Natural Health News: May 2010

Mercury Toxicity
by Rebecca Dutton

Structural Balance: The Missing Link to Wellness
by Dr. Tom Postik

Reversing The Patterns That Keep You Stuck!
by Andrea Chervenak

Mercury Toxicity

By Rebecca Dutton

Thirty seven years ago I was employed by a dentist as a practice manager and nurse. I was solely responsible for the running of the practice and was employed for 4 years in this capacity (between 1970 -1974)

Unfortunately, I was allowed to handle mercury without any protection; mask, gloves or proper ventilation and throughout my pregnancy. My daughter, Katie, has a titanium rod screwed into her spine after surgery to correct a spinal curvature which was caused by a neurological condition. I firmly believe this was the result of her exposure to mercury in my womb. In 2004 I was diagnosed with chronic mercury toxicity after the results of a specific test – the Kelmer test. This test which compares 2 urine samples taken 3 hours apart, the second after taking a dose of Dimercaptosuccinic acid at 30 mg per kg of my body weight, produced an increase of 857% in my mercury levels! After a consultation with a mercury free dentist, I was advised to have all my amalgam fillings removed in order to start a course of chelation therapy to de-toxify my body burden of mercury.

Dental Amalgam

Mercury toxicity could provide a significant explanation for the explosion in learning and behavioral problems, autism and a whole host of other conditions since World War Two. The 60 year period corresponds with the introduction and widespread use of amalgam since the NHS started in1948. Children of the post-war years were exposed to an inordinate amount of amalgam (21 year old adults in 1968 had an average of 16 fillings)

Mercury in teething powders was discovered to be the cause of Pink’s Disease in 1948 and Thirmerosal, a mercury preservative, has been used in childhood vaccinations until 2004. (Thirmerosal is still in flu vaccines)

Mercury is a cytotoxin - i.e. it poisons cells. Many doctors’ fail to understand the connection between mercury exposure and a vast array of conditions – Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, chronic obesity and heart arrhythmia, to name a few. Chronic fatigue syndrome first emerged in the 19th century at approximately the same time mercury amalgam was introduced as a tooth filling. 

Most of us have amalgam fillings in our mouths which are 50% mercury. In fact, two million amalgams were placed in teeth in 2008. Mercury is the third most toxic substance on the planet and we are still putting it in people’s mouths - yet the only place dental amalgam is not regarded as toxic waste is in a living mouth! The latest report from the EC says “the largest source of mercury exposure for most people in developed countries is inhalation of mercury vapour from dental amalgam.” Despite claims that amalgam fillings are safe, once solidified, the fillings have been proven to discharge mercury vapour when chewing food, consuming hot drinks or cleaning our teeth.

We get a constant low dose of mercury from amalgam fillings and we are all genetically different - some of us have very efficient detoxification systems and can excrete the mercury from our bodies and others have not. The mercury levels that have been measured in the body tissues of young athletes, nuns and other groups indicate that this toxic metal can be detected long after the dental mercury fillings have been installed. 

For example, in the heart tissue of young people who died from idiopathic dilated Cardiomyopathy – sudden death syndrome - while under physical stress in athletic events - scientists have found 22,000 times more mercury than the quantities measured in the heart and muscle tissue of individuals with other forms of cardiac disease.

Children, especially the fetus, are particularly vulnerable to the ‘cumulative’ effect of mercury and research studies have shown a significant correlation between maternal mercury-blood levels and mercury-blood levels in the newborn infant.  Mercury is transferred to the child via the placenta and breast feeding. 
If mercury amalgams were officially declared to be toxic, in America, an estimated two billion mercury amalgam fillings may have to be replaced at practitioners' or insurers' expense, not to mention the flood of potential lawsuits for medical injuries that would follow. 

A disturbing study which prompted consumer concerns was one reported in August 1990 by Drs. Lorscheider and Vimy of the University of Calgary in Alberta, in which twelve radioactive mercury amalgam fillings (a typical number for a human adult) were placed in the mouths of sheep. A control group received fillings made of an inert material. Mercury accumulated in the jaw, stomach, liver and kidney of the sheep in just 30 days.

Studies in humans include one conducted at the University of Kentucky, showing significant elevations of mercury in the brains of 180 Kentucky residents who were autopsied after dying of Alzheimer's disease. When the concentrations of trace elements were analyzed, the most important imbalance found, was an elevation of mercury. Professor Boyd Haley, the leading researcher, is convinced that mercury is the major contributor to early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said, in its Policy Paper from 2005, that “Mercury is very toxic.” It may be fatal if inhaled and harmful if absorbed through the skin. Around 80% of the inhaled mercury vapour is absorbed in the blood through the lungs. It may cause harmful effects to the nervous, digestive, respiratory, immune systems and kidneys, besides causing lung damage.

