One of the alternative medicine approaches to health is related to the notion that the increasing influence of pollution by toxic  metals is real.  Because metals increase oxidative stress, metals that include the most toxic to the human species are introduced routinely as we go about the act of living.  Many people think lead is the most threatening concern of metals.  Actually cadmium is the most toxic element to man, then mercury, then lead.  Other metals include aluminum, arsenic, tin, nickel, and antimony.  Chelation is a therapy and in this discussion, administered by IV therapy

Chelation, especially EDTA chelation, removes more than just  metal toxins.  It removes important minerals and micro-nutrients as well which need to be replaced.  Many times, because of heavy metal burden and inadequate digestion, many patients already experience the consequences of low-level minerals.  On the bright side, as the metals are removed, mineral absorption is improved as is fatigue and other obvious and vague symptoms.

Minerals, like vitamins, are co-factors that activate enzymes.  Thus they have tremendous influence in energy levels, how clear thought processes are, and the ability to deal with stress, to name a few.  Of course, there are many others.  Therefore, guidelines are necessary to enhance the experience of chelation.  While some doctors require a vitamin-mineral IV after every chelation, it may not be necessary.  Others assess the patient for increased fatigue, glucose metabolism, support of nutrition with an optimal diet and a schedule of oral daily replacement of vitamins and minerals. Consider the following:

Meet Dietary Goals

• Exercise is emphasized from moderate to tolerance. Start off slow.
• Drink 6-8 glasses filtered water, or herb decaffeinated teas. If you use caffeine, the rule is for every cup of caffeinated drink, drink two more cups of water. Avoid soda pop regardless of caffeine status.
• Eat plenty of whole foods: vegetable proteins, complex carbohydrates, good dietary fats, quality protein, and no processed food or sugar.
• Good dietary fats are distilled fish oils, unrefined olive oil, and canola oil. Avoid those oils high is saturated fat such as lard, vegetable shortening, and margarine. Butter is preferred over margarine but should be limited.

If you are ill with an acute infection, chelation should not take place until you are well on the way to recovery..

• Guidelines for the DAY OF CHELATION THERAPY
• Do not consume any calcium supplements when using EDTA Na.
• Do not eat any dairy or sugar products.
• Do not consume coffee, black tea, alcohol, or soda pop.
• Do not eat high-fat, fried foods, or processed meats.
• Do not drink alcohol before chelation.
• EAT a meal within a few hours before each chelation treatment. Include enough complex carbohydrates in this meal to help stabilize your blood sugar levels. The chelation we use is CaEDTA requires only a few minutes to administer.
• Diabetic patients or those who have low blood should have a substancial snack available or a sandwich, for example, if EDTA IV is to be administered. All other patients must have a snack that includes nuts, seeds, and fruit.
• The use of all forms of nicotine and caffeine will probably interfere with the success of your treatment, impede improvement or result in re-occurrence of symptoms.
• Medications already in use before treatment should be evaluated by the doctor
• As a rule, patients will need to remain on the prescribed nutritional supplements during the chelation series.

Typical Foods to Eat

Vegetables: all kinds if fresh or frozen, raw or cooked (like broccoli, carrots, celery, corn, mushrooms, parsley, spinach, tomatoes, lettuce, cauliflower, kale, onions, garlic, squash, peas, beets, and potatoes (including the skin)

Whole grains: brown rice, rolled oats (oatmeal), oat bran, millet, hulled barley, popcorn, whole corn grits, whole cornmeal, whole wheat flour, and unsweetened 100% whole grain bread and crackers

Beans: dried beans and peas (like pintos, navy beans, split peas, lentils, and black beans), tofu, and tempeh

Nuts and seeds: natural peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, tahini, raw or plain roasted nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds – unsalted only

Beverages: filtered water (preferred), peppermint tea, camomile tea, ginger tea

Meat, fish, poultry: unbreaded fish, canned tuna in spring water, unbreaded and skinned chicken, fresh turkey, and lean beef

Dairy products: plain, nonfat or low-fat yogurt, skim milk, low-fat milk, or nonfat dry milk,  natural cheeses (like low-fat Swiss, low-fat Provalone, and Mozzarella), –  AVOID ON THE DAY OF CHELATION.

