Over time, heavy metals will accumulate in your body for a variety of reasons. These metals can trigger a host of symptoms and diseases if left unchecked. Fortunately, we are able to detox these metals with some natural remedies and specialty supplements. While I have covered natural remedies in a previous article, this article will explore a mixture of natural and synthetic supplements that can help the body detox from heavy metals.

Where Are Heavy Metals Found?

Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements within the earth’s crust. Furthermore, heavy metals are often made as a product of various industries as waste. Just a few examples of industries that produce heavy metals in some form are:

• Automotive
• Technology
• Mining
• Chemical Plants

How Does Exposure Happen?

Exposure occurs from multiple methods. A few of these methods include:

• Air inhalation
• Workplace hazards
• Poorly maintained infrastructure
• Contaminated water
• Contaminated food

For most of us, the most common methods of exposure are contaminated food and water. In regards to food, this will occur mostly due to fish and certain crops. In regards to water, it will be from faulty or poorly maintained plumbing.

Symptoms Of Heavy Metal Exposure

Depending on how much exposure has occurred, you may notice some acute symptoms. Several of these acute symptoms of metal poisoning are:

• headaches
• nausea
• stomach pains
• memory and focus problems
• dizzy spells
• sleep problems
• mood swings

If exposure occurs frequently over a long period of time without detoxing, some long-term effects include the development of diseases such as:

• Cancer
• Alzheimer’s disease
• fibromyalgia
• liver failure
• Crohn’s disease

Because of the effects heavy metals have on us long-term, it is in our best interest to find supplements to help us detox these metals. Before we look at some of these supplements, let’s look at a few specifics of heavy metals.

The Big Four

There are roughly 23 heavy metals. Four are most toxic to us. These metals are mercury, arsenic, lead, and cadmium.

Mercury

Exposure to this metal occurs primarily through our diet. Primarily, this occurs through eating contaminated seafood such as tuna, salmon, shellfish, and swordfish. Other means of mercury exposure can be from:

• certain vaccines
• air inhalation from industrial plants
• dental fillings

Lead

Exposure to lead occurs in many ways. The primary method of exposure to lead is through our drinking water. A prime example of this is the fiasco in Flint, Michigan. Poorly kept infrastructure or old pipes can easily leak lead into our water supply. Because of this, it is best to filter your home water in some way. A couple of other methods of lead exposure are:

• old buildings with lead paint
• air inhalation from chemical plants
• canned foods

Arsenic

Arsenic exposure occurs primarily from contaminated soil. This can be from natural events such as volcanic eruptions that push arsenic out from the earth’s crust. It can also be from industrial waste that has contaminated nearby soil with arsenic. The industrial waste can contaminate water supplies with arsenic as well.

Cadmium

Most human exposure to cadmium comes from contaminated soil and water via close proximity to mining ores. Similar to arsenic, it can leak into food and water supplies as well as contaminate the air via vapors.

Treating Heavy Metal Exposure

The easiest way to remove heavy metals is to eat well and make smart lifestyle choices. You want to avoid highly-processed foods, drinking excess alcohol, using tobacco products, and spending too much time in industrial areas if possible. The only way to know if you have any heavy metal accumulation is to visit a doctor. There are some hair mineral testing kits online, but a test at the doctor’s office will likely be more accurate.

Once you know for sure if heavy metals are to blame for any symptoms you are experiencing, you can decide how you want to detox. Eating specific foods and herbs is a great start. If you wish to go the medical route, you can engage in chelation therapy. Chelation therapy is consuming a chelating solution that will bind the metals in your bloodstream and mobilize them to be removed by your body’s natural detox pathways (bowel movements, sweating, urination, etc).

The 10 Must-Haves’ For A Detox

As I said before, there are plenty of natural means and foods you can use to detox from heavy metals. However, I wanted this article to also touch on some synthetic supplements and other metal-binding agents that might not come to mind when searching for natural means. I will list a combination of natural means and man-made means that serve as supplements for a metal detox.

Metal Detox Supplement #1: Chlorella

This green alga is a natural metal binder. This means it will bind to and move metals throughout the blood to get rid of them naturally. This makes chlorella a powerful supplement to detox metals. Mercury in particular is removed well by this little green alga.

Metal Detox Supplement #2: Ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA)

EDTA is a medication widely used in chelation therapy to treat heavy metal toxicity. As a bonus, EDTA is also adept at removing calcium from clotting up arteries and leaving deposits in places they do not belong. While we do need calcium to keep our bones healthy, calcium can deposit with blood clots and cholesterol to create clogs. EDTA helps reduce this possibility.

