FACTS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICITY

WHO IS TOXIC? AM I TOXIC?
This is a classic question that is often asked by many people; “Am I toxic in metals and other chemicals?” These metals and chemicals collectively are often referred to as xenobiotics (Gk. Xeno = foreign; biotics = bodies).  We will examine a number of ways that this question can be answered below, but first let’s get a basic understanding of how it is possible to measure these xenobiotics in the body. 

MEASURING XENOBIOTICS IN THE BODY
There are a variety of complex and sophisticated measuring instruments called spectrometers such as ICP-MS, ICP-OES, AF and GC-MS that can be used to measure the levels of xenobiotics in blood, urine, feces, hair, sweat and other body tissues. We do a number of different tests to determine two things:

1.  Is your body (your immune system) firing a response against a toxin in your tissue (it would then be called an antigen).

2.  What is the health of your detoxification pathways (we do this by assessing the chemical byproducts of the liver detox pathways). 

First, let’s begin with a blanket statement that is important to understand:  

WE ARE ALL TOXIC AND THERE IS NO WAY OF DETERMINING THE TOTAL TOXIC LOAD IN A LIVING HUMAN! 

I mentioned LIVING HUMAN here, as it is possible to determine the total load of xenobiotics in a dead human – you would simply incinerate the person and measure the total load of xenobiotics in the ashes! This is a little impractical to perform when the person is still alive! 

Flippancy aside, this is important to understand as often people BELIEVE that IT IS POSSIBLE to measure the total load of the body in absolute figures. They also believe that they can get absolute figures when measuring the effectiveness of a chelating agent – for example, they take a chelating agent for 3 months and take a pre-urine sample before beginning treatment and this measures 10ppm mercury. After the three months they take a post-urine sample and this measures 5ppm.

So they conclude that their TOTAL MERCURY loads have reduced by 50%. Nonsense! This is false logic as they were not measuring the TOTAL load of the body in the first place, only what was present in the urine and therefore circulating around the blood at THAT MOMENT IN TIME. The post-urine sample is again another SNAPSHOT of the levels that were present at the moment the sample was collected.  These figures cannot be interpreted as ABSOLUTE figures – they are only ARBITARY at best and need to be interpreted carefully to make any meaning out of them. The point is - we don't want to just do a 'detox' and hope or think we are 'clean'.  We are always 'toxifying' ourselves every time our input exceeds our output.  It's really hopeless!  The purpose of detoxification (as a process to achieve health) is to 'pull out' as much of an antigen (that which is causing an immune attack) as possible to STOP the immune system's response. 

What we find using medical testing and kinesiology is that there is a PERCENTAGE DECREASE in the post samples/testing, compared to the pre-samples/testing. What does this mean? It basically means that the treatment protocol was mobilizing and eliminating the metals being measured. 

TOXICITY TESTS
The purpose of deeper testing is to identify 'faults' in the detoxification pathways and to measure the presence of different toxins the immune system is 'firing against'. Generally the body does not like these lethal toxins in the blood, so it 'shunts' them to fat cells where they are stored in body tissues at the earliest opportunity.  In order to determine whether there are metals or other chemicals STORED in the tissues and organs, another type of test has to be conducted using either urine or feces or both.

To determine what is being eliminated from the body’s organs and tissues we need to use a chelating agent that has the ability to “push-out” the metals into the blood where they can be collected in the urine – the post-sample. If indeed our chelating agent is doing this, then we would get a percentage increase of metals in this post-sample, compared to the pre-sample, taken before using the chelating agent. Typically, a URINE test is most appropriate as you will NOT show toxic levels of anything in the blood except in acute exposure. 

Research has shown conclusively that different chelating agents aid in eliminating many different metals and chemicals, and possibly other xenobiotics. These tests are expensive for the patients and their interpretation requires the wisdom of an experienced practitioner but they are INVALUABLE.  

