Heavy metals are found in our food and are also hidden in beauty products and are even used in fillings in dentistry. Even though they are prevalent, many people are unaware of these heavy metals and how they impact the human body.
Having minerals in the diet is essential, but heavy metals can be detrimental to health. If the body is burdened by heavy metals there can be dangerous side effects that will impact health and wellness.
Overall, we should aim to have as clean and pure a body as possible that is free from toxins. But we live in a toxic environment full of chemicals, metals, pesticides, poor air quality and more. So, cleaning and detox is one way we can be conscious of creating a more harmonious body environment.
What Are Heavy Metals?
Heavy metals occur naturally in soil and are a part of the crust of the earth. These heavy metals are defined as such because they have a heaviness and gravity that is 5x that of water.
Metals are essential for the diet, like zinc, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and vitamin B12. Each of these metals is essential for the proper functioning of the body including regulation of cellular formation, formation of red blood cells, energy production, liver processing and the process of metabolism.
While the above metals are harmless and actually useful, there are other metals that are detrimental to the body and can cause health issues within the body. These toxic heavy metals include mercury, lead, arsenic, and thallium along with other metals.
These can cause various symptoms depending on the unique person, but some common symptoms of heavy metal toxicity include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, thyroid deregulation, cancers, and nerve damage.
According to the Centers For Disease Control, heavy metal poisoning is relatively rare in the United States because it takes significant exposure to experience side effects from heavy metal poisoning. Yet, chronic exposure over a period of time at low grade levels can still lead to a toxic build up in the body that affects the body at moderate levels. People taking CBD oil have to be careful, because the hemp plant is a bioaccumulator that can pull up lead from the ground, which ends up in your CBD products.
Issues from moderate heavy metal intake can include slow digestion, chronic fatigue, food cravings, inflammation, and lethargy. Heavy metals can also cause brain fog and may cause the immune system and hormonal systems dysfunction, symptoms patients with fibromyalgia know well.
How to Get Tested for Heavy Metal Toxicity
Many doctors do not test for heavy metals in the blood because the symptoms can be seemingly random and elusive. If you think you might have heavy metal toxicity or exposure, you can ask for a test to determine your levels.
Detoxing The Body From Heavy Metals
If you do have heavy metal toxicity, you can begin cleaning your body system through a detox protocol. Ridding the body of toxins is important for overall health and wellness.
- The first step of a heavy metal detox is to eat a high fiber diet. This will help to flush toxins from the body. Some of the most helpful foods include cruciferous vegetables, bitter greens, and herbs like parsley, cilantro, and mint.
- You will also want to add green supplements like spirulina and chlorella.
- Additionally, you want to support the liver with supplements that cleanse toxins including dandelion, milk thistle, ginger, turmeric, and lemon.
- You may also be able to get specific recommendations from a naturopathic health practitioner who has experience with detox.
- Remove foods that cause inflammation including sugar, caffeine, alcohol, gluten, dairy and soy products.
- Eat plenty of organic fruits and vegetables, high quality grass-fed meat and heathy fats.
Final Thoughts
Detoxing from heavy metals is an investment into your health and wellbeing. Even if you do not have high levels of toxicity, a heavy metal detox can still greatly improve health symptoms by allowing for a reset of the system.