Metal Detox Supplement #3: Alpha Lipoic Acid (APA)

APA is an antioxidant that helps the body break down carbohydrates for energy. Furthermore, APA helps is a chelator that helps to remove all four of the most toxic metals. This makes APA a valuable supplement for detoxing metals. There is also research that shows APA as a liver support supplement, protecting the liver from arsenic exposure.

Metal Detox Supplement #4: Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is commonly cited as a supplement that protects the liver. Since it promotes liver function, it is a must-have supplement for a metal detox. Furthermore, milk thistle promotes resistance to several other problems such as diabetes and cirrhosis.

Metal Detox Supplement #5: Modified Citrus Pectin

This metal detox supplement is able to get rid of heavy metals without getting rid of the good metals we do need. Since we need trace amounts of some metals, we have to be careful with chelation. Chelation therapy can sometimes remove the helpful metals as well as the toxic metals. With modified citrus pectin, this risk is reduced.

Metal Detox Supplement #6: Zinc

Zinc is a trace element that we need for optimal health. While it is a metal, it is only harmful to us in excess amounts. Zinc has a number of uses, some of which include:

• immune support
• faster wound healing
• helps the body make proteins
• reduces inflammation

Since zinc reduces inflammation, it helps destroy free radicals resulting from metal exposure. Zinc works best when taken with selenium.

Metal Detox Supplement #7: Iodine

Two well-known effects of a lack of iodine are cognitive and learning disabilities. A common symptom of heavy metal poisoning is cognitive impairment. Aside from brain development, iodine is needed for hormonal balance. Another side effect of metal toxicity is mood swings. Supplementing with iodine can help reduce symptoms of metal poisoning, making it a valuable metal detox supplement. Similar to zinc, iodine is best taken with selenium.

Metal Detox Supplement #8: Selenium

Since zinc and iodine pair well with selenium, selenium needed to be included. Selenium is a trace element that is essential in trace amounts and toxic in excess. We use selenium as an antioxidant for cellular function.

Metal Detox Supplement #9: Cilantro

This herb is one of nature’s best chelating agents. Furthermore, since cilantro is so versatile as an herb, it can be added to plenty of meals.

Metal Detox Supplement #10: Carnosine

Carnosine is a compound produced in the liver. It is created from the amino acid beta-alanine. The benefit of this metal detox supplement is that it is both naturally occurring and available in synthetic form. For meat-eaters, just eat a steak. For those who cannot eat meat, carnosine is available as a capsule. This compound protects the kidneys. This makes it valuable for detoxing from heavy metals.

Final Thoughts

It is best to remember that heavy metal exposure is going to happen to us all at some point. Therefore, your focus should always be to reduce exposure rather than avoiding any exposure at all. . To learn more about heavy metals and general healthy living tips, check out the rest of our blog here.

Heavy metals are an unfortunate part of modern life. However, we don’t have to just sit back and let them cause damage unchecked. While we cannot avoid them completely, we can take steps to ensure we minimize the exposure and damage. One of the best ways to do this is with food. Most of you have probably heard the saying, “you are what you eat.” This is certainly true. Taking steps to clean up your diet is a big contributing factor to the amount of heavy metal exposure and damage you will deal with. Finding specific foods that support your detoxification system as well as help cleanse the body of heavy metals and other toxins is essential.

When it comes to overall health, your diet is a big factor. However, lifestyle choices also play a role. Your daily habits can make or break the hard work put in the kitchen eating right. Examples of lifestyle choices include:

• tobacco use
• alcohol consumption
• eating excess processed/fast food
• lack of exercise

These choices in particular have a drastic influence on the frequency and duration of heavy metal exposure/damage. In this article, we will explore the damage these lifestyle choices can cause. Furthermore, we will look at foods you can eat to cleanse your body of heavy metals and other toxins introduced by poor lifestyle choices.

The Basics Of Heavy Metals

While there are other health implications for poor food and lifestyle choices, we are focusing on heavy metal exposure primarily. Therefore, let’s look at some of the basic info needed to understand why heavy metals are considerably more problematic than many realize.

Where Do They Come From?

Heavy metals are naturally occurring trace elements that are denser than water. They are found all throughout the environment as well as in the earth’s crust. They are also a by-product of several man-made industries. Some examples of business sectors that create heavy metal pollution as a by-product are:

• Automotive
• Chemical plants
• Technology
• Dentistry
• Healthcare
• Mining
• Steelwork
• Agriculture
• Irrigation

Basically, any industry that has made life more convenient has contributed to the rise of heavy metal pollution in the environment.