Personally, as a clinician and researcher I generally do not get my patients to undergo expensive pre-post tests before recommending the Metametrix complete Organex Test. Why, do you ask? Well, I have been doing this long enough to conclude that EVERYONE is toxic, so it really is a decision about WHAT the immune system is all 'crazy' about. There is enough research that has been conducted that has demonstrated that this blanket statement that “WE ARE ALL TOXIC” is true – let’s examine some of this research so that we can be more convincing. 

EVERYONE IS TOXIC!
In September 2005, Greenpeace International with the World Wildlife Fund, published a document entitled “Present for Life: Hazardous Chemicals in Umbilical Cord Blood.” The research was a real eye-opener as it showed convincingly that newborns tested for hundreds of different xenobiotics showed high numbers and levels of these toxins. Specifically, the blood tests showed that these newborns had an average of 287 toxins in their bodies, 180 of these are known carcinogens. Some of these chemicals included the commonly used artificial musk HHCB, which was found in almost all blood samples and at higher levels than the other artificial musks. Musk ambrette, a chemical banned for use in cosmetics in the EU since 1995, was still found in 15 maternal and 12 cord blood samples. 

Other banned alkylphenol compounds (nonylphenol) extensively used in industrial cleaning agents were also found. This study also quantifies the antibacterial agent triclosan in human blood; this chemical was found in almost 50% of the samples. DDT, the notorious pesticide that is banned for agricultural use worldwide but which is still used in some places to control malaria, was still found in virtually all blood samples. Similarly, the organochlorine by-product and pesticide hexachlorobenzene – also subject to a global ban - was found in the samples. Perfluorinated compounds like PFOS and PFOA, used to make non-stick pans and water repelling coatings, were present in all but one maternal blood sample. PFOS was detected in all cord blood samples and PFOA in half of them.  

We could make the assumption that this study was conducted in America where the level of toxicity is probably higher, compared to other countries. In order to address this question, let’s examine a similar study conducted on pregnant women living in the North Pole where generally most people feel is a clean part of the earth! The research was published in The Science of the Total Environment and was entitled, “Organochlorines and heavy metals in pregnant women from the Disko Bay area in Greenland"

The study showed high concentrations of heavy metals, such as mercury, and organochlorines in the blood and fatty tissue of the Inuit. This is attributed in particular to their high consumption of the meat and blubber of marine mammals. In this present study, 180 pregnant women and 178 newborn babies were studied, amounting to 36% of the total number of births in the Disko Bay area during 1994]1996.

The pesticides found in the highest concentrations in maternal blood were DDE_4.8 mgrl wet wt.., trans-nonachlor_1.6 mgrl.and hexachlorobenzene_1.2 mgrl.while the total concentration of PCB_Aroclor 1260. was 19.1 mgrl.  Calculated on a lipid basis, concentrations were slightly higher in maternal than in cord blood. The mercury concentrations were 16.8 mgrl in maternal blood and 35.6 mgrl in cord blood. In a linear regression analysis, the concentrations of organochlorines, mercury and selenium increased with maternal age.

Concentrations of mercury and cadmium increased with the consumption of marine mammals, and cadmium was associated with smoking. The contaminants are potentially toxic for several organ systems but the high concentrations of pollutants have so far not been shown to influence health in Greenland. Similar studies have also shown that wildlife in the arctic circle are also being killed due to high levels of toxic chemicals in their environment. The study showed that several arctic mammal and bird species that indicate chemical exposures are likely adversely affecting the health of these species. Some of the effects seen are potentially quite serious (e.g. immune suppression, hormone disturbances, altered behavior).

A further study published in the journal Environmental Research has shown that there is a correlation between the levels of methylmercury in the pregnant and lactating mother’s blood and urine and that of her newborn child. It is clear that toxins from the mother can pass through the placenta into the baby.  Another study published in 2001 in Neurotoxicology showed that the level of mercury in baby’s hair was quite high and argues that this is probably a consequence of vaccinations that contain mercury added as a preservative called Thirmerosal.

