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https://heal-thy-selfnutrition.com/heavy-metal-detox-smoothie/

Heavy metal overload is one of the  4 reasons why we get sick, stay sick, and have trouble ridding our body from a state of disease. The three other reasons are:

  • Inflammation/hidden infections
  • Emotional trauma/stress
  • Environmental toxicities (food, water, products)

Knowing this allows to practice root-cause medicine. If we know the root cause, there will be no band aids, guessing, or shots in the dark.

Because many are dealing with multiple of the above at the same time, they will receive different diagnoses. These diagnoses include Diabetes, Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Autoimmune disease, Leaky Gut, IBS, chronic fatigue syndrome, brain fog, Autism, and the like. 

In conclusion, there is no use of just knowing about these diagnoses. This is because it is equally important to know that these are the manifestations of a combination of the four causes mentioned above. 

Once you arm yourself with this information, you will be capable of healing, as a result. Knowing the information means understanding what you’re feeling, dealing with, and fighting against. This helps you know that it is real and has a place of origin. 

To take advantage of this information, you just have to know where to start. And to start things off, let me tell you what heavy metals are. 

 

What are Heavy Metals?

Heavy metals have high degree of toxicity, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury. That is why they rank among the priority heavy metals that are of public health significance. 

They are known to induce multiple organ damage – even at lower levels of exposure. These metals are likewise classified as human carcinogens (known or probable) according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

When it comes to heavy metals, the science is clear and ever-growing. Science connects heavy metal build up to the development of Alzheimer’s, reducing mitochondrial function, interfering with tumor-suppressing pathways, depleting glutathione (our strongest antioxidant), and more.

Metals like lead and mercury are able to cross the blood-brain barrier which can lead to neurotoxicity and mood disorders. Mercury also depletes glutathione, vitamin C, and inhibits B vitamins from being produced.

Where are Heavy Metals found?

Even a healthier individual is exposed to a multitude of metals daily. For instance, below is a list of the everyday items we use where metals are found:

·          Water supply

·          Dental fillings (silver)

·          Food supply

·          Household products

·          Beauty products, lotions, fragrances

·          Air pollution

·          Vaccines

·          Furniture

·          Pharmaceutical Drugs

 

But, there is some good news: we can fight back. By adding in specific nutrients, herbs, and practices, we are able to decrease the metal load in the body. Knowing what to eat and what to do will also provide nutrients that pull metals from our organs (especially the brain!), and promote the body’s ability to rid itself of these toxins.

The Top Tips To Reducing Heavy Metal Load

 

 

1. Optimize detoxification with some #liverlove.

 The liver is burdened with the job of ridding the body from toxins, pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides in our food and water, etc. 

Never before has it had as much work to do as our environment provides today. Because it is working double time now, it can become sluggish and backed up. 

Therefore, utilizing specific herbs such as chlorella, spirulina, cilantro, parsley help to bind to metals and move them out of the body. 

Also, eating foods like broccoli, kale, radish, garlic, and onions provide sulfur-containing minerals to aid in enhancing detox pathways.

 

            2. Optimize gut function.

3. Reduce exposure to allergenic foods (dairy, gluten, corn, eggs, soy).

4. Consuming prebiotic and probiotic foods. 

Download my gut-loving food list for options!

5. Increase antioxidants.

Antioxidants are the good guys. In general, they help defend the cells from harm and can even reverse damage.

We know heavy metals reduce antioxidants in the body. Further, it also creates more free radicals (stressors, cell damagers). Hence, these instances increase the need for additional support. Consequently, this is the reason why we need to increase the antioxidants in our body. 

Studies show those with Alzheimer’s have brain lesions caused by free radicals. Add foods rich in color: dark berries, leafy vegetables, beets, nuts, beans.

6. Sweat.

Utilize saunas, hot yoga, and exercise to move the toxins out of the body.

7. Consider removal of mercury fillings.

**A biological, specifically-trained dentist is needed for this procedure.

     8. Poop!

     Make sure you’re pooping 2x daily to fully eliminate heavy metals from the body. 

