This is part 3 of a 3-part series. The other posts are here and here.
Most people give their advice and then remind us that they are not a doctor and we should seek qualified help before applying thier suggestions. I'm going to put that right up front. DO NOT attempt to self-diagnose a heavy metal toxicity via Google; get tested, get advice, by all means check that advice against what is said on the web, including here. As with the previous post in this series, this article on heavy metal chelation is a collection of information that I have gleaned with personal research on websites of various types. I am not a doctor; I haven't even spoken to a health professional of any stripe about ths stuff. I just find it fascinating, and thought you might agree.
As I relayed previously, heavy metals are a common toxin in modern Western life. Modern Western diets leave us nutrient deficient; modern Western drugs damage our guts, impeding digestion and nutrient absorption; and modern Western lifestyles put us in a constant state of fight or flight which wreaks havoc with our endocrine system, raises our need for nutrients, and lowers our tolerance for toxins. It's a pickle, for sure. The health hydra must be conquered one head at a time: toxins and stress must be reduced, and nutrients, excercise and rest increased. It's a whole-life overhaul, and there are a lot of resources you can tap into if you feel you need to do it. Assuming you've gone package-free for food, kicked sugar, hacked sleep, and found some fun, you can think about ridding yourself of some toxic baggage. This is known as cleansing, and cleansing of metals is called chelation (to oversimplify a bit).
There are oral, topical and intravenous (IV) chelation methods, but most people not dealing with extreme cases appear to have the best access/results ratio with the oral method.
Most people give their advice and then remind us that they are not a doctor and we should seek qualified help before applying thier suggestions. I'm going to put that right up front. DO NOT attempt to self-diagnose a heavy metal toxicity via Google; get tested, get advice, by all means check that advice against what is said on the web, including here. As with the previous post in this series, this article on heavy metal chelation is a collection of information that I have gleaned with personal research on websites of various types. I am not a doctor; I haven't even spoken to a health professional of any stripe about ths stuff. I just find it fascinating, and thought you might agree.
As I relayed previously, heavy metals are a common toxin in modern Western life. Modern Western diets leave us nutrient deficient; modern Western drugs damage our guts, impeding digestion and nutrient absorption; and modern Western lifestyles put us in a constant state of fight or flight which wreaks havoc with our endocrine system, raises our need for nutrients, and lowers our tolerance for toxins. It's a pickle, for sure. The health hydra must be conquered one head at a time: toxins and stress must be reduced, and nutrients, excercise and rest increased. It's a whole-life overhaul, and there are a lot of resources you can tap into if you feel you need to do it. Assuming you've gone package-free for food, kicked sugar, hacked sleep, and found some fun, you can think about ridding yourself of some toxic baggage. This is known as cleansing, and cleansing of metals is called chelation (to oversimplify a bit).
There are oral, topical and intravenous (IV) chelation methods, but most people not dealing with extreme cases appear to have the best access/results ratio with the oral method.
Preparations
It is important to have a high-protein diet before and
during chelation, as the sulphur-bearing amino acids in the protein will
greatly facilitate detoxification. Your ability to clear toxins will be
impaired if you do not have adequate fat from unprocessed healthy oils to support
digestive function.
It is probable that when metals are removed from the body
both parasite and fungal populations increase. The metal toxins in the body
tend to hold parasite populations in check, such that many pharmaceutical
parasiticides contain serious amounts of toxic metals. Those struggling with candida albicans should be particularly
aware of this; people contemplating heavy-metal chelation treatments should be
tested and treated for fungi and/or parasites prior to chelating toxic metals. If you have been on the oral contraceptive
pill your gut flora will be out of kilter, making you more prone to yeast
overgrowth (candida).
Take probiotics; it is vital to have an optimized bowel
flora for detoxification. Note that drug-induced
gut imbalance is especially intractable. Nevertheless, maintain two to three bowel
movements per day. If you think this is an impossible fantasy in the magnitude
of flying blue dragons, have your thyroid status checked; hypothyroidism is a
common cause of sluggish bowels. It is
very common for mercury to affect the thyroid. If your thyroid function is
fine then you should add some magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is also a
frequent cause of constipation.
Ensure you have a generally healthy micronutrient base. Enzymes
have certain binding sites that require a metal for them to perform their
function as a catalyst. When you are
deficient in magnesium, sodium, zinc and other minerals, the body does not let
go of the toxic metals very easily because the body works better with toxic
metals than no metals at all. Selenium and zinc are particularly important
trace minerals in mercury detoxification.
Micronutrient
chelators:
- A mineral-rich diet acts as a chelating agent. Just as lead will displace calcium, calcium is an excellent nutrient to utilize for displacing mercury and lead. Utilizing a combination of minerals, such as magnesium and calcium, is even more effective and will avoid an imbalance in your calcium/magnesium ratio. Good sources of bioavailable minerals are bone broth and raw sea vegetables.
- Increasing vitamin C intake is a reasonable, cost-effective way to control toxic metal levels and the risk of the common cold.
