Can TOXINS Negatively Affect BRAIN HEALTH? Did you know that your BRAIN only weighs a few pounds YET it is the most metabolically active organ of your entire body? As such, it is susceptible to NEUROTOXICITY or damage from toxins. Let’s see how toxins negatively affect brain health.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS negatively impact nearly every aspect of your body and can damage your brain (sometimes severely) leading to a variety of BOTH physical AND psychological symptoms.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS including PESTICIDES, HEAVY METALS, MOLD and INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION take a toxic toll on mental health. They can increase the risk of depression, suicide, ADD/ADHD, autism, and learning and memory problems, as well as dementia, Alzheimer’s and even some psychotic behavior.
Fortunately, the problem of BRAIN TOXICITY can be solved if you know what symptoms to look for, what specialized laboratory tests are useful and the cutting-edge substances proven to REMOVE these poisonous substances.
So, let’s examine this form of TOXICITY and how a safe, natural and science-based approach to detecting and correcting it can restore your health from TOXICITY to PURITY.
That’s good news as this is a REAL, often ignored problem that many doctors miss.
Where does NEUROTOXICITY Come From?
A good definition of NEUROTOXICITY is exposure to natural or manmade (SYNTHETIC) TOXIC substances (NEUROTOXICANTS) which alters the normal activity of the nervous system. It can disrupt or even KILL NEURONS, cells that transmit signals in the BRAIN and other parts of the nervous system.
NEUROTOXICITY can result from exposure to substances used in conventional drug therapies, including CHEMOTHERAPY, RADIATION and organ transplants, as well as EXPOSURE TO HEAVY METALS, certain foods and food additives, pesticides, industrial and/or cleaning solvents, cosmetics, and everyday household products.
Approximately 100,000 CHEMICALS are approved for commercial use in the United States yet most have NEVER been tested for safety.
In the United States, unfortunately, industry gets priority over human health and products are considered safe until there is clear evidence that they are causing harm. Proving harm takes time and money and banning or restricting chemicals is a RARE occurrence.
For example, the Food and Drug Administration in the US has only banned or restricted a few dozen chemicals for use in the cosmetic industry, while in Europe THOUSANDS of chemicals have been banned.
HEAVY METAL TOXICITY Exposure Can Affect Brain Health
Can we AVOID them?
It is virtually impossible to escape the super high ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL exposures we come into contact with nearly every day. The HEAVY METALS such as MERCURY, LEAD, ARSENIC and CADMIUM are all known TOXINS found everywhere in our environment.
In fact, many of the diseases we think of as a ‘normal’ part of aging, may be our body’s bioaccumulation of HEAVY METALS, among other environmental toxins.
BIOACCUMULATION means that even small concentrations of a chemical can have a severely negative impact OVER TIME. Many SYNTHETIC compounds accumulate when they are taken in (ASSIMILATED) and STORED faster than they are BROKEN DOWN (METABOLIZED) or excreted.
We are exposed to MERCURY in dental amalgams and large fish. LEAD is in soil, pipes, paint and lipstick and is stored in the bones of people who were exposed to leaded gasoline.
We are exposed to ARSENIC from rice, chicken and groundwater.
CADMIUM is found in coat and mineral fertilizer and is used in many products, including batteries, plastics and pigments, and is also found in CIGARETTE smoke.
Studies show that heavy metals in the body may contribute to everything from cognitive decline (including Alzheimer’s), Parkinson’s, epilepsy, kidney dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.
Exposure to heavy metals including mercury, lead, aluminum and cadmium have been found in the cord blood of babies whose mothers were smokers.
How to Avoid HEAVY METALS
- Replace amalgam fillings
- Avoid aluminum pots and pans
- Limit high-mercury fish such as tuna, swordfish and shark
- Test your water. Filter FLUORIDE and LEAD from drinking water
- Read labels on household and garden products
- Keep all TOXIC PRODUCTS away from children
- Properly dispose light bulbs, batteries and chemicals safely
HEAVY METAL POISONING (also called HEAVY METAL TOXICITY) is now understood to be a CAUSE, or at least a contributing factor in persistent symptoms like extreme fatigue, cognitive decline, mood disturbances such as anxiety and depression and even chronic disease.
