Mineral-Nutritional Balancing for Better Health

Mercury, a toxic heavy metal is often found to be in high amounts as evidenced by hair tissue mineral analysis. In children, mercury toxicity is responsible for diagnoses such as autism, ADD/ADHD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome and a whole host of other diagnoses including developmental delays.

If you see impaired motor skills, vocabulary, vision, hand-eye coordination, social skills, executive functioning, auditory processing or developmental delays do not rule out mercury toxicity. In all ages, feelings of anxiety or nervousness, irritability and mood changes are common. If you experience a distinct metallic taste in your mouth, you might be experiencing mercury toxicity. If you cannot sweat you more than likely are mercury toxic. Mercury effectively hijacks the central nervous system.

Sources of mercury are everywhere and to name just a few: burning fossil fuels, medical or municipal waste, vaccines, flu shots, all fish, shellfish and marine life, pediatric medical equipment such as N-G tubes, discharge from industrial and medical waste into the water. Mercury has been found in contact lens solution. You might be surprised to find that bleached flour, some cosmetics, dyes, paints, inks (tattoos anyone?), fabric softeners, feeding tubes, felt, fertilizers, Dove soap, Ivory Liquid and the list goes on.

Mercury easily passes through the placenta, so each generation is worse off than the previous one. In my opinion, if you are of child bearing age, detoxing from mercury is paramount to avoid developmental delays in children.

According to AAP News September 26, 2019, ONE in SIX children in the United States has a developmental disability. This is a real problem that is not widely talked about, unless you happen to be in that statistic window. Statistics are more alarming for Autism: in 2020, 1 in 54 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. 1 in 34 boys and 1 in 144 girls are diagnosed with autism.

References:

• https://www.aappublications.org/news/2019/09/26/disabilities092619
• https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-statistics-asd

Copper is a metal that is much needed in our bodies, and is typically extremely imbalanced as evidenced by Hair Tissue Mineral Testing.

Copper in the correct form is much needed for energy production, maintaining the nervous system and for proper utilization of the reproductive system. In our final stage of digestion, copper is needed for the final part in the Krebs energy cycle called the electron transport system. For women, copper is needed for fertility and to maintain pregnancy. In men, copper is essential to the prostate, testicles and other reproductive health.

Women struggling with PMS, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroid tumors, infertility, miscarriages and many other reproductive issues should look to a copper imbalance. Men will have testicular problems, erectile dysfunction, prostate issues. Copper is also deeply involved with many disorders in the central nervous system such as: memory loss, depression, anxiety, attention deficit, hyperactivity, autism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, spaciness, and many other challenges.

If you struggle with fungus and yeast conditions like sinus problems, ear problems, vaginal yeast, intestinal yeast, gas, bloating, stomach pains and other digestive problems, you might look to copper. Thyroid and adrenals are also greatly affected by copper – Graves Disease, Hashimoto’s, Adrenal burnout.

Tooth decay, gum disease, bone spurs, weak bones, conditions involving all connective tissues involve copper.

Copper greatly impacts children. Ear infections, rashes of the skin, dandruff, learning disorders, developmental disorders, colic, sleep problems, childhood cancers, ADD, ADHD and Autism are linked to copper imbalances.

Sources of copper are many: Children born with high copper, which was passed from the mother through the placenta, zinc deficiency, high copper diets (nuts, beans, seeds, fruits like avocado, chocolate), copper piping in homes, drinking water, wines, intra-uterine devices, fungicide and pesticide residue on food, occupational exposure, swimming pools and hot tubs.

Nickel, another toxic metal is sometimes referred to as the “depression and suicide” metal. Although it affects all organs of the body, it really affects the brain and lungs. In children, nickel may cause an abnormal dependency or attachment to others. It is also associated with negative feelings, depression and even suicide.

Other symptoms of nickel toxicity can be: kidney dysfunction, gastrointestinal manifestations, headaches, heart attack, severe itching, various cancers, skin problems, low blood pressure, muscle spasms, muscle tremors, and paralysis.

Sources of nickel are many and here are a few: rooibos or red teas, dental wires and braces, some dental crowns, hydrogenated vegetable oils, peanut butter, contaminated alcoholic beverages, margarines and imitation whip cream, vegetable shortening, oysters and other shellfish from contaminated waters, nickel plating on metallic objects, smoking cigarettes, handling anything made of steel.

