Detoxification – Chemicals and Heavy Metals
There are two major groups of toxic substances that affect those of us that live in modern society: Toxic chemicals such as pesticides, and Heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, and aluminum Chemical toxins
- Decreases leukocyte (white blood cell) counts
- Decreases phagocytic ability
- Reduces killing capacity of immune cells
- Causes mast cells to release their chemicals
- Changes in spleen, thymus and lymph glands
- Disturbs virus killing complement
- Disturbs fetal and perinatal immune regulation
- Strawberries
- Bell peppers
- Spinach
- U.S. cherries
- Peaches
- Mexican cantaloupe
- Celery
- Apples
- Apricots
- Green beans
- Chilean grapes
- Cucumbers
- Buy organic produce whenever possible
- Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly with one of the commercially available washes designed to remove these polluting chemicals. Follow the instructions on the label.
- Drink purified bottled water (glass bottles are the best) or invest in home water purification system. Do not drink city water from the tap.
- Avoid the following whenever possible:
- areas that have new paint
- new carpet
- exposure to new fabric
- dry cleaning establishments
- dry cleaned clothes
- gasoline and diesel exhaust
- tobacco smoke
- pumping your own gas
- Find a holistic or mercury-free dentist to provide your dental care. If you have a cavity and need a filling, such a dentist can determine a non-mercury-containing composite that is biocompatible with your health.
- Avoid eating large fish like shark, swordfish and tuna if possible. Smaller fish, like red snapper contain less mercury.
- If you do eat fish, take 2 or 3 chlorella tablets after the meal to bind the mercury and let it pass in your stool.
- Drink only purified water.
- Be aware of lead paint that may still be in old homes.
- Avoid exposure to any cigarette smoke
- Drink beverages only from glass containers and avoid aluminum cans.
- Read labels on all packaged foods for aluminum.
- Read labels on over the counter medications for aluminum.
- Use deodorants only. They do not contain aluminum. Never use a product that has the word antiperspirant written on it.
- Only antiperspirants contain aluminum.
- Take mineral supplements to insure adequate levels in your body, especially selenium, calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron. (Do not take iron supplements unless medical tests show that you need them. Excessive iron is a common problem that weakens the immune system.)
- Supplement your diet with vitamin C on a daily basis.
- Take psyllium powder daily as an intestinal bulk agent. Psyllium, like apple pectin and other fiber products, will bind toxins, which have been released into the intestines and prevent them from being reabsorbed.
- Consume whey protein powder. Numerous studies have shown that whey boosts levels of glutathione, one of the body’s main molecules for eliminating toxins.
- Drink eight eight-ounce glasses of purified water daily.
- Take a B complex vitamin tablet once or twice daily. B vitamins are involved in the liver’s detoxification systems.
- Niacinamide, or vitamin B3, helps remove toxins from fat cells and nerve tissue by accelerating fat metabolism. Drugs, sugar, caffeine and alcohol also easily deplete B3.
- Increase magnesium intake to 400 mg of elemental form daily. Magnesium is also essential for the liver detoxifying enzyme systems.
- Take 1000 to 2000 mg of vitamin C daily with meals. Vitamin C can prevent body damage from toxins through its antioxidant effect. Vitamin C prevents free radical damage from toxins. Vitamin C deficiency has been found to potentiate the adverse effects of many environmental pollutants.
- Take MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) 1000 mg twice daily. MSM provides organic sulfur, which is an important liver cleanser. Sulfur is essential in the liver’s detoxification pathways.
- Take silymarin (milk thistle extract) 250 mg twice daily. It protects the liver and increases glutathione levels.
- Take vitamin A 10,000 IU daily with meals. This vitamin is depleted by the presence of chlorinated pesticides in the body, which results in increased toxicity from chlorinated compounds.
- Take alpha lipoic acid 100 to 200 mg twice daily. It increases glutathione levels, serves as an antioxidant and protects nerves from pesticides, some of which are neurotoxic.
- Intravenous vitamin C therapy is beneficial for people with high body burdens of chemical toxins and heavy metals.
- Intravenous administration provides higher dosages of the vitamin without gastrointestinal complications. Vitamin C will bind to many toxins circulating in the blood causing them to be eliminated through the kidneys. Vitamin C is also beneficial for the adrenal glands and connective tissue.
- Far infrared sauna (FIR) therapy and its associated sweating is an excellent method for removing fat stored toxins from the body. American research has shown that sauna induced sweat contains fat-soluble chemical toxins, such as pesticides, and heavy metals. Sauna detoxification should only be done under medical supervision. Patients with multiple sclerosis, lupus and adrenal exhaustion can worsen their medical condition with sauna therapy and should definitely seek medical consultation prior to any detoxification program.
- Increase your intake of vitamin C.
- Take garlic capsules daily.
- Take zinc picolinate 30 mg twice daily. Zinc supplementation increases the production of metallothionein in the body, which provides protection for the kidneys from arsenic, cadmium and mercury.
- Take 400 mg elemental magnesium daily with meals. Magnesium deficiency will compromise your body’s ability to eliminate heavy metals.
- Take selenium 200 mcg once or twice daily. Selenium increases levels of gluathione peroxidase. Selenium is antagonistic to lead, mercury, aluminum and cadmium in animal studies.
- Take alpha lipoic acid 100 to 200 mg once or twice daily. Alpha lipoic acid will help to mobilize mercury and arsenic, as well as increase glutathione levels and protect your body from oxidative damage.
- Increase your intake of potassium containing foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as poultry and fish. Take potassium-containing supplements as well, such as potassium citrate or potassium magnesium aspartate. Potassium aids in the mobilization of mercury from the body and it is synergistic with the mercury chelators, DMPS and DMSA
- If you have silver amalgam fillings in your mouth, consult with a holistic dentist to consider the possible effects of mercury on your health.
- Heavy metal chelation for mercury, lead, cadmium, aluminum and others
- Far infrared sauna
- Intravenous glutathione
- Biochemical programs for chemical toxin elimination
- And more…