Unfortunately, in conventional medicine, HEAVY METAL TOXICITY is either poorly treated, misdiagnosed, or worst of all, totally undiagnosed.
TOXINS Poison the Brain and CAUSE Mental Illness
TOXINS are a major cause of psychiatric issues, but traditional psychiatrists almost completely ignore them.
According to psychiatrist, neuroscientist and brain health expert, Dr. Daniel Amen, author of The End of Mental Illness:
‘During my first decade as a psychiatrist, I ignored them too. But when I started our work with BRAIN IMAGING TECHNOLOGY, I quickly began to notice that the TOXIC patterns that were common in people who were ADDICTED to substances like alcohol or drugs could also be seen in people who were NOT substance abusers.’
Why did their brains look so bad then?
The answer:
TOXINS!
In his book, Dr. Amen helps readers determine their level of exposure to toxins. He introduces clients who had been suffering from ‘psychiatric’ symptoms for years before BRAIN IMAGING reveal that TOXIC exposure, NOT ‘mental illness’ was at the ROOT of their problems.
‘Eliminating exposure to the TOXINS and putting them on a program helped them heal their brain, regain control of their life, and start feeling like themselves again.’
This book relies on the latest neuroscience and leading-edge brain imaging to show that ‘mental health’ is really BRAIN health and that ‘mental illnesses’ are really ‘brain health issues’ that steal your mind. It shows how minimizing your biological, psychological, social and spiritual risk factors can help alleviate ‘psychiatric’ symptoms.
From Dr. Amen:
10 Ways TOXINS Poison the Brain and Contribute to Mental Illness
- Reduce cerebral blood flow, which on SPECT scans has been associated with depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADD/ADHD, and more. Low blood flow is the #1 BRAIN IMAGING PREDICTOR that a person will develop Alzheimer’s disease.
- Disrupt the ENDOCRINE system, interfering with hormone production and causing serious imbalances, and increasing the risk of depression, ANXIETY, and PANIC attacks.
- Impair the IMMUNE system, increasing your risk of autoimmune disorders and cancer, as well as anxiety, depression, and even psychosis.
- Disrupt the GUT microbiome, resulting in leaky gut and accompanying problems, such as mood and anxiety disorders, ADD/ADHD, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.
- Increase the risk of DIABETES and OBESITY, since as toxic load rises, so does risk. TOXINS are also called DIABESOGENS and OBESOGENS because they contribute to diabetes and obesity, which raise the risk of anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Damage DNA, which can accelerate the aging of the brain and lead to problems with mood, anxiety, irritability, temper, and irrational behavior, as well as memory.
- Impair ENZYME systems, which disrupts many biological processes, including the ability to produce energy and fight free radicals.
- Harm ORGANS, including the digestive tract, liver, kidneys, and brain. This damage reduces your detoxification system’s ability to do its job, creating an even greater buildup of toxins.
- Alter GENE expression, possibly turning on harmful gene variants and/or turning off beneficial ones.
- Damage cell membranes and communication between cells.
FINAL NOTE:
Dr. Dale Bredesen has coined the term ‘DEMENTOGENS’ to bring attention to agents that can contribute to an increased risk of DEMENTIA. The greatest concern is that the effects of these dementogens can aggregate and ACCUMULATE over time.
My Blood Work is Normal – But I Feel Lousy!
How Do I Know That I Have ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS?
Without testing it is difficult to know with certainty that your body has accumulated these poisons. It’s also difficult to diagnose since conventional medicine does not prioritize the FACT that they are a problem.
Fortunately, while most doctors IGNORE the role of these ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS, Functional Medicine providers do consider ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS that affect health and have ADVANCED TESTING that can uncover these HIDDEN factors of poor health.
