Heavy metal toxicity is a problem that occurs in many health conditions and diagnoses. Metals such as mercury, lead and aluminum are known neurotoxins.

Heavy metal toxicity can cause everything from joint pain, brain fog,  fatigue and memory loss to inability to focus or concentrate. It’s important to detox heavy metals to improve your health.

Heavy Metal Toxicity is involved in many diseases

As well as autism and Lyme Disease heavy metal toxicity has been implicated in fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s Disease, and any illness with neurological involvement.  Assessing heavy metal load and detoxing high levels is one of the best things you can do if you want to recover from any health problem and before trying for a baby.

I would bet that many people who have not got any official diagnosis have high levels of heavy metals in their bodies that may be affecting their neurological function.  With the pollution surrounding us today, heavy metals are a part of the environment that we cannot escape.

Sources of Heavy Metals

There are a few key sources of heavy metals in the body.  Mercury has come through vaccines (via thimerisol which is used as a preservative), amalgam fillings (which leech significant amounts into the body for many years) and through the air (coal-burning power plants produce high levels of mercury).

As mercury is pumped into the oceans as industrial waste, fish are contaminated, and that is another significant source.  A naturopathic doctor recently revealed that after eating quite a bit of seafood for one year, her mercury levels jumped up from 0.9 in to a scary 37 . The so called “normal” level is less than 4.  Mercury is a poison at any level!

Lead is the other heavy metal that is often elevated.  In the past there was lead in gas (petrol) paints, pipes and so on.  Even though many of those sources have been eradicated today, high lead levels still persist in the environment.

The drinking water in San Diego, California, was once sent off for evaluation and was reported to be high in lead, so tap water might be one possible source.  Older homes might still have lead-based paint and pipes, another potential source.  Our food, water and air are not quite what they used to be.

Testing methods

Fortunately, there are good testing methods that can be used to assess the damage, and good protocols to remedy it.  One test is a challenge or provoked urine test.  We know that metals don’t stay in the blood stream for very long, so a regular blood test won’t give useful information unless there has been a very recent exposure.

Hair tests are another method but can be difficult to interpret. If your result is low it could simply mean that are not a good excretor of mercury. On the other hand high mercury could mean either you have high levels or that you were excreting it. So hair is not really a very good indicator.

The provoked urine test involves taking sample of urine before and after taking a set dose of a heavy metal chelator (an agent that helps to bind and excrete metals from the body). Urine is  collected for a defined period of time afterwards.  Some doctors say take a sample exactly 2 hours afterwards but others prefer you to collect the urine for 6  – 24 hours and send a small sample to the laboratory.

Toxic Metal Chelators

DMSA is one chelator used for this and liquid zeolite is another. The more heavy metal you have in your body the more the chelator pulls out. So although the result won’t tell you exactly how much you have in your body it will give a good indication if you have more than you should.
You can repeat the same test every two ro three months or so during treatment to make sure levels are steadily coming down.

There are various substances that can be used to help to detox the heavy metal toxicity. DMSA and EDTA are two that are widely used. DMSA seems to be more effective for mercury than lead.

The problem with DMSA is that it can also chelate minerals so you have to make sure you take extra minerals on days that the DMSA is not taken.  EDTA suppositories can be used where lead seems to be more of a problem. Again, minerals have to be given on the days the
suppositories are not used.

Heavy Metal Detox

A third option is to use HMD. It is a more gentle remedy for highly sensitive individuals and those with chronic illnesses such as Lyme disease. HMD is a natural, oral, heavy metal chelator backed by a 3 year placebo-controlled study with 350 people.

Many trials with HMD showed conclusively that it effectively eliminates all metals including Aluminium, Antimony, Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Thallium and Uranium without removing the good, essential minerals from the body.

HMD consists of Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF), Coriandrum sativum, better known as cilantro, and Homeopathic Cell-Decimated Chlorella.

Before starting any heavy metal detox program its vitally important to make sure that your detox routes, the liver, kidneys, bowels, lymphatic system, and skin are all functioning well. This is very important, otherwise you could be overwhelmed with toxins if they are mobilized but not able to be eliminated.

I believe that it is very important get tested for heavy metal toxicity and detox heavy metals if you are trying to recover from any condition or simply want to improve your health.

You can find out more about HMD here:  Heavy Metal Detox

There has been a lot of interest in the mineral iodine recently due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. People are snapping up potassium iodide and other iodine supplements to protect against radioactive Iodine -131. But many of them probably don’t know that they may have an iodine detox.

Iodine is increasingly being used by doctors and other health practitioners to detox mercury, lead, other heavy metals, bromine and fluoride.

Iodine & Thyroid Hormone

Iodine in the form of iodide is essential for the manufacture of the important thyroid hormone, thyroxine, which is vital for metabolism. It governs the speed of all your body’s activities and without it you could not function.

At one time iodine was considered to be the universal nutrient and in the early 19th Century doctors used it as a cure for just about everything. When scientists discovered that iodine was essential for thyroid function iodised salt was introduced in America and Europe to reduce goitre which was prevalent in some areas where it was lacking in the soil.  Iodine was also added to bread.

The use of iodine by doctors fell out of fashion in 1948 when 2 scientists published a paper that suggested that high doses of iodine in rats could cause hypothyroid. Although it was never proven that it could be applied to humans doctors developed a fear of using iodine.

New iodine research

Thanks to more recent research of others like Dr Guy Abraham, Dr David Brownstein, Dr Jorge Flechas, Dr Donald Miller and Dr David Derry there is renewed interest in it. These doctors are using iodine to treat fibrocystic breast disease, breast cancer,  fibromyalgia, and thyroid problems.

Where does iodine come from?