There is a lot of research indicating the health effects of high mercury levels on children, including the relationship of these chemical toxins to developmental delays. Add to this the levels of mercury found in adults due to amalgam fillings and there is further conclusive evidence that “we are all toxic.”   The research concludes that hazardous chemicals are common contaminants in both maternal and umbilical cord blood, indicating that these chemicals can pass from the mother to the baby across the placenta.

The main conclusion is that if these chemicals are present in newborns, then what is the probability that these toxic chemicals are also present in us adults and our children?  Before we leave the Arctic Circle, there is another interesting study entitled, “Human health implications of environmental contaminants in Arctic Canada: a review”  published in The Science of the Total Environment that has looked at the how the Inuit Eskimos are being exposed to chemicals such as chlordane, toxaphene pesticides as well as PCBs.  Another fascinating study conducted by the World Wildlife Fund set out to explore whether there was any relationship between the types and levels of contamination found in three generations of families, and to examine possible links between contamination and a family’s lifestyle, consumption patterns and everyday products. 

The report entitled, "Contamination: The Next Generation" summarizes the findings of the analysis of 104 different chemicals in the blood of 33 volunteers from seven families living in England, Scotland and Wales. The volunteers in each family spanned three generations, generally comprising the grandmother, mother and two children. The volunteers comprised 14 children, 13 adults and six grandmothers. The ages of the volunteers ranged from nine years to 88 years. All three generations tested, including the children, were contaminated by a cocktail of hazardous man-made chemicals. The results reveal that every child, from as young as nine years (none younger were tested), was contaminated by the same range of hazardous chemicals: organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, brominated flame-retardants, phthalates and perfluorinated (“non-stick”) chemicals.

Five chemicals found in each parent and grandparent were also found in every child. While it might be expected that chemical burden increases with age, this study has shown that this conventional assumption is not always true: children can be more contaminated by higher numbers and levels of certain “newer” chemicals than their parents or even their grandparents, despite being exposed to these chemicals for only a fraction of the time. These “newer” chemicals include brominated flame retardants (used in sofas, textiles and electrical appliances) and perfluorinated chemicals (used in the manufacture of non-stick pans, coatings for takeaway food packaging and treatments for carpets, furniture, clothing and footwear). 

The results also show that chemicals in everyday products around the home are contaminating the blood of all the families tested in the survey, including the children. For example, fifty seven per cent of the seven people found to be contaminated by deca-BDE, a brominated flame retardant, were children. Of the volunteers tested, 82 per cent were contaminated by one or more perfluorinated chemical. The perfluorinated chemical PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) was found in more than a third of the children tested. A related chemical PFOS (perfluorooctane sulphonate) was found in five of the family members tested.  

There have been similar studies in the USA too - in July 2005, the Department of Health and Human Services, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, published a 475-page document entitled, “Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals” which clearly indicates the growing number of chemical toxins present in all age-groups in the USA.  The American Council on Science and Health published a document in May 2003 entitled, “Traces of Environmental Chemicals in the Human Body: Are they a risk to Health?” This research looked at the different types of xenobiotics found in US citizens, as well as their quantity.

While chemicals that have been banned for many years are still being detected, generally there is a downward trend with up to 90% reduction in the last few decades of toxins such as DDT and lead. Toxicologists studying chemical toxicity usually have a reference range of values which indicate the “safe levels” of these chemicals. New research is showing, however, that even low-dose exposure is cumulative over time and can lead to children having decreased performance in areas of motor function and memory. Similarly, disruption of attention, fine motor function and verbal memory was also found in adults on exposure to low mercury levels.

It is an occupational hazard for dental staff, chloralkali factory workers and goldminers, etc. Mercury has been found to be a causative agent of various sorts of disorders, including neurological, nephrological, immunological, cardiac, motor, reproductive and even genetic. Recently heavy metal mediated toxicity has been linked to diseases like Alzeihemer’s, Parkinson’s, Autism, Lupus, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, etc. Besides this, it poses danger to wildlife. This low-dose toxicity and its effects on health will be the toxicologists next goal for future research.

