Q: I have learned that I may have too much mercury in my body. I read on your website that you can test for heavy metals through hair analysis. Can you tell me how I can find out more about my levels and what I can do to reverse this?
A: Mercury is probably the most toxic non-radioactive metal in the environment. It is a poison. It is highly toxic to humans in any amount and is harmful to the cells and tissues of human beings. In 1992,the World Health Organization (WHO) declared there is no safe level of mercury for human beings - in other words, no amount of mercury absorption is safe. The toxicity of mercury is not only from the major source of dental amalgams, but is also found in a natural state in soil and has been processed and used in a wide variety of industrial applications. Other sources of mercury contamination are from pharmaceutical medicines including vaccinations and laxatives, cosmetics, large ocean fish such as swordfish and tuna, film, plastics, and paint. We ingest or inhale inorganic mercury through our air, food, water, and soil--our bodies can even absorb it through our skin and convert it into even more highly toxic methyl mercury. Mercury is cytotoxic. The human body contains an enormous number of protein compounds and as a result mercury can bind and thus interfere in virtually every process in the body. Testing for mercury is widely available by many laboratories. Hair, urine and even blood can all be tested successfully. In my opinion, urinalysis is the most effective, especially when a chelating agent has been used. Substances such as Intravenous Vitamin C, EDTA or DMSA are used to provoke mercury excretion.
CO-WRITTEN BY MIRANDA TALLON-MALISANI. DR. ELENA KRASNOV IS A REGISTERED NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR, CLINIC DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TORONTO NATUROPATHIC CLINIC. CALL (416) 944-3526 OR VISIT WWW.NATUROPATHYCLINIC.COM.
