Do you need to detoxify heavy metals to reduce the impact of EMFs?

If you’re sensitive to EMFs (electromagnetic fields), you may be more susceptible if you have heavy metal toxicity.

In this article, we take a closer look at the ubiquity of heavy metals and their effects on the body. We also shine a spotlight on EMF sensitivity with reference to several experts in the field, and look at several means of heavy metal detoxification.

Read on for more information.

Heavy metals are a group of dense metals and metalloids that are harmful at low concentrations.

Heavy metal toxicity is more common than you may think, with millions worldwide suffering from it. 

These metals include:

• Mercury
• Lead
• Arsenic
• Cadmium
• Aluminium
• Nickel
• Uranium
• Thallium
• You may also be surprised to know that metals such as manganese, iron, zinc and calcium can become harmful at higher levels.

Once heavy metals enter your bloodstream, they travel throughout your body, settling into the cells of your tissues and organs, and they can stick around for years.

Toxins, including heavy metals, love to establish themselves in fat cells and can be hard to eliminate.

We can often be unaware that these insidious elements are slowly building up in our bodies. Over time, as they accumulate, heavy metals can put a significant strain on your entire system affecting your brain, nervous system, thyroid and other endocrine glands, heart, liver, kidneys and so on.

We are exposed to heavy metals in many ways, and toxicity may be an underlying cause of inflammation and chronic disease, including diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

It can cause chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases, mood and sleep disorders, and affect brain function, causing cognitive changes.

Some specialists believe that the symptoms of long-term exposure to heavy metals mimic diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and MS.

It may also contribute to cognitive decline and premature ageing, the reality being that it could be toxicity rather than ageing that’s the real problem.

One analysis found that aluminium was significantly higher in the breast tissue of breast cancer patients versus healthy women in the control group.

Aluminium can lead to iron dysregulation, and there was a distinct correlation between increased aluminium and higher ferritin (the protein that stores iron) in the breast cancer patients.

These results suggest that raised aluminium and ferritin levels could be used as biomarkers to identify women at a higher risk of breast cancer.  

The researchers weren’t sure where the aluminium exposure came from in these patients but thought aluminium-based deodorants could be responsible.

Exposure to multiple metals causes a higher toxic load than a single metal. Several studies have linked heavy metal toxicity to neurotoxicity and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. 

Some research suggests that children living near coal ash (containing lead, mercury, and arsenic) have higher ADHD and sleep disruption rates.

One study showed that, compared to a control group, children with autistic spectrum disorder had higher levels of mercury and arsenic in their blood. 

A 2015 assessment of hair samples from autistic children also found significantly higher levels of lead, mercury and aluminium than those in the control group.

The researchers noted that these levels correlated with maternal fish consumption, living near petrol stations, and aluminium pans. 

Exposure to heavy metals is unavoidable, and we are subjected to them in a multitude of ways including:

• Via drinking water
• Vaccines (which contain heavy metal preservatives, either Thiomersal of Aluminium, and Formaldehyde)
• In the food chain, including from fish and tinned goods
• Amalgam fillings
• Environmental exposure from paint, fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, factory waste, lead batteries and treated wood
• Household products
• Tattoo

Symptoms of heavy metal toxicity may include:

• Cognitive decline and dementia
• Brain fog, poor concentration and difficulty learning
• Insomnia
• Stubborn weight gain
• Chronic fatigue
• Low energy
• Autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto’s disease
• Digestive problems
• Hormone disruption and imbalance 
• May contribute to Chronic disease including diabetes and heart disease
• Neurological disorders
• Mood disorders, including depression
• Anaemia
• Chronic aches and pains
• Tremors and diminished motor control, hearing, speech, vision and gait

EMFs are electromagnetic frequencies (or electrosmog), and we get exposure from electromagnetic fields from Wi-Fi, mobile phones, computers, smart meters and microwaves, etc. We also get EMF exposure from the sun and in nature.

Mainly due to the rapid increase in our use of wireless technologies, year after year, an ever-increasing number of people are claiming that it is affecting their health. 

Regardless, corporate scientists and mainstream medicine refuse to acknowledge there could be something in this. Research is highly biased and EMF safety standards are based on heating effects rather than biological effects.

Though largely ignored by conventional medicine and mainstream science, many scientists, researchers, doctors and natural health practitioners recognise EMF sensitivity as a genuine concern. 

According to researchers including Dr Thomas Rau of the Paracelsus Clinic in Switzerland, an estimated 3-8% of developed country populations experience severe electrohypersensitivity symptoms, and 35% experience mild symptoms.

Dr Magda Havas, PhD, describes the symptoms of electrohypersensitivity as being best described as ‘rapid ageing syndrome’, experienced by adults and children.

She writes that the symptoms resemble those ‘experienced by radar operators in the 1940s to the 1960s’, and it’s well documented.

Some independent researchers have linked EMF exposure to clumping red blood cells, heart palpitations, pain and pressure in the chest, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, depression, and memory loss. 

In his research, Dr Martin Pall of Washington State University has published seven studies showing the high sensitivity to EMFs of the voltage sensors in each of our cells, which has a massive impact on our bodies.

This can include opening the blood-brain barrier, oxidative stress, single and double DNA strand breaks, and more.