Iodine is found in sea water and the soil. The highest sources of iodine are in wild fish and seaweed. The Japanese are noted for their high levels of iodine and lack of thyroid problems as they eat a lot of fish and seaweed and food that is grown in soil rich in iodine.

If you eat food grown in soil where iodine is deficient or eat refined food where the iodine has been removed it is easy to become deficient in this essential mineral. As people have become more aware of the dangers of too much salt in the diet the use of iodized salt has reduced.

Environmental toxins increase need for iodine

Another reason that iodine levels in people have fallen is because environmental toxins such as bromide, fluoride and chlorine can prevent it’s absorption and binding to cells. They displace iodine and increase the need for it.

Bromine, Chloride & Fluoride

Bromide is found in flame retardants used on many fabrics, carpets, new cars, pesticides, drugs and is used a lot in baked products and processed foods. For some reason about 40 years ago the food industry decided to remove iodine from baked goods and replace the iodine with bromine

Chlorine is found in water as well as toxic compounds like PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls). Fluoride is frequently added to toothpaste, water and is found in some drugs such as Prozac and SSRI’s. All can be very toxic but are added to our food and water.

Iodine detox

When you take iodine you could get detoxification reactions as it begins to aid the detox of mercury, bromide and fluoride. Dr Brownstein recommends taking Vitamin C and magnesium supplements to lessen detox symptoms.

According to Brownstein low-salt diets will  worsen the toxicity of bromide. He recommends taking Celtic Sea Salt or Redmond’s Salt to help with the detox of this toxin from the kidneys.

Dr Abraham has stated that different tissues need different types of iodine. Lugol’s iodine, Iodoral and Iodizyme combines the two forms. Lugol’s Iodine was used by the late Dr Max Gerson as part of his detoxification therapy for cancer and other serious diseases.

How much iodine do we need?

The RDA for iodine is 150  micrograms (µg ) although many health professionals believe that this is 100 times too low. Dr Donald Miller says consuming an average of 240 micrograms (µg) of iodine a day, most Americans have an insufficient amount of iodine stored in their bodies.  It is half the amount consumed 30 years ago.

The  Japanese consume more than 12,000 µg (13.8 milligrams) a day and are considered to be one of the healthiest nations in the world. Dr David Derry states “An adequate dose of iodine can be defined as more than 4 mg per day.”

According to Miller a person needs to take 50 mg of iodine a day for 3 months, or 12.5 mg a day for 1 year, and continue that dose, in order to achieve whole body sufficiency of iodine.

At these doses you could experience increased energy, a sense of well-being, and lifting of brain fog. You will feel warmer in cold climates, need less sleep, have regular bowel movements, improved skin complexion, better hormone balance, a strengthened immune system, and a reduced risk of cancer.

Iodine detox therapy helps the body eliminate fluoride, bromine, lead, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum and mercury. If you take iodine it’s best to start on a low dose (half a Iodoral tablet) and work up to a higher dose.

With everyone concerned about the effects of radiation from the Japanese nuclear reactors disaster I thought that a few tips about radiation detox would be a good idea. I have already written a short article on my Facebook fan page but here is an excellent article from Dr Caroline Dean, MD, ND that she has given me permission to reprint here:

Radiation Therapies

I’m being deluged with emails asking if I would recommend potassium iodide to protect us from radiation that is slowly encircling the world from the damaged nuclear reactors in Japan. Most of my clients are already taking potassium iodine in the form of Iodorol, so they would just increase their dose for the next two weeks. However, iodine only protects the thyroid. What about the rest of the body?

At risk of sounding simplistic, this is why I’ve been recommending clay! I’ve been looking into ways of treating radiation poisoning because of the incredible amounts of depleted uranium in the Middle East. So, naturally, we’re bringing clay to Dubai. Therefore, clay becomes a natural treatment for the possible radiation that may fall on us.

You may also adopt the philosophy that the sky may fall but it won’t fall on me. However, to even out your odds you can start using clay. I’m sitting with my feet and lower legs in a bucket of ½ cup of clay (blended in water) and magnesium flakes. I use and recommend LL’s Magnetic Clay.

On the LL’s site you can find a specific Radiation Detox formula chock full of herbs including an herbal source of iodine and activated charcoal. The hot water in your bath opens up your pores to release toxins that bind to the clay but it also allows absorption of healing herbs. There are several good articles on detoxification and radiation on the LL’s site that I found very useful.

Another product that I recommend for heavy metal detox is called HMD-Heavy Metal Detox, a product that removes uranium as well as many other heavy metals.

Activated charcoal taken orally can also help neutralize radiation as well as other poisons.

Thyme tea, rosemary tea, miso soup and seaweeds are good anti-radiation measures that you can also take. Remember, the survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the “seaweed eaters.”

And don’t forget about magnesium. It detoxifies everything. You can take it orally and also as magnesium oil in your baths. Look under Resources to see the type of magnesium I advise.

How do you choose what treatments and products to use? It really is up to you. Just read through the list and see which ones resonate with you and start playing with them.

It is known that if you have mercury fillings or eat a lot of fish the level of mercury in your body will increase with age. Mercury is a very powerful neurotoxin – a substance that causes damage to a nerve cell or nerve tissue. So, in this article we will look at ways to use food for the natural detox of mercury from your body.

Although life expectancy has increased over the past 50 years, the quality of life is not always good. Mental decline is now considered to be the norm when we age.

Is mercury to blame for mental decline?

Numerous studies have identified that symptoms of mercury toxicity can include mental confusion, short term memory loss, brain fog, depression, anxiety, disorders of speech, and neuro degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s .

It is perfectly reasonable to conclude that mental decline could be related to mercury toxicity. Mercury has an affinity for brain tissue and is implicated in brain tumors and dementia

We are exposed to many toxins on a daily basis that get into our bodies and interfere with our health.  Mercury and lead just add to the burden.

Food is medicine and can be used as a natural detox of mercury.  Here is a guide that will help you reduce the levels of mercury in your body and reduce your intake of it.

To help boost the liver detox pathways that remove mercury:

1. Eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Eat a variety of colors to increase your range of of antioxidants.

2. Choose plenty of cuciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnip and swede. They increase the activity of the Phase II detox system that detoxifies mercury.

3. Eat onions and garlic regularly. They contain compounds of sulfur which help to increase the sulfation detox pathway in the liver.

4. Eat plenty of seeds and nuts as they are rich in selenium which binds mercury and inactivates it,

5. Eat plenty of foods that contain soluble fiber – whole grains, flax seeds. Fiber binds toxins and helps to take them out of the body.

6. Use liberal amounts of cilantro (fresh coriander) to your food as it helps to detox mercury.

7. Avoid refined sugars which may drive mercury into cells. Eat fresh fruit instead.

8. Drink plenty of pure water and green tea.

Reduce the load on your liver to allow detoxification of mercury:

1. Avoid products containing hydrogenated and trans fats. Found in some margarines, cookies (biscuits), baked goods, snacks, fries (chips), fried food.  Reduce intake of saturated fat in sausages, burgers, fatty meat.

Eat more good fats from olive oil, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, avocados.

2. Avoid foods that contain artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.

3. Avoid drinking a lot of coffee.

4. Drink less alcohol. It inhibits the detox pathways.

5. Stop smoking and avoid smoky places.

6. Avoid polluted areas as much as possible

To reduce your intake of mercury:

1 Eat organic produce where ever possible.

2. Avoid eating high mercury fish such as tuna, swordfish, tilefish. Herrings and sardines probably contain the least.

Check for mercury in fish at www.gotmercury.org

Some people are better detoxifiers of mercury than others and if you do not have good detox capacity for mercury then you may need to add some supplements that help remove mercury.

HMD (Heavy Metal Detox) is 100 % natural and is the world’s most scientifically tested heavy metal detox supplement.

See these posts for more  information about how to detox mercury:

How to detox with Chlorella

How to detox mercury with Liquid Zeolite

Detox mercury if you want to cure candida.

You can also watch the smoking teeth video on that page!

Research has shown Chlorella to be extraordinarily effective in helping to eliminate toxins, heavy metals, and radiation from the body. Nadia, Brydon, Medical Herbalist and Raw Food Educator uses Chlorella extensively in her work.  In this interview she shares a wealth of information about how to detox with chlorella.

Q1 You recently gave a talk about Chlorella. Can you tell us how you came to be so interested in it?

I first began to learn the importance of all green foods when studying in the USA at the Hippocrates Institute about 8 years ago.  The Institute in their wisdom always puts every single patient on Chlorella because it’s the ultimate green food.

It has incredible detoxifying, micronutrient, immune boosting and healing qualities and I saw at the Institute firsthand how for hundreds of people it just seemed to not only give incredible energy but was a real miracle food, healing so many people.

It seemed to balance every organ particularly the digestive system and the bowels and helped people with all sorts of serious conditions, such as skin and joint diseases, people with cancers of all sorts as well as all digestive problems.  In fact everything!  It’s the greatest  healer and detoxifier of all foods on the planet.  No question.  From that day to this I have hardly missed a day without taking my Chlorella and it keeps me really healthy.

Q2. I know that you recovered from chronic ill health with complementary medicine.  How big a part did Chlorella play in your recovery?

Gosh that was over 25 years ago! At that time I was put on Chlorella as part of the protocol by my complementary practitioner but in those days I had no idea of the importance.  I just did as I was advised and got better without actually realising at the time how big a part Chlorella played.

I spent many years after my recovery training to be a complementary practitioner in many disciplines such as Acupuncture and Western and Chinese Herbal Medicine but it was only when I went to the Hippocrates Institute 8 years ago that I fully realised how instrumental to my healing
the Chlorella had been.  Since then I put every single one of my patients on Chlorella with FANTASTIC results.

Q3. You say that the latest research shows that chlorella is extraordinarily effective for eliminating heavy metals, dioxins, pesticides and radiation from the body. Can you tell us a bit more about why it’s important to eliminate dioxins?

Toxins create free radicals which cause disease and speeds up the aging process.  Also toxins affect the DNA and the body’s ability to not only remain healthy and regenerate but toxins play a part in many diseases as well as blocking the uptake of micro nutrients that our body needs for health.

Exciting studies have shown that if pregnant and breast feeding women take Chlorella it reduces the amount of toxins that are in the mother  from reaching the baby either through the placenta or the breast milk.  This is extraordinary as this gives a baby the very best start in life protecting it
from all manner of environmental poisons especially as a baby’s immune system is still forming and babies need as much protection as we can give them.

Heavy metals are also implicated in diseases particularly of the nervous system so it is very important to eliminate as many toxins as possible.  Also we are bombarded on a daily basis by cancer causing radiation from mobile phones and flying to cancer treatments and Chlorella has been shown to be extremely protective for our bodies.

Q4. What is the best way to eliminate dioxins and pesticides with chlorella?

Chlorella should be started initially in small doses for the first three days.  Personally I like to use the Sun Chlorella brand and with this brand you start off with 5 tablets a day and after 3 days you take 10 tablets, then after another 3 days 15 tablets and so on depending on the reasons for
taking it.

If you are taking chlorella for maintenance then 15 tablets a day is ideal however, if you are trying to detoxify from heavy metals then you need to take substantially higher doses for a short period of time and then drop back to the 15 a day maintenance when it has done its job.  It is best to see a nutritionist who can help determine the doses needed for individuals who need guidance on high doses, however being a food it is extremely safe in large doses.

