What are toxins?
The term toxins is an all-encompassing label. Normally, you probably think about toxic elements (heavy metals) such as mercury, lead, arsenic, and others. These toxins are ubiquitous and consistently in the news media.
However, when you think about toxins, you may want to consider:
- Toxic Elements (heavy metals)
- Chemical Toxicants (xenobiotics)
- Nutritional Toxins (an excess of nutrients)
- Metabolic Toxins (normal by-products of your metabolism, pathogens, etc.)
Each of these toxins must be categorized as a “group” because each group contains numerous toxins. For example, a group of toxic elements includes mercury, lead, arsenic, and so on. Each group of chemical toxins includes formaldehyde, phthalates, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), BPA (Bisphenol A), and so on. This applies to nutritional as well as metabolic toxins.
Each toxin has the potential to create or increase the potential for the other groups. For example, a toxic element may sufficiently antagonize, replace, or even deplete a nutritional element. This will result in an excess of other nutrients that may become burdensome or in some instances, even toxic to the body (nutritional toxins).
Due to the resulting nutrient excesses and deficiencies, chemical toxins may produce greater effects in the body due to a reduction in the detox process. In addition, the potential for metabolic toxins also increases due to the lack of proper nutrients, in a dynamic balance, required to fulfill any metabolic pathway.
As seen through this short scenario, due to the potential effects of each group of toxins, it is important to consider all sources of toxins as well as a comprehensive detox program.
What are the symptoms of toxins?
As seen in Beyond Symptoms, any symptom can manifest as a direct result of your specific nutritional biochemistry and varies from person to person. For example, a headache may result from a toxic element, a chemical toxicant, a metabolic toxin, dehydration, nutrient excess/deficiency, or a plethora of other factors.
This is why symptoms, especially subclinical symptoms, are not necessarily a reliable indicator of the source of the symptom. This is why we promote whole body nutrition.
How can a hair analysis help?
Our hair analysis (hair tissue mineral analysis) is a useful screening tool for nutritional elements as well as toxic elements (heavy metals). It is not a screening tool for chemical or metabolic toxins. There are other laboratory analyses for direct and functional testing of these toxins.
Your hair analysis reveals whether or not toxic elements are present. In addition, your analysis reveals mineral deficiencies and excesses that are important essential nutrients for detoxification of toxic elements as well as chemical toxicants and metabolic toxins.
For example, there are occasions when the hair analysis does not reveal the presence of toxic elements but reveals numerous nutrient imbalances. These imbalances may be the result of many factors including chemical and metabolic toxins. This is one reason why consultations are important.
Because essential minerals are required throughout the metabolism, reestablishing a dynamic balance of essential minerals (and cofactors) may benefit the detoxification processes of all body toxins.
Additional pages that may interest you:
- Toxic Element Safety Guidelines: Find out what they don’t include!
- Toxic Element Accumulation: Bioaccumulation is the hidden danger of toxic elements.
- Detox the Body: What is the most efficient means for detoxification?
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The content and laboratory services provided on this site are for educational and informational purposes only and not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure disease.
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