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heavy metal detox | (Read 1378 times) |
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jen m
Posts: 21
Jennifer A Moore, Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbs
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August 15, 2007, 08:16:57 PM |
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The cilantro is rumored to remove mercury from where it is stored in the body, and from there, it is dumped in the small intestine. This is where the chlorella and seaweed come in; they bind to the heavy metals and carry them out of the body. Mercury is the most common, and it is said that if the mercury is removed, it has an overall effect of relieving symptoms of other heavy metals, as well.
A lot of the information I have is based on OPS- one person said- so, I’m interested in finding people with symptoms, who would be willing to follow a simple protocol and let me know how the symptoms changed or improved. Unfortunately, testing for heavy metals, mercury in particular, is confusing, somewhat expensive, and not all that accurate. I’m just going to have to settle for changes in reported symptoms. Symptoms range from mood swings, depression, memory loss and/or impairment, gum disease, lethargy, inflammation, lowered immunity, and many more- they are ambiguous and common. If I get some interested people, I’ll put together a little questionnaire, for before and after. I'll do that, anyway, because I already have a few test subjects! My goal is to satisfy myself that such a protocol would have a positive effect.
I should say that I am a student of Chinese Medicine, studying acupuncture and Chinese herbs, and this is my senior project. My hypothesis is that increased levels of heavy metals in the body may be a block to treatment with Chinese Medicine, and a person may need to undergo a detoxification before starting treatment, if certain criteria are met, or if they are not progressing well with treatment.
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"a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." -Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu
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Marilyn Queiroz
Administrator
Posts: 59
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August 27, 2007, 02:48:11 PM |
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Unfortunately, testing for heavy metals, mercury in particular, is confusing, somewhat expensive, and not all that accurate. I think this sounds like a very strong statement. I agree with Dr. Mercola that it depends. It depends on the sample; it depends on the lab; it depends on the interpretation.
I have worked in an office that took hair samples for heavy metal testing, and getting a good sample is not like getting a haircut in the barbershop.
1) You need clean hair (shampoo only, no conditioner, no products afterwards)
2) You need the hair closest to the scalp -- no further away than 1/2 (for the last month's growth) to 3/4 inch (6 week's growth). This is somewhat easier for men than for women, but it causes a bald patch for either sex. A man could go to the barber, get a hair cut (#3 clipper?) so the hair is 1/2 inch long and then immediately get a second hair cut (shave) to get the newest 1/2 inch. Save that part for testing. For women it's not quite so straight-forward. Perhaps there is some hair arrangement where the bald patch can be covered up until it grows out again, but ...
3) Send it to one of the good labs mentioned on this page.
This is not terribly expensive in my opinion ($40-$100). I knew one person who was tested, had his mercury fillings removed and was retested with results that matched his decrease in symptoms.
I plan to ask my accupuncturist (Ting Zhang), who learned Chinese medicine in China (about 5 years of the equivalent of medical school), about some of your statements the next time I see him, but that won't be until after Labor Day.
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jen m
Posts: 21
Jennifer A Moore, Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbs
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August 28, 2007, 02:03:05 PM |
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What I consider with any test is, what information is really given, and what I will do with that info. I know very little about hair testing, but from what I know about heavy metals, they are stored in the body, and kept out of circulation as much as possible. It stands to reason, that they would only show up in the hair if they are presently in circulation? If the mercury is packed away in the nervous system, wreaking havoc, it may only show up in small amounts in the hair. And it may depend on exposure, if someone is being constantly exposed because of their amalgam fillings, it will show up, but if they are suffering non-acute toxicity because of past exposure it might not show up at all. The question then becomes, how tightly does the body hold onto the mercury? That would vary from person to person, I would assume, as would the degree to which the mercury or other metals create symptoms, based on the persons overall health and sensitivity to mercury. And, how accurate is the test, presumed it is preformed correctly? Of all the methods I’ve looked at, hair testing seems the most accurate/reliable. How much hair is involved, how large of a patch? And i have to wonder, with the information recieved depending on the lab, the inerpertaion, and the sample, how valuable the information really is. I suppose that depends on who is useing it, and for what.
And as far as someone getting their fillings out and then being retested, that tell me he has lowered the amount of mercury in circulation, but it tells me very little about his current stores of mercury. Both of which are of concern.
I would also like to say that I wouldn't recommend anyone loading up on cilantro, because it could be quite risky. Any chelation process involves loosening up the heavy metals, and they may end up being redistributed in a worse location, and cause more problems than they were before, & this can happen with chemical chelators as well. Heavy metal detox is a dangerous business.
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"a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." -Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu
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Marilyn Queiroz
Administrator
Posts: 59
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August 28, 2007, 10:50:40 PM |
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Of all the methods I’ve looked at, hair testing seems the most accurate/reliable. How much hair is involved, how large of a patch? And i have to wonder, with the information received depending on the lab, the interpretation, and the sample, how valuable the information really is. I suppose that depends on who is using it, and for what. How much ... It's been a few years... I believe it is measured in grams and typically required hair from 3 square inches or so ... depending on the thickness and density of hair on the scalp. If you get a good sample, a good lab with a good interpretation, I think it can be quite valuable. As with any lab test, the results are only as good as the sample. If you collect a poor sample (bleached or dyed hair, hair with mousse or hairspray, etc) or send it to the wrong lab, the results are worthless. You are correct. It depends.
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