Everyday Sources of Heavy Metals & What You Can Do

Have you ever wondered if those everyday items you rely on – the aluminum foil keeping your lunch fresh, the barium used in medical scans, or even the titanium in your dental implant – might harbor a hidden threat?

These seemingly innocuous elements paint a picture of progress and convenience. However, beneath their shiny surface lurks a hidden danger: heavy metals. Lead, mercury, and arsenic are well-known villains, but even common elements like aluminum, barium, and titanium can wreak havoc on our health when they accumulate in the body.

Here’s why you should be mindful of heavy metals:

• Silent Invaders: Exposure to heavy metals can happen through various routes. Lead can be present in old paint and dust, while mercury can contaminate certain fish and is used for dental fillings. Aluminum can leach from cookware, food additives, and your personal care products like deodorant.
• Bioaccumulation: Heavy metals do not readily break down. They tend to accumulate in our bodies over time, particularly in organs like the brain, kidneys, and bones. This build-up disrupts vital functions, leading to a cascade of health problems, including:
  • Autoimmune Conditions: Heavy metals can mimic the body’s own proteins, tricking the immune system into attacking healthy tissues. This can contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133147
  • Cardiovascular Disease: Heavy metals can damage blood vessels and increase inflammation, raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. For example, cadmium exposure can damage blood vessels and increase inflammation, raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.120.018692
  • Neurological Issues: Heavy metals can impair brain function and nerve signaling, potentially leading to problems with memory, cognition, mood, and even an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. For example, mercury disrupts the nervous system, contributing to neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and ALS, while aluminum toxicity plays a role in autism. doi: 10.3233/JAD-200282
  • Mental Health Concerns: Studies suggest a potential link between exposure to heavy metals and an increased risk of anxiety and depression. This connection might be rooted in two key areas. Firstly, heavy metals can disrupt the production and function of neurotransmitters in the brain. These chemical messengers regulate mood, sleep, and cognition, and their disruption can manifest as symptoms of anxiety and depression. Secondly, emerging research highlights the strong link between a healthy gut microbiome and mental well-being. Heavy metals can disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, potentially affecting the gut-brain axis and contributing to anxiety and depression. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cotox.2021.04.003Get rights and content

Our exposure to heavy metals often comes from surprising places.

Here are a few examples:

• Old Paint and Dust: Lead, a notorious neurotoxin, can replace calcium during bone development in children. Since lead paint was banned in the US in 1978, individuals born before this date are more likely to have been exposed through chipping paint and lead-contaminated dust in older homes. Alarmingly, lead deposits in bones replaces calcium and can remain dormant for decades, leaching back into the bloodstream as bone mass naturally begins to decline in our 30s and onwards.

  The ability of lead to pass through the blood-brain barrier is due in large part to its ability to substitute for calcium ions. Within the brain, lead-induced damage in the prefrontal cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum can lead to a variety of neurological disorders, such as brain damage, mental retardation, behavioral problems, nerve damage, and possibly Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia. doi: 10.1515/reveh.2009.24.1.15

• Contaminated Water: Leaking pipes, wells, our reliance on aging infrastructure, potential industrial pollution of waterways, and agricultural runoff means even municipal supplies can harbor toxins like lead, arsenic, and more. Consider testing your home water, and checking your municipality’s water quality report at https://ismywatersafe.com/.

• Fish High in Mercury: Certain fish species, like king mackerel, tuna (especially albacore tuna), and swordfish, accumulate mercury in their bodies through the food chain. Consuming these fish in large quantities (1-2 times per week) can lead to elevated mercury levels. However, there’s good news! Many fish options are lower in mercury. Salmon, sardines, cod, pollock, and tilapia are all amazing choices that allow you to enjoy the health benefits of seafood without the heavy metal concerns.

