Beware .. foods lovers ..

There was no need for detoxing our bodies centuries ago, food was pure and unaltered. Now we know that lots of food contains chemicals, to preserve it, to colored it, to make it look good, to make it grow faster. We know that the makers don't care about our health only about their sales increase, that the governments are corrupt etc. We see increasing cases of cancer, strokes etc. just a sign that our body can not cope anymore not only with what we take in orally but also what we inhale.

The loss of fat from the Adipose sites can also increase the toxic load on the level as the fat acts as a store for toxins to keep them away from the liver. As soon as these sites are emptied and the fat used for metabolism (during weight loss), the toxins are released back into the blood stream and hence have to be dealt with by the liver which can cause toxic overload and actually harm the person who is supposedly detoxifying !

Avoid
Lead
In the ancient world and the middle ages, sugar of lead (lead acetate) was used to sweeten wines, usually resulting in severe and widespread lead poisoning. Something similar happened in England in the 18th Century when the cider producers used it for the same purpose. The resulting symptoms were so common that they became known as Devonshire Colic. Its use in sweetening beers was banned in England in the early part of the 20th century. Although no longer so common in our environment it is estimated that over half a million children in the USA have dangerously high levels.

Mercury
The Victorians used mercury compounds in ointments and as a cure for diseases such as syphilis but they were also quite capable of dishing it out to their children as a cure for constipation. Experts rate it as being between 1000 and 5000 times more toxic than lead. Replace these amalgam tooth fillings as soon as you can! The UK is a curious case, most countries are eliminating amalgam in dentistry, some even paying citizens to have their old stoppings replaced, however the British State discourages removal. There are probably economic reasons for this. Symptoms are too numerous to mention. On the Hints and Tips Website we have had several people posting tips on health who say that having their fillings removed made a dramatic difference.

Cadmium
A serious poison, however it is no longer a high risk in the developed countries. The metal was until quite recently used as an anti-corrosion coating. Like Aluminium it is known to cause a type of damage to brain cells that are characteristic of Alzheimer's Disease. Search Keywords; neurfibrillary tangles, Early onset dementia (EOD)
Aluminum (also Aluminium)

Not by definition a heavy metal but definitely to be avoided. Aluminum is perhaps the most serious toxin in our environment. By far the most serious threat is the use of alum to take the cloudiness out of drinking water. Other sources are to be found in antacids and food additives such as aerating or raising agents. The body has several systems in place to prevent it from reaching the brain as, once past the blood-brain barrier it is more neurotoxic than cadmium or mercury. If you are pregnant or lactating then avoid.

Like lead it has been implicated in behavioral problems (such as Attention Deficit Disorder) in children. Aluminum intoxication is usually a slow process and it can take 15 to 20 years for the symptoms to develop. No figures appear to exist regarding its duration in the brain, however some experts set the half-life at 100 years plus. Older people have less effective kidneys and blood-brain barriers and are therefore much more at risk. Other groups at risk are those with the chromosome 21 disorder that is common among Alzheimer's sufferers also the abnormal condition that results in Downs Syndrome. The widespread use of aluminum in additives and medications is reminiscent of the 'sugar of lead disaster' of the last century - see Lead. Aluminium is used as a catalyst in the production of some margarines and spreads. A dangerous new fad is using Alum crystals to rub under arm areas to inhibit perspiration. Even some apparently reputable health food stores stock them, claiming falsely that they do not have the type of aluminum that gets in to the body. Ask if they are from Bauxite and the assistant will usually agree but be quite unaware that Bauxite is the principal source of aluminum. More information

Arsenic
Present in groundwater in some countries. When visiting Bangladesh take note of where the water you drink comes from. The practice of obtaining drinking water from tube wells has led to what is perhaps the world's worst environmental disaster. The government there has been slow to respond to the problem and some of the measures taken to try to correct the problem has added more toxicity to the water. There has been some concern in the USA that the relaxation of regulations has allowed some groundwater to reach levels that could be harmful over long periods of time. The mining industry is usually the cause of the problem. If there are mining activity in your area make enquiries.

Nickel
Like Aluminum, Nickel has increased in the human environment over the past few decades, getting in to our bodies via industrial pollution and stainless steel cookware. Nickel has until recent times not been considered a serious toxin, however it is one of the many pollutants known to cause allergies. Margarines, even some so called healthy options have traces as it is used as a catalyst in the production process.

Copper
An essential nutrient in small quantities, copper from water pipes can in theory pose a problem, especially in soft water and acid water regions, however copper is of much lower toxicity than many other metals and only very rarely poses a problem.
Fluorine

The "Wrecking Ball" of the elements. The only substances that are more damaging to living cells than free fluorine atoms are the radioactive isotopes. In my opinion the only valid medical uses of fluorine compounds are in anti-cancer treatments where fluoride "killers" are steered to the affected cells to wipe them out.

Before "Molecular Biology" appeared as a subject of study and the havoc wreaked by many fluorine compounds was fully appreciated, it was decided that fluorides should be added to drinking water to strengthen our teeth, however it has since become apparent that general health is damaged significantly by the practice. Fluorine compounds soon leaves the body as it is such an active substance. Some experts suggest that tea can prevents fluorine from entering the bloodstream.

Silver
Pretty rare these days to find someone with acute silver poisoning, but it adds to the toxic load. Body piercing, tooth fillings and the bactericide in some water filters can contribute. Silver poisoning is known as Argyria.