I have been stumbling across articles lately around the issue of safety concerns of CT scans. This health debate makes me nervous, because last march when I was in the hospital for 12 days, for a transverse diverticulitis attack, I had 2 CT scans in less then 2 weeks.

First, the doctors in emergency decided to do a scan of my stomach area. That’s when they were able to label my symptoms, a transverse diverticulitis attack. When I did not support the idea of surgery unless they were 100% sure it was necessary, I was put on a IV with 3 antibiotics and morphine . Since it was my first known attack,( I have been in the hospital, on numerous occasions in the past with stomach pain) the Surgeons decided to go along with my idea of  trying to get it under control by medication. Lets not forget that if you have a team of Surgeons looking at solutions to your health, I can guarantee you that they come with a biased to doing surgery.  Although I was doing better after 11days(thanks to taking Ala Vera Juice, among other natural products while in the hospital) the doctors where not comfortable letting me leave the hospital until I had another CT scan. They wanted to make sure that my diverticulitis was not any worse, and hopefully better. I can understand why they wanted to take another look before discharging me. I must admit, I felt more confidence leaving, knowing that my healing was on the mend.

I picked up a Time Magazine today when I was in the gym and read an small article that mentioned that many studies show that CT scans increase your lifetime cancer risk. CT scans use X-rays to create 3-D image of a person’s torso. ” A report in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine, researchers at Columbia University say that doctors are over-proscribing CT scans. They warn that the scans, which deliver radiation doses 50 to 200 times higher than most X-rays, could lead to cancer.”

Just this week I had another extended family member, aged 40, diagnosed with lymphatic cancer. I have another extended family member who is working at getting rid of her 4stage cancer through alternative means. I definitely am trying not to increase my chances of cancer appearing in my body. Sometimes we have to make tough decisions and this time regarding the CT scan choice, I had to weigh the 2 options(the doctors were putting pressure on having the CT performed again). Was it more important to know how my stomach was doing before leaving the hospital or was it more important to keep the radiation out of my body?  Every day, we all need to lead a healthy life of exercise, organic healthy food and a positive mindset!