You may be surprised to discover that there are heavy metals in your body. Mercury, lead, arsenic and even aluminum can build up in your body over time. These metals can cause a host of problems such as neurological conditions, autism and heart disease. There can also be incidents of birth defects for babies born to women who have too high a concentration of heavy metals in their bodies. However, a good Naturopath Doctor can give you heavy metal detox information. Some options which can be used are heavy metal chelation therapy and natural medicine which can remove the contaminants from your body.

What are the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning?

There are varied symptoms which can lead to a heavy metal poisoning diagnosis. You may have unexplained fatigue, brain fogginess and problems with concentration. It can show up as thyroid and adrenal fatigue and numbness or tingling in various limbs. If it shows up as a neurological disorder, you can have tics, tremors, memory loss or even dementia. Since Naturopath Doctors are trained in natural medicine and how the environment affects our bodies, they have methods for detecting heavy metal in the body. A urine test is commonly used to determine past or current exposures to metals. Alternative testing could also include blood or hair tests.

How do you treat heavy metal poisoning?

There are several treatments for heavy metal poisoning and its removal. You may want to talk to your Naturopath Doctor about an internal cleansing of the colon and liver as a first step. Herbs  such as: garlic, dandelion root, burdock, yellow dock, kelp and cilantro could be recommended for liver support. These assist the body in its natural detoxification process, but do not necessarily remove metals. Your Naturopath Doctor will explain how to use these natural remedies.

Heavy Metal Chelation Therapy can also be arranged. This treatment can be administered either orally or by IV at the office. The heavy metals attach to the chelation agent administered and are  then be expelled through feces or urine in this treatment.

To cut down your exposure to heavy metals, you can change your life style and eat organically grown foods and fermented foods, and drink plenty of filtrated water. Prevention of exposure to heavy metals is a good first step to better health.