Symptoms and chronic illnesses associated with toxicity from heavy metals are currently a problem for millions of people globally.
Exposure to toxic heavy metals is one of the contributing factors, but not the main reason, for symptoms like cognitive changes, mood problems, and low energy.
Heavy metals enter your blood via exposure to farmed fish, contaminated water, household products, and dental fillings.
The metals travel throughout the body and enter the cells of organs and tissues. Unfortunately, they can stay stored there for years and years!
The Importance of Heavy Metal Detox
Heavy metals are elements with potential toxicity and danger even in low amounts. The heavy metals which may cause toxicity are mercury, arsenic, lead, aluminum, cadmium, uranium, nickel, and thallium.
In a report from the Scientific World Journal, toxic metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury were described as without any benefits for human homeostasis and a contributing factor to noncommunicable chronic illness.
Studies have found that major exposure to 23 environmental metals may lead to chronic or acute toxicity.
These heavy metals stick in the body and hide in the fat cells or the adipose tissue. They’re not easily removed. The body fat tries to keep the organs safe by trapping some substances inside, including metals.
As a result, they linger there. This is why weight loss often leads to heavy metal detoxification due to the cells shrinking and releasing these toxins.
Thanks to a heavy metal detox program, you can start to reverse the symptoms. However, sometimes, you may notice the symptoms worsening before you actually notice improvement.
Some of the major signs that you’re detoxifying from heavy metals are loss of appetite, digestive problems, and tiredness.
Specific foods, detox treatments, and supplements are your best allies in the detox from heavy metals. They will also support your liver, nervous system, brain, and other vital organs.
How to Avoid Heavy Metal Exposure?
There’s no way you can avoid heavy metals entirely. They’re a natural element in everything around us, from food and water to the soil.
They’re problematic due to their ability to accumulate in the bodily tissues. It can damage or lower the mental and central nervous function and trigger damage in the essential organs.
Long-term exposure to these metals may cause muscular, physical, and neurological degenerative processes.
How to Detox from Heavy Metals
If you suspect exposure to heavy metals, ask your doctor or integrative practitioner for metal poisoning tests. These are usually in the form of hair analysis or a blood test to confirm any toxicity.
Even if you don’t make the tests, a lot of the tips mentioned below will still benefit your immunity, gut, and liver.
The first goal of a detox is to eliminate the heavy metals from the nervous system and the brain.
The liver cleanse is a process of detoxification that different organs will benefit from, not just the liver, but also the heart, lymphatic system, kidneys, and respiratory system.
To encourage the removal of heavy toxins, you need chelation therapy. This medical procedure or a procedure that can be done at home includes taking chelating agents to eliminate heavy metals from the body by attaching to molecules and dissolving them and they get removed via the urine.
Chelation works with glutathione and other tiny molecules to encourage the removal. It’s highly recommendable that chelation is done in consultation with a doctor due to the potential side effects.
Other beneficial ways to eliminate heavy metals are through diet changes and implementing herbs and supplements. They will assist the body in breaking down the metals into smaller molecules and eliminate them via urine, feces, breath, and sweat.
The beneficial foods for a heavy metal detox diet are the following:
- Herbs and spices
Herbs and spices like parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, ginger, turmeric, etc. encourage the removal of heavy metals thanks to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Leafy greens
Leafy greens are potent heavy metal cleanse foods. Kale, swiss chard, mustard greens, spinach, arugula, and broccoli sprouts will nourish the body with antioxidants and help reduce inflammation.
- Flax and chia seeds
These seeds are abundant in omega-3s and fiber and will promote colon detox and lower inflammation.
- Onions and garlic
These plants are abundant in sulfur which encourages liver cleanse from heavy metals like arsenic and lead.
- Bone broth
Bone broth encourages hydration and supplies you with important nutrients and boosts liver health because it supplies you with glutathione. It also provides amino acids for stronger organs.
- Foods with vitamin C
Fruits and veggies that contain vitamin C may lower heavy metal toxicity damage thanks to their antioxidant properties. These are foods like citruses, leafy greens, berries, etc.
- Water
Water is pivotal for our overall health! Opt for eight ounces of water or veggie juice every two hours to promote heavy metal detox and the removal of toxins from the body.
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