HOW TO HEAL FROM FROM A HIGH TOXIC BURDEN WITH

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

Every day we are bombarded with thousands of chemicals, most of which have not been tested for their safety.

The amount of chemicals we are exposed to has risen steadily over the last few decades and has reached a threshold affecting our health and life expectancy.

Each of us has an accumulated toxic burden, a term referring to things like heavy metals and pesticides that can be tested for and verified as being stored in our bodies.

Many environmental and chemical toxins can be tested for. The presence of mold, for instance, as an environmental toxin, can be verified using mycotoxin tests which can show if our bodies are mounting a defensive response to mold.

There are health implications to exposure, whether it is from an isolated incident (working a summer job spraying pesticides) or from a longer-term accumulation through contaminated water, environment, or food.

ACCUMULATION OF TOXIC ELEMENTS CAN CAUSE DISEASE

People erroneously think that they need to be involved in a chemical spill or work accident to be exposed to enough toxins to hurt them.

Often, toxins have been accumulating over time in an individual during the normal activities of daily life.

Our bodies have many organs that actively filter out toxins and remove them from the body, but there are ways that your body's ability to detoxify can be impaired.

SYMPTOMS AND CONDITIONS CAUSED BY A HIGH TOXIC BURDEN

WOMEN

In women, low-dose exposure to toxic substances can contribute to many conditions, including:

fertility problems[1]
fetal development[2]
pregnancy loss [3]
type II diabetes[4]
dementia[5]
heart disease[6]
developmental damage in children of pregnant women exposed[7]
hormonal imbalances
autoimmune disease[8]
thyroid problems
cancer[9]
lower life expectancy[10]
stroke[11]
lack of energy
pain
weight gain
brain fog
headaches and migraines

MEN

In men, low-dose exposure to toxic substances can contribute to many conditions, including:

type II diabetes[12]
poor semen quality
stroke[13]
fatigue
autoimmune disease[14]
cancer[15]
weight gain
heart disease[16]
dementia[17]
lower life expectancy[18]
pain

The information in this article and on this website are intended for informational purposes only and does not take the place of seeing a doctor and should not be used for the purposes of diagnosis. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, have chest pain or trouble breathing, go to a hospital right away. Consult a doctor before beginning or stopping any medications or interventions.

WHEN DETOXIFICATION ORGANS DO NOT DO THEIR JOBS

Due to genetics, toxic burden, or other health conditions, our detoxification organs can become overwhelmed to the point that they are unable to filter out daily toxins quickly enough.

For example, heavy metals (like mercury) are highly toxic and must be carefully removed when found in large quantities in the body. A relatively small amount can cause severe symptoms and long-term conditions.

If a key organ responsible for blood filtration (like your liver) is compromised due to lifestyle, disease, or genetics, it can cause sluggish detoxification.

This slow detoxification leads to a buildup of toxins that would ordinarily be removed from the body.

The buildup of these toxins in places like your liver and intestinal tract can lead to additional problems, like generalized pain, depression, food allergies, and autoimmune conditions.

SYMPTOMS OF A

HIGH TOXIC BURDEN

sensitivity to scents and fragrance
fatigue
dizziness
headache
migraines
nerve pain
chronic muscle and back pain
anxiety and depression
panic attacks

low thyroid function
hormone imbalances
trouble losing weight
brain fog
difficulty concentrating
skin rashes
autoimmune disease
blood sugar problems
type II diabetes
insomnia

As always, be sure to work with a functional medicine doctor, as these symptoms can also be caused by a wide range of other conditions

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE TESTING FOR TOXICITY

Symptoms of toxicity can vary widely, and testing is necessary to confirm the presence of dangerous levels of things like mold, aluminum, or mercury.

Most often, toxicity is part of a wider context of medical testing - for example, high exposure to mercury may have damaged intestinal lining resulting in food allergies, digestion problems, and chronic migraines.

Simply removing the mercury is only the first phase of healing; the intestinal lining must be healed, and the systemic inflammation caused by the toxic substance must be reduced.

While we all are detoxing low levels of harmful compounds all the time, a few factors can tip the balance from healthy detoxification to harmful levels of accumulation.

The first step of prevention is to control, as much as we can, what we put in, on, or around our bodies.

RESIDUAL CARCINOGENIC COMPOUNDS IN FOOD

Consuming pesticides and herbicides in the form of conventional produce can be incredibly damaging to your health.

Despite the waves of information insisting that these residues are harmless, it is important that this phase of denial is a common theme in history.

Whether it is the use of arsenic-laden wallpaper in the Victorian era or the dangers of smoking, it can take decades for the balance of research to finally overpower the industries that are made profitable by the use of these chemicals and products.

In the meantime, there are still experts, as well as some doctors, who insist that it 'does not matter' what you eat and what chemicals you are exposed to.

The balance of research, however, heavily favors the idea that our slow absorption of the carcinogenic compounds in our environment leads to lower life expectancy[19], an increase in conditions[20] and their severity, and is damaging to fetal development[21].

The good news is that there is a lot we can do to limit our exposure to these chemicals.

HOW TO LIMIT YOUR EXPOSURE TO TOXINS

TOXINS IN FOOD

Eating organic food as much as possible while reducing your consumption of foods that are conventionally grown is ideal for limiting exposure to pesticide residues.

Certain 'healthy foods' like rice, have naturally high levels of compounds like arsenic - and even organic rice has levels of heavy metals and contaminants.

