What are heavy metals?
Toxic or heavy metals are a specific class of minerals. Any toxic metal can be called a ‘heavy metal’ regardless of its atomic mass or density, however generally their densities are five times denser than water (Tchounwou et al 2012 Heavy metal toxicity and the environment. Exp Suppl. 101:133-64). They are part of the earth’s elements just like minerals, and as such cannot be destroyed or degraded.
Heavy metals pose a significant risk to your health
There are ninety naturally occurring earth’s elements. Of these, fifty-three are heavy metals that pose the highest risk to living organisms including humans, animals, and environmental health (Tchounwou et al 2012 Heavy metal toxicity and the environment. Exp Suppl. 101:133-64). Arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, mercury, manganese, nickel, lead, tin and thallium are highly toxic and of the highest concern and highest priorities for public health (Adverse Health Affects of heavy metals in children. Children’s Health and the Environment WHO Training Package for the Health Sector World Health Organization( WHO) www.who.int/ceh). In fact, the WHO lists arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury in the TOP 10 of the most important substances of concern to human health and the environment (https://www.who.int/news-room/photo-story/photo-story-detail/10-chemicals-of-public-health-concern).
Some of these elements are actually necessary for humans in minute amounts (Co, Cu, Cr, Ni) while others are carcinogenic or toxic, affecting, among others, the central nervous system (Hg, Pb, As), the kidneys or liver (Hg, Pb, Cd, Cu) or skin, bones, or teeth (Ni, Cd, Cu, Cr), among others (Adverse Health Affects of heavy metals in children. Children’s Health and the Environment WHO Training Package for the Health Sector World Health Organization www.who.int/ceh).
Low level exposure is significant
These heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn and thallium) are also known to cause toxicity and multiple organ damage at even low levels of exposure. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer classify arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, chromium and lead as human carcinogens. Heavy metals are now in all parts of our environment- soil, water and human bone (Ref Environmental Pollution by Heavy Metals: An overview. 2019).
But how did these heavy metals get into our environment?
Huge quantities of heavy metals are produced as waste from mines, and these are released into our environment contaminating our entire ecosystem (Fashola, Ngole, Jeme, Babalola 2016 Nov 13(11):1047. Int Enviorn Res Public Health. Heavy metal pollution from goldmines: Environmental effects and bacterial strategies for resistance). The use of heavy metals in technology, industrial, domestic, agricultural and medical/ pharmaceutical applications over the last one hundred years has led to them being widely dispersed and absorbed by people and the environment (Tchounwou PB, Yedjou CG, Patlolla AK, Sutton DJ. Heavy metal toxicity and the environment. Exp Suppl. 2012;101:133-64. doi: 10.1007/978-3-7643-8340-4_6. PMID: 22945569; PMCID: PMC4144270).
How do heavy metals get into our bodies?
Toxic metals make their way into our bodies via inhalation into the lungs, ingestion into the digestive system, absorption through the skin, and via the placenta into our babies during pregnancy. From there, they enter the blood stream. Once in the body, they can remain there for the lifetime, slowly accumulating and causing more damage, unless they are removed/ detoxified safely. I identify what toxic metals you have in your body via a HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) and the safely remove/ detoxify them from your body through my Nutritional Balancing program.
Our planet is unfortunately contaminated with heavy metals. Unfortunately, their presence causes much damage to all our physical existence- human, animals and plants.
Disease is the result
The accumulative effects of mineral deficient foods, environmental pollution/ heavy metals and the day-to-day high stress levels people experience causes suboptimal nutritional status and unbalanced biochemistry. The flow on effects are symptoms and disease in people and animals.
Furthermore, many illnesses are made even worse by the presence of toxic metals and mineral deficiencies, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, migraines, hyperactivities, hormone imbalances and endometriosis to name a few.
Guiding your body to rebalance your body chemistry is a process you should choose to enable your health to be restored. Nutritional Balancing is the program that enables this rebalancing and healing to occur by safely removing unwanted toxins and remineralising your body with what you need.
Common conditions affected by heavy metals:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Immune dysfunction
- Toxicity
- Endometriosis and other reproductive issues
- Muscular skeletal conditions
- Metabolic syndrome
- Skin conditions
- Immune and inflammatory conditions
- Mental health conditions
- Allergies
- Still births, low birth weight, delayed development
- Cancers
- COPD
- Osteoporosis
- Neurotoxic conditions
Unfortunately everyone is contaminated with toxic metals today. They are everywhere. They cause disease, all kinds of symptoms, and impact your quality of life. But there is a solution. You CAN heal your body by removing these heavy metals and other toxins, by engaging in a Nutritional Balancing program which includes a comprehensive interpretation of your HTMA.
Learn all about my Nutritional Balancing program and book in to get your first HTMA and on your way to health and happiness.
Read more about HTMA in this series: