Environmental Heavy Metals
If you think there’s no chance that you could be harbouring heavy metals, think again! Sadly we are all exposed to trace levels of heavy metals every day through the food we eat and the environment we live in.
Heavy metals are mostly produced by the manufacturing and automotive industry, a certain amount will enter the environment eventually making their way into the ocean and waterways, from there it’s a short jump into the food chain.
To a certain extent our genes dictate how well we cope with this generalised exposure, some people ingest, absorb and ultimately store them in their tissues, while other people effectively detoxify them.
Toxic Metals – Urine and Blood
This Toxic Metal Analysis can be performed using specimens of urine or blood. Toxic metal accumulation from chronic dietary, environmental and/or industrial exposure is common and the symptoms are similar to many other health conditions, e.g. fatigue, nausea, insomnia, impaired mental function, nervousness and damage to vital organs. A blood analysis for toxic metals is ideally used in acute situations to determine the level of recent exposure and toxicity. Urine provides the best specimen type for longer term exposure to toxic metals. This test indicates toxic metal exposure by measuring the excretion of toxic metals from tissue deposits into the urine.
Toxic Metals Analysed
- Aluminium (Al)
- Arsenic (As)
- Cadmium (Cd)
- Chromium (Cr)
- Lead (Pb)
- Mercury (Hg)
Hair Mineral Analysis
Hair Mineral Analysis is a safe, non-invasive test that measures the levels and comparative ratios of nutrients and toxic metals found in your hair. Hair mineral analysis can detect whether there is an excess or deficiency of vital nutrient minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc and iron. It can also identify over-exposure to toxic metals such as aluminium, lead, arsenic and mercury.
Hair Mineral Analysis is an invaluable screening tool in both every day and preventive health care and is always used in preconception programmes to assess your heavy metal levels and overall mineral status. This test provides us with comprehensive information on what minerals and toxic heavy metals have been deposited in your hair over a 2-3 months period. The hair sample is usually taken from a non-visible area such as the nape of the neck; we can take the sample from other areas of the body if necessary.