Most of these contaminants can be drastically reduced by preparing food properly (like soaking rice overnight).

Normal detoxification is greatly facilitated by fiber-rich foods that 'carry out' harmful chemicals while having other anti-inflammatory benefits.

Whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruits and vegetables are important sources of fiber in addition to supplying vitamins and minerals needed to sustain health.

Make note of the chemicals used in your cooking pots and pans, and be aware that many nonstick coatings are known to cause thyroid problems[22] and other conditions.

I use either a cast iron or french steel pan which I naturally season for a non-toxic nonstick coating.

TOXINS IN MAKEUP AND COSMETICS

It was only a few years ago when an FDA analysis confirmed dangerous levels of lead in 100% of lipstick they tested [23]. According to the study, as long as the lipsticks were 'used correctly', these levels of lead were 'probably safe.'

The safe utilization of these lipsticks would require women not to lick their lips or eat anything while a thin layer of a known carcinogen sits (or rather absorbs) into their lips.

Makeup and cosmetics are still notoriously full of dubious ingredients that are correlated with disease. The chemicals in your makeup, cosmetics, and hair treatments are unregulated[24].

Most of what you put on your body goes into your body.

If you doubt that statement think of how many medications can be administered as creams, they work well and are in your bloodstream in a matter of minutes.

Carcinogenic chemicals that have been banned for more than a decade are winding up in umbilical cords[25]. The babies in this study also had higher levels of carcinogenic compounds than the mother. This has worrying implications about what level of prevention is possible after these chemicals enter our environment.

Our water, air, soil, and food are saturated with chemicals that we know to be harmful - and these chemicals are staying inside our bodies for much longer than we previously thought possible.

Making your own body lotion, moisturizer, and face wash is a way many people are noticing beneficial changes in their skin while saving money and eliminating possible exposure to toxins.

Swapping out your deodorant for an aluminum-free version is also a great first step.

There are a growing number of eco brands that are developing cosmetics using strict standards, and larger retailers like Sephora have begun to use a 'clean' seal to indicate products that do not use major chemicals implicated in health problems.

I often help my patients set up a list of product swaps in order of priority based on their individual needs and their health concerns.

INDOOR POLLUTION

Pollution, irritants, and allergens can cause and exacerbate many conditions. When we think of 'pollution,' most of us picture a smog-laden skyline, but another large source of toxins comes from indoors.

This air indoor pollution can come from furniture, paints, building materials, aerosols, cleaning products, air fresheners, candles, dust, and mold.

The most effective way to limit your exposure is to purchase low-toxin furniture, use no VOC/non-toxic paint, and not use harmful chemicals, artificial candles, artificial air fresheners, or toxic cleaners in your home.

I do recommend a good quality air filter in your home as it can be remarkably helpful for seasonal allergies as well as household irritants like mold, dust, and pet dander.

In addition to an air filter, I also personally keep multiple plants in each room as each plant has remarkable abilities to remove harmful chemicals from the air[26].

If you have a soil allergy, many plants can also be grown hydroponically with minimal effort.

HOW FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE CAN HELP WITH TOXICITY ISSUES

The patients I treat are often those who have been told that their symptoms are unusual, complex, or do not 'fit' neatly into a diagnosis. Things like fatigue, stomach upset, food sensitivities, headaches, and autoimmune symptoms can all be signs of toxicity.

Most often, however, it is usually a combination of factors that have created a 'perfect storm' to cause symptoms and impede your health.

AN EXAMPLE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

It could be that during a time of stress in your life, your cortisol and inflammation levels were significantly raised. This increase in inflammation causes you to have sleeping and digestive problems.

Your digestive problems (stomach cramps, GERD) are exacerbated by additional stress. You now experience headaches more often. Your gut lining is becoming increasingly inflamed to the point that you have begun to develop food sensitivities.

Chemicals and toxins that you could have previously detoxified are now building up in your body due to inflammation - your liver cannot keep up with the influx of material.

This is usually the point where I see patients - sometimes after they have been to many other specialists.

The first step is a full functional medicine appointment to get an idea of the scope of the problem and give immediate lifestyle, diet, and medicinal changes to help symptoms immediately.

We will confirm the findings through diagnostic testing and, from there, tailor an effective treatment plan.

SAFELY REMOVING TOXINS IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP

The above scenario is why functional medicine is so important. Our health status cannot be reduced to a single marker on a single test.

Just because you have gut inflammation does not mean a 'gut-healing diet' will solve your health issue.

Your gut inflammation may have a cause 'upstream,' like hormone imbalance, a poor diet, or a toxicity issue.

Very often, I see patients after they have tried to 'detox' themselves through cleanses. Extreme fasts and cleanses can cause serious complications for patients who are already sensitive and have other underlying conditions.

In order to treat the whole body - a clear picture of the body as a whole is needed.

Once your stress level, diet, previous testing, family history, genetics (if applicable), and current blood testing is added to your individual symptoms, then the way forward becomes clear.

Simple interventions usually only treat one symptom or one aspect of a condition.

Functional medicine is designed to be a holistic approach to a multifaceted individual, and toxicity, while an important metric, is still just one aspect of your complete health picture.

You can talk to me directly by scheduling a Free 15 Minute Consultation, or you can call or text my office at 913-728-5291. I do online consultations for those out-of-state or outside of the United States.