Mercury Toxicity
Mercury toxicity is very common and present in most people in today’s toxic world. Some symptoms of mercury toxicity include autism and other behavioral problems, rashes, tremors, and weakened immune system, thyroid issues, and many others.
A correctly designed Mineral Balancing Program Nutritional balancing is the safest and most effective method to detoxify from mercury toxicity. They combine five detoxification methods to support the body as mercury is removed. I will discuss five ways a proper Mineral Balancing Program will assist in removing mercury from your body.
Since almost everyone has mercury toxicity, it is important to understand the hidden mercury is often present, even if mercury levels are not elevated on the hair mineral analysis test results. This is called “hidden” toxicity and is seen with all metals, especially mercury.
Sources Of Mercury
1. Dental amalgams are a major source of mercury exposure. They contain about 50% mercury. Proper removal of mercury should be performed to reduce dangerous exposure to mercury that may occur when amalgams are improperly removed.
2. Many vaccines, including common flu shots, are preserved with thimerosal. Flu vaccines contain thimerosal to safeguard against contamination of the multi-dose vials. These shots inject mercury directly into the bloodstream. Exposure occurs when the nervous and immune systems are particularly vulnerable. Thimerosal was taken out of childhood vaccines in the United States in 2001.
3. Until recently, mercury was used as a fungicide in house paints.
4. Mercury is found in contact lens solution.
5. Mercury is a common algaecide, fungicide and an agricultural and industrial pollutant used in manufacturing paper and many other industries.
6. Most coastal waters are polluted with mercury, which means that seafood and fish, especially large fish such as tuna and swordfish, are often high in mercury.
7. Mercury is passed on from mothers to children through the placenta. Many children today have high mercury levels even without direct exposure to mercury.
Mercury Detection
Mercury poisoning may be acute, but it is most often chronic, meaning that it accumulates slowly over a long period of time. Conventional medicine rarely considers chronic mercury toxicity a valid diagnosis, and therefore they do not test for mercury toxicity. If tests are done, they are often not accurate for many reasons.
While no method to detect mercury toxicity is 100%, a HTMA is the most reliable according to most doctors or practitioners. Since there is no “perfect” method to detect mercury, it is important to understand all the reasons why a HTMA is the best option.
Methods for detecting mercury toxicity
1. The Urine Challenge – To detect mercury using this method a urine sample is collected after giving a dose of a chelating agent. A simple urine test will usually not reveal mercury toxicity without the use of a chelating agent. Chelating agents can be dangerous as they can “force” metals, including mercury to move through the body but the metals may not be removed and eventually “settle” elsewhere causing mild or even extreme illness and symptoms. Therefore, chelators are not recommended on a proper detoxification program that is designed to naturally detoxify the body using a proper Mineral Balancing program that includes correct supplementation. A Urine Challenge test often missed mercury that is sequestered deep inside the body.
2. Blood Test - This method detects mercury in the blood using the same method as used in the Urine Challenge, which involves injecting chelators. Since chelating agents are dangerous, (as previously discussed), this method is often not reliable and unsafe.
3. Electrodermal Screening, Muscle Testing and Radionics -These methods, (and other similar methods), are subject to the administering practitioner’s bias, and this with other interferences can influence the test results.
4. Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis –A proper Mineral Balancing Program does not just detect mercury but assesses and addresses how the body is responding to stress. By correcting the body’s chemistry, energy production improves, and the metabolism is repaired. This process not only facilitates the removal or mercury, and other metals such as lead, cadmium, aluminum, arsenic but assists the body in detoxing hundreds of other toxic chemicals and substances. A safe and proper Mineral Balancing program gives the body what it needs to detoxify safely and without chelators.
If mercury does not show up on an initial HTMA, it is not a reliable indicator that one does not have mercury toxicity since mercury toxicity is usually hidden unless it is being eliminated through the hair. Most practitioners will often ignore this issue when they do not “see” mercury on any of the given detected methods as previously discussed. When mercury toxicity is not addressed, one will continue to have symptoms and may become seriously ill. It is safe to provide a proper Mineral Balancing program and assume that everyone has mercury toxicity!