WHERE DO THE TOXINS COME FROM?
There are many sources and it is a sign of our times living in a highly industrialized world. Principally, the toxins enter our bodies through the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.  

METALLIC LUNCH?
A study done in Canada compared heavy metal intakes in different age groups and their corresponding intake guidelines. It is clear from the report entitled, “Metallic Lunch: An Analysis of Heavy Metals in the Canadian Diet” published by Environmental Defense Canada that Canadians are being subjected to unhealthy levels of these toxic substances. Cadmium, which can cause kidney disease and cancer, is being eaten by Canadians of all ages above intake guidelines. Lead, which can cause negative health effects no matter how little is consumed, is in the diets of Canadians of all ages. Children are being exposed to potentially unsafe levels of copper, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc. 

A recent report that tested mercury levels in Sushi in New York restaurants found levels that far exceeded the acceptable levels in fish. A lot of the questions regarding risk assessment when eating fish is addressed in an interesting paper entitled "Risks and Benefits of Fish Consumption: Yes, Mercury is a Problem"

TOXINS EVERYWHERE!
Another interesting report by World Wildlife Fund – UK (2005), entitled “Still a Dirty Review of Action Against Toxic Products in Europe" highlights the occurrence of hazardous chemicals in everyday products and reports on which EU member states have taken proactive measures to help protect their citizens and wildlife.  The report mentions that Phthalates used in plastics and cosmetics have been linked to reduced sperm counts. LAS, a major washing powder ingredient, are poorly broken down in rivers and soils, and may be toxic to soil organisms. Lead is still in use and is particularly toxic to children and wildlife.

Alkyl phenols and alkyl phenol ethoxylates, industrial chemicals used in plastics, pesticides and detergents, are toxic and mimic the female hormone oestrogen, causing feminisation of male fish. Brominated flame retardants, persistent chemicals widely used in electronic equipment, fabrics and plastics, are now found in human breast milk and wildlife, even in remote areas. Although little is known about their long-term toxicity, there are concerns about their potential effects on learning behavior. People that eat regularly from tinned food are likely to develop chronic gastrointestinal problems as a research study reported in Food and Chemical Toxicology entitled, "Tin in Canned Food: a Review and Understanding of Occurrence and Effect" suggests.

AMALGAM FILLINGS AND MERCURY

Mercury used in amalgam tooth fillings is a big issue of contention. Amalgam was found to be a cheap and long lasting substance to fill teeth with, but the danger of mercury poison was overlooked or ignored. The use of amalgams is now prohibited in many – though not all – countries. Dr. Engel, a holistic dentist, has written an interesting paper on the "Health Observations before and after Amalgam Removal", The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology has produced a very interesting video describing the amount of mercury that is released from amalgam fillings, even though they may be over 30 years old. Chewing gum, drinking hot drinks and brushing teeth can increase the amount of methyl mercury released from amalgam fillings. If you ever have doubt about how lethal mercury is for the nervous system, and particularly the brain, you have to see the video produced by the University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics – it clearly shows how mercury completely degenerates neural fibers in a Petri dish in zero time – it’s a fascinating video to watch! 

VACCINATIONS AND DRUGS AS SOURCES OF TOXINS

The drugs used in vaccines and inoculations have for many years used Thimerosal as a preservative. This contains around 50% mercury and is very highly toxic, often being linked to the huge increase in autism cases.  There is an interesting article published in Medical hypotheses entitled, "Autism: a Novel Form of Mercury Poisoning" showing how exposure to mercury can cause immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioural dysfunctions similar to traits defining or associated with autism, and the similarities extend to neuroanatomy, neurotransmitters, and biochemistry. By the age of 10, a child may be many hundreds of times over what is considered a “safe” dose of mercury poisoning from his injections.