Q5.When you say it can help with radiation do you mean you can use it if someone has to have radiation therapy for cancer?

Yes.  It helps protect the rest of the body from the negative and side effects of radiation.   One particular side effect of radiotherapy treatment is extremely low energy and Chlorella can really help to keep energy reserves up possibly because it is so rich in natural micro nutrients.

It is very tiring having radiotherapy every single day and even the journey each day can be too tiring for some so Chlorella just gives that extra boost to get through the treatment.  The best thing about Chlorella is that it is a vegetable rich in micronutrients so is simply a food rather than a supplement.

Q6 Would you use it during radiation or afterwards and how long for?

I suggest people take it before, during and after radiotherapy.  When taken before it helps to build the strength up, during it helps to maintain strength and helps support the body against side effects and it’s wonderful for the recovery process.  Chlorella is always best used for at least 3 months if not 6 months for even better results.

Essentially Chlorella is a store house of micro nutrients such as Beta Carotene, Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin D, B12, Vitamin E, C, B1, B2, B6, Niacin, Biotin, Pathothenic acid, fatty acids, Nucleic and amino acids and helps particularly when part of a healthy diet rich in fresh foods especially
vegetables.

Chlorella is simply a dried fresh water vegetable itself and is so safe and gentle and helps to ensure against deficiency in these micro nutrients in the diet and helps the body heal itself.

Another interesting fact about Chlorella is that it contains a unique benefit called CHLORELLA GROWTH FACTOR also known as CGF.  This is a combination of amino acids and nucleic acids that has been found to regenerate healthy cells at the DNA level.

With this in mind I am very keen to help people going through treatment to grow healthy tissue and cells.  This is another reason why I believe that Chlorella is essential before, during and following Radio Therapy.

Q7.There are many products on the market that help detoxify mercury. Where would you rate chlorella among them and is there any brand that you would particularly recommend?

I firmly believe that Chlorella is the number one detoxifier of mercury. So much research over the years has shown the amazing ability of this plant to bind to mercury and take it out of the body.  Of all the brands I have no hesitation in  recommending Sun Chlorella.  ( USA Sun Chlorella). It has been the number one Chlorella company in Japan for 40 years and that really says a lot to me.

There are 35 major Chlorella companies in Japan and Sun Chlorella has remained in pole position all these years and if the Japanese rate it that highly, so will I!.  In all its 40 years Sun Chlorella has never once had a quality control issue because they are so stringent with the product control
from growing it, to the harvesting, drying, packing combined with how much time and money they reinvest back into research.  This speaks volumes to me.

Also they pioneered a unique process that pulverises the cell wall so that the 60% of the Chlorella is absorbed within the first hour compared to 25% of some other Chlorella’s.  This pulverising process does not use chemicals or heat but simply puts the plant cells under immense pressure pulverising it without losing any potency at all so the Chlorella is not changed
and retains its full micronutrient content..

Also Sun Chlorella grows the Chlorella in pristine wilderness only in virgin mountain water that has been extracted from acquafers deep underground.  And they grow it naturally outside in the sun shine whereas some other chorella companies use poly tunnels and to my mind this surely affects the potency and the micro nutrient content.

But the best test of all is that I get so many people and patients saying to me that they tried other Chlorella’s and nothing changed but when they used Sun Chlorella they really noticed the difference.  And as a practitioner I really want results with my patients and I am always sure of getting it with Sun Chlorella.

Q7. What sort of side effects are you likely to get and is there anything you can do to prevent them.

Because Sun Chlorella is able to detoxify so efficiently if one takes too many tablets to start with then the detoxification process might be too rapid which might cause detoxifying reactions such as a few spots so in order to minimise this it is recommended to start taking just 5 a day for  the
first 3 days to allow the body to acclimatise to having the increased micronutrients and detoxification process begin.

After three days on 5 tablets increase to 10 tablets for the same reason and then after another 3 days to increase to 15 tablets a day.  One can go on doing this up to about 40 tablets a day or even more if needed.  They can be taken all at once or in split doses throughout the day.

The best time of day to start is before breakfast as Chlorella helps to balance blood sugar levels right at the start of the day and gives great energy to begin the day.  It is low calorie, and protein rich and is the best way to start the day.  They can be taken with water, chewed or added to smoothies.  It is very easy to blend them as they easily crumble into juices or smoothies.

They can easily be powdered too between 2 spoons or crushed between paper ie grease proof paper.

Q8. Bowel cleansing is an important subject. How would you recommend using chlorella for bowel cleansing?

Bowel cleansing regimes are many and varied but a gentle way to really help cleanse and clean and move the bowels on a daily basis is to add the Sun Chlorella tablets to a smoothie.  Here are two lovely bowel cleansing smoothie recipes: I would definitely recommend having either of these
smoothies before breakfast or as breakfast each and every day.  Absolutely great for bowel cleansing and keeping the bowels healthy as well as giving great energy for each day.

Gorgeous Savoury Green Smoothie

Pure rocket fuel!  Will keep you bouncing all day and feeling squeaky clean inside and out!

Serving: 1-2

In a blender or smoothie maker add 1-2 cups of spring water then:

½ Chopped cucumber (with skin and pips)
¼ to ½ Avocado (without skin!)
1 clove of garlic (optional)
8 fresh basil leaves
2 sprigs of parsley
Juice from ½ lemon or lime
¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
Fresh ground black pepper
15 tablets of Sun Chlorella “A”

Blend until smooth

You can experiment with other chlorophyll rich fresh greens such as sprouts (alfalfa, mung bean) young corgettes, celery, spinach, fresh coriander etc.

