Environmental Medicine is a branch of health care that recognizes that things in our environment can and do affect our health. Everything from the food we eat to the air we breathe has substances in it that our body must recognize, make non-toxic and eliminate. Our major organs of elimination are our intestines, kidneys, lungs and skin. Exposure to heavy metals, alcohol, infections, oxidative stress, prescription and over the counter drugs and other poisons can interfere with our bodies ability to process these chemicals, causing a build up and backlog of toxins. This is referred to as our total load.
If our ability to detoxify is not reduced and our enzymes are fully functional (that’s were our gene’s come in) and our exposure is low or moderate we will probably never experience problems. But, if our genes are not coding for fully functional enzymes or we have ingested a substance such as a heavy metal that is proven to make those detoxification enzymes useless, the total load will overwhelm our body. Then our body must store the toxic substances. Sometimes it puts them in our organs or bones causing damage to that organ affecting the function. Sometimes it puts toxins into our fat cells. The body then holds on to that fat cell, never letting it breakdown for fear of causing harm when the toxic substance escapes. This is postulated to be one of the major reasons people cannot loose weight.
In the meantime, with our toxic load maxed out we may begin to show signs of allergies or sensitivities to things we never had a problem with before. It is our bodies version of “the straw that broke the camels back”. That one last substance was more than we could bear. It may be the prescription that we can take for a couple of days or weeks then all of a sudden have a reaction to, or the hay fever we acquired after having our second child.
What can we do about the total load? First we must make sure the organs of elimination are working properly. Blood tests and other diagnostic tests will show us whether your ability to detoxify is permanently damaged. We then start with a base of good nutrition and supplements to make sure your enzymes can function properly. Then we identify the paths of detox that are best suited for removing your toxins. At this point it is usually important to identify the culprit. This can often be done with a urine challenge test, or other blood work. The hair analysis is useful if the exposure was recent enough to be present at the root, but in many individuals with past exposure it is not the best method.
At Summit of Health, the detox process can involve dietary changes, nutritional supplements, chelation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and far infrared sauna.
1. Dietary changes usually involve increasing fiber and decreasing ingestion of chemicals through organic and whole foods. You must evacuate the bowels regularly so that the toxins that are pulled out of tissues exit the body before they can be reabsorbed.
2. Nutritional supplements may include substances such as antioxidants and vitamins and minerals that help to recycle glutathione.
3. Chelation is the process of taking a substance that grabs onto heavy metals and escorts it out of the body. It can be as natural as eating cilantro or taking a chloryphyl supplement, to using a common preservative found in food called DMSA to remove mercury. Although chelation can be done by IV, at Summit of Health we currently use oral, transdermal and suppositories when they are indicated.
4. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy works by putting oxygen into starved tissues that may be poisoned by their own byproducts such as lactic acid, and is proven to upregulate (increase the functioning of) some important detoxification enzymes of the liver.
5. Far infra red is a wavelength that penetrates the skin without raising the body temperature to a level that is dangerous for the heart. In fact it is so safe that it’s used to heat premature babies in hospital nurseries. They are so effective because sweat is the only proven way to get the most damaging toxins out of the body. Measuring methods prove that PCB’s and pesticides are reduced or eliminated after far infrared saunas. Taken in 30 minute sessions, the sauna is a very holistic way of dealing with toxins.
For more information please call for free 30 minute consult appointment to speak with Dr. Anschutz about your concerns. (816) 554-4771
Office Services 
