Understanding Heavy Metals

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By Dr. Michael Miles

Of the over 100 elements that have been discovered on this planet, humans have toxic interactions with about 20. These are often referred to as heavy metals. Technically speaking a heavy metal is defined as an element that has a specific gravity that is at least five times that of water. Water has a specific gravity of one.

Not all heavy metals are toxic to humans. And, not all metals that are toxic are heavy. Therefore, for this article I will trim the list down to the most common elements considered to be toxic. This list will include aluminum which has a specific gravity of only 2.7 and is therefore not truly heavy, but is none-the-less a concern for humans.

This list of potentially toxic metals will include aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, iron, lead, mercury and uranium. Others of interest include antimony, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, gold, manganese, nickel, platinum, silver, tellurium, thallium, tin, vanadium and zinc. Like iron, many of these other heavy metals have useful functions in the body. However, in large amounts they can become toxic.

Toxicity is often a matter of the degree of exposure a person experiences coupled with their individual susceptibility. Mercury offers a good illustration of this. First of all, it is a known neuro-toxin. Second, its exposure has been forced upon us through our food sources (fish) and our medical practices (amalgam fillings and vaccines). Third, genetics plays a major role in how rapidly we can rid ourselves of mercury, and other heavy metals. An accumulation of mercury that manifests in neuro-degeneration may lead to a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis or some other similar neurological illness.

Some people have an abundance of protein with sulfur molecules on them that pull out mercury at each exposure. Those that do not have these sulfur molecules run the risk of accumulating enough mercury to cause nerve damage.

For those individuals that do not have naturally occurring sulfur molecules in them, there are supplements that can assist in eliminating the mercury before it reaches toxic levels. Cysteine is a fundamental amino acid that carries a sulfur group with it and is therefore useful in pulling out many heavy metals.

Other methods of ridding the body of heavy metals include chelation treatments; either oral, suppository or intravenous.

I have noticed recently that an increasing number of the population around here have tested high for uranium. I suspected water as the source of this toxin, so I had it tested. The tap water supplying Oracle does in fact test high for uranium, as well as arsenic. Neither of these particular heavy metals is pulled out well with sulfur molecules or conventional chelation methods. Arsenic is best dealt with by supporting the liver’s inherent efforts to detoxify the body. Milk thistle is a useful herb to strengthen the liver. It is interesting that a good molecule to pull out uranium is hydroxyapatite. This is a metabolite of bone that is best known for reversing osteoporosis.

Another heavy metal, cadmium, is commonly picked up as one of the thousands of chemicals in modern cigarettes. It can be pulled out of the body with the help of chlorella.

Testing yourself for heavy metals is easy. A simple and accurate way is to analyze a sample of your urine.

Michael Miles (49 Posts)

Dr. Michael Miles is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in psychology and pre-med, he completed his studies in medicine at the highly regarded Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Miles offers a holistic, integrative general practice, which focuses on treating chronic and degenerative diseases, digestive disorders and hormonal imbalances, as well as allergies and infections of all kinds. He holds a special interest in chelation therapy used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. He is also very active in cancer research. He prefers non-toxic treatment techniques that include botanical medicine, clinical nutrition and homeopathy, but will offer pharmaceutical remedies when appropriate. You will find Dr. Miles to be compassionate, sincere and a strong advocate for your health. He is opening a new office in Catalina in June of 2014 which will feature hyperbaric oxygen therapy in addition to his normal services. www.catalinaclinic.com


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