- Usually the people who are the most deficient in sulphur will be the most sensitive to metal toxicity and vice versa. Lead, mercury and cadmium steal sulphur amino acids (methionine, cysteine, and taurine) from important proteins. Conversely, sulphur is needed in the liver detox pathway to hook onto these metals and clear them from the body. A depletion of sulphur will also adversely affect joint connective tissue growth, since sulphur is an essential precursor to the building blocks of cartilage. B1 is one of two vitamins containing sulphur, the other is Biotin. Good sources are egg yolks, garlic, kelp, kale, turnip, raspberries, onions, cabbage, and mustard. MSM is a supplemental form of sulphur which will help your body to remove mercury.
- Zinc is important for proper functioning in a host of major metabolic pathways. Symptoms of lead toxicity are similar to zinc deficiency symptoms because lead can bring on a zinc deficiency by destroying the zinc-dependent enzymes. Zinc is called “the intelligence mineral” as it is intimately involved in mental development. (See the section on Zinc deficiency in Part 2.)
Dietary chelators:
Chlorophyll
|
Binds to
heavy metals
|
Juiced
raw organic greens
|
Fiber
|
binds to
metals, facilitate their clearance through the liver, and help draw them out
of the body
|
Oat bran,
apple pectin, chlorella
|
Montmorillinite clay
|
Binds
extremely well to toxins and metals for clearance
|
specially
processed fine clay
|
Milk Thistle (silymarin marianum)
|
many
times more potent in antioxidant activity than vitamin E, supports the liver
by protecting GSH (glutathione) which is destroyed by lead
|
Powdered,
tea or tincture
|
Chlorella
|
Research has found chlorella capable of removing heavy
metals (such as cadmium, lead and mercury), certain pesticides (such as DDT),
herbicides, and polychlorbiphenyls (PCBs) from the body's tissues, while
strengthening the immune system response. It is also a fibrous material that
greatly augments healthy digestion, improving bad
breath or constipation.
|
specially
processed green algae
|
Cilantro
|
stimulates
the body's release of mercury and other heavy metals from the brain and CNS
into other tissue
|
|
Nettles & Alfalfa
|
aid in
detoxifying by denaturing the toxins, protecting and restoring normal cellular
functions while promoting elimination
|
Whether any one patient needs all of those measures is unlikely. The overall approach appears to be that our bodies benefit from a little help in mobilising heavy metal out of our tissues, a whole lot of emphasis is put on trapping it, and the excretory pathways will need support in processing it.
Many people are
sensitive to oral cilantro, like chlorella (see below). So, if you develop any nausea or discomfort after
eating cilantro do not use it orally.
Chlorella will thoroughly coat your intestine and bind like
a sponge to any mercury that the chelation liberates into the gut. Once the
mercury burden is lowered from the intestines as a result of improved
elimination, mercury from other body tissues will more readily migrate into the
intestines -- where chlorella will help to remove it. Building up levels of
chlorella sufficient for this detoxification of heavy metals and other chemical
toxins in the blood will take 3-6 months, depending on the dosage taken. Be
sure to take it with plenty of water and increase magnesium if constipation
develops. (Once again we find reference
to the importance of bowel regularity and the surprising effects a dearth of it
can have.)
Chlorella dosages for
chelation support:
DAILY DOSE
|
APPLICATION
|
NOTES
|
500mg
|
Sensitivity test
|
If no problems, increase over 1-2 weeks to recommended dose
|
2-3g
|
Minimum dose
|
No noticeable changes likely
|
4-6g
|
Prevents hangover
|
Supports liver function
|
6-9g
|
Maintenance dose
|
Noticeable improvements in energy, digestion and
elimination
|
16-20g
|
Positive lab test for mercury
|
Chlorella can be taken at any time of the day and is safe
for children of all ages. However, there are a few caveats to its use:
- Chlorella contains iron and can actually raise iron levels excessively. Have your serum ferritin level and total iron binding level tested first and occasionally.
- 1 in 4 people can’t tolerate chlorella. This may be due to a cellulase insufficiency. If this applies to you, consider adding a digestive enzyme supplement with cellulase in it to help digest the chlorella.
- Nausea or "chlorella burps" point to a food sensitivity which will only get worse if chlorella use is continued.
- Chlorella causes the Lactobacilli bacteria in our stomachs to multiply at 4 times the rate of normal, so it is best to take it with meals to improve nutrient uptake.
Is anyone still reading at this point? (That's an honest question.) For now, I think I've scratched my itch as far as this topic goes. I'm thinking about another post on fungal and parasite cleansing, but that will come later. I'm tickled to have been mentioned by The Whole Food Project on their Facebook page, and expect that some new eyes will be looking at this blog in the near future, looking for food. I can do food!
Are there any topics you'd like me to dig into and post about? Leave a comment and, if it sounds like a good fit for Leto's Passion I'll be happy to get Googling on your behalf!
REFERENCES (same as in part 2)
http://www.mercola.com/article/mercury/detox_protocol.htm
(relates particularly to IV chelation)
http://www.herbalist-medicine.com/herbal-medicine-articles/is-your-intestinal-flora-good-enough-for-your-baby.html
(good general ref re inheritable gut flora issues)
http://chriskresser.com/9-steps-to-perfect-health-5-heal-your-gut
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