  The gastrointestinal tract absorbs approximately ninety five percent of ingested MeHg (methylmercury) where it can then enter the red blood cells and the brain by binding covalently to glutathione and cysteine protein groups. Because urinary excretion of MeHg is negligible, MeHg is primarily eliminated from the body in an inorganic form through the action of the biliary system at the rate of 1% of the body burden per day. doi: 10.3961/jpmph.2014.47.2.74

• Dental Fillings: The European Union, recognizing the potential health risks, has actually banned the use of amalgam fillings beginning in 2025. It’s important to note that mercury also finds its way into our bodies through unexpected sources like tattoos, where certain pigments may contain the metal. Furthermore, mercury has a disturbingly long half-life of 32 years, meaning it can remain in the body for decades before being eliminated.

  Our current exposure to mercury comes from dental amalgam tooth restorations and from eating fish contaminated with mercury. In both cases, mercury is known to get into the brain in utero and at all ages. It remains in the brain for many years and is known to produce permanent neuropsychological deficits. Mercury toxicity can produce tremors and other Parkinsonian clinical symptoms. doi: 10.1155/2023/4709322

• Unexpected Culprits: Aluminum can leach from cookware, certain food additives, and even antiperspirants. Barium (sulfate), while primarily used in medical imaging, can also be found in some industrial settings like paints, bricks, tiles, glass, and rubber.
• Batteries, Especially in Electric Vehicles: While electric cars offer a greener alternative, a hidden cost emerges for workers in manufacturing plants, recycling facilities and electric car owners due to the exposure of cadmium.

  Cadmium has a significant impact on various health status, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cognitive dysfunction, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney injury, arthritis, and cancer. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1106732

But here’s some good news: our bodies are equipped with amazing detoxification systems! These systems work tirelessly to eliminate toxins and waste products, keeping us healthy. However, constant exposure to heavy metals can overload these systems.

So, how can we support our bodies’ natural detoxification efforts?

The Power of Drainage:

Imagine your body as a drainage system. Just like a clogged drain can lead to backups and problems, sluggish elimination pathways can hinder detoxification. Here’s where the concept of opening drainage pathways comes in. By supporting these key channels, we can help our bodies efficiently eliminate toxins, including heavy metals.

What Is The Body’s Drainage Funnel?

• The colon (bowel movements)
• The liver and bile ducts
• The lymphatic system
• The brain drainage to the lymphatic system: glymphatics
• Kidneys (urine excretion)
• Skin (sweating)

The Order of Priority is the key to optimal function.

As you look at this diagram, you can see there is an order of priority: On the left is a healthy drainage funnel. On the right is an unhealthy drainage funnel. We want to get your drainage funnel to work well.

The most important part of the funnel is the bottom, the colon. If the colon is backed up, then everything above gets backed up. The waste products from each system flow into the colon for the body’s waste removal process. Think of the way two roads merge into one. If there are too many cars, traffic gets congested. The same principle applies to the colon. Healthy bowel patterns involve having 2-3 bowel movements per day with stools that are formed but not hard to pass (soft or firm consistency is normal).

The next area is the liver and bile ducts. This area is a common one people have issues with and it is very critical to keep open.

Now the  lymphatic system needs to stay open to support the immune system and it moves dietary fats and toxins coming from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream for removal, metabolism or storage.

Finally, organs and tissues, such as the brain are included. To get the brain to drain, each drainage funnel system needs to be draining. This means the colon is working, the liver and bile ducts are open and draining, and the lymph system is moving the waste before the organs and tissues can be open and working as intended. If any one of these components isn’t working, there is a traffic jam, causing more delays at rush hour.

Powering Up Your Drainage Funnel

Mitochondria (cells): Think of mitochondria as a power switch that runs your drainage funnel 24/7!  I can help you support your  mitochondria so you can provide the energy needed to keep your drainage funnel running.

At Nourishing Lab, we believe that supporting the body’s natural drainage system is the essential first step before beginning any heavy metal detoxification protocol. This approach ensures a strong foundation for optimal health and your golden glow.

Ready to ditch the dullness and unlock your inner glow? Book your 15 minute free consultation.