Are
you feeling tired or irritable? Is your head foggy or are you
suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, depression or anemia? These
are just a few of the signs that you may be suffering from metal
poisoning--a toxic accumulation of heavy metals in the soft
tissues of the body.
Heavy metal poisoning is much more common
than most people realize, and if you’re thinking that it doesn’t
apply to you because you haven’t been exposed to any, think
again. If you’ve eaten fish regularly, had amalgam fillings,
received vaccinations, drank contaminated water, or done industrial
or agricultural work or pharmaceutical manufacturing, there’s
a good chance that you have a fair amount of toxic metals in
your system.
The effects of these toxic metals can
range from subtle symptoms to serious diseases. Since metals
build up in your body over time, symptoms are often attributed
to other causes and people often don’t realize that they have
been affected by metals until it’s too late.
The worst part about heavy metals is
that once they build up in your body they can cause irreversible
damage. Further damage can be prevented by removing the metals,
but this can be a slow, difficult process. Prevention is the
best defense when it comes to metal poisoning, and this list
of five common toxic metals will give you a heads up to avoiding
further exposure to these health-degenerating elements.
Mercury
Mercury is one of the most problematic
of all toxic metals because, despite its dangers and known role
as a neurotoxin, many people have it implanted in their mouth,
injected into their bloodstream, or are consuming it daily in
fish.
Dental Amalgams
If you are one of the millions of Americans
who has received silver dental fillings, take heed: Mercury
makes up about 50 percent of every amalgam dental filling, also
known as “silver” fillings. According to the American Dental
Association, “Dental amalgam (silver filling) is considered
a safe, affordable and durable material that has been used to
restore the teeth of more than 100 million Americans. It contains
a mixture of metals such as silver, copper and tin, in addition
to mercury, which chemically binds these components into a hard,
stable and safe substance. Dental amalgam has been studied and
reviewed extensively, and has established a record of safety
and effectiveness.”
However, consider that while 78 percent
of Americans have dental fillings, 95 percent of people with
disorders of the central nervous system such as MS, epilepsy,
paralysis and migraines also have silver dental fillings. This
begs the question, would you want mercury, one of the most powerful
neurotoxins on the planet, embedded in your mouth, only inches
from your brain? The answer is obvious.
Vapors from amalgams are released continually,
and studies have found that those with these fillings can have
mercury vapor concentration 10 times higher than people without
them. Simple activities such as chewing
gum, drinking hot liquids and brushing teeth can increase
the release of mercury even more.
If you decide to have your amalgams replaced
with a non-toxic material, the most important thing is to find
a dentist who can remove your amalgams safely. Any dentist can
technically replace your amalgams, but if they don't employ
proper precautions much of the mercury in your fillings will
go straight to your brain. Secondly, I would highly recommend
getting healthy
BEFORE you start on your fillings. Even a good dentist will
likely liberate some mercury in the removal process and you
want your detoxification mechanisms optimized prior to removal.
Vaccines
Thimerosal, a mercury-containing vaccine
preservative, is still widely used in vaccines, including those
routinely administered to children. Thimerosal contains close
to 50 percent ethyl mercury by weight. Children are particularly
sensitive to the mercury as their nervous systems are still
rapidly developing. Years ago, health-related organizations
such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that thimerosal
be removed from vaccines as soon as possible, yet it’s still
present in many vaccinations including Hepatitis B, diphtheria,
pertussis, acellular pertussis, tetanus and Hib.
Over the past decade, the prevalence
of autism
and other neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit
disorder have been increasing at epidemic proportions, and many
experts believe that mercury from vaccines is at least partly
to blame. It is thought that a child’s reduced
ability to excrete the mercury--children’s detoxification
abilities may vary greatly--may also play a role.
It is possible to get childhood vaccines
without thimerosal, since some manufacturers have developed
thimerosal-free vaccines, however, you will have to ask your
doctor to check the package insert and provide a written guarantee
that the vaccine is mercury-free. Even then you will not know
for sure, as the package inserts, which are supposed to detail
exactly what is in a vaccine, may
not even be accurate. You will also want to read the many
other reasons why vaccines
can do more harm than good.
Fish
Tragically, our oceans are largely contaminated
with industrial pollutants like mercury. Ocean and farm-raised
fish pick up these toxic chemical residues, which bioconcentrate
in their flesh.
The larger the fish, the more problematic
because big fish eat smaller fish, thereby getting an even greater
dose of accumulated toxins. People who regularly eat fish have
higher levels of methylmercury than those who don’t.
Even the conservative Environmental Protection
Agency and Food and Drug Administration have issued warnings
about the dangers of mercury in fish, and they are now planning
to issue a
federal warning to pregnant and nursing women, and even
those thinking of getting pregnant to limit their consumption
of tuna, along with their previous warnings about other types
of fish, due to mercury concerns. Pregnant and breastfeeding
women can transfer mercury to their newborns, causing significant
neurological problems.
Even if you are a man or not planning
to become pregnant, mercury from fish can still accumulate in
your body and cause serious problems down the road. If you do
eat fish, please be sure to have it lab tested for mercury.
We have found a brand of salmon, Vital Choice,
that has tested free of mercury time and time again, so this
is one option for those of you looking for a safe source of
fish. Alternatively, most sardines have little to no mercury
since they are so small, and you can also take a high-quality,
purified fish oil or
cod liver oil to safely receive the health benefits of fish
without the mercury.
