What You Should Know About Heavy Metal & Chemical Toxicity

Heavy Metal & Chemical Toxicity

In 1974 the World Health Organization stated “Environmental pollution is the underlying cause of 80% of all chronic degenerative diseases.” And that was 1974, when the world wasn’t nearly as inundated with toxic substances as it is today. In findings from a study titled Body Burden: The Pollution in People, it was confirmed that the blood and urine of the subjects tested contained an average of 91 industrial compounds, pollutants, and other chemicals, most of which did not even exist 75 years ago. And those test results are old; unfortunately it would be a much bigger number today. These toxic substances cause an ever-increasing number of conditions once inside the body, including neurological and psychological disorders, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels, suppression of the body’s immune response—even a person’s inability to lose weight could be linked to heavy metals and toxic chemicals.

There are a number of ways these toxic substances enter the body, including through the food we eat (e.g. certain fish now contain an especially high level of mercury and other environmental pollutants), water we drink, and cookware we use, as well as through the cleaning products and personal care items we use.  Heavy metals and toxic chemicals are also absorbed or taken in when we use paints that contain cadmium and lead, come into contact with industrial waste, breathe in toxic fumes while filling up the gas tank, drive in traffic, or do any number of other things that are part of daily life. One of the most common ways the body becomes over-burdened, at least with certain heavy metals, is through dental fillings made with mercury, crowns that contain nickel, and dentures where cadmium was used to make the gum section look pink.

Mercury, in particular, is a potent neurotoxin and has the ability to affect various parts of the body, including the brain and nerves. It can have a serious and far-reaching effect on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) because it promotes excessive oxidative damage, diminishes enzyme activity, and clogs normal detoxification routes. This leads to dysbiosis and chronic, degenerative blood cell formation and disease. The immune system naturally responds to the presence of toxic metals in the body and eventually develops allergic reactions that may manifest as a sinus condition, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), enlarged neck and glands, arthritic conditions, headaches and migraines, eye diseases, and even more serious complications.

Acute exposure to mercury has reportedly caused mental confusion, short and long term memory loss, tremors, and fatigue, as well as visual and personality changes. And the latest worldwide survey of all Alzheimer’s research has identified mercury as the prime suspect as causative factor. In the case of mercury exposure from dental fillings, the problem becomes chronic. Research shows that mercury vapor is continuously released from amalgam fillings in a measurable amount from the moment the fillings are inserted into the teeth. Each time the person chews, drinks (particularly hot liquids), brushes his teeth, swallows and breathes, mercury is released from dental fillings and is absorbed by the lungs and lining of the digestive system, and consequently enters the bloodstream.

As a result, the body’s weakest area is most likely to develop a problem first. Because the mercury toxins can travel either by way of the blood stream or by nerve pathways, one person may experience bleeding gums and bowel problems, and another may develop severe asthma or bronchitis. A third person may have concentration difficulties, sleep disturbances, hearing loss and dizziness; still others will show extreme fatigue, lack of initiative, and clumsiness. Mercury can interfere with virtually any process of any organ, and inclines the body toward many of the other health factors, e. g. an overly acidic pH level, parasitic infestation, and candida overgrowth.

Years ago there wasn’t much you could do to address the issue of metal/chemical toxicity, other than go to the doctor’s office for expensive and time-consuming I.V. chelation treatments. But fortunately there are now many more options available for dealing with the situation. I will be writing about some of those in an upcoming post, but until then you may want to try this easy recipe using one of my favorite self-help health aids, Himalayan crystal salt.

Crystal Salt Brine:

This salt-related routine is an amazingly simple way to promote health and detox the body. All you need to do is make a brine using pure, crystalline Himalayan salt and water (use the highest quality, low in minerals, spring or artesian water  or structured water, if available). To make the mixture, cover the bottom of a small glass jar or pitcher with the washed salt crystals, then add enough water so that you have three times the amount of water as salt, or to where the water begins to no longer completely dissolve/incorporate the salt. The brine can be used after 2 hrs., but it’s best to allow 24 hrs. for it to reach a full saturation point of 26% in solution. I’ve read that drinking 8 ozs. of pure water with 1 tsp. of this brine added to it will help balance a person’s entire meridian system within 15 minutes!

This mixture can be a powerful detoxifier and more is not necessarily better. Those who are taking any prescriptions or over the counter medications, or who have any condition that may be salt sensitive, should consult their healthcare professional before using it in their daily health routine. Start slowly and find the proper amount for your body. Start by using 1 drop in an 8 oz. glass of water per day on an empty stomach (taking this mixture first thing in the morning is usually the easiest way to incorporate it into your normal routine). Work your way up to 1 tsp. of brine a day, and always drink at least 2 qts. of pure water daily while using the brine. If you experience discomfort, stop taking the mixture and consider doing the Crystal Salt Bath (more on that in a future post). The brine is not recommended for children under the age of 18, or for pregnant or nursing women.

Himalayan crystal salt is available at discount prices through Vitacost.com and iHerb.com, plus many other on-line stores. It is also available at local health food stores and a growing number of supermarkets.

(You can go to www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-156.shtml for more facts about heavy metals, symptoms, therapies, etc.; you can see a video titled The Smoking Teeth, about the danger of mercury fillings, at the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology site (http://www.iaomt.org). You may also want to read The Cure for All Diseases, by Hulda Clark, and Uninformed Consent, by Henry Huggins, DDS, for in-depth information on this topic.) 

Related Self-help Health post: Dealing With Heavy Metals & Chemical Toxicity Naturally

 

Salud!

p.s. Be sure to subscribe to Self-help Health so you don’t miss any future posts, and tell your friends to do the same. Also check out my website’s To Your Health page and Evolution Made Easier blog for more helpful health tips, tools and information.

Disclaimer: Please note that any information here is provided as a guideline only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice of your physician, nutritionist, trained healthcare practitioner, and/or inner guidance system. Always consult a professional before undertaking any change to your normal health routine.