Why We Should All Consider Testing for Heavy Metals

Something I’m sure most people fail to consider in terms of their health is the level of heavy metals in their body.  While we may have heard that eating too much fish (especially large fish, like tuna—I’m lookin at you sushi lovers) can spike our mercury levels, it’s likely we haven’t given any thought to lead, arsenic, cadmium, thallium, or any of the other heavy metals that unfortunately lurk in many unexpected sources.  In fact, many people walk around their daily lives with acute cases of heavy metal poisoning with symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and digestive issues, totally unaware of the cause.  And metals bioaccumulate in the body, meaning that a past exposure can stick with you if you haven’t successfully eliminated it through detoxification, and can be built upon with further exposures.  Ultimately, this can lead to a whole host of issues, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and other forms of dementia.   Check out this very comprehensive study published last year by the National Center for Biotechnology Information discussing the link between dementia and heavy metals.

I’ve been aware of the link between excessive fish consumption and mercury for a while (because, like us, fish bioaccumulate heavy metals, and the bigger the fish the more bioaccumulation), and also that paints used to contain lead, so we shouldn’t let our kids gnaw on the wall.  But I was really shocked to learn about other sources of heavy metals that I would never have suspected.  For example, most dishware (especially the colorful kind, and elegant crystal) contains at least some lead (due to the glazing process)—it’s actually difficult to find dishware the does not.  Here is a really informative article about lead in dishware and even a recommendation for testing your own dishware with a handy little swabber.  Air pollution is another primary source of pollutants like cadmium, lead and mercury.  And unfiltered water, as well as many foods (even some of my favorites!), are another common source of heavy metal contamination.  Brown rice (even organic) has surprisingly high levels of arsenic if grown in areas with contaminated ground water.  And kale, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables are amazing at detoxifying, but this means they’re also very effective at detoxifying the soils in which they grow, soaking up any contamination, which can include metals like thallium.  In particular, where fracking occurs (drilling into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed into the rock to release gas, which can poison groundwater and soil), the surrounding soil can be full of heavy metals and other contaminants, which can be absorbed by crops.  This is a particular issue in many places in California, particularly near Kern county (Bakersfield), where fracking is abundant.  So if we’re getting contaminated produce (even if it’s organic), our levels of thallium in particular may be elevated.  That said, there have been no real studies on this topic, and the connection to any symptoms so far is only correlative, so experts still recommend getting plenty of leafy greens, whose benefits far outweigh any potential detriment.  If you love kale like I do, these articles will reassure you:  Everyone’s Got The Kale Poisoning ‘Study’ All Wrong, and Is Kale a Killer?.

So, what can we do?

Thankfully, quite a bit.  Here are some simple measures:

1.  Use filtered water, whether it’s from your fridge, or you purchase a water filtration system for your drinking water.  You can also purchase water testing strips to understand your baseline level of contamination and to ensure your filtration system is effective.  And note that bottled water is not the answer.  Not only is it horrific for the planet, but we should also be avoiding consuming water that has been marinating in plastic.

2.  Purify your air.  There are so many air purifier options out there, and it does not have to be expensive.  Particularly for us Californians, this is essential during fire season anyway.  A company called IQAir even carries air purifiers for your car!

3.  Get new dishware!  If you have old and/or chipping dishware, it may be time for an upgrade (I’m talking to myself here).  Not only do they likely contain more lead than newer brands, but the scratching and chipping releases lead into whatever is in or on the plate or bowl.  Those hand-me-downs from grandma may be good for their sentimental value, but not for eating.  Leaded crystal is especially problematic, as well as colorfully-glazed ceramic-ware.  But even regular old white Pottery Barn plates can be an issue, so test your plates (link above), and avoid microwaving your foods on your ceramic dishware.

4.  Know where you’re buying your produce from, to the extent you can, and use clean water for cooking.  This Healthline article discusses arsenic in brown rice and how to choose and cook brown rice to eliminate more than half of any arsenic content.  And as for cruciferous veggies, consider growing some of your own in clean soil, and/or knowing where your grocery store sources its veggies.  But don’t stop eating them!

5.  Sweat, rinse, repeat.  Exercise and use of a sauna are amazing ways to naturally and regularly detoxify your body.  And stop wearing anti-perspirant, not only because it stops you from sweating in the first place, but because it does so through the use of aluminum! (You can still wear a natural deodorant—we would all appreciate that).

6.  Dry brushing.  See my prior post about dry brushing to learn about its stimulation of the lymphatic system, which is an essential detox pathway for our bodies.

7.  Incorporate detoxification supplements like chlorophyll or chlorella (prior post all about chlorella here) into your routine (I love this one from Sakara).  There is also a recipe for a “heavy metal detox” smoothie that I learned recently from a podcast by Dr. Judy Hinojosa, which consists of frozen mango, bluebrries, acai, cilantro, spirulina, chlorella, barley grass powder, and Atlantic dulse (a seaweed varietal).  Check out some of her other favorite detox recipes here.  

8.  Use clean products.  Ladies, we, especially, use a lot of beauty products, which can contain all sorts of crazy ingredients, most of which we don’t give a second thought.  But the products we use on our bodies day in and day out affect us.  So use sources like the Clean Label Project, and the Environmental Working Group (which is also an app) to research your products and make cleaner choices.

Also, and importantly, take your health into your own hands.  Most of us see our primary doctors for 10-15 minutes a year at our annual physical.  Our “healthcare” system is actually a “disease-care” system that focuses only on treating symptoms once they arise instead of treating people to prevent disease in the first instance.  So be proactive and consider asking your doctor (or a functional medicine doctor if your primary isn’t cooperative) for a heavy-metals panel to test you for the full range of metals.  And my understanding is the most accurate kind of test isn’t a blood test or hair sample, but a two-step urine test in which you take an initial urine sample, followed by a chelator (an agent that extracts metals from the body), and then a second urine test.  The first urine sample will indicate any current exposures to metals, and the second will show the total level of bioaccumulated metals your body is harboring (it includes past levels of exposure).  If you do show high levels of any metal, you can engage in a detox program under your doctor’s guidance, which can include the easy measures I listed above, or, for extreme cases, a chelation protocol, which involves taking a chelator to extract metals from your body over a period of time.  In fact, even absent knowledge about your levels of metals, it’s probably a good idea to make sure your day-to-day detoxing is on point! 

In today’s world of growing pollution and contamination seemingly coming from all angles, it’s prudent to know what’s going on inside your body.  And who knows, maybe addressing heavy metals will help you solve the mystery of that nagging brain fog or fatigue that we tend to blame on parenthood or age, but is really our body sending us an SOS. 

Knowledge is power, people!