Are Toxic Metals To Blame for Your Health Concerns? Tips and Tricks For Dealing Toxic Metals and How Acupuncture Can Help You.
Toxins are sneaky. Acupuncture is sneakier! Toxins concealed in the air you breathe, substances you ingest, and items you come into contact with enter your body. These toxins lay low, slowly building up until they take a significant toll on your health. However, the problem is that it doesn’t take a toxic amount to cause noticeable health complications. Once poisonous metals enter the body, they can begin altering your body’s normal processes, including energy production, hormonal rhythms, and metabolic patterns. Although you may not notice symptoms at first, over time, toxic metals can leave you feeling sluggish, moody, and just plain uncomfortable. So, how many poisonous metals does it take to affect your health?
I want to back up here for a moment and explain the two toxicities that occur in the body—acute and chronic. Acute heavy metal toxicity and chronic heavy metal toxicity are primarily different. Acute toxicity, unlike chronic toxicity, is the sudden onset of symptoms triggered by a toxic level of heavy metals in the body. In most instances, acute toxicity stems from many heavy metals entering the body at one time. On the other hand, chronic toxicity begins with little to no symptoms. As more heavy metals enter your body, your body’s toxicity level begins to rise, resulting in symptoms that build over time. Eventually, these symptoms will snowball until you start feeling the actual weight of heavy metal toxicity. These symptoms include headaches, chronic fatigue, fibroids, pain, inflammation, and/or kidney or level stress. If these symptoms are not acted upon, chronic heavy metal toxicity can escalate into autoimmunity and even cancer.
While the internal damage caused by heavy metals is severe, heavy metals also affect the appearance of your skin due to their oxidizing nature. In other words, toxic metals interact with other molecules in the body to produce what chemists refer to as free radicals. While it is not essential to fully understand what free radicals are, it is necessary to understand the concept. Free radicals can be formed within the cell structures of your body. The free radicals can set off a chain reaction that damages the cell—including skin cells when this occurs. And what happens when skin cells are damaged? That’s right. Skin cell damage most often appears in fine lines, wrinkles, and what we refer to as aging. While this is an unpleasant thought, don’t fret! Worrying and stressing can cause damage.
You can avoid the adverse effects of toxic metals by educating yourself about poisonous metals, choosing wisely, and taking simple steps to reduce the toxic metals in your body.
I mentioned above the general ways in which you are exposed to heavy metals, but let’s take a closer look at some of the specific ways heavy metals sneak into your body.
Mercury: Mercury, a highly toxic metal, used to be shared amongst consumer products like thermometers. While the majority of these products have been removed from the market, did you know it is still possible to come into contact with mercury today? Before knowing just how dangerous mercury could be, you may have received “silver” tooth fillings. These fillings, also known as amalgam fillings, are not made of silver. Instead, these fillings are made of mercury. If you suspect that you may still have a “silver” filling in your teeth, consult a dentist immediately.
Cadmium: Cadmium, unlike mercury, is a lesser-known heavy metal you may not associate as a potential risk to your health. Why? Cadmium is particularly sneaky. It enters your body through such means as second-hand cigarette smoke. It is also present in some of the foods you may eat.
Lead: It may not be evident to many students to know that the lead pencils they are required to have as school supplies aren’t made of lead at all. Instead, these pencils are made from a safe substitute for the consumer. Unfortunately, while manufacturers in the United States have worked hard to ensure this toxic metal has been removed from consumer goods, it is not uncommon to still come in contact with lead. You can find information in lipstick, paint used before 1978, imported toys, and old pipes that carry your tap water into your home. Lead has also been seen as a byproduct of recycling centers’ waste.
Now that we know where common toxins are coming from, I want to share a few of my favorite action steps you can take towards reducing the toxic metal build-up in your body.
- Add cilantro or parsley to your meals or in your smoothies
- Incorporate Oil Pulling into your daily routine
- Acupuncture can help dramatically supercharge the detox pathways in your body.
- Consult a professional. At Bennett Acupuncture, we will assess your particular symptoms and concerns and create a plan for you that may include a 21-day purification, liver detox/support program, or sublingual program—to name a few.
- Pamper yourself with a detox bath that includes Dead Sea salt
- Include more garlic and onions in your diet. Both of these foods are rich in sulfur—a chemical effective in helping the liver eliminate toxins in the body.
- Blend green apples, cabbage, bananas, beets, carrots, and the pith of citrus fruits for their high pectin content. This combination helps bind up metals in the gut and escort them out of the digestive tract.
- Consult your dentist about any fillings that may contain metal.
- Switch to organic lipstick
- Check your deodorant’s label for “aluminum.” If this metal is present in your deodorant, replace your deodorant with one that does not contain metals. You can also make your own deodorant by mixing coconut oil and your favorite essential oil scent.
- Filter your water and ask for bottled water when dining out.
Of course, Dr. Bennett will work with MDs, and I am happy to call them so that you can have the best team possible.
What are some of your favorite toxin-free lipsticks, glosses, deodorants, and cookware? Please share in the comments section below!