There are 3 core drivers of all chronic diseases that need to be addressed before the body can heal.
These are;
Heavy metal toxicity. This category also includes mineral excess and deficiency.
Infection. This includes stealth infections like EBV or Lymes-like diseases, gut dysbosis, or other rampant infections.
Trauma or injury. This area includes chronic stress, suppressed traumas held in the cellular memories affecting cellular function, and past injuries.
In complex chronic diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, Parkinson's, type 2 diabetes, and many more, quite often all 3 are behind the disease in varying degrees, but it is possible to just have one factor driving your ill health.
This article is an introduction to how heavy metals affect our health, and we will cover recommended testing, and some novel approaches to correct it.
This blog covers:
The connection between toxicity and deficiency.
Trans-Generational Toxicity - could this be the reason for a rise in ADHD and autism spectrum disorders?
Mercury Toxicity.
The most common issue I see in Hairdressers.
Heavy metal sources
Best tests for Heavy Metal Levels
The Key to correcting heavy metal excess
Tips to support your heavy metal detox
The connection between toxicity and deficiency
The body is a beautiful mechanism that relies on 'balance' to function optimally - this is termed homeostasis.
When talking about Heavy Metal Toxicity, there is something that ALWAYS goes hand in hand with it. A mineral DEFICIENCY. And a mineral deficiency is just as harmful to your health as toxicity.
Minerals are the structural building blocks of our physical house. When levels are not right, our health crumbles - a dramatic example is osteoporosis, where calcium storage dwindles in the bones and lends to easier breaking. But minerals are used in our body for the tiniest of jobs as well, like helping thyroid hormones turn from inactive T4, to the active T3.
Minerals and heavy metals have an interesting relationship. They offset each other. Certain minerals have an affinity for certain heavy metals due to their molecule size and charge.
Let me show you some examples;
Aluminium is the most common heavy metal we find in excess in people. It repels several important minerals such as zinc - essentially acting like a bully and stopping the good minerals from being absorbed into the body. Aluminium accumulation also blocks the uptake of Silica, resulting in the loss of integrity of connective tissue structures. This will result in poor memory, fatigue, and immune system challenges.
Copper is another one I often see in excess, but this one is interesting because we also need copper for proper function. In saying that, I have never come across someone with low copper yet! Too much copper blocks our body's ability to absorb zinc, and that has dire consequences on many systems, including; mental health, digestive function, sleep, immune status, skin health, growth and development, normal hormone function, and over 100 enzyme functions!
I personally had a serious copper issue, and it took about 1 year to remove the copper block and normalise my zinc levels. Previously, I believed I had pyroluria, but the true root cause of my weak digestion and low moods was a toxic copper burden.
Trans-Generational Toxicity
Toxicity is not just something we get from our immediate environemnt - It is possible for toxicity to be passed down from parents or grandparents. The toxicity may skip one generation and appear in one or more siblings within a family. This type of toxicity is deeply embedded and may not be found in circulation at all - so a blood test won't show it, and even the first hair test may not show it.
Two example conditions that present with this pattern are;
Endometriosis. Research has linked the grandmother being exposed to Dioxin, causing epigenetic changes in the womb, and the actual endometriosis affecting the next generation. [study]
Autism Spectrum Disorders. More studies are revealing the link between heavy metal burden and ASD. Due to the very deep and hiding nature of transgenerational heavy metals, discovering the true levels of these toxic elements is hard. [study] Apart from the toxic elements, there are a range of chemical toxins implicated in ASD such as many solvents, pesticide residues, and flouride.