     In addition to this, use ground flax seeds to smoothies, eat oatmeal, increase fruits and vegetables, and increase your water intake. 

     Further, you can also consider Magnesium if you’re experiencing constipation.

Bonus:

Whenever possible, I try to incorporate seaweed (binds to metals in gut), wild blueberries (binds to metals in brain), selenium (just 2 Brazil nuts daily!) to really support the removal of metals. I utilize a Heavy Metal Detox smoothie daily to try to get all of the good guys in!

I treat my patients assuming they are loaded with heavy metals. From there, I work to incorporate these practices to promote the removal of heavy metals.

So, if you’re curious, schedule an Ask Amanda session to receive a kit to perform a heavy metal test to assess your load and assess your results.

Love, light, and healing.

It’s crazy – I say that the detox process is crazy because we live in a completely different world than even a decade ago. Today, the detox process requires more focus on filling up on the good stuff and getting rid of the bad stuff. Just for our daily support, it is necessary to combat…(Read More)

Frustrated over $8 strawberries and blueberries? I know I feel ya. I’d love to eat fresh berries year-round (which is why I’m trying to grow my own strawberries and also have been making a lot of smoothies with frozen berries #hack). But the reason your strawberries are $8 over the past few months is that they’re out of season!

That’s the problem when it comes to eating seasonally. But eating with the seasons can actually help boost your gut microbiome. So, your craving for strawberries and blueberries can wait!

When you eat seasonally, you can welcome great prices and quality taste on things like apples, asparagus, avocados, bananas, carrots, celery, kale, kiwi, citrus fruits, strawberries, pineapples, spinach, turnips, and the like with the upcoming spring months.

What does it mean to eat seasonally?

Eating seasonally means to change one’s diet in accordance to the foods readily available by nature.

Consequently, not only will eating seasonally save you some money on your grocery budget, but it will also provide you with the most delicious, freshest, belly- (and environmentally) friendly foods.

Benefits of Eating Seasonally:

Best Flavor

This is because the fruits and vegetables that are in season are fresh. Also, the fully ripened produce has the best flavor, texture, and color. It is just how it is meant to be.

Superior Nutrition 

Compared to getting picked early or grown in less natural conditions, the foods that are truly ready in each season have a higher nutrient value. The reason behind this is because they’ve been given the right amount of time to grow and obtain nutrients from the sun and soil.

In relation to this, on average, produce travels anywhere from 2,000-6,000 miles to get to us and our supermarkets! The nutrient density of the foods declines as soon as they are harvested so you can imagine what we are left with. Studies have shown upwards of 70% of nutrients being lost by time we get to it.

Abundance = lower price 

When certain foods are plentiful, the price won’t be as high. Say goodbye to your $8 strawberries whenever they are in season! It’s also cheaper for farmers to produce. Cash in on this.

Local/Organic 

Seasonal food is more likely to get grown closer to home. This then allows you to know where your stuff came from! 

It being local or organic also reduces the use of pesticides, herbicides, and genetic modification because it doesn’t need as much ‘help’ to grow or transport.

Variety 

Eating seasonally allows your taste buds to explore new flavors. As a result, it helps you pick things you may never have tried, and get creative with incorporating them into your dishes!

Diversity 

Eating seasonally allows you to provide your gut microbiome with a diverse array of foods – which it loves. Therefore, having diversity in the gut helps boost the immune system.

Harmony  

Once we begin to eat and live by the tune of how nature intended, not only do we become more aware, appreciative, and connected to our food supply, but our bodies thank us.

In conclusion, the foods that are ready during specific seasons provide exactly what the body needs: detoxification from the long winter of heavier foods (as seen in the plethora of leafy greens in the spring), hydration (as seen with more berries, watermelon, cucumbers in the summer) and cooling (as seen in the emergence of apples in the fall to help rid the body of heat to prepare for winter).

These foods were here before us and will remain here after us – they must be on to something.

Below are a list of foods and their corresponding seasons. Print these and put them on your fridge or shopping list!

image from SNAP-Ed

To eating with the seasons and happy bellies!

xos