My advice to anyone considering amalgam removal is to find a reputable mercury free dentist in your area who will use the correct protocols for removing your amalgam fillings. This is extremely important!!

• Rubber dam
• Separate air supply and proper ventilation
• Special drills which cut through amalgam quickly
• High volume suction

There is a rising tide of mercury and many other toxic chemical substances and the only answer we now have is individual treatment. Detoxification and chelation are the keys to improved healthcare in the 21st century.

Read more about Natural Dentistry

 
Rebecca Dutton is founder of ‘Mercury Madness’ support group and has two websites for people injured by mercury. (non-profit) She is also involved in medical research and has written a hypothesis on the connection between mercury and scoliosis. She lives near Stratford upon Avon in England. Visit her websites or contact her at:
www.mercurymadness.org
www.understandingscoliosis.org
beckydutton@mercurymadness.org
 

Structural Balance: The Missing LInk to Wellness

by Dr. Tom Potisk

 I recently participated in a radio interview about why chiropractic is important for wellness. That was easy for me because I’ve witnessed firsthand how vitally important it is. In my book Whole Health Healing - The Budget Friendly Natural Wellness Bible For All Ages I go so far as to say that structural balance, and the chiropractic treatment that specifically addresses it, is the missing link that many people need to recover from injuries and illnesses. The reason it's been missing is because traditional medical care, as much as we need and appreciate them at times, does not recognize or address a holistic concept for health. That concept being that health is not simply the absence of symptoms, or covering symptoms with medications, but that health involves complete mental, physical and spiritual well-being. And complete physical well-being demands aligned and balanced body structure. 

Even if you eat well, take the proper supplements, and exercise regularly, the benefits of that will be limited if your body structure is not  balanced. I’m referring to the alignment of your bones and joints, particularly the bones and joints of your spine. Spinal balance is crucial for optimum health because of its close relationship to the nervous system. Misalignment of spinal vertebra causes pinching or irritation of the delicate nerve fibers that travel from the spinal cord (inside the spine) to all parts of the body, organs included. A freely flowing nervous system is paramount in importance for proper health. A blocked or impeded nervous system is like having short circuits in your automobile -  the parts won't operate correctly. Chiropractors specialize in this structure/function relationship. It is not a cure for all that ails you, but I've seen thousands of cases that were helped by taking this structural approach. So dramatic were many recoveries that I've dedicated my life to informing more people about it.

In my book I include instructions on how you can easily check your own spinal alignment by recognizing the general indicators of structural unbalance. These are: restricted movement when comparing one side of the body to the other, grinding or creaking sounds during movement, swelling, weakness, spasm, hips and/or shoulders appearing unlevel, and pain or stiffness.  The entire chapter on this topic, Structured Based Healthcare, is available to Heal With Hope visitors on my web site (http://www.wholehealthhealing.com) and look for the link How to Test Yourself and Family for Spinal Structural Misalignments report.

There are various causes of spinal structural alignment (subluxation) which are trauma, toxins, and stress. Who doesn’t have any of those?  Myself being known as the “down to earth” doctor, I’m pretty active so I get chiropractic adjustments regularly. These periodic tune-ups are wonderfully preventative.Doctors of Chiropractic are thoroughly trained to palpate misaligned structure. There is an art to it.   

Optimum health and wellness are dependent on several factors. Don't neglect your bodies structural balance, particularly the alignment of your spine for a free flowing nervous system.

 Dr Tom Potisk is one of America's leading health practitioners.  He opened his holistic practice in 1985 and has treated thousands of patients.  He is an author, lecturer and was named Chiropractor of the Year. His book Whole Health Healing is available at: http://www.thedowntoearthdoctor.com

Reversing The Patterns That Keep You Stuck

by Andrea Chervenak

No matter what challenge you are facing in life, your attitude will determine the outcome and how quickly you are able to move through the experience.  Having a positive perspective can turn even the most difficult experiences into powerful opportunities for personal growth and enlightenment.  I also know from personal experience that when you are ill or facing a personal crisis, it is not easy to have a positive perspective. And then there are the patterns we have developed from previous life experiences – many we are not even aware of – that negatively influences our ability to heal, as well to cope with whatever challenge we may be facing.

So how can you have a positive perspective during challenging times? And how do you identify and release those long-held self-defeating patterns that may keep you stuck in the same cycle of negativity and fear? By recognizing and using your personal power!  We have become so accustomed to looking to others, and outside of ourselves, for answers we forget that we have an inner healing mechanism, and access to Divine Wisdom that can guide us through any experience!