What Environments Are Polluted?

To be frank, all of them. To be a little more specific, the following are environments with substantial heavy metal pollution:

• Soil near mining or chemical plants
• Water sources near factories
• Irrigation pipes with poor infrastructure/maintenance
• Air via vapors from chemical plants and factories
• Crop fields due to contaminated soil or pesticides containing heavy metals

How Does Exposure Occur?

Humans get exposed to heavy metals through a variety of means. The most common methods of exposure are:

• Air inhalation
• Contaminated Foods
• Contaminated drinking water

Although, individuals who live near or work in factories, mining facilities, or chemical plants experience even greater exposure due to their work conditions and the time they spend there each day. For these people, a heavy metal cleanse would be much more necessary.

For the rest of us, exposure is mostly through breathing contaminated air, eating contaminated foods, and drinking contaminated water. In regard to air, this is more so for those living in urban and industrial areas a little more so. However, food and water can occur anywhere. Examples of contaminated foods are:

• crops that are grown in treated fields or in close proximity to industrial facilities
• seafood from contaminated waters or fish farms
• canned foods

Examples of contaminated drinking water are:

• water sources contaminated with industrial waste
• water from unkept irrigation pipes
• unfiltered natural water

What Do The Symptoms Look Like?

Symptoms can range from mild and acute to chronic depending on the exposure level, frequency of exposure, and duration of exposure. As I’ve already said, exposure is inevitable, so minimizing exposure frequency and duration is the goal. Symptoms of acute metal toxicity include:

• headaches
• dizzy spells
• fainting spells
• stomach problems
• difficulty remembering things
• difficulty focusing on tasks
• fatigue
• insomnia episodes
• mood swings

Over time if left unchecked, these heavy metals can lead to diseases such as:

• Heart disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Crohn’s disease
• Cancer

With this in mind, we can now look at some foods to help cleanse the body of these metals.

Effective Foods That Cleanse The Body Of Heavy Metals

There are four heavy metals considered to be the most toxic to humans. These are mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium. The foods we will look at will either be able to help the body eliminate a heavy metal by binding to it or mobilizing it or will be able to support an organ that detoxes the body.

Metal Cleansing Food #1: Artichoke

Artichokes are a great choice for supporting liver function and aiding digestion. While this food is more adept at helping the body flush toxins from excess alcohol consumption and excess fast food eating, they are still great for overall liver support. Since the liver is the body’s main detoxification organ, any food that supports liver function should be on a metal cleansing list.

Metal Cleansing Food #2: Blueberries

While other berries such as blackberries, strawberries, and elderberries are also high in antioxidants and essential vitamins that support the body’s detox system, the blueberry is the ideal number one pick. Not only do blueberries reduce inflammation making the detox system function better, but they also:

• have 4 grams of fiber per cup
• contain around 24% of your daily vitamin C needs
• have up to 36% of your vitamin K needs
• contain about 25% of your daily manganese needs

Blueberries also contain trace amounts of other essential vitamins and minerals needed to stay healthy. Furthermore, blueberries also help lower blood pressure, regulate bowel movements (method of toxin flushing), lower cholesterol, and improve digestion. Make sure you get wild/organic blueberries that are free of pesticides to avoid heavy metal contamination.

Metal Cleansing Food #3: Lemons

Another great choice to have on the heavy metal cleansing list is the lemon. For many of you, lemons may already be on the detox list. Makes sense, given that many “detox juices” contain lemon. While some of those marketed drinks are garbage, the ingredients have merit. Lemons are full of vitamin C, an antioxidant that supports organ function and reduces inflammation that heavy metals can cause. Like any other fruit/vegetable on this list, go organic when possible.

Metal Cleansing Food #4: Flaxseeds

Like lemons, flaxseeds are a commonly cited food for detoxing. These seeds are rich in fiber. Furthermore, flaxseeds bind to metal molecules in the GI tract and help flush them faster thanks to the fiber content via bowel movements. As a bonus, flaxseeds provide the intestinal walls with omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for you. Make sure you add some flaxseeds to your next breakfast in order to cleanse your body of metals.

Metal Cleansing Food #5: Garlic

While this is not the first article I’ve done talking about garlic, it is one of those foods that deserve repeated recognition. Garlic contains sulfur and antioxidants that fight free radicals and mobilize metals in the body to be flushed quicker. Furthermore, garlic is incredibly versatile as a vegetable so it is super easy to add to many meals.