If you would like to KNOW if you have ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICITY, (including but not limited to HEAVY METALS) an advanced yet simple test is a Urine Test. Excreting an elevated level of these substances is a sure sign of toxicity.
The best, most advanced lab that offers this quality testing is Vibrant America.
How Do You Get Rid of Heavy Metals from Your Body?
TOXIC exposure is inevitable.
So, if you can’t completely avoid it, what can you do?
The answer is…
You can make food, ADVANCED SUPPLEMENTATION/TECHNOLOGY and lifestyle choices in daily life that both MINIMIZE your exposure to them AND help your body remove them safely.
Ultimate KEY to REMOVING HEAVY METALS #1 –
Optimize DETOXIFICATION
Our bodies are designed to DETOXIFY from the outside TOXINS as well as from the inside TOXINS made within our bodies.
Our kidneys, liver GI tract, lungs and skin are part of this natural DETOXIFICATION SYSTEM that biochemically transforms a TOXIC substance so that it can be eliminated.
Normally, your immune system defends against the daily assault of all environmental chemicals, including HEAVY METAL TOXICITY, but ONLY WHEN it is working correctly and NOT being OVERWHELMED by the extremely high TOXIC BURDEN all around us.
INFLAMMATION blocks detoxification, too. So, for many of us that have CHRONIC inflammation, this interferes with our ability to self-heal.
Failure of your body’s natural ability to detoxify itself from toxins results in health issues.
Supporting the body’s ability to bind to and eliminate toxins is a key part of healing from environmental exposure.
So, you MUST support your body’s natural detoxification and drainage systems.
New, emerging technology, designed to help remove TOXINS and SUPPORTING DRAINAGE systems (your body’s NATURAL ability to eliminate poisons from itself) are necessary to successfully recover from this kind of toxicity.
Let’s examine this more closely…
How do I get rid of these toxins in my body?
Special agents that BIND toxins in the gut and other tissues so they can be more easily excreted are required.
An excellent, natural REMEDY for BINDING environmental toxins is called Carbon Technology
Made of specially-selected and precisely-formulated extracts of fulvic and humic acids, Carbon Technology uses these natural substances to tightly BIND toxins to help remove them from your body via stools.
The fulvic and humic acids in Carbon Technology have advantages to binders like activated charcoal and bentonite clay, two common binders, discussed below.
One big advantage is that Carbon Technology can travel beyond the gut.
Also, fulvic and humic acid extracts are a good source of nutrition, including amino acids, phytochemicals and minerals. This is good since cells damaged by pesticides and environmental chemicals NEED TO SELF-REPAIR.
Clear out OTHER PATHOGENS
Because many ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS can weaken your immune system, OTHER things like chronic infections — such as PARASITES AND VIRUSES — may more easily take hold in your body.
It becomes a vicious cycle because then these PARASITES make the body more vulnerable to HEAVY METAL toxicity, for example.
Either way, removing unwanted PARASITES from the body helps reduce the STRESS on the immune system.
There Is Hope
In conclusion, ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICITY is difficult to avoid completely and impacts many disorders, including heart disease, obesity, autoimmune disorders and even BRAIN OR NEUROLOGICAL problems.
So, if you’ve ever asked “What is my doctor missing?” and suspect that TOXICITY may be a part of YOUR persistent, unresolved health challenges, do NOT give up.
This is where ADVANCED SUPPLEMENTATION can be helpful.
It’s important to work with an experienced practitioner who can recommend the right supplements designed to remove these toxins directly.
The good news is that there are doctors with specialized knowledge who are ready with a science-backed action plan to DETECT AND CORRECT TOXICITY.
Addressing this will take you from TOXICITY to PURITY, and allow you to get back to looking, feeling and functioning at your best.
Dr. Bob was born and raised in Florham Park, New Jersey.
He loved the philosophy of vitalism, which teaches about the incredible, innate intelligence of our bodies and its power to self-heal when given the opportunity.
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