Oxidation Rates and Mercury Toxicity
Fast oxidizers tend to show more mercury on their hair analyses than slow oxidizers since fast oxidizers have a great capacity for eliminating mercury and other metals. Slow oxidizers tend to sequester more metals in the body with fewer metals, including mercury, showing up as high levels even though slow oxidizers have plenty of metals and mercury to eliminate. A proper Mineral Balancing program facilitates this process.
Detoxification Methods
There are five methods for eliminating toxic metals. In our experience, the best results occur when all five are used together.
1. Balancing the Oxidation Rate - The most important method is to improve cellular energy production. This enhances the body's natural ability to eliminate heavy metals. A powerful way to enhance energy production is to balance what Dr. Paul Eck referred to as the oxidation rate.
2. Balancing Minerals – This method uses antagonist minerals which includes the proper minerals for each client as determined by the HTMA.
3. Support Eliminative Organs – Proper supplementation, along with a good diet, will support the liver and kidneys. Both the liver and kidneys are primarily responsible for eliminating mercury and other metals. Other protocols that support the organs and enhance metal elimination include saunas (preferably near infrared light saunas), coffee or water enemas, reflexology, acupuncture, some exercise, and occasionally the use of herbs.
4. Reducing Exposure – One of the most important steps that one can implement to heal from mercury toxicity is to remove on-going exposure. Having amalgams safely removed and eliminating most fish from the diet are helpful in removing mercury toxicity. My Toxin and Symptoms Sources Activity lists primary toxic metals, their symptoms, and the main sources of exposure to metals. You can visit the underlined page above to view this list or request a handout as a document through my contact tab. This activity can help you clean up your life and reduce your exposure to toxic metals, including mercury.
5. Chelators – As previously shared, chelators are not often recommended. In some cases, mild chelating agents such as cilantro, chlorella, kelp, spirula, and glucosamine may occasionally be recommended to assist with detoxification, but these should only be taken under a practitioner’s care. In extremely rare cases “harsher” chelators may be recommended but these should never be taken without proper supervision from your doctor or practitioner. As previously shared, these agents may cause more illness or exacerbate your symptoms. All chelators also remove essential minerals from the body and may create nutritional deficiencies. Chelators can also create extreme mineral imbalances and make a patient feel worse. Retesting with a HTMA is important so these imbalances can be avoided and addressed immediately. For all of these reasons never use these agents, even natural ones, without the help of a practitioner or doctor.
A good practitioner will often recommend more than one of these protocols, although starting slowly is a good practice. Too much of anything all at once can create chaos in the body and create further imbalances.
Approaching the complex process of detoxification by using a “one-size-fits-all” approach will often fail. Testing, and retesting using a Hair Mineral Analysis will give your practitioner the tools needed to adjust your program, add, or remove protocols, and work with you to safely detox and balance your body.
Administering a few vitamins and minerals to “compensate” is not the same as supporting and balancing one's body chemistry. A complete and proper Mineral Balancing program designed after a properly interpreted HTMA is the best and safest way to detoxify from all metals.
Detoxification Takes Time
Mercury toxicity is chronic and will not be eliminated in a few weeks or months. Since mercury affects many organs and systems of the body and may even perform adaptive functions in the body, it is realistic to expect that reducing mercury levels will take at least six months and often years. This is especially true is there is ongoing exposure to mercury, such as amalgams that have not been removed. Often, we are continuously exposed to mercury, even as we work to limit our exposure in our food, water, environment and avoiding of vaccines. All exposure cannot be avoided so a good Mineral Balancing program will assist in keeping the body clean after stored mercury is removed.
As the body detoxifies patience and persistence is often needed. Depending on what other imbalances are present in the body, it may be years before the body has enough energy to remove metals. Let the body heal according to its own diving wisdom.
Maintaining good health, following a proper Mineral Balancing program and taking steps to help eliminate mercury and other toxic metals are always wise health practices.
The entire contents of this website/article are based upon the opinions of Doreen McCafferty NLC, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Doreen McCafferty, NLC and her community. Doreen McCafferty encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content. All information in this article is for educational purposes only and not designed to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.