Metal Cleansing Food #6: Pineapple

This one is a personal favorite of mine. Pineapples contain antioxidants and a hefty heap of vitamin C to reduce inflammation just like lemons and berries. Furthermore, pineapples are adept at flushing toxins from the intestinal tract, supporting the Gi tract in eliminating metals. If you choose to consume pineapples as part of your metal cleansing diet, make sure to go for the organic fresh fruit and avoid the canned pineapples. While canned pineapple is cheaper, it is at risk of being contaminated with heavy metals from the can lining leaking. Also, canned pineapples are often sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Since pineapples are sweet enough on their own, you don’t need the added sugars from canned pineapples.

A Few Tips To Avoid Metal Exposure

A few ways you can further minimize your exposure to heavy metals include:

1. FILTER YOUR WATER. Avoid drinking your tap water at home without a filter. Get a filter for your faucet or a container you can place in your fridge.
2. EAT ORGANIC. Organic fruits and vegetables are a little more expensive, but they are far less likely to be contaminated with heavy metals from soil and pesticides.
3. CHECK YOUR FISH. Since most mercury exposure comes from contaminated fish, be mindful of where your tuna, salmon, and swordfish are coming from. Check your labels at the store, and spend that little extra if need be to avoid canned fish.
4. INVEST IN A QUALITY METAL CLEANSING SUPPLEMENT. Even if you are eating well, heavy metal exposure is going to occur. One more thing you can do is invest in a quality metal cleansing supplement.

Final Thoughts

While it is impossible to avoid any contamination, you can take steps to stay healthy and cleanse your body of heavy metals before they can do damage. Use the tips above to avoid excess contamination. Use the foods above to help your body detox and cleanse itself of heavy metals naturally. 

The word “detox” is incredibly popular in many wellness circles. When you hear the word “detox” what do you think of? I conjure up thoughts of green juice cleanses, special teas, mixing apple cider vinegar into my water every morning, and loads of supplements. If you really go down the detox rabbit hole, you will find salt baths, detox foot soaks, needling techniques, and more. I have tried a few of these as a general detox because I got caught up in the hype. However, I had not attempted to detox from heavy metals.

If you’re like me, maybe you haven’t considered a heavy metal detox before now. However, just because you don’t live next to a coal mine or a chemical plant does not mean you are safe. In this article, we will touch on the facts you need to know about heavy metals and how to detox from heavy metals safely to minimize side effects.

What Are Heavy Metals Anyway?

If you’ve read some of my other articles, you should already know. However, I will assume this is the first time you being exposed to all of this. The definition changes a bit from source to source since atomic weight and density compared to water affect the definition. For the purpose of this article, the definition of a heavy metal is any metallic element that occurs within the earth’s crust and is denser than water. Since many heavy metals reside within the earth’s crust, they can easily leech into water sources and topsoil.

Heavy metals are not all bad. In fact, we need some of them in small doses to stay alive. Metals such as iron, copper, and zinc are particularly necessary for proper body function. However, there are other metals such as lead and mercury that are of no use to our bodies. In fact, these metals accumulate and cause trouble rapidly.

Where Do Heavy Metals Come From?

While they naturally occur in the ground, they are everywhere thanks to man-made industries. Examples of common places heavy metals reside in the environment include:

• Air Pollution (vehicle exhaust, mining ores, steel factories, chemical plants)
• Diet (GMO fruits/veggies treated with pesticides and/or grown in contaminated soil)
• Water (contaminated water sources due to industrial waste, poorly kept irrigation infrastructure)
• Daily Life (vaccine ingredients, dental procedures, tobacco products, deodorant, cookware, teas, coffees)

As you can see, avoiding ANY contamination is impossible. So the next best thing is minimizing exposure and learning how to detox from heavy metals safely.

When Do We Need To Detox From Heavy Metals?

Your body has a built-in filtration and detoxing system that flushes out heavy metal toxins. Your liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and GI tract all work together to detox your body from heavy metals. There are numerous studies that show heavy metal toxicity is a driver behind many diseases. They may not be the only cause of a disease, but they certainly contribute to the development of many modern health problems.

Symptoms To Be Aware Of:

Signs that are common for acute heavy metal poisoning include:

• muscle cramps
• stomach pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• dizziness
• difficulty breathing
• impaired movement
• impaired concentration

However, there are other signs that can be easily mistaken for something else. Other less common signs of heavy metal toxicity include:

• chronic fatigue
• low energy
• frequent headaches
• bloating
• acne
• heavy sweating
• insomnia
• frequent mood swings

And yes, the list is longer than this. If not dealt with, heavy metal toxicity can level up and cause diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. If you already live ahealthy lifestyle but suffer from several of these symptoms listed above, it might be time to detox from heavy metals built up in your body. With that being said, how do you know for sure if you have heavy metal accumulation issues?

