Generally, in the herbal industry, we talk a lot about detoxing. I have a complete annual detox regimen that I practice, a different body system or specific organ for each month of the year. I’ll be glad to share it with you if you want to drop by the store and get one, or write me and ask for one. It’s not “magic” or even completely professional, but I’ve been using it for several years now and my doctor says I’m doing fine with no serious health problems and I’ll be 74 this year. So, why do I even mention it? Because when we talk about cleansing (detoxing), we rarely talk about anything to detox the brain.
You see, the brain has a special barrier called the blood-brain barrier that tries to block many toxins from getting into the brain. It works pretty well on many substances but not all. If you’ve ever seen a drunk person, you know that alcohol isn’t blocked and the only way to detox it is to “endure the hangover.” The body will detox it in time – with some side effects, however.
But there are some things that the body doesn’t detox on its own. One of those that is particularly problematic for the brain is “heavy metals.” They are particularly damaging to our immune and nervous systems, and produce a wide range of hard-to-diagnose symptoms. I find this to be a problem for customers who work in areas where heavy metals are common – the oil fields, places that work with heavy solvents and cleaners, people who use certain drugs, and a whole category we refer to as “drug babies.” And I’ve often noted that while I think deodorants are great (lol), every antiperspirant I’ve found in the marketplace used aluminum (a heavy metal) as the instrument to stop perspiration. I recommend using deodorants, but not antiperspirants!
When heavy metals get into your body, the body doesn’t know what to do with them. The immune system, knowing they are toxic” uses the technique of “suffocating them” with fatty tissues to keep them from harming other tissues. One place where they cause real problems is in the brain. The brain is “electric!” We often define the passing of a signal from one brain cell to the next as “firing” from one cell to the next. When this “spark” fires, if it hits a molecule of a stored metal, it could be seen as a small “explosion” which damages surrounding cells. With enough of these microscopic explosions we can see the destruction of thousands of cells. Depending on which cells are destroyed, we may find many different resulting failures inside the brain.
Product components that remove heavy metals are designed to bind with the heavy metal ions and remove them from the body. Common ingredients usually include cilantro, sodium alginate (from seaweed), apple pectin, and plenty of dietary fiber. Try eating more Mexican food – studies show that cilantro has demonstrated the capacity to remove considerable amounts of mercury from water sources, too.
Good advice as related to things consumed is “increase the good stuff and get rid of (detox) the bad!” Live long and in good health. Genesis 1:29.
– Randy Lee, ND, Owner, Nana’s Pawpaw Patch – Herbs, Oils & Teas for Health, 1024 S. Douglas Blvd, MWC, 736-1030, e-mail: pawpaw@promoteyourhealth.com.
