For thousands of years, the sick have journeyed long distances seeking cures at the waters of Bath in England, Badgastein in Austria, in Japan, Germany, Poland, Russia, Czech Republic, USA, Canada and countless other healing hot springs worldwide. Many if not all of these hot springs are still in operation today. Their secret is low level radiation.
The ancient springs-town of Ikaria on Ikaria Island in Greece was buried after a landslide. It was on a peninsula 300 meters east of where Therma is today. As the findings prove, there was a settlement and organized facilities for the bathers about 2500 years ago. Today all that survive are ruins of a small part that remained on the surface and some buildings dating from the Roman Period.
The Ikaria island inhabitants are being studied right now by a team of researchers who are trying to determine what lifestyle factors have left 30% of the island residents over the age of 90 and dancing! The ancient springs are still very popular with the inhabitants and most of the old timers visit the spring monthly. If radiation were as hazardous as many people believe, why would the island with the highest percentage of people 90 years of age and older be the one. The residents bathe regularly in radioactive hot spring water. Good food and lifestyles are important too and the island foods are being studied by scientists. The residents are noted for their very low occurance of all diseases as well as their very long average lifespan.
DNA Repair Mechanism Discovered
Why do these hot springs work? They contain low levels of natural radiation from the rocks contained in the ground. Uranium is found worldwide and as it undergoes a natural process of breaking down it creates a very low level of radioactivity in the water. The healing effect of natural radiation is called Radiation Hormesis and is very well documented since about the year 2000, when it was proven that the body has a DNA repair mechanism. This DNA repair mechanism is actively correcting up to 100,000 DNA errors in our bodies every day since we were born! DNA errors are more commonly caused by aggressive chemistry within the body that damages the genetic code. The digestion of the stomach for example. The repair mechanism is so effective that the majority of us never experience any DNA repair errors.
Natural and low level radiation from uranium rocks in the earth produces a low number of DNA errors, well within the DNA repair capabilities of the body. Typically low level radiation will cause less than 100 DNA errors per year, all of which are easily corrected by the body. Exposure to this radiation has the effect of triggering the body to increase the rate of DNA repair. The result not only renders low levels of radiation harmless but it also gets the DNA repair activity to be increased. This same DNA repair mechanism helps the body to avoid the DNA errors leading to cancer. It also is the mechanism behind our immune system that prevents infectious diseases. Low level radiation sources can dramatically reduce the incidence of cancer by increasing the DNA repair rate. Low level radiation can prevent infection and improve many immune disorders.
Natural Radiant Healing Areas of the World
The exceptional health of the people of the Island of Ikaria is not unique. There are naturally radioactive beaches in India and South America which have been studied by scientists. Surprisingly, the people of all these areas have a 30% reduction in cancers, a significant reduction in infectious diseases and a 20% reduction in congenital birth defects! All because the immune system’s DNA repair mechanisms are running more efficiently.