HEAVY METALS INCLUDING ALUMINUM, MERCURY AND ARSENIC
@Organic.Gannett Aluminum Highlight
If you read yesterday’s post you know that chocolate is a surprising source of heavy metal exposure- however its not just chocolate.
The reality is that there are a variety of foods that can expose you to heavy metals like mercury, lead & cadmium.
If these foods make up a large part of your daily diet, it might be time to reassess. While eating them on occasion is not of much concern ( our bodies generally are well equipped to detox from some of these toxins) eat too many of them and the cumulative effect can add up, overwhelming your system. When this happens you might start seeing effects on your health.
How heavy metals affect you is v personalized; ultimately if & how a toxin affects you is also determined by your genetics & environment. However, if you’re dealing with fatigue, autoimmune issues, thyroid problems, or adrenal issues, heavy metal toxicity may be to blame. If this is you it might be time to work with a functional medicine practitioner who can test you for heavy metals and provide you with a formal heavy metal detox protocol.
If you want to take Proactive Steps to help your body detox from heavy metals in general, incorporate exercise/sweating, Infrared sauna sessions and Drinking plenty of water.
Having said all of this: many if these foods, have some great health benefits .. so, if consuming, its important to know which foods contain these toxins, to then make an educated choice on when to consume them and how much to consume.
⚖️How to find a balance?
1️⃣Eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables , grains, & lean protein. Eating a variety of healthy foods can lower the exposure to toxic metals & other contaminants
2️⃣Consider other grains: instead of baby rice cereal or daily rice consider a variety of grains in your baby's diet, including oat, barley, couscous, quinoa, farro, and bulgur. Brown rice has higher levels of arsenic as does rice grown in southern USA
3️⃣Skip the tuna sushi & opt for other sushi like wild salmon or a vegetarian role ( note all fish today contain some level of contaminants)
4️⃣Test and filter your drinking water. Lead and arsenic are often found in water
While a bummer, this information does not surprise me.
Arsenic, a toxic heavy metal, has an affinity for rice - arsenic isn't added, it's present in the soil - in some places more than others (see below).
Two things we have learned about rice and arsenic:
1. Arsenic is mainly concentrated in the husk of the rice, which is more common in wholegrain products (the bran and germ of the whole grain is washed off to create white rice)
2. Rice grown in the southern US tends to have higher levels of arsenic because much of the farmlands in the southern states were once cotton plantations. These plantations used arsenic-based pesticides and because arsenic is an element, it doesn't break down — it stays in the soil. Rice from states like Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana have much higher arsenic levels than rice grown in California. By comparison, white rice from California has 38 percent *less* inorganic arsenic than white rice from other parts of the country.
Organic arsenic is naturally present in the earth's crust; inorganic arsenic is present in soil, groundwater, and drinking water, and is primarily from pollution and manufacturing, and this form of arsenic is highly toxic.
Inorganic arsenic exposure is linked to skin, lung, and bladder cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory issues, pre-term birth, memory loss, amongst other conditions.
To reduce the amount of arsenic we consume from rice:
1️⃣ Source rice from California (if possible - it may not be)
2️⃣ Rinse & soak before cooking! Rinsing & soaking rice thoroughly & draining before cooking has been shown to reduce arsenic levels by ~30%
3️⃣ Cook using the "pasta method"
Use a LOT of water ~ 6-10 cups per 1 cup of rice. Some studies have found a reduction of arsenic of nearly 60% by using this method (PMID: 16876928).
@lundbergfarms rice sells organic, CA grown rice that's tested for arsenic!
Arsenic is one of the top 10 toxins that we're exposed to >> Check out the others at the link in my bio (@environmentaltoxinsnerd) >> TOP 10 Practitioner GUIDE!
What type of rice is your favorite?
Rice is a staple food for millions of people around the world, but sadly rice can often be higher in arsenic.
Organic arsenic is naturally present in the earth's crust; inorganic arsenic is present in soil, groundwater, and drinking water, and is primarily from pollution and manufacturing.
Inorganic arsenic is linked to skin, lung, and bladder cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory issues, pre-term birth, memory loss, amongst other conditions.
Rice happens to be really good at absorbing arsenic.
Depending on where the rice was grown, it may have higher levels of arsenic: arsenic-based pesticides were frequently used on old cotton plantations in the southern US states... those cotton planations became rice fields, and rice grown in those areas have higher arsenic. Rice grown in CA tends to have much less.
There are two tricks we can use to reduce the amount of arsenic in rice:
1️⃣Rinse & soak rice before cooking!
Rinsing & soaking rice for at least 2 hours (and then draining before cooking) has been shown to reduce arsenic levels in the rice.
2️⃣Cook using the "pasta method"
Use a LOT of water... at least 6-10 cups per 1 cup of rice. Cooking rice this way is just as easy; simply taste the rice for doneness and drain the excess water. Some studies have found a reduction of arsenic of nearly 60% by using this method (PMID: 16876928).
A 2015 study (PMID: 26200355) found that the percolator coffee method (ie, running hot water continuously over rice to cook it) reduced arsenic by 85%! No idea how to rig a contraption like this at home, but hey.... maybe someone can get creative with all this at-home time!
@lundbergfarms rice sells organic, CA grown rice that's tested for arsenic!
Arsenic is one of the top 10 toxins that we're exposed to >> Check out the others at the link in my bio (@environmentaltoxinsnerd) >> TOP 10 Practitioner GUIDE!
What questions do you have about arsenic in rice?
A L U M I N U M
Aluminum is added as an adjuvant to many jabs to help boost cellular and antibody immune response. The aluminum agitates the immune system, creating a stronger and more prolonged immune response. In short, the aluminum and antigen in a jab are sort of bonded together, and when the body sends it’s attack cells to engulf the aluminum-antigen “invader,” the aluminum kills the cells (because it is cytotoxic), which then alarms the body to begin an even bigger immune response. It is much more complicated than this, but this is my understanding of one mechanism of action.
The amount found in childhood jabs:
Birth: 250 mcg
2 months: 1225 mcg
4 months: 975 mcg
6 months: 1000 mcg
12 months: 600 mcg
15 months: 625 mcg
18 months 250 mcg
Total: 4925 mcg by 18 months.
Also to note, because different brands are available and timing can vary, it is possible for the amount to get up to 1475 mcg at a child’s 12 month or 15 month checkups.
The FDA states that aluminum in parenteral nutrition (“food” given via IV drips) must not exceed 25 mcg per day or no more than 4-5 mcg/kg per day. Babies with impaired renal function should be especially careful. This means for a 10 pound baby, they should receive no more than about 23 mcg of aluminum in a day. The Hep B jab alone has 250 mcg.They give the Hep B to preemie babies in the NICU, btw, when they weigh just a few pounds. According to the FDA, “Research indicates that patients with impaired kidney function, including premature neonates, who receive parenteral levels of aluminum at greater than 4 to 5 mcg/kg/day accumulate aluminum at levels associated with central nervous system and bone toxicity.”
Now that is for parenteral nutrition, yes. Jabs are classified as a biologic. Jabs are given a higher safety limit of 1225 mcg. This happens to be the exact amount given to babies for their two month jabs. Make of that as you will.
Aluminum toxicity has been associated with neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, seizures, impaired immunity, bone deformities, and more.
Check out my stories/highlights for just some of the studies out there.
This is not intended as medical advice.
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