Mercury Toxicity
Mercury is one of the sneakiest and damaging of the heavy metals. Some of the symptoms of excess mercury include;
‘Foggy head’
‘Leaky gut’ with significant food sensitivities and gut pain
Anxiety, restlessness
Any catarrhal irritation of any mucous membrane
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Propensity to opportunistic infection with intestinal parasites (helminths, amoebas, etc)
Dermatitis
Endocrine disturbance, especially hypothyroidism (worse if antimony is also in excess range)
Excessive salivation
Fatigue
Headaches
Inflamed mucous membranes with or without ulceration
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Speech or learning delay
Unresponsive gingivitis
Neurological symptoms
Oversensitivity: shyness, self-consciousness with easy flushing, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
Mercury is a tiny and heavy metal, so it can work its way deep into the tissues, organs, and brain. When it buddies up with other toxic elements, the damage is disastrous.
Alone, it is a real bully, blocking important nutrients from being absorbed, such as zinc, iodine and selenium. Many thyroid patients have a toxic load of mercury.
The most common issue I see in Hairdressers
Every hairdresser I have tested for heavy metals had a toxic load of aluminium.
When coupled with lead, problems such as chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia can manifest. Other symptoms that can be caused by aluminium excess;
Autoimmune disease
Brain fog - easily distracted
Weak immune system
Anemia - aluminium can block iron absorption
ASD
Hypersensitivity - To EMF, perfumes, foods, etc.
Heavy metal sources
This is not an exhaustive list, but will highlight some of the main sources according to Jon Gamble of Oligoscan.
Mercury Sources
Energy efficient light globes
Seafood - especially larger fish
Poor quality fish oils
Silver tooth fillings - amalgams
Vaccinations in the form of Thiomersal (now largely not practiced in Australia since 2002)
Coal-fired power plants
Mercury thermometers
Old light switches and thermostats
Some insecticides and fungicides
Aluminium sources
Abundant in the soil
Anti-perspirants
Treated drinking water
Aluminium wrap - particularly when cooked with
Aluminium cookware
Antimony sources
PET food-grade plastic containers
The white inner lining of some tinned foods
Flame retardants in textiles
Copper sources
Fluoridation of municipal water leaches copper from the old copper pipes
Copper Intra Uterine Device (IUD)
Chlorinated swimming pools (a copper compound is used for fungicide)
Copper is naturally found in food but not believed to be the reason for excess copper levels.
These are just 4 toxic elements that affect our health. You can test for 8 or 18 with a simple hair test!
Best tests for Heavy Metal Levels
To start with, I'll tell you the worst test from a functional medicine perspective - a blood test. Now in saying that, there may be cases that I would use it, but as a standard statement, I say blood tests are the least used by myself.
This is because heavy metals are usually considered only when a pretty serious chronic disease is present, and in this case, the heavy metals will be deeply ensconced in the tissues and organs in the body. They are not really moving around in your blood. A blood test is useful for acute poisoning, or assessing someones response to detox.
Onto my favourite test, and that is hair tissue analysis. This test reads what minerals and heavy metals are being excreted out of the body.
The test itself is easy and non-invasive - big points from me there! You simply get posted a test kit which has the instructions inside, then send back your samples to the lab which are reported in about 2 weeks. And if you don't have hair on your head, you can use some from a more private area instead. ;-)
I can also interpret Oligoscan test reports if you have had that done, I just need a copy of the report before our consultation.
The Key to correcting heavy metal excess
As I have discussed a little in this blog, all these toxic elements have a synergistic mineral that is like its opposite.
Many people embark on detox by focusing on the toxic elements, and the elimination pathways, thinking that will reverse the clients' health complaints.
However, this approach rarely works.
Seeing results when working at such as deep level in the body takes time - as I mentioned, it took me a year to see my copper block shift! But I was a newer practitioner back then, so have learned and grown when dealing with toxic metal burdens in the body!
The key to clearing - or at least lessening - the toxic burden to result in improved health is to saturate the body with the antagonising mineral, as well as support all the elimination pathways.
In the case of copper toxicity, that means using very high doses of zinc, as well as a homeopathic copper detox aid, to push out the copper, and replace the area where the copper was residing with zinc.
