Chronic fatigue can be debilitating and gets in the way of your overall quality of life. Someone would be diagnosed with chronic fatigue if they have been experiencing extreme fatigue for six months or longer. This type of fatigue is one that is not due to any type of underlying medical condition.
One of the most frustrating things about chronic fatigue syndrome is that it’s very difficult to diagnose. With chronic fatigue on the rise and more than 1 million Americans suffering each day, chronic fatigue is something we need to take seriously.
Our cells have tiny organelles called mitochondria, which produce energy by releasing it from the food we consume. These mitochondria use oxygen to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which are energy molecules. Toxic metals attack mitochondria by weakening or preventing ATP production and impairing the body’s antioxidant systems. Even if your diet, exercise regimen, sleep and supplementation are in order, toxic metals could disrupt your ATP synthesis and hamper energy production. Dysfunctional mitochondria cause fatigue and in many cases, severe chronic fatigue.
One of the more common causes of chronic fatigue is heavy metals. We are all suffering from metal toxicity. It’s impossible to avoid metal toxicity in this day and age. The widespread use of metals in domestic, agricultural, medical, industrial and technological applications is a result of the industrial revolution. These metals find their way into our air, food and water.
The severity of metal poisoning is on the rise at an alarming rate because of frequent exposure to industrial wastes in medicine, air, water, pollution, food, vaccines, paint and other substances. The more metals you have in your body, the more your skin, liver, kidneys, colon and other detox organs struggle to remove these contaminants.
Some heavy metals notorious for chronic fatigue are the following.
Arsenic: This is classified as a human carcinogen, but is found everywhere. Arsenic occurs in drinking water, commonly drawn from wells. This metal also occurs in the air, soils and food. Contamination from arsenic causes muscle weakness, headaches, cell death, drowsiness, seizures and acute and chronic fatigue. Many other complications result from arsenic toxicity, such as nerve disease in your extremities, brain damage, hemorrhages within the brain’s white matter and even nerve fiber damage.
Aluminum: This is the most common in the earth’s crust. It is used to manufacture cookware and beverage cans and is an ingredient in antiperspirants. It’s added to salt, flour and sugar and municipal water sources. Toxicity by aluminum can cause chronic fatigue, sleep disorders, breathing disorders, extreme exhaustion and muscle weakness. It can also cause cell death, which leads to cardiac complications, liver dysfunctions, weakened immune system, bowel dysfunction, Parkinson’s disease, brain disorders and Alzheimer’s disease.
Thallium: This metal is extremely toxic. Thallium is an agent in the industrial processing of cement and is added to gasoline and then released into the air by car exhaust. It also occurs in foods harvested from contaminated soils. Thallium builds up in the body over time and can also enter our bodies through skin exposure and inhalation. If you suffer from severe mitochondrial dysfunction from thallium, you may have the following symptoms: liver disease, gastrointestinal disorders, loss of motor control, seizures, cardiac disease, respiratory illness, muscle weakness and pain, visual/hearing problems, susceptibility to infection, lactic acidosis, nausea, extreme drowsiness, hair loss, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Mercury: This is commonly found in the environment. It can be found in three different forms, including organic (found in seafood), inorganic (found in soaps, beauty products and laxatives) and elemental (found in amalgam fillings in the mouth). Mercury can cause a multitude of health issues.
Other toxic heavy metals to avoid include: lead, fluoride and cadmium.
To start detoxing your body from heavy metals, begin with your diet. Here are some helpful foods: leafy green vegetables (kale, swiss chard, dandelion greens, mustard greens, arugula, spinach, beet greens and broccoli sprouts); herbs and spices (basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, thyme, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and cilantro); foods rich in vitamin C (oranges, grapefruit, spinach, kale, all types of berries, broccoli, kiwi, papaya, guava and bell pepper); garlic and onions; water (8 ounces every two hours); flax and chia seeds; and bone broth.
Foods to avoid while detoxing include: farmed fish (tilefish, swordfish, shark, king mackerel and bigeye tuna); food allergens; non-organic foods; foods with additives; and alcohol.
Supplements to take that may help you overcome heavy metal poisoning include: chlorella (1-4 grams per day); vitamin C (3,000 milligrams daily); cilantro; shilajit (between 100-500 milligrams daily); milk thistle (150 milligrams taken twice daily); probiotics (soil based, 50 billion units daily); pure organic spirulina; organic turmeric; and organic cucumber.
There are other detox products that can be used. Chelation therapy is probably one of the most effective ways to reduce serious heavy metal exposure. Others include activated charcoal, bentonite clay and triphala.
Some other things to be aware of and watch include: If your house was built before 1980, lead paint was used, so don’t grow food plants right outside an old house. Throw out any vinyl mini-blinds if you don’t know where they came from. Get thimerosal-free vaccines. If you have cavities, find a dentist who uses gold or composite fillings. If you work in an environment where you are exposed to heavy metals, shower or at least wash your hands and face at work, change clothes there and wash these clothes separately, while keeping your work shoes outside. Do not let your kids play on decks or playsets built with pressure-treated wood and do not burn pressure-treated wood. It is best to avoid calcium derived from natural sources. Keep young kids away from imported candy and don’t let them chew on wrappers or gift wrap.