Fruit: all whole fruit if fresh or frozen without sugar

Eggs: farm eggs – no problem with cholesterol if not eating sweets

Fats: unrefined oils and butter

Condiments and seasonings: fresh and dried herbs and spices, apple cider vinegar, mineral or limited use of sea salt, unsweetened canned tomato products, carob powder, and baking yeast and baking soda for leavening.

Today’s Quote: “There are no such things as incurable, there are only things for which man has not found a cure.”  Bernard Baruch

 Heavy metal burden is the unintended consequence of industry worldwide dating back to the Industrial Revolution in the 1700′s.  The economy that was created unquestionably changed the world…and it is still changing our world today.  The cost of healthcare continues to rise and some believe that the collection of heavy metal entities in the body contributes to acute and chronic disease, primary introduced into the body by oral or inhalation means.  Cadmium is the most toxic element to man, then lead, then mercury.   Toxins that are manmade chemicals contribute as well.  Little is considered as people wash with scrubs or work with unprotected hands in harsh chemicals.

The economy of healthcare is found in the treatment of disease.  While an enormous amount of money annually goes to research, the title of drugs is at the top of the lists.  One thing for sure, there is a drug for almost everything.  Illness is sometimes considered a synonym for disease or sometimes viewed as the subjective perception of the patient or an objectively defined disease.  If the objectively defined disease is illusive, then the problem exists only in the mind of the patient. Or does it?

Environmental doctors and those interested in prevention of disease take a different look at the disease model. First, they consider the patient might be right!  Their symptoms might actually be an underlying cause even thought the cause may be illusive and unrelated to emotional or mental illness.   You don’t have to be a doctor or struck with illness to share wisdom.  It is easier and less expensive to prevent disease than to treat it.

The alternative doctor looks at the body and sees it wondrously made. Food and nourishment is required to fuel and maintain the machine.  The cleaner sources the food comes from, and the more nutritious the source, the better.   If the body is unable to function properly because of enzyme and nutritional deficiencies, should you add a drug to make the process happen or inhibit another process to provide an artificial balance?  In alternative medicine, the practitioner strives to restore the balance.  Removing a toxin is preferred to adding a drug and reasonable nutritional support including a healthy diet.

One area of alternative medicine many patients have benefited is detoxification programs including those specifically designed to remove xenobiotics (manmade chemicals including plastics and pesticides) and chelation for heavy metal burden.  A healthy BMI (body mass index) is important because toxins store in fat.  If your attitude reflects little dedication for long term effects of healthy living, then you need read no further.  If you understand investing in your health has long term rewards, then you should consult a trained practitioner in chelation to get the best care.

For example, some professionals use blood tests but results reflect recent exposures and typically not chronic exposures. Others use hair analysis which typically reflect chronic exposure but not body stores of toxic metals.  Fecal tests can be influenced by dietary and metabolic factors.  Challenge tests may fail to produce an expected response in glutathione deficient patients, provide the best results for elevated and very elevated levels.  The challenge test, with the preferred chelator,  is the preferred test.  Often multiple toxic metals are present and increase the duration of the chelation process.  Each additional toxic metal lowers the toxic threshold for every other metal resulting over time in dysfunction of multiple organs and tissues, impaired chemical detoxification, excessive free-radical formation, and chronic conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.  Also, increased oxidative stress, related to elevated heavy metals may precondition you for heart disease.

The impact of how heavy metal burden affects a person depends on their sensitivity. Type O blood patients seem to provide few symptoms and these are the patients who take the least care of themselves because they “feel fine”.  “Feeling fine” does not necessarily reflect the truth which is why health checkups are important.  Areas of concern may be when you see elevations of cholesterol, dysfunction of blood sugar, mental confusion and fatigue.  For example, trace mineral depletion is caused by disruption of transport by heavy metals competing for receptor sites on transport proteins and metallothioneins and by binding sulhydryl groups on many enzymes.  This process may be so gradual, you may fail to recognize the onset of persistent fatigue, decreased mental acuity, or increased issues with metabolism, yet your doctor may not know how to test for these or why they might be important.  In contrast, the type A blood patient is very sensitive and notes many more symptoms because they tend to be more sensitive to their environment.