A few years ago, many people I knew loved to eat sushi, so did I! It was one of my favorite meals. We would go out two to three times a week to have what what we believed to be a delicious and healthy meal. Within a few months one of my friends started to develop strange symptoms that eventually were discovered to be from mercury toxicity. Luckily for my friend, just not eating sushi anymore cleared the problem over a few weeks.

Our bodies have an advanced detoxification system. However, because of the ever increasing amounts of chemicals in our environment, our ability to detoxify becomes more easily overwhelmed than it did. Heavy metals make up some of the most common toxins in our bodies. We are exposed to metals like arsenic, aluminum, mercury, lead, and cadmium in our environments throughout our lives. While some exposure is unavoidable, buildup of these metals can have serious side effects. Read on to discover the common symptoms of heavy metal toxicity, and how to protect yourself.

Symptoms of Heavy Metal Toxicity

One of the big problems with heavy metals is that they block your immune system from doing it’s job. If you have symptoms of chronic infections, or you are trying to heal a chronic yeast infection or lyme disease but just can’t make headway, you may have heavy metals blocking your healing. It may look like the list of symptoms below is the same as that of many other toxins, and you’re right, because they often travel together. Other symptoms of heavy metal toxicity are common, and are also associated with other disorders. You can have proper testing to determine whether heavy metal toxicity is the root cause of your symptoms. If you have some of the symptoms below, you may be reacting to heavy metals.

• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Food allergies
• Chronic pain
• Brain fog
• Migraines
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Weight gain
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Autoimmune disease
• Neurological disorders

Avoiding Heavy Metals

The best way to protect yourself is to eliminate or minimize your exposure to heavy metals. Choose organic, wild-caught fish from reputable sources to avoid consuming both mercury and other contaminants, Vital Choice Seafoods in Berkeley, tests all of their seafood before selling it to make sure it is not full of heavy metals.

Avoid amalgam (“silver”) dental fillings. Both houses and buildings built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, which is another source of exposure. Vaccines containing thimerosal also contain mercury. Cigarette smoke and second-hand smoke contain cadmium, which may build up in your body. And….now of course, I’ve been finding radioactive metals such as uranium or thallium in people when I test. That is something hard to avoid since it is becoming more of a contaminant.

Testing for Toxicity

The best way to determine whether you are suffering from heavy metal toxicity is to share your symptoms with your wellness practitioner. He or she can order the necessary blood, urine, and/or stool tests to measure the amount of toxins your body is able to excrete. They will also help you prepare a plan for detoxifying safely.

Detoxification

When you have heavy metal toxicity, you can specifically target the metal you’re getting rid of. There are many supplements that can help your body detox naturally. Some of these  include chlorella, DMSA, Zeolites, Modified Citrus pectin, and cilantro. Many companies also make combination products for heavy metal detox, such as Designs for Health Metal X Synergy. To rid your body of toxins most efficiently, choose a detoxifying cleanse that supports your body in both eliminating any toxins and boosting your health. Sign up here for more information on Dr. Shiroko’s Seasonal Reboot, a custom 14-day cleanse.