Sun Chlorella Smoothie

(creamy and delicious full of Vitamins and minerals especially vitamin C, omega 3, B12, folic acid, potassium, calcium and magnesium)

Serving: 1-2

15 tablets of Sun Chlorella “A”
½ cup of spring water
½ banana (peeled)
½ avocado (peeled)
½ apple (with skin)
1 kiwi (peeled)
a touch of raspberry or strawberry

Chop all ingredients into small pieces and put them in the blender and blend until smooth!
Pour into a glass and decorate with raspberry or strawberry and fresh sprig of mint.
Serve cold.  Drink as is or eat with spoon

Q9.There are some people who don’t tolerate Chlorella well because of an enzyme problem. Is there anything they can do to overcome this?

For anyone who has an enzyme problem then taking vegetable based digestive enzymes would be the answer.  Also taking the Sun Chlorella in a smoothie which is rich in digestive enzymes would help to the toleration factor.

Q10. You are the Senior Therapist at Breast Cancer Haven in London. Can you tell us a bit about your work there and how chlorella fits in?

I have worked at Breast Cancer Haven which is based in Fulham Broadway for 9 years.  I joined one year after BCH first opened.  I am absolutely dedicated to my job there where we support women (and men as they can get breast cancer too) who are going through or who have had breast cancer at any time in their lives.

We offer counseling, nutrition advice, complementary therapies such as Reflexology, Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy etc as well as a comprehensive programme of classes, workshops and seminars.  We provide a free one day workshop where we show relaxation techniques, teach about nutrition and environmental factors as well as stress management and meditation.

Prince Charles is our Patron and is very supportive of our work.  The Countess of Wessex is also involved taking an active role in our work.  My own particular role includes see the ladies for their first consultation where we discuss their particular needs and concerns and putting together a programme of therapies that addresses their individual requirements.

I personally give treatments as well such as Acupuncture, Manual Lymph Drainage Massage, Aromatherapy, sometimes group ear Acupuncture as well as running workshops showing people how to make juices and smoothies.

Many of the classes, workshops and seminars, such as my juicing class is open to all members of the public.  With regards to Chlorella I show people how to include Chlorella in their diet, in juices and smoothies in my classes as well as talking to people on an individual level about the benefits.

Thank you Nadia you have given us a wealth on information about how to deox with Chlorella.

Guest Post

Mercury is uniquely both a heavy metal and a liquid at room temperature. Only three other elements are liquids at room temperature. Its atomic number is 80. Other metals near it on the Periodic Chart include silver, gold, cadmium, and lead. Gold is the only one of these that is more dense. Being both a metal and liquid had made it both useful and harmful. The usefulness has been known for centuries. The harm we are only beginning to learn.

Mercury has been around for a long time. It was known in ancient China and India and was found in Egyptian tombs built 3500 years ago. Mercury metal is extracted from cinnabar, or mercury sulfide. Cinnabar is mined mostly in Texas, California, Spain and Italy. The metal has been used for years in thermometers, sphygmomanometers, and barometers because it responds to temperature and pressure changes uniformly and because 13 times less mercury is needed in the measuring column than if it contained water. The down side of this is that mercury, mercury vapor, and all soluble salts of mercury are extreme poisons.

In spire of its poisonous nature, mercury has been used in a wide variety of ways. Street lights with a blue tinge are generally mercury vapor lights. Vermillion, which is really mercury sulfide, is used as a ship paint to reduce the problem of barnacles. Mercury has also been used in fluorescent lights. If they are broken indoors, the powder coming out contains enough poisonous mercury vapor to be a health risk. Mercury is also used in dental amalgams and some cosmetics though some claim no health risk has ever been proven. When the author growing up, it was common to paint mercurochrome on a wound with a glass rod to keep the wound from being infected. Today it is outlawed.

Researched has heightened awareness of the far reaching negative effects of heavy metals on health. The fact is, mercury, lead, cadmium and other heavy metals are not needed by the body. Indeed, their presence is nearly always negative. We ingest them in a variety of ways. The abundant use of mercury in the past has now poisoned water, land, and seas. Today mercury poisoning in tuna and swordfish is a serious health risk and must be monitored continually.

A few products that use mercury are listed here, each one posing a threat to cause mercury poisoning: air conditioner filters, battery manufacturing, burning newspapers and building materials, cosmetics, fabric softeners, fungicides, industrial waste, lumber, paints, photoengraving, psoriasis ointment, sewage disposal, suppositories, and wood preservatives.

These are a few of the effects of mercury poisoning on the body: allergy, anxiety, cataracts, depression, dizziness, emotional disturbances, fatigue, kidney damage, pain in limbs, suicidal tendencies, and others. These heavy metals can actually damage DNA increasing the risk of cancer.

Symptoms like those above often include sensory impairment such as vision, hearing, or speech problems, lack of coordination, and disturbed sensation. The type of symptom and the degree of the problem will depend on the individual, the metal causing the poisoning, and the duration of the exposure.

The sheer number of products that have used mercury in the past means it is in most every landfill in the country. From there, mercury can leach into the soil and end up in produce or in the water system. Most city water systems will remove it but if you use well water in cooking or drinking, you might be in danger of mercury poisoning.

This article is not designed to frighten you but to alert you to possible danger of mercury poisoning. We can’t do anything about landfill leaching into our present water sources. Neither can we do anything about decreasing the number of products using mercury in some form. But we can do whatever possible to make our drinking water safe.  If you have any doubts about your water, it is best to filter it before drinking or cooking with it. An activated charcoal filter for example promises to remove up to 95% of any mercury or other heavy metals in the water. It does this through its ability to adsorb the toxins. The investment in a good water filter will not only be worth the money, but will give the added benefit of bringing you peace of mind.

