Autoimmunity? Memory change? Cardiovascular disease? Or just wanting to improve your chance of longevity? — You absolutely need to get the Lead out.
By Dr. Angila Jaeggli, ND
Do you know your lead and mercury levels in your body? If you have any of these inflammatory disorders… Autoimmunity, Diabetes, Memory disorders, Cardiovascular disease (CVD), Hypertension, Cancer (or are post-Cancer) OR you are interested in supporting your ability to live vibrantly while you’re aging, you have to have your heavy metals tested.
I became fascinated with the impact of heavy metals on health and aging as a young doctor when I came across an incredible study on how the treatment of lead and heavy metals significantly reversed the damage done by diabetes and inflammation on the arteries, restoring blood flow and function in people who were about to undergo surgeries for diabetic amputation and triple bypass. A highly significant % of them were able to cancel their surgeries. I thought, what?? That is some powerful medicine! Why isn’t everyone talking about this??
Diving deeper, I found more studies, physicians and organizations that understood the power of this medicine, and were encouraging the deeper exploration of testing and treatment of heavy metals. The latest one being a repeat of a major study from the NIH (National Institute of Health) called the TACT trial, where they found a very significant reduction in all cause mortality (death from any cause) in people (especially diabetics) when they removed lead and other heavy metals through a series of treatments. Truly incredible.
Heavy metals, including (but not limited to) lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum, uranium, barium, gadolinium, are extremely inflammatory. They damage anything they come into contact with, which is difficult to see as this is happening on a cellular level.
Most people have heard of free radicals, elements that damage your system, versus antioxidants which heal. Metals are one of the strongest forms of free radicals, picking away at the linings of your arteries, damaging your brain and kidney cells, hurting your liver.
I often hear from patients, “Well, it’s a good thing I don’t have any lead or mercury exposure!” Which is absolutely not true. Unfortunately, we ALL have exposure, just in varying amounts depending on our occupation and where we live. Possible exposure areas/events include:
- Antimony: furniture, ceramics, gun powder, food, drinking water, and certain prescription drugs.
- Arsenic: soil, crops, fertilizer, tobacco, drinking water, rice, cereals, fish and dairy products.
- Cadmium: batteries, metal jewelry, grains, second-hand cigarette smoke, fertilizer, manufacturing and plastics
- Lead: old house paint, gun powder, batteries, drinking water, lipstick, lead-glazed ceramics, dust, imported canned foods.
- Mercury: seafood, corn syrup, rice, beauty products, old ‘silver’ dental fillings, and broken fluorescent light bulbs.
- Tungsten: air pollution, drinking water, food, and industrial pollution.
- Aluminum: Cookware, aluminum cans, deodorant, water
I would love to share a few stories of patients with different scenarios…
- My story! I am the classic example of someone who you would consider healthy, with limited metals exposure (beyond the average person). I was (un)pleasantly shocked to see my metals results – high lead, mercury, arsenic AND URANIUM. I have no mercury filings, have never worked in manufacturing, and rarely eat fish. What I do have is a military background – I’m an army brat who has lived in Europe, on army bases, and was living on the West Coast when the Japanese nuclear reactor leaked in 2011 (like many Seattlelites). Since my goal is to live to 100, you bet I am treating these metals and having them excreted from my body.
- An 88 year old patient with high lead levels did a more intensive treatment to assist with his pain with walking as a result of intermittent claudication (reduced blood flow to his legs). Halfway through the recommended therapy, he went from excruciating pain after 3-4 steps to being able to walk around the block pain free (and was able to avoid vascular surgery).
- A 38 year old patient with alarmingly high lead levels due to lead exposure from frequent target practice with leaded bullets. He was experiencing memory loss, numbness and tingling, and extreme chronic fatigue – all which improved after he removed his exposure and went through a series of lead chelation/removal treatments.
Best tests/sites to help you identify current levels and exposures (we have these in office):
- Genova Labs Urine Toxic Element Panel for Heavy Metals
- Genova Labs Nutr Eval: will evaluate all vitamins, minerals, amino acids, basic chemical and heavy metals levels (a fantastic overview, one I highly recommend!)
- US Biotek Environmental toxin panel for chemicals (https://www.usbiotek.com/tests/environmental-pollutant-profile)
Educational Resources:
- Clean & Green: 101 Hints and Tips for a More Eco-Friendly Home – Nancy Birtwhistle
- Food Forensics: The Hidden Toxins Lurking in Your Food and How You Can Avoid Them for Lifelong Health – Mike Adams
- Mercury Poisoning: The Undiagnosed Epidemic First Edition – David Hammond
- HEAVY METALS DETOX: The fast-track to a healthier version of YOU! – James Lilly
- Bypassing Bypass Surgery – Dr. Elmer Cranton, MD
How do you begin to cleanse all of this from your body?
Part of me was hesitant to write about all of the ways we can overload our bodies, as we all have so much on our plates these days. But I came to the realization that even during this time of pandemic, there is always value in taking care of ourselves and moving our underlying wellness towards its highest potential.
There is great power in knowledge. While knowing you have high levels of lead in your body might not move you now to take action – you have planted a seed of action. And many times I’ve found that seeing those high values is usually enough to drive someone to want to learn more, and to take positive steps.
Step 1: Identify potential current and past exposures.
Step 2: Take the relevant test associated to your exposures.
Step 3: Meet with us or integrative medical physician to create a targeted detox and chelation plan.
Step 4: Begin your detox!
Some detox ideas to begin:
- We love a 3-4 week liver and lymph detoxification cleanse (we have a great overview here: 9 Tips for A Spring Detox on what to do to begin a detox from our very own Dr. Anastasia Jones: https://sagemedclinic.com/9-tips-for-a-spring-detox/
- Add in Infrared Sauna – 10 visits x 30 minutes at 140-160 degrees-Add in Ozone insulflation x 10-15 treatments
- Super cleanse: Incorporate a Super Energy B-shot with L-carnitine that will help give cells the energy to move chemicals out of our body
- Next level: Boost IV Vitamins with the Super antioxidant L-glutathione – 1-2 sessions per week x 10 treatments
- Herbal support: Begin a daily Liver Herbal blend such as Milk thistle or a Liver Detox Blend (like Protocol’s Liver Detox) (you can find our recommendation here – for patients only: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/sageintegrative)
- Nutrient support: Organic chlorella/spirulina, alternating with Activated charcoal
- Schedule a chelated heavy metal test to begin your learning journey around metals in your body
- Begin Organic Chlorella (Organic only!) daily- in tablet or powder form – to naturally begin to bind and excrete metals
- Add organic cilantro to your salads which naturally binds and excretes metals
There are so many things we can do together to make 2021 a better year! We believe in community, and would love to be a part of yours.
Please reach out if you have questions or want to share your story!
In love, health and light,
Dr. Angila Jaeggli, ND
Phone: (425) 835-0359
Sage Integrative Medicine Clinic, PLLC
110 James Street, Suite 103
Edmonds, WA 98020
info@sagmedclinic.com
Instagram: drangilajaeggli
Youtube: Sage Health TV
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