Reduction of Toxic Load

All traditional health care systems have believed that toxin accumulation is a contributor to health care problems. Therapies that support cleansing and detoxification are a part of most traditional healing traditions. Over the last 100 years there has been growing scientific evidence to support this concept.

When talking about Toxic Load we are referring to the accumulation of chemicals or molecules that are foreign to our biological systems. These products are referred to as Xenobiotics. Xenobiotics may originate externally from toxic chemicals in the environment. They may originate internally from foods we eat or medications or supplements we take. We may absorb xenobiotics from the living organisms in our gut when there is Dysbiosis and Leaky Gut Syndrome.

The issue of Toxic Load contributes to many health problems. A scientific article from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggested that more than 75% of cancer is caused by diet and environmental factors. In addition toxic exposure is a contributing factor to cardiovascular diseases, (heart attack), cerebrovascular diseases, (stroke), and neurodegenerative diseases, (Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease). Environmental pollutants stockpile in the body contributing to the chronic diseases.

Common intoxicants include:

• Heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium,

• Arsenic, which is found in pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, wood preservatives, paint, tobacco, and manufacturing residues,

• Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons, which come from diesel exhaust and jet fuel,

• Plastics are ubiquitous in our environment. Many scientists believe that plastic molecules compete with the hormone binding sites of cells. This may be a contributing factor to infertility, precocious puberty and cancer.

Signs and Symptoms of Toxic Load

The signs and symptoms of toxic load are all inclusive. The patient and the clinician must have a high index of suspicion. When normal people subject themselves to a biopsy of fat tissue, toxic chemicals are always present. Simply stated, we are all intoxicated, some of us are more symptomatic than others. Some of us handle the intoxication better than others. Ultimately, to optimize health we must attend to reduction of the toxic load.

Testing for Toxic Load

Neurotoxins:

Low molecular weight molecules that are fat soluble have been referred to as neurotoxins by Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker. To my mind they should simply be considered a type of toxin. These lipid soluble, low molecular weight molecules can come from biological sources such as unhealthy bacteria or yeast in our gut, toxins produced from food contaminants, (ciguatera poisoning), toxins produced from organisms in the environment (pfeisteria, molds), or toxins produced from infectious diseases (lyme disease).  There is a simple and inexpensive test for this type of intoxication called the Visual Contrast Sensitivity Test. This is administered in our office when appropriate.

Heavy Metals:

Heavy metals are ubiquitous in the environment. They include Mercury, Cadmium, Lead and Arsenic. Heavy metal burden has been implicated in Arteriosclerosis,  Chronic Renal Insufficiency/Failure, Cataracts, Cancer, Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease, Fatigue Syndromes, and Hypertension.

We will typically do a Challenge Test to test for heavy metals. We give substances that pull toxic metals from the body and collect a 6 hour urine specimen. This is considered the best way to look for toxic metals. The routine blood tests do not measure the toxic burden in body tissue other than blood. The challenge test measures the toxic burden of all the tissues.

Treatment of Toxic Load

The first strategy is to reduce exposure to additional toxins in the environment. Simple measures include a good water filtration system, the consumption of organic foods when possible, and food preparation practices that do not create carcinogens; (barbecuing is an example of a process that does create pathogens).

We have outlined additional measures in the chapter on Detoxification and Cleansing. A particularly effective form of detoxification is the use of the Far Infra Red Sauna. This is a special device that removes toxins by causing sweating. It is favored over the regular sauna because it is safer and more tolerable. I generally advise patients to use the sauna two to three times per week. Patients with hypertension, heart disease and diabetes should use a sauna under supervision. Individuals with these problems should only use the Far Infra Red Sauna under medical supervision.

The removal of toxins is aided by supporting the detoxification systems of the liver and the gut with appropriate diet, nutritional supplements and herbal products.

Chelation is the process of using medications to remove undesirable metals from the body. A health care practitioner who is experienced in chelation therapies should supervise this process.

There are prescription medications that can remove the class of toxins known as “neurotoxins”. They are called bile acid binding resins. They must be prescribed by a physician.

Products at the Wellness Center Apothecary that support detoxification and Toxic Load Reduction include Liver Protect, IGG 2000, Medcaps DPO, Opticleanse GHI, Whey protein, and Vitamin C.