25-04-2009

Some treatment options to help the body detoxify itself from heavy metals and related substances.

Heavy metals are ones that are heavier than Iron, and generally have no place in the human body-- that is, we don't need them for anything nutritionally. They are naturally occurring in the environment, but sometimes get concentrated by human activity to dangerous levels. Some examples: Lead-- probably one of the most famous in terms of poisoning. Lead used to be used in gasoline and paint, and some older houses and soil in urban areas still contain dangerous levels of lead. There have been numerous recalls of childrens' toys in recent years because they contained lead paint also. Lead is mixed with other metals to make them softer, so lots of iron hardware contains some lead. Computer monitors and tv's contain some lead, as do many other glass products. Lead by itself is used for wheelweights, fishing sinkers, bullets, drain pipes, and various other products. solid lead is not all that poisonous. It's far from nutritious, but the fact that it is hard to digest makes it less dangerous than lead compounds (like what is in lead paint) or lead fumes. Arsenic-- More poisonous than lead; not technically a metal, but generally grouped with them. Arsenic used to be used as a green paint and dye. Theoretically this practice stopped long ago, but with all the reports of toxic paint lately, I wouldn't be surprised if it made a reappearance. Now the main ways people come in contact with arsenic are through computer circuitry, some pesticides, and pressure treated lumber-- so it's especially a concern to people working with any of these. Arsenic is also used as a cancer drug under the name TriSenOx (arsenic trioxide) Mercury-- A heavy liquid metal. Mercury is used in some metal alloys that are designed to melt at low temperatures. The primary way people come in contact with mercury is through its use in medicine-- it is a component of amalgam dental fillings, it is an antiseptic (merthiolate or mercurichrome), and a preservative in some vaccines and other preparations. Copper is a potentially toxic metal, but it does have some nutritional values as well; too much of it can cause toxicity. Other toxic heavy metals of which there is at least some risk of occupational or industrial exposure include cadmium, Uranium, silver, zinc, and cobalt. Most heavy metals will produce a lot of non-specific symptoms such as headaches, weight gain, bowel irregularities, and so on-- so they can be somewhat hard to identify. Low-level exposure can also be hard to detect. Severe poisoning often causes brain damage and spontaneous bleeding. People ask me pretty often what can be done about exposure to these substances. Conventional treatments are pretty much limited to chemical chelation therapy, which is dangerous but may be appropriate for very severe poisoning. Eating a diet that contains lots of lighter metals-- such as calcium, potassium, and Iron-- can help to push the heavier ones out of the system. So that's a start. Avoiding further exposure is pretty important as well, if at all possible. Alcohol intensifies the toxicity of heavy metals, essentially making them more available to the body. So someone who feels they have been exposed to heavy metal toxicity might want to take a break from drinking. Once the source of exposure has been eliminated, fasting can help to get heavy metals out of the body. The heightened acidity of a fasting body helps to bind the metals and turn them into a form that the body can more easily get rid of. Fasting has its own set of challenges for the body, so it should not be undertaken lightly. Supporting and stimulating the organs which eliminate poisons and waste products from the body can be an important part of the program as well. Arsenic is dealt with mainly by the liver-- the others are processed either by the kidneys or the liver, with the skin and sweat glands as a secondary way of getting them out. So herbs such as cleavers for the kidneys and yellow dock root or gentian for the liver can be helpful, as can anything that promotes sweating. Additionally, there are some herbs such as rosemary, calamus and tienchi, which help to protect the body from the effects of toxic substances, as well as helping to get rid of them. In addition to these widely available options, there are a number of more specialized natural substances that can be used under professional supervision to help rid the body of heavy metals. For example, solarized humulus extract contains natural sulphur-based compounds that can actually capture mercury and remove it from the body by way of the kidneys. Plumbago officinalis has a history of use for lead toxicity. Similar therapies exist for helping the body to rid itself of other substances. Although these are strong substances that produce marked changes, they are relatively safe when prepared and used appropriately. So, while there are a lot of different types and outcomes of heavy metal toxicity, there are many things that can be done- safely and ethically-- to help remove them from the body, and protect the body from their effects.