Other independent research suggests that there may be a link between EMF radiation and cancer, including breast cancer, motor neurone disease, and that prolonged smartphone use can increase the risk of tumours. The list goes on.

Symptoms of EMF sensitivity can include:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Sleep disturbance
• Cognitive difficulties including memory loss, brain fog and difficulty concentrating
• Depression and anxiety
• Skin itching, rashes, flushing, burning and tingling
• Cardiovascular issues
• Tinnitus
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Musculoskeletal pain

A number of things can determine how affected you are by EMFs, including obesity, bone density, water and electrolyte levels. Heavy metal toxicity can also play a role.

This in-depth and ever-growing subject is publicly not acknowledged in the conventional medical and scientific world. It’s too deep to get into here, and as usual, we always encourage you to do your own research but here are a few points:

• According to research by Dr Yoshiaki Omura, MD, ScD, the more polluted your body is with heavy metals from amalgam fillings, contaminated food, and environmental pollutants, the more it acts as a virtual antenna, concentrating radiation, making it far more damaging.

• Theresa Dale, PhD, CCN, NP, writes, “We are more susceptible to receive harmful radiation from cell phones, cell towers, etc, due to our level of toxicity in heavy metals…

“If you have accumulated toxic metals in your brain, and since your brain is an antenna, you can actually receive more cell phone radiation, which in turn can cause the microbes in your system to overreact and create more potent mycotoxins.

“This can create a never-ending vicious cycle between the microbes and metals in your body and your exposure to electromagnetic fields, which can lead to hypersensitivity.

“I have seen that a high percentage of illness, including chronic infections, are caused, and/or aggravated, by electromagnetic field exposure. Then chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and other chronic pain syndromes can easily develop or worsen.” 

• In the words of Dr Tom Cowan, “We are electrical beings, and the chemicals are only the byproduct of those electrical impulses.”

Dr Cowan recounts the story of a patient that came to see him, a surfer who had previously been very healthy, whose profession as an electrician meant that he fitted Wi-Fi systems.

After breaking his arm, he had a metal plate fitted. Three months later, he couldn’t get out of bed and suffered from heart irregularities.

Dr Cowan discusses how EMF radiation is a water destructuring device. Your susceptibility to electrosensitivity depends on the number of heavy metals in your body and the water quality in your cells.

The metal increases your absorption of the electromagnetic field, leading to a perfect storm of deterioration.

If you suspect you have heavy metal toxicity, it’s worth getting tested.

You can see a naturopath, nutritional therapist, functional medicine practitioner, or practitioner of choice who can help you with this. 

It’s worth knowing that as you start to detox heavy metals, you may notice a temporary worsening of your symptoms. This is all part of the process, so keep going but do seek advice from your health practitioner if this becomes troubling or they are prolonged. 

You may also wish to work with a practitioner who can create a personalised detox protocol and support you through the process.

This list is not exhaustive, but here are 10 things you can do to detox heavy metals:

1. Eat a diet rich in foods that support your liver, kidneys and gut function to help strengthen channels of detoxification and elimination and support immunity. Probiotics can also aid gut detoxification and help to support immunity.
2. Try to eat organic if possible – this helps to rid your diet of any heavy metals in the pesticides. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.
3. Drink plenty of filtered water, which has fewer impurities and heavy metals. Eat lots of hydrating fruits and vegetables and those high in electrolytes.
4. Eat plenty of antioxidant-rich foods.
5. Avoid farmed fish, eating only wild, sustainably sourced fish. Also, avoid fish that are higher in mercury.
6. Only drink alcohol in moderation as it puts extra pressure on your liver.
7. Eat clean and avoid foods with preservatives, additives, and added sugars. Also, steer clear of any foods that you suspect you are intolerant to.
8. Take chlorella, a type of green algae, as it’s an effective metal chelator that binds to heavy metals in the blood and digestive tract, eliminating them from your body. They are a generally good mopper upper of heavy metals but are especially good for lead and mercury. Chlorella is also a rich source of nutrients.
9. Fulvic Restore, another heavy metal chelator, can be used as part of a detox protocol.
10. Zeolite Plus is a powerful natural complex of zeolite, humic acid, fulvic acid and pure water, containing natural trace minerals. Many find zeolites are extremely useful due to their unique cage-like chemical structure, which allows them to act as natural absorbents of toxins, including heavy metals. 

Heavy metal toxicity may increase your susceptibility to EMFs. 

If you’re concerned you have heavy metal toxicity, consult a qualified health professional and get tested.

You can work through a detox protocol with a health practitioner of choice or take the process into your own hands by eating foods that support your liver, kidney, gut and overall health, helping to eliminate heavy metal toxins from your body.

You can also avoid foods known to be higher in heavy metals and take carefully selected supplements.

Remember that you may feel worse before you feel better, and you may experience detox symptoms which can include nausea, digestive disruption including constipation, tiredness, skin rashes and headacheves.

To help prevent an extreme aggravation, remember to detox slowly, starting with dietary changes, then work up from there.

If you have any chronic health conditions and take prescribed medication, speak to your doctor or a qualified health professional before changing your diet or taking supplements.

Written by Rebecca Rychlik, Nutritional Therapist and Homeopath. Follow Rebecca on Instagram, Facebook and Medium, @rebeccabitesback.

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