Many practitioners and holistic doctors believe that the deeper underlying cause of Candida overgrowth is due to mercury toxicity. If you suspect you have a Candida problem or have been diagnosed with Candida overgrowth then it’s better to consider mercury toxicity now rather than later after you have tried everything else to get better and failed.

Mercury Toxicity

Mercury is a substance that has no known function in the body and is the most toxic of the heavy metals. Its presence can contribute to a huge range of symptoms that could even be mistaken for symptoms of Candida overgrowth.

The kidneys, intestines and nervous system are most sensitive to damage by mercury but it can lodge in the brain and many other tissues weakening the immune system. Mercury can alter the balance of the intestinal flora which together with a weakened immune system can lead to intestinal Candida overgrowth.

We are today exposed to the highest levels of toxic metals in recorded history. Over the last 50 years, mercury toxicity has risen due to its use in industry and agriculture and in “silver” amalgam dental fillings. It accumulates in fish, especially oily fish, and people who eat a high fish diet often have high levels of mercury. You can find out the levels of mercury in fish at this site: http://www.gotmercury.org

It is thought that mercury vapor and particles escape from fillings while chewing or when heated by food and drink. As fillings deteriorate mercury and other metals leak out of fillings and are swallowed and absorbed into your blood stream and are deposited in your organs.

Is Candida overgrowth a defense mechanism?

Some doctors have proposed that Candida overgrowth develops as a defense mechanism as the body struggles to cope with mercury and other heavy metals. It is well known from nature that fungi are able to bond with heavy metals.

When mercury and other heavy metals are in the body, the cell walls of Candida bind to mercury and other heavy metals and prevent it from entering the blood stream. It acts like a sponge soaking up the mercury.

There does not appear to be any published research on this relationship between Candida overgrowth and mercury toxicity but that may be due to the fact that orthodox medicine does not acknowledge that intestinal Candida exists nor that dental mercury amalgam is dangerous.

In spite of this many dentists are now replacing amalgam fillings with safer alternatives. If you decide to have your silver filling replaced you should find a holistic dentist who recommends a detox protocol both before and after removal of fillings and takes the proper precautions to prevent mercury being released into your system during removal. Even if the fillings are removed, the mercury is still in your body causing havoc at a cellular level.

Candida yeast, and bacteria can convert the inorganic mercury to methyl mercury which is 100 times more toxic. Some practitioners believe that the die off reaction (Herxheimer reaction) that occurs when Candida is killed off is caused by mercury being released back into your system.

Dr. Rau, medical director of the renowned  Paracelsus Clinic in Switzerland, has said “until you detoxify the body of the mercury you won’t be able to get rid of the Candida overgrowth on any lasting basis, no matter how perfect your diet or what antifungal drug or natural substance you take. The fungus will just keep coming back.”

How do you know if you have mercury toxicity?

Blood tests only show acute poisoning or industrial exposures as mercury or other metals don’t stay long in the blood. They are taken out of the blood and deposited in bone and organs.

Hair mineral analysis

Hair analysis can detect toxic metals but is not 100% reliable. It will only show metals if they have been excreted into the hair. The hair will not contain mercury if you are a poor excretor of mercury. Metals can become high in your hair if you take nutrients that enable the body to detoxify metals.

Urine Challenge Test

Urine challenge tests show what your body is excreting pre and post a challenge using an agent that chelates (pulls) stored metals out of the body. The percentage increase would indicate how toxic you are compared with the so called “normal range” although any level can cause
damage.

The substance used as a chelator for the test depends on the doctor or practitioner ordering the test. Urine challenge tests can be done through Genova Diagnostics, Genova Diagnostics Europe and Biolab Medical Unit in London, UK.

How to detox mercury?

A number of substances can be used to detox mercury. Chlorella and cilantro (coriander) both possess the ability to bind and excrete toxic heavy metals without unwanted side effects. HMD™ is a natural, oral, heavy metal chelator that contains both these and is backed by a 3-year, $1 million double blind, placebo-controlled study with 350 people.

Although HMD is a very gentle chelator some people who have inefficient detox organs can have detox reactions. Dr. Georgiou , the inventor of HMD, has formulated Organic Lavage, an organic herbal “drainage remedy” that can help open-up the detoxification channels such as the liver, kidneys, lymphatics, gut; and help clean the blood. Using these two with organic Chlorella can help to detox mercury and other metals with no reactions. This is known as the Ultimate Detox Pack.

Liquid Zeolite is a relatively new supplement being used successfully to remove heavy metals, radioactive elements, pesticides and other environmental toxins from the body very safely and easily. I have written about Liquid Zeolite in a previous article:

How to detox toxic heavy metals with liquid zeolite

Here is a previous article about chlorella:

How does Chlorella detoxify you body?

So now you will understand that to cure Candida you have to make sure you detox mercury.

Guest post:

Have you ever heard about EDTA Chelation therapy? If you have been diagnosed with a lot of heavy metals in your body and your doctor might be suggesting some methods to get rid of them, you might have heard him say something about EDTA. EDTA is an acronym for the use of a chelating agent which means Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. It is used to detoxify the body of certain minerals and heavy metals like mercury, lead, cadmium or arsenic that could impair your health. However, some people who don’t like the idea of a chemical eradicating another chemical so they choose to search for other ways in eliminating heavy metals. One of the best places to find them is the Internet and there are a lot of various products there that can cleanse your body from heavy metals and one of these products is Zeotrex. But does Zeotrex work?