Although Thimerosal has been phased out of many preparations, the effect – because it is cumulative and stays in the body – is with almost all adults today. Service personnel who are subjected to many different injections for their tours of duty are particularly at risk from toxic poisoning. Some fish is contaminated with mercury and other toxic substances. Even polar bears living in the Arctic, thousands of miles from any industry, have been found in very poor health and dying because of toxic poisoning. None of us are free of the risk. 

WHAT ARE THE EFFECT OF TOXINS IN THE BODY?

Toxins accumulate in the body over time. Some people experience reactions from birth, whereas many others gradually begin to notice SYMPTOMS. Studies of children with autism and ADD and similar neurological problems are usually found to have high levels of mercury, which it thought to be a major contributory factor in these conditions. For many, a disruption of the endocrine system and metabolic functions develop over time, leading to chronic disease. These can include ME, CFS, MS and cancer.

It has to be said that VERY LITTLE RESEARCH had been carried out to determine which chemicals are linked to which diseases. Why? The pharmaceutical industry is the only agency with the billions of pounds to spend on such research, and it is not in their interest to do so since they are manufacturing and supplying many of the substances concerned.  Toxicologists used to measure toxic level of a substance by giving mice an increasing dose to and see at which point 50% of them die. This was then considered the toxic dose. This method has been discredited, because it is now known that far higher levels can be gradually stored in the body over time, causing serious effects and disruptions – including chromosome damage which can lead to cancer – without death occurring.  The World Wildlife Fund has printed an interesting little brochure summarizing the health effects of chemicals entitled, "Chemicals and Health: What You Need to Know"

Another interesting brochure that talks about these toxic chemicals in your own home is entitled, "Chemicals and Health in the Home."

WHAT PARTS OF THE BODY ARE AFFECTED?

All parts of the body are affected by toxins. We notice the effect when the immune system is compromised – overloaded - and we are unable to fight off some condition that the kidneys, liver and other organs connected with the lymphatic system fail to cope with and are overwhelmed preventing detoxification. This can triggers chromosomal damage – leading to development of cancerous cells. 

There is now considerable research that has shown that a lot of heavy metals and other xenobiotics mimic hormone molecules and cause disruption to the hormonal system. There are also many other studies that have been conducted that have shown the deleterious effects of mercury on health – the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology has prepared a Fact Sheet with Scientific Studies Concerning Mercury Dental Fillings.  

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
In acute toxicity, we use inter-venous chemical drugs like EDTA, DMSA, DMPS and others to ‘chelate’ the body of toxic heavy metals. These need medical supervision and are expensive. They also have side effects because they are drastic measures and toxicologists recommend these for acute poisonings where it is important to eliminate the toxins quickly.  

A NATURAL METHOD!

We utilize detoxification methods from The Gerson Institute as well as specialized tools like RIFE, Ion Cleanse, and Light Beam Generator.

Because our practice is different, we attract many patients who are very ill.  This is serious business and we take every case with much prayer and asking for wisdom.  We see regular 'miracles' in our office when both patients and their previous doctors have given up.

WHO NEEDS IT?
As has been shown above, everyone is toxic, some more than others. Some show the toxicity more easily than others. Among these are autistic children and those suffering other neurological problems like ADHD. People working in industry where toxins are a bi-product are at risk. These include dentists & their technicians. Women preparing for pregnancy who want to lower their toxic load before conception are advised to get tested.  Smokers will have high cadmium and arsenic levels, which will be dealt with proper testing and treatment. Certainly EVERY patient with autoimmune disorders are firing a toxic response

IN SHORT…

We are all toxic to a greater or lesser degree and NO amount of any toxin is a “safe” level. When we become conscious of the toxic world that we live in, then detoxifying the body on many different levels is imperative to maintaining optimal health and keeping degenerative diseases at bay. Detoxifying toxic metals and other xenobiotics from the body is also another level of detox that is important to be added into any detoxification protocol – HMD™ is an easy option which is cost effective for all the family, including children and pets, and has no side effects but is extremely effective at removing these harmful chemicals from the body.