information and I encourage you to read them all, if you have diabetes and looking for more information on what may have caused it, aside from the obvious dietary choices you may have made.
The information on diabetes-related complications presented here should not be construed as replacement for personal medical advice from your health care professional. Any action taken based on the contents found in this article is at the sole discretion of the reader. Please consult with your chosen healthcare practitioner regarding your health and wellness concerns.