Everybody should know something about detoxification because this is very important nowadays since we are all surrounded by lots of toxins. This is the reason why I’ve come up with Zeotrex after reading a customer review about it. According to a satisfied user, Zeotrex works well with heavy metals cleansing because the ingredients are made from natural herbs and the company behind this is a member of the National Products Association. Anyone who wants to buy Zeotrex can do so by going online. This is important because before buying, they can come across reviews so that they can know better about Zeotrex and assure themselves that what are they are investing won’t compromise their health. They can even find answers to question such as: “Is Zeotrex a scam?” or “Does Zeotrex has side effects or none?”

If your doctor has been telling you that you need something to eliminate heavy metals in your body, try to considering Zeotrex. If it worked for other people, there is no reason why it shouldn’t work for you. Furthermore, if you are not satisfied with it, you can always return the product because of its refund policy.

Some of the main toxins that threaten your health are the heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic. Although not a heavy metal aluminum is also toxic. These toxic metals get into your body from food, water, air, or absorption through the skin. They become attached to proteins and molecules and disrupt the function of your cells causing serious damage. Liquid zeolite is gaining a reputation as an ideal natural solution to detox them safely from your body.

Why do we need to detox heavy metals?

Toxic metals replace nutrient minerals and impair the function of enzymes that are involved in thousands of your body’s metabolic reactions including the detox system. They can also weaken and cause free radical damage to tissues such as your arteries, joints, bones and muscles.

The kidneys, intestines and nervous system are most sensitive to damage by mercury but it can lodge in the brain and many other tissues weakening the immune system. Mercury amalgams (silver dental fillings) have been found to be the main source of mercury exposure in most individuals. Although people who eat a lot of fish may also accumulate mercury especially if they are not good detoxifiers of it.

Long-term heavy metal exposure may result in slowly progressing physical, muscular, and neurological degenerative processes that are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis.

What is Liquid Zeolite?

Liquid zeolite is a relatively new oral supplement being used to successfully remove heavy metals, radioactive elements, pesticides and other environmental toxins from your body very safely and easily.

Zeolite has been used in powder form for some time in industry to clear up oil spills and as a feed additive for animals. In Eastern Europe, Japan and Cuba zeolites have been traditionally used in agriculture. It was even used to clean up the radiation from after the Chernobyl disaster.

Zeolites are naturally occurring volcanic minerals that have a unique honeycomb structure with a negative charge which attracts and traps the positively charged metals and other toxins. The zeolite is excreted in the urine about 6 – 7 hours after taking it carrying the toxins with it. Some also leaves the body via the stools although this obviously takes longer.

Uses of Liquid Zeolite

Using liquid zeolite has proved to be a less invasive and less expensive treatment for heavy metal toxicity that IV EDTA (ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid) and DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid) chelators which continue to be used in many arterial disease and other clinics.

The problem with these substances is they they also rob your body of minerals which have to be replaced. After initially attracting a toxic metal the chelator can drop it elsewhere in the body in preference to a valuable mineral. Once the toxic metal or other toxin is attracted by zeolite it is not given up in this way. Because zeolites attract heavy metals they have to be purified before they can be used as an oral supplement.

Liquid zeolite may prevent Swine Flu

Some studies have shown that zeolite can even be effective in treating viral infections as it appears to trap viral particles which prevents them replicating. Anecdotal evidence indicates that zeolite is effective in treating flu, colds, hepatitis C, rheumatoid arthritis, and viral or heavy-metal-induced multiple sclerosis.

It is even being suggested that it could help protect against Swine Flu. Its anti-viral effect is not immediate. It only seems to happen after you have been on it for about four to six weeks, and most of the the heavy metals, pesticides, and herbicides have been pulled out.

Improve your immune system, liver and kidney function

Heavy metals and other toxins compromise immune function. Activated Liquid zeolite removes these safely so it can improve immune function By reducing your body’s toxic load liquid zeolite makes the liver’s job easier and therefore takes the strain off this vital detox organ. This leads to a healthier liver. After 10 years on medication one woman reportedly cured a liver abscess after taking zeolite for only 8 weeks.

As mercury and toxic metals can impair kidney function it can help to improve their function. Liquid zeolite does not cause any damage to the kidneys.

Antioxidant effect

Liquid Zeolite traps free radicals in its complex structure. It inactivates the free radicals and eliminates them from the system. this is one way it may help prevent cancer.

Zeolite & Cancer

Although no claims can be made for zeolite for the treatment of cancer Dr. Cousens from the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center has drawn attention to a preliminary 14 month study, with 65 patients with terminal cancer patients who were sent home to die. 51 of the patients experienced complete remissions with zeolite. No indication of dose was given.

Is zeolite good long term?

In fact Dr Cousens says “I recommend that as long as we choose to keep eating, breathing, and drinking water, we keep taking all natural Zeolite.”

In a study he did on 60 people that went to his Center for a 2 week green juice fast he found that even the ones who were on long term organic, raw food diets, had all 26 of the toxins they tested for. These toxins don’t come out easily.

How to choose a liquid zeolite product

There are a number of companies offering liquid zeolite each claiming that theirs is the best so how do you choose one?

Firstly, make sure it has been cleaned. These are generally described as “activated”. You don’t want to take one that is still full of toxins. Secondly it must contain a particle size of less than 5 microns.

There are products that have high mold and bacteria content because they use ingredients such as humic acid. It’s best in this case to ask for a third party analysis.

Here are some suggestions:

• Ask for a full 3rd party (must be done by independent lab) specification sheet giving full elemental analysis (including any impurities), particle size analysis, micro analysis (bacterial and fungal content), and VOC (volatile organic compound) content.

• Ask for powder diffraction analysis to prove that the product actually contains zeolite. As there are liquid zeolite products with no detectable zeolite in them this is very important.

• Ask for blood serum zeolite level tests to show that the product is actually being absorbed by the body. (It will only be absorbed if the particle size is small enough.)

