Page 5 - Rolling Stone April 2016

Page 5
April, 2016
Heavy Metal Toxicity in Tissue? Can it be an underlining cause of disease?
Dr. Julie Smith AIH Complementary Medicine
It is well known that heavy metals can enter the body through the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe. But, what happens to those toxins if they are not removed?
Presently, humanity is exposed to the highest levels of toxic metals in recorded history, up to several thousand times higher than just a hundred years ago. Everyone has metals in their body; the question is how much do you have? Removing them from the body can vastly improve health, mental functioning, energy and performance.
Hair mineral analysis is a toxicology screen for metals including uranium, lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum and nickel. Many health conditions are caused or exacerbated by heavy metal toxicity. Metals can contribute to any imaginable health ailment or condition including cases of diabetes (iron), cancer (cadmium), multiple sclerosis (mercury), Alzheimer’s disease (alu- minum), and others.
Did you know that the uranium layer of the earth’s crust is closer to the surface here in Northwest Illinois than in other parts of the country? High uranium levels have been found in many of our patients here and not in patients when we were in the Chicago area!
A tissue mineral analysis or hair analysis provides a unique reading of heavy metal and mineral levels in the cells over a two-to-three month period. It takes into consideration that tox- ins are stored in the tissues of the body, not in the blood. For instance, you can have normal copper levels in the blood, but high copper levels in the tissues. The reason hair is used for testing mineral status and metabolic activity is because of its very nature. Our hair is formed from clusters of specialized cells that make up the hair follicle.
During the growth phase, the hair is exposed to the internal environment such as blood, lymph and extra-cellular fluids. As the hair continues to grow and reaches the surface of the skin, its outer layers harden, locking in the metabolic products accu- mulated during the period of formation.
This biological process provides a blueprint and lasting record of metal content and nutritional metabolic activity that has occurred during this time.
A hair tissue mineral analysis provides an economical and sen- sitive indicator of the long-term effects of diet, stress, heavy metal exposure and their effects on your mineral balance that is difficult to obtain through other clinical tests. Compare that to a
Cont. on page 9, Disease
Administrator’s Corner
By Andres Bardelas Administrator, Liberty Village of Freeport A Medicare 5-Star Rated Provider
We are now entering into the full swing of Spring, having celebrated the start of Spring on March 20. Wasn’t March weather wonderful – as warm a March as I can remember. April brings us numerous observances and activities to partici- pate in and as the weather warms up, it provides the opportu- nity for more outdoor activities. There are month long cele- brations, weekly celebrations and daily observances. Today, I want to focus on 3 of them:
• April is National Autism Awareness Month. This month- long observation is intended to highlight the growing need for awareness, concern and recognition of individuals on the autism spectrum. It is a time meant to educate the public about autism and to recognize everyone involved in the edu- cation, care, treatment and support of individuals with autism. Today, 1 in every 50 school age children is diagnosed with autism. For more information, visit the websites of the Autism Society of America (www.autism-society.org), Autism Speaks (www.autismspeaks.org), or Autism Society of Illinois (www.autismillinois.org)
• The 3rd week of April (April 10-16) is National Library Week. This year’s theme is “Libraries Transform”. It cele- brates the dynamic changes that are happening in today’s libraries. Freeport is fortunate to have such a wonderful facili- ty and a staff that believes in serving the community.
Whether through offering e-books, technology classes, mate- rials for English-language learners, programs for job seekers or offering a safe haven in times of crisis, the staff listens to
Cont. on page 7, Corner