Step One: Recognize the power of your thoughts

You’ve heard this before, but the fact is, it’s true.  I know this because the power of positive intention completely transformed my life.  Being positive doesn’t mean being Pollyanna.  It is simply the recognition of the powerful impact every thought we think has on our physical and mental well-being. It is estimated that we average more than 60,000 thoughts each day – that’s 60,000 opportunities to life a more positive life!

Research done by Dr. Masuro Emoto, a Japanese researcher and alternative practitioner, demonstrated that the molecular structure of water exposed to positive messages, words, and environments had beautiful crystal patterns, while water exposed to negative thoughts, words, and  environments had dark, ugly crystallization patterns! If the human body is 90% water you can’t help but wonder what kind of impact of exposure to positive thoughts, words, and environments have on our health and well-being! (To learn more about Dr. Emoto’s work visit his website, www.hado.com, or look for his books, Messages from Water and The True Power of Water.

Still not convinced that your thoughts have the power to change your life?  Try this experiment yourself:

Think back to a time you were feeling frightened or anxious.  Imagine yourself in that very same situation right now.  Really feel the fear, the anxiety, and the stress. Then observe your body - do you notice any uncomfortable symptoms, however subtle?  Perhaps your palms have become a little sweaty, or your heart is beating a little faster than it was before?  This “flight or fight” response is triggered when the mind perceives danger.  Just one fearful thought triggers the brain to send a signal to the adrenal glands, which in turn releases chemicals and hormones into the body.  The result is a surge in energy, an accelerated heartbeat, along with a decrease in other bodily functions, like digestion.  All this from one thought!  If we have 60,000 thought each day, that is 60,000 powerful opportunities.

Step Two:  Identify the patterns that are keeping you stuck. 

By uncovering the patterns that were blocking my ability to heal, and shifting from fear-based thinking to focusing on the positive things I wanted, my life began to change in the most wonderful ways. 

1.  Become an observer of your own life.  Pay attention to how your reactions affect your actions!  Watch for egoic behaviors such as anger, frustration, and negativity that interfere with your ability to be a positive person. (Eckhart Tolle’s wonderful book, A New Earth, offers great insight to ego behaviors and how the ego is often the force behind our negative emotions and reactions.
2. As you live with greater awareness you may begin to identify pattern of behavior that keep you stuck in the same cycles of negativity and inaction:

 Negative Self-Talk (the way you speak about/see yourself) is self-defeating and robs you of your personal power.  If you find yourself frequently starting sentences with “I never”  “I can’t”  “If only I could” it is likely negative self-talk is limiting  your ability to live a positive-focused life.

 Limiting Beliefs (your internal belief system) is another block that reduces your ability to be positive.  No matter how badly you want something, if subconsciously you don’t believe it is possible to achieve, it is highly unlikely you will!  If your sub-conscious beliefs are “things will never change” “things never go my way” or “whenever I get ahead something always goes wrong” then you are probably right – the situation will never change, things won’t go your way, or something will go wrong!
 

Step Three: Exercises for Reversing Self-Defeating Patterns of Behavior
 
Release/Replace Method
Although it may sound simplistic, consciously acknowledging and letting go of a negative thought or behavior pattern can be very powerful exercise:
• Acknowledge  the thought/pattern
• Release it  Statement (silently or out loud): “I choose to let go of … _______ (thought/feeling/pattern)”
• Replace it  Statement (silently or out loud): “I choose to be aligned with “______ (positive thought/feeling/pattern)”

Visualization/Breathing Technique
As you take a slow deep breath in through your nose, visualize the thought or pattern you want to release…see it being gathered up in this breath. Slowly release the breath through your mouth, as you feel this negative energy being released…dissipating into the Universe. Next take another deep slow breath in through your nose, this time visualizing the positive thought/feeling/pattern you want to attract. Feel this powerful energy spreading throughout your body…filling every cell and part of your being. As you slowly release the breath feel this energy settling within your entire body, mind, and spirit. Repeat until you have a sense of peace and well-being!

Grounding Exercise
Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart with your arms/hands facing downward at your side. Close your eyes.  Take slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.  After a minute or two, rest the palms of your hands on your abdomen (near the belly-button area) as you continue to breathe in and out.  Feel the sense of peace and calm that fills your body, the sense of connectedness – body, mind, and spirit.  Know that nothing is stronger than this connection…accessible to you always.  As you go about your day, recall this peaceful, calm, grounded feeling whenever you feel stressed.

Life isn’t always easy, and being a positive person in the face of adversity, isn’t either.  But the rewards are well worth the effort!  My personal journey is a testament to the power we each have to change our lives if we choose to do so.

• Read My Story
• Read more about Positive Intention
• View our line of positive intention t-shirts.

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Send questions and comments to: andrea@healwithhope.com