Only then can improved cellular function happen.
This is where testing is not just useful - it is essential to guide the appropriate treatment. Plus commiting to retesting every 6 - 8 months is important as once the loudest toxic metal levels subside, there could very well be another one underneath it. Especially in the case of more chronic diseases.
Tips to support your heavy metal detox
I hope it goes without saying, but you have to have your diet dialed in first and foremost.
This starts with buying as local and organic as you can afford, and at the very least, using the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 as a guide for healthier shopping.
Alkalise your body! Increase your vegetable intake to 5 cups a day, and add in a fresh pressed Veggie juice if that is hard to meet. I did a product review on juicers - check out my YouTube channel here.
If this is not enough to alkalise add in a good quality alkalising mineral supplement.
Try to grow your own produce - planter boxes on the balcony, a herb pot on your kitchen bench, maybe a snow pea trellis in the backyard - anywhere you can grow your own foods, do it! There is nothing as satisfying as harvesting and serving up your own food. I admit I was a black thumb all my life until I changed my mindset and learned some basic skills. If there's one tip I have to share - seasol is your friend!
Next, invest in a serious water filter. NOT the type you buy at the supermarket. I like Zazen and Ultrasteam filters personally. They remove all the nasties plus alkalise and ionise the water, resulting in water that actually feels alive.
You want to find a filter that has many levels of substrates that filters the water. That means it will filter out many different metals because they all are different molecular sizes and weights.
Oh, I must add, please do not boil treated tap water. If anything, it concentrates the flouride in it, it does nothing to remove metals.
If you feel like you need a diet mindset reset, join my annual Liver and Gallbladder Detox. This is a 30-day program designed to gently guide you through a powerful detox process resulting in weight loss, more vitality, and better health!
Happy Bowels!
Many toxins are released through our digestive tract, but if you are not moving your bowel fully at least once a day, then those toxins can reabsorb into your body. This is a common detox side effect that causes headaches, joint pain, fatigue, and nausea.
It is essential to address this ASAP on a detox!
Some tips for a sluggish bowel include:
Increase fiber
Increase water intake
Eat prunes or pears
Use a castor oil heat pack on the belly for 45 minutes at night. The bowels should move the next morning.
Do yoga
Massage your belly. Small circular motions, start at the right hip bone, move directly up, then across to the left under the ribs, then down to the left hip bone.
Support your liver
There are some great herbs and nutrients that help upregulate liver function but always check with your doctor first if you are on any medications.
Traditional Liver herbs include;
St Mary's Thistle
Globe artichoke
Dandelion root
Schisandra
Love your kidneys
Kidneys also will eliminate many toxins every day, and the best way you can look after them is to alkalise your body. Adding in those fresh veggie juices is gold! Particularly root vegetables like Beetroot and carrot.
And of course, drink the right amount of filtered water. The rule of thumb (coined by scientist Carey Reams in 1931) is 33 ml water per kg body weight.
Sexy sweat!
Saunas have been used in many cultures for..... ever! An infrared sauna twice a week is a great addition to your detox lifestyle, but even more important if you are a poor excreter.
What is a poor excreter? If your elimination pathways are blocked, then your body has trouble getting out toxins each day.
What the body can't eliminate, it accomodates.
This leads to a build-up of toxins, and chronic disease. This is worse when generational toxicity is concerned, so any help to detox is essential, and saunas are invaluable!
Poor excretion is also the deciding factor in why one person may get sick and another doesn't, even if their environmental exposures look similar.
As you can see, there is so much behind something that might seem as simple as brain fog and fatigue!
If you want guidance to improve your health with a foundational approach to your wellness, book an appointment, and let's chat!
The Initial Consult is a deep dive into your health, and I can review your tests, or order new pathology during this appointment to create a plan that will guide you back to your healthier and happier self.
I hope to speak with you soon!
Thanks for reading!
Tanya Kurzbock - Naturopath
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