Better Ways to Detox the Brain

More and more people today are showing up in their practitioners’ offices with neurodegenerative autoimmune diseases triggered by environmental compounds. An example would be multiple sclerosis. Many of these practitioners test for heavy metals and environmental chemicals, which always come back positive, and then chelate the patient using other chemicals such as DMSA, DMPS or EDTA, even with elderly patients, regardless of their health condition.

Sadly, this mistake makes the patient worse, because research has clearly found that chelation pulls heavy metals out of the fatty tissues and enters them back into the bloodstream. As a result, the heavy metals, which were once stored away somewhat safely, have the opportunity to be redistributed into other target tissues such as the thyroid, heart and most certainly, the brain.

A loss of chemical tolerance underlies many chronic illnesses today. First is a breakdown in the body’s natural tolerance to chemicals and heavy metals. Next, an ordinary exposure to everyday smells such as exhaust, fragrance or cleaning compounds suddenly triggers a negative immune response. Over the years, hundreds of studies have explored the effects of environmental compounds on our health, turning up many disturbing findings. Toxins are linked with cancers, obesity, thyroid disorders, skin diseases, Alzheimer’s, autism and neurological breakdowns of all kinds.

The most obvious question is, “How can I prevent this and what can I do once it has already happened?” Although important, focusing on the liver is the wrong approach because it cannot detoxify heavy metals and many synthetic chemicals. Instead, the systems we want to support include glutathione levels and recycling; immune barrier health (gut, blood-brain barrier and lungs); balancing the immune system as a whole; and reducing inflammation in the body and the brain.

The most we can do to improve chemical tolerance, reduce the impact of chemical exposure and toxic load and protect the brain is to support the immune barriers, control inflammation and down-regulate the immune system from its hyperactive (often autoimmune) immune state. Glutathione is the body’s most powerful antioxidant, and is integral to a healthy defense. The preferred method is liposomal delivery and S-acetyl-glutathione, which the gastrointestinal system can effectively absorb.

The gut, brain, and lung barriers take a beating from environmental toxins, especially if the glutathione system is depleted. Current testing allows us to check for antibodies to the Top 10 U.S. Government Priority List of Hazardous Substances. The list includes chemicals and compounds from arsenic to polychlorinated biphenyls, mercury and more. We can also test for body burden, the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, and how well our methylation pathways, including glutathione production, are working. This is all useful information for putting together a health program that protects the body and heals the brain.

One way to shore up our defenses against environmental toxins and support brain health is to dampen gut inflammation and repair a leaky gut. Leaky gut symptoms can include multiple food sensitivities, allergies and asthma, or chronic bloat and inflamed skin. Often, leaky gut symptoms aren’t the easiest to identify, so in addition to screening for food intolerances, following an anti-inflammatory diet, and supporting the gut-brain health axis with required nutrients, we are able to monitor progress with an immune barrier integrity test checked by state-of-the art Cyrex Laboratories.

Tags: environment, health, nutrition, spiritual