If you are concerned about mercury poisoning,
please review my Mercury
Detoxification Protocol for detox information.
Lead
There are many ways that humans can be
exposed to lead. Among the major sources are lead-based paint,
leaded gasoline, lead-contaminated water, manufacturing of lead
batteries, rubber products, glass and other lead-containing
products, and lead oxide fumes that result when demolishing
industrial buildings. While some of these sources, such as lead-based
paint and leaded gasoline, have been discontinued over the past
few decades, their effects still show up in the environment.
For instance, it is estimated that 64 million homes in the United
States still contain lead paint, which can either be ingested
in flakes or inhaled as a microscopic dust.
According to the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the prevalence of lead
toxicity (levels greater than 10 mcg/dL) in U.S. children ranged
from 1.5 percent for upper-income white children living in recently
built houses in the suburbs, to 36.7 percent for black children
residing in large cities. Children are more susceptible to lead
absorption than adults, whose lead toxicity is generally related
to occupational exposure. It’s estimated that more than 800,000
U.S. workers are exposed to lead through their work.
However, low-level exposure to lead,
such as through drinking water or living near an incinerator
or toxic dump, is also associated with many negative health
effects like brain dysfunction in children, neurobehavioral
changes in adults (such as a reduction in cognitive abilities
and IQ, and personality changes), hypertension and chronic kidney
disease.
Aluminum
As with the other elements, aluminum
is absorbed and accumulated in the body, and has been linked
to serious illnesses including osteoporosis, extreme nervousness,
anemia, headache, decreased liver and kidney function, forgetfulness,
speech disturbances and memory loss.
Aluminum has also been widely associated
with Alzheimer’s
disease. People who have died from Alzheimer’s disease have
been found to have up to four times the average amount of aluminum
accumulated in the brain’s nerve cells.
Antiperspirant
Antiperspirants contain aluminum that
is absorbed by your body. It’s best to avoid it all together
and use simple soap and water instead. Deodorants aren't as
bad as antiperspirants, but I would also avoid using them unless
it was made from some form of baking soda.
Water
Aluminum-contaminated water is another
significant concern, as studies have found that Alzheimer’s
disease is more common in regions where levels of aluminum
in drinking water are highest.
To find out whether you may be at risk
from aluminum and other toxins in your water you’ll need to
have your water tested by a reliable source. I’ve worked with
AquaMD, a top-notch water-testing
agency, to create the “Mercola’s
Recommended Water Tests”--and to make them affordable compared
to other sources--so you can ensure the safety of your tap water
today.
Other Common Sources
- Aluminum cookware: Although aluminum
pots are probably less problematic than the sources mentioned
above, I personally would not use aluminum cookware.
- Aluminum foil
- Over-the-counter drugs: These include
many antacids, anti-diarrheal drugs and drugs used for pain
and inflammation.
- Several douche brands
- Some baking powders: Most baking powders
contain aluminum as an additive, but health food stores carry
non-aluminum varieties.
- Refined foods, refined flours, baked
goods, processed cheeses, and common table salt
Arsenic
Organic arsenic compounds are mainly
used as pesticides, primarily on cotton plants, while inorganic
arsenic is primarily used to preserve wood. Once arsenic is
released in the environment it cannot be destroyed, and many
arsenic compounds dissolve in water.
The primary route of exposure to high
levels of arsenic is typically through occupational hazards,
or near hazardous waste sites or areas with high natural levels.
You can also be exposed by breathing sawdust or burning smoke
from arsenic-treated wood. Arsenic has also shown up in drinking
water, especially among well water, and long-term exposure to
arsenic in drinking water has been linked to cancer of the bladder,
lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver and prostate.
Exposure to low levels of arsenic can
cause nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white
blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels,
and a sensation of "pins and needles" in hands and feet, and
over the long term can cause darkening of the skin and the appearance
of small "corns" or "warts" on the palms, soles, and torso.
In January 2001, the EPA revised the
standard allowable level of arsenic in drinking water from 50
parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb. Levels must reach this lower
amount by 2006. However, some experts believe that an even tougher
standard of 3 parts per billion should have been adopted.
It’s a good idea to have your water
tested for arsenic, especially if your water comes from
a well, to ensure you are not being slowly poisoned.
Cadmium
Cadmium, a naturally occurring metal,
can be found in food, water and cigarette smoke. It is a known
human carcinogen that appears to act in two ways: it harms DNA
directly and disturbs a DNA repair system that helps to prevent
cancer.
Like other metals, cadmium stays in the
body for a long time and accumulates after long-term exposure
to even low levels. Cadmium is released into the air from mining,
industry, burning coal and household wastes, where it then binds
to soil particles and dissolves in water. Fish, plants, and
animals accumulate cadmium from the environment, as such there
are low levels of the metal in most all foods with the highest
levels found in shellfish, liver, and kidney meats.
People are exposed to cadmium not only
through foods but also through drinking contaminated water and
breathing cadmium-contaminated air (such as near burning waste,
battery manufacturing, metal soldering or welding). Cadmium
is also present in cigarette smoke, and smoking doubles the
average daily intake.
It is thought that cadmium is carcinogenic,
and long-term exposure to low levels can contribute to kidney
disease, lung damage and fragile bones. Animal studies also
suggest that it may lead to liver disease, high blood pressure,
and nerve or brain damage.
