I’ve talked about the importance of detoxification in the past and this article is going to give you a bit more detail about a technique called chelation therapy. It works to remove contaminants – particularly heavy metals – from your body that accumulate over time.
I think you’re going to love the way it makes you feel.
Lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury are the usual culprits for toxicity that reaches dangerous levels but there are many more such as aluminum, gold, barium, nickel, tin, or silver poisoning.
First, let’s talk about the symptoms of heavy metal toxicity. It’s more common than you might think. Heavy metals build up in the soft tissues of your body such as marrow and organs. These toxins can affect every critical function inside you, including your central nervous system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, and bones.
Symptoms of Heavy Metal Toxicity
- Fatigue or listlessness
- Mood swings, anxiety, or depression
- Headaches
- Unexplained pain in the joints
- Muscle weakness
- Nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain
- Poor appetite
- Changes in kidney or bowel function
- Anemia
- High blood pressure or rapid heartbeat
- Loss of cognition or motor skill coordination
- Difficulty sleeping
- Seizures
- Altered perception such as hallucinations
- Nerve damage
- Persistent skin problems
- Fever
- Respiratory distress
Unfortunately, these commonly reported symptoms are so diverse that they can go undetected, misdiagnosed, or untreated entirely. Doctors can test for heavy metal toxicity through blood, urine, hair, and nail samples taken for analysis.
Sources of heavy metal poisoning can range from fillings in your teeth to plumbing in your home to what foods you eat. Many people falsely believe that they are safe in their homes and that factory workers are the ones at risk for such problems as heavy metal exposure.
What is Chelation Therapy?
If you subjected to heavy metals, chelation therapy solutions can be administered that will help to clear the metals from your tissues. It was developed in the 1950s and has been improved upon in the ensuing decades.
It is considered alternative medicine when used without a diagnosed health condition (as part of a healthy lifestyle routine) and complimentary medicine when used to help treat specific symptoms. More than 110,000 adults utilized chelation therapy in 2006 in combination with their standard medical care.
A chemical solution of EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is administered to the bloodstream (usually via injection or intravenous line). This solution is a synthetic amino acid that “binds” to the metal toxins. Continuing through your blood, carrying the contaminants along, it enables you to expel them through urination.
There are several different solutions that are used but EDTA is the most prevalent due to its’ effectiveness for treating lead poisoning. The number of patients seeking to detox is expected to climb drastically now that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the modality specifically for the treatment of lead poisoning.
Pharmaceutical companies are investigating cardiovascular disease applications for chelation therapies. Insurance companies will likely cover the treatments once they get involved.
Change Your Diet!
I’m going to sound like a broken record here but you know how strongly I feel about diet!
- Get rid of processed and pre-packaged foods.
- Avoid farmed fish which is known to contain higher mercury levels than wild caught fish.
- Choose organic whenever you can to lower pesticide exposure.
- Keep alcohol consumption in moderation to keep your liver strong.
- Increase your intake of garlic, beans, eggs, nuts, seeds, broccoli, and other foods rich in folate, selenium, and vitamin C.
Tobacco use is another “face palm” habit you need to get out of your life before it deteriorates your tissues and kills you. You know this one. I know you do. Get rid of the tobacco.
It also has the ability to give you cadmium exposure in toxic levels. If the usual carcinogens aren’t enough, cadmium accumulates on tobacco plants and end up in the final product.
Things to Remember
You must get a qualified professional to administer chelation therapy. Burning at the site of injection, drop in blood sugar, digestive issues, headache, and alterations to blood pressure have been reported rarely.
When EDTA binds to toxic metals, it has the potential to bind to non-toxic (and essential) metals and nutrients such as zinc, copper, and manganese. You may need to supplement after therapy to avoid deficiencies in important minerals and a certified chelation practitioner can advise you.
Children and women who are pregnant or nursing should not undergo chelation therapy as there simply aren’t any studies attesting to the safety for these groups.
A Final Word
This therapy is generally well tolerated and effective. It just might be the solution you didn’t know you needed. In our modern toxic environment, the level of heavy metal exposure is higher than ever before and you don’t have to suffer without relief.