Gluten from wheat and casein from cow milk can seem like a buzzword but its effect on physical and mental health is documented. In the 1980's K. Reichelt, M.D. first reported a link between autism, gluten and casein. He analyzed the urine of autistic children.  He found abnormally high levels of the peptides gliadomorphine and casomorphine.  These peptides are created when digestion of proteins by enzymes is not completed.  These peptides are also known as and referred to as opiate peptides because their chemical structure is similar to opiates.

Leaky Gut Theory: It was discovered that the linings of the autistic children's intestinal tracts were too permeable (due to incomplete digestion), allowing the opiate peptides to slip through the gut and into the blood stream, crossing the important blood-brain barrier.  Then these peptides would attach to opiate receptors in the brain, thus interfering with normal brain functioning.

Symptoms of this phenomenon are: Consuming only cows milk and wheat products (think Cheerios, wheat crackers, breaded chicken nuggets) to excess and absolute refusal to consume other foods via tantrums and excessive food avoidance behaviors.  The very food the person is eating is the drug their brain is craving. You will also more than likely note constipation/loose stools, stomach ache, swollen bellies, reflux, irritability and a host of other symptoms.

The best way to discover if your child or you have a wheat or milk intolerance/allergy is to avoid it completely in all forms and observe behaviors.

Observe all the options in the aisles in  the grocery store that are gluten and casein free and realize there is a clear connection that something is going on with wheat and milk. I could write a novel about the positive experiences witnessed with the families I work with who begin eliminating these two items in their quest to help.

References: 

Eating For Autism by Elizabeth Strickland, MS, RD, LD page 104

Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.

The gut-brain connection is becoming more accepted by mainstream medicine.  Our guts send way more messages to the brain than the brain does to the gut. This is critical in understanding, for if one is undernourished, or cannot utilize the nutrients being put in the body it can and will negatively impact the brain.  Therefore behavior, physical and emotional challenges can and do start happening. 

Think of it this way: When a doctor gives you a pill to take, for example, an antidepressant, you take the pill, it goes to your stomach and then the medicine is distributed to your brain.  You do not put the pill in your head directly.  This is a concrete example of gut-brain connection. 

Oxalates are natural chemicals that plants produce in order to not be eaten. It is the plant’s natural defense mechanism.

Some people are very sensitive to oxalates and they may have body pain, emotional symptoms, kidney stones and other challenges. Changing to a low oxalate diet can bring significant relief to this population.

The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in our behavioral and emotional responses, especially when it comes to behaviors we need for survival: feeding, reproduction and caring for our young, and fight/flight/freeze responses.

When a person is in a limbic system trauma loop the stimulus-reaction pattern becomes unconscious and automatic. Anxiety, worry, fear and hopelessness as well as experiencing a racing heart, perspiration and light-headedness are all too common when the limbic system is out of balance. This is exacerbated in children with feeding/eating challenges. This is also exacerbated in heavy metal toxicity.

Specific strategies can be put in place to work with helping regulate the limbic system.

Picky Eaters and Problem Feeders often have heavy metals in the body which leads them to eat certain foods or leads them to a very restrictive diet resulting in leaky gut syndrome, malnutrition and a whole host of other problems. 

There are differences between picky eaters and problem feeders. The primary difference is that picky eaters usually have a pretty good food repertoire - eating at least 10-15 different foods if not more, but going on "food jags" where they refuse a food previously eaten for a time and then go back to it.  There is also more willingness to try new foods. Problem feeders usually have a severely limited food variety in their life.  Cheerios, crackers, milk, chicken nuggets and pizza might be the only things a person will eat.  There are intense melt-downs around new foods.  You might see gagging, choking, coughing, fainting, intense tantrums out of the range of "typical" for a person that age. 

Behavior issues abound (think about the limbic system) when changing up diets for all involved. I work with a lot of children who drink only milk and eat only cheerios and chicken nuggets. Most parents agree that this is not a balanced diet yet feel powerless to change the trajectory of this eating pattern. This is a condition of the gut sending more messages to the brain than the other way around, caused by a casein protein sensitivity, a gluten sensitivity and a chemical / textural sensitivity.

This understanding that the gut sends messages to the brain is revolutionizing the understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health and the very way you think.

I have several blogs dedicated to this very topic and here is a link to the first blog: https://betterlivingwithrosemary.com/my-child-is-a-picky-eater/

Problem solving and a willingness to change the outcomes for all involved are a top priority and can be accomplished with a well thought out plan and perseverance.

This is where coaching is of great benefit to you. Spending time making a plan of action is priceless in the payoff it brings to peace of mind.

Contact me today for a free brief consultation at [email protected]