Getting Tested For Heavy Metal Accumulation

The only way to truly know if heavy metal toxicity is to blame for your symptoms, you have to get tested. If you go to a doctor and request testing, the most common methods are hair mineral testing, bloodwork analysis, and saliva analysis. Once you have a definitive answer about heavy metal buildup, then you can look into detoxing from heavy metals.

Is There Any Danger Involved?

As with anything in life, there is always some risk involved; a heavy metal detox is no different. Yes, there is a little danger in detoxing from heavy metals, but there are ways to make it safe. Ideally, your detoxing method would include natural remedies that detox your body by supporitng the organs that naturally detox your body. Essentially, you want to do two things to detox from heavy metals: get the heavy metals moving and bind the molecules to something your body can flush out via sweat, urine, and feces. Let’s look more at that.

Step 1: Get The Metals Moving

Heavy metals like to accumulate in organs and other areas of the body and buildup over time. Heavy metals do have a natural half-life in your body, but most of us expose ourselves to these metals faster than we can get rid of them so a buildup occurs. Through the use of several naturl supplements and remedies, we can break up the heavy metals and get them moving through the bloodstream. Once they are moving, we can move on to the next step.

Step 2: Bind Them To Flush Them

Once they are moving in the bloodstream, it is time to get them bound to soemthing so they can be flushed. This is usually done via antioxidants and chelating agents. uckily for us, nature provides plenty of natural options for chelation we can do at home that are safe. Let’s look at a few options now for safely detoxing from heavy metals at home.

Natural Methods For Detoxing From Heavy Metals

While methods like chelation therapy mostly require a doctor present, nature provides us with several methods of detoxing from heavy metals you can perform safely from the comfort of your home. Below is a list of natural and safe methods for detoxing from heavy metals.

1. Drinking filtered water.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. Use a natural chelating supplement. 
4. Eat foods that promote liver health
5. Keep your nitric oxide production high to promote strong blood flow.
6. Sauna therapy to promote sweating

Another Safe Method For Detoxing From Heavy Metals

The method listed above are the most effective, but food is another area to look at. Even if your diet is good, you can add some foods that will help your body detox from heavy metals. Below are a list of common foods used to detox from heavy metals.

1. Cilantro

Cilantro is well known for having chelating properties, meaning it helps pull heavy metals out of the blood and flushes them out of the body. Since cilantro is a popula flavor enghancer for hispanic and mediterranean dishes, it is versatile and easily added to most meals. Cilantro can also be added to soups, stews, and various spreads.

2. Blueberries

This food is a great choice because blueberries are packed full of antioxidants. Furthermore, blueberries help reduce inflammation created from oxidative stress and free radicals. So blueberries act as a clean-up crew, cleaning up the mess heavy metals make in your body. Make sure you get the wild/organic blueberries though. You want to avoid the GMO blueberries, as they could have lingering presticides that are contaminated with heavy metals.

3. Garlic & Onion

I’ve lumped these two together becuase they help the body detox from heavy metals using the same mechanism: sulfur compounds. Not only that, both of these often go together in most recipes and flavorings. So add some garlic and onion to your next meal. The sulfur compounds in these vegetables will help reduce inflammation and flush the body of toxins.

Honorable Mentions

Other foods that are helpful to the body for detoxing from heavy metals include:

• Citrus Fruits
• Green Tea
• Leafy Greens
• Beetroot Juice
• Responsibly-sourced Salmon

There are many others, but these are the most common foods that detox the body from heavy metals via organ support, primarily the liver.

The Takeaway

While the dangers of heavy metals are very real, you should also remember that exposure is unavoidable. Therefore, spending all your time hyper-fixated on avoiding them for the sake of health is futile. Instead, remember that health is a marathon, not a sprint. Educating yourself on where heavy metals come from, how expsore occurs, and what the symptoms look like should be your first step. Once you have educated yourself on what to look for, then you can take the necesary measure to avoid long-term damage.

If you have never been tested for heavy metal accumulation, it could be worthwhile to go get tested. If you do not want to visit a doctor, there are some hair tests that can be ordered online, but it is still recommended to go visit a doctor and order testing.

Even if you do not believe you are suffering from heavy metal accumulation, these natural steps can be done at home and are safe, even if you are not suffering from heavy metal toxicity. Use these steps above, add these foods to your diet. Lastly.  To learn more about detoxing from heavy metals and general health, check out the rest of our blog here.