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Living in a Toxic World

by Dr. Stephen Sinatra

Published 02/16/09

Heavy Metal Toxicities

All of us, and I mean all of us, carry an enormous toxic load in our bodies. This could be in the form of heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic, to mention a few. Our systems are constantly bombarded by heavy metals from our drinking water, the air we breathe, the consumption of large fish like tuna and swordfish, and old dental amalgams that have oxidized and developed hairline fractures. And these are just a handful of examples. All of these sources are quietly yet insidiously taking "hits" on our immune systems, and eventually they locate a weak link.

I was amazed when one expert I’ve heard discussed the results of analyzing the abdominal fat of patients undergoing routine abdominal surgery. Five of the 54 toxins tested showed up in the fat stores of all the patients tested. Another nine chemicals, including three kinds of dioxin, were found in 98 percent of test subjects, and PCBs were found in 83 percent.

We're all toxic to some degree, and we all need to take responsibility to clean up our own bodies. But how? For starters, eat a diet with an emphasis on the following: artichokes, especially the hearts—they have powerful flavonoids that support the liver; cilantro, a savory herb known to help chelate mercury; garlic; and shiitake mushrooms.

Your liver is your body's primary filter, so take good care of it. To help your liver detoxify heavy metals, take (on a daily basis) 100–200 mg alpha lipoic acid; 300 mg vitamin C; 150–250 mg milk thistle (silymarin); 100 mg selenium; and 200 mg vitamin E (mixed tocopherols). Exercise and stress reduction will also help detoxify your body. If you're particularly concerned about heavy metal buildup in your body, your doctor can order a 24-hour urine test kit from Doctor's Data (800-323-2784, www.doctorsdata.com) or Metametrix (800-221-4640, www.metametrix.com).

Hypercoagulable States

Only now do I realize that C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, serum ferritin, and so on are just the tip of the iceberg. All of these recently recognized risk factors are actually players in a syndrome known as hypercoagulability, or "sticky blood." I'll employ an auto analogy to explain. You may use a very thin motor oil like 10- or 20-weight in your car to keep it humming along, especially in colder weather. By contrast, hypercoagulability is like running 80- or 90-weight oil; it clogs your "motor" and also your blood vessels.

No doubt about it, our immune systems are under siege. Stealth infections, heavy metals, and sticky blood predispose us to enormous immune system insults that may culminate in devastating problems like cancer and heart disease.

The first step toward reclaiming your health is to recognize that we live in a toxic world. And cleanup must begin in your own body.

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