HEAVY METALS
Toxic heavy metals are virtually everywhere and are present in all kinds of things that we come in contact with every day, such as aluminum cans and aluminum foil, batteries, metal cookware, old paint, and even the foods we eat. For instance, pesticides and herbicides (which are hard to completely avoid even on a strict organic diet), are a common source of toxic heavy metals. As a result, most of us are carrying around heavy metals that have been with us for almost our whole lives and which have burrowed deep inside our tissues. We are also born into this world with heavy metals already inside our livers.
Unfortunately, it is these “old” metals, the ones that have been lurking in our system for prolonged periods of time, that pose the greatest threat. For example, over time toxic heavy metals can oxidize, causing damage to surrounding tissue and promoting inflammation. They literally poison our bodies and can inflict damage on virtually every system and organ, including our brain, liver, digestive system, and other parts of our nervous system. Toxic heavy metals put an immense burden on our immune system, leaving us vulnerable to a variety of illnesses.
While toxins of every kind are harmful, heavy metals pose a unique threat. Not only are they damaging in their own right, they are also a form of neurotoxin (a poison that disrupts nerve function and confuses your immune system). Heavy metal neurotoxins can inflame and irritate our central nervous system (especially our brain), causing multiple symptoms such as memory loss, brain fog, fatigue, and depression. Toxic heavy metals can also promote inflammation in the digestive tract, releasing poisons into our gut as well. As if this isn’t bad enough, heavy metals also serve as a source of food for viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens in our body.
It's virtually impossible not to take in a certain amount of these toxic heavy metals in our modern era, so it's vitally important to our health that we get them out before they can wreak further havoc on our health.
What can we do about heavy metals in our bodies?
1) Remove the source!
2) Eat organic.
3) Use a binder such as Zeolite (Zeocharge) to bind metals for elimination- elimination pathways must be open (ie. Sweating, urinating and eliminating via feces).
4) Eat foods that promote elimination of heavy metals (herbs like cilantro and parsley, spirulina powder or caps, wild blueberries (must be wild), garlic and onions, Vitamin C rich foods like citrus, bell peppers, fiber rich foods like chia seeds and ground flax, kale, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.
Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
2 bananas
2 cups frozen or fresh wild blueberries, or 2 ounces pure wild blueberry juice, or 2 tablespoons pure wild blueberry powder (regular cultivated blueberries are not a substitute)
1 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon barley grass juice powder
1 teaspoon spirulina
1 tablespoon Atlantic dulse or 2 dropperfuls Atlantic dulse liquid
1 orange, juiced
1⁄2 to 1 cup water, coconut water, or additional fresh-squeezed orange juice (optional)
Directions: In a high speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. If a thinner consistency is desired, add up to 1 cup of water. Enjoy! Optional: Water, coconut water or fresh orange juice to blend.
Heavy metal testing in patients can offer several benefits, particularly in cases where exposure or accumulation of heavy metals is suspected and causing the individual symptoms. Here are some of the key benefits:
Identification of Toxic Exposure: Heavy metal testing helps identify whether an individual has been exposed to toxic levels of heavy metals such as aluminum, lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, tin, etc. These exposures can occur through various means including environmental pollution, occupational hazards, contaminated food or water such as tuna fish or aluminum cans, mercury amalgams/fillings or through certain medical treatments like imaging with contrast dye. Testing for heavy metals allows for the early detection of heavy metal poisoning. Early detection is crucial for timely intervention and treatment to prevent further accumulation and mitigate potential health consequences.
Assessment of Occupational Hazards: For individuals working in industries where heavy metal exposure is common (e.g., mining, manufacturing, construction, dental industry), regular testing can help assess occupational hazards and implement appropriate treatment to mitigate harm to the individual.
Evaluation of Symptoms: Heavy metal toxicity can manifest in various symptoms such as fatigue, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal disturbances, renal dysfunction, and dermatological issues, difficulty losing weight, poor memory, irritability, poor sleep. Testing helps healthcare providers evaluate whether these symptoms might be linked to heavy metal exposure.
Monitoring Treatment Progress: For patients undergoing chelation therapy or other treatments for heavy metal toxicity, regular testing helps monitor the effectiveness of treatment and track the reduction of heavy metal levels in the body over time.
Vulnerable Populations: Certain populations, such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with certain medical conditions, may be more vulnerable to the adverse effects of heavy metal exposure, especially over time when the immune system becomes taxed or heavy metals are blocking absorption of certain nutrients. Testing can help assess their risk levels and guide appropriate preventative measures.
Overall, heavy metal testing plays a critical role in identifying and managing heavy metal exposure, thereby allowing your provider to mitigate health issues that may develop or have developed due to heavy metal exposure that accumulates over a lifetime.
Oligoscan Heavy Metal and Mineral Testing spectrophotometry utilizes UV Visible light to measure the amount of specific elements in the fascia tissue of palm of your hand. It uses Algorithmic formulations & Statistical (Gaussian) Methods over the human reference range
Oligoscan shows the intra-cellular uptake of minerals and presence of heavy metals, namely through the tissue (including muscle & small capillaries), at a depth of 4mm through the skin of the hand. The results are instant! All you need to know is your blood type. The cost is $295 for test and interpretation with a provider.