If you are unable to get any of the above  information don’t buy it.

The current four leading brands are:

• Natural Cellular Defense (NCD) sold by Waiora,

• UK ZNatural sold by Spirit of Sunshine

• US ZNatural sold by Trilogy

• ACZnano sold by Results RNA.

Almost all the scientific information on the clinical use of liquid zeolite have involved Waiora’s Natural Cellular Defense (NCD) which is sold through distributors.

How much to take?

The recommended dosage is 10 drops three times per day for the first 30 days followed by a maintenance dose of 3 – 5 drops drops three times a day.

It is important to drink eight to ten glasses of water a day while using liquid zeolite as it is dehydrating. If you don’t drink enough water, you could experience side effects; 99.9% of the side effects of this product are due to dehydration

You can monitor your levels with a urine challenge test through a specialized laboratory such as Genova Diagnostics that measures toxic metal levels before and while taking liquid zeolite. You might be surprised at the result.

Many studies show that the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, chlorophyll and other substances in chlorella, a single-celled fresh water green algae,  helps to detoxify the body. But it has been proven that it is the tough fibrous material in the outer shell that actually binds with toxins and carries them out of the body.

It is often included as part of a detox program to help remove heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead, and pesticides, such as PCB’s, and dioxins that accumulate in our bodies causing many health problems.

Most manufacturers break down the thick cell wall mechanically or chemically to make it more digestible and absorbable.  New technology that uses sound waves to crack the hard wall claims to be best method as it preserves the vital nutrients inside.

A few people find they get some intestinal discomfort when taking chlorella and they probably lack the enzyme cellulase that would help digest the fibrous cell wall. Cellulase can be taken as a supplement which could help if
you have this problem.

Chlorella Growth Factor

There are a number of different  types of chlorella but Chlorella Pyreneidosa is considered the best for toxin absorption although it is harder to digest. Chlorella Vulgaris is higher in Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) but has less metal absorbing capacity.  CGF is a phytonutrient that stimulates tissue repair and healing.

Some researchers believe that aging is due to the increased breakdown of RNA and DNA , the genetic blueprint of the body. CGF contains RNA and DNA which can provide the building blocks for repair of our own genetic
material.

Dr. Klinghardt who is is probably the foremost authority on the subject of heavy metals detoxification in the world says that “Chlorella growth factor helps the body detoxify itself in a yet not understood profound way. It appears that over millions of years chlorella has developed specific detoxifying proteins and peptides for every existing toxic metal.”

Chlorella is often combined with cilantro (coriander/Chinese parsley) as according to Dr Klinghard it can release toxic metals better from the nervous system and bones. In fact it can release more toxins than it can absorb so chlorella is used to bind with them and take them out of the body in the stools.

Healing powers of Chlorophyll

Chlorella contains over 12% chlorophyll, the largest amount in any plant gram for gram. Chlorophyll is the substance that makes plants green and photosynthesis possible – the process by which plants use the energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide and water to glucose. The chemical structure of chlorophyll is very similar to the “heme” of hemoglobin in human blood. The only difference in the two is that chlorophyll has the mineral magnesium at its center and heme has iron in its center.

From studies in Japan where the interest in chlorella has focused mainly on its detoxifying abilities it seems that the detoxification effects are due to both the chlorophyll content and the substances in the cell walls. Chlorophyll carries carries oxygen which rapidly improves blood oxygenation and helps cleanse the body It’s ability to bind to and remove toxic heavy metals such as mercury makes it an extremely useful health.

Chlorella can be used as a colon detox. The cell wall material stimulates peristalsis, the wave like contractions of the colon, and it promotes the growth of the good intestinal bacteria.

Chlorella as a food

The famous American Naturapath Bernard Jensen is quoted as saying ” I know that chlorella is a food and not a medicine. We must realize, however, that the reason so many scientists are putting in so much time and effort
into investigation chlorella and CGF is because there is already a great deal of proof that that Chlorella and CGF even in relatively small amounts stimulate growth, tissue repair and healing to an extent not previously found in any other food.

How Much Chlorella Should I Take For Detoxification?

If you take 5 – 7 grams a day you should notice significant changes in your energy and overall health. It’s best to start off with a much smaller dose and build up gradually as you could initially get mild diarrhea or bowel discomfort such as gas or bloating.  Your body should adapt and you can gradually build up the dose.

Take it divided into 3 or 4 doses before meals and at bedtime. The chlorophyll will make your stools go green so if they don’t you are not taking enough!

3 – 5 grams a day is a maintenance dose. You may not notice significant changes but your body should benefit from the nutrients and a slow gradual detox.

To fight disease 10 – 15 grams a day is a better amount. People fighting cancer have been known to take 20 grams a day.

Side effects from the detox of metals can be reduced by increasing the dose. The detox reactions come from the release of more toxins than the chlorella can bind so more is better not worse.

Chlorella comes in various forms from tiny tablets, capsules, powder to liquid forms often combined with other detoxifying substances.  Taking the  above amounts may mean taking a handful of tiny tablets.

Which chlorella should I take?

Many inferior brands of chlorella sold on the internet have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals and pesticides that seep into the water it is grown in. Be sure to find one that is guaranteed free of these pollutants.
It should be free of fillers, binders, coatings and preservatives.  After all it is a natural food.

Mike Adams, the Health Ranger recommends Kyoto Chlorella and Dr Mercola promotes one under his own label which is highly digestible and free from fillers and binders. Personally I prefer Organic Chlorella which is grown in the pristine mountains of Japan and comes with a certificate to prove it is truly clean.

To get the best from using chlorella you should take it for 6 – 12 months and follow a good healthy diet high in fresh green vegetables, some fresh fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds and free range grass fed meat if you are not a vegetarian.