Far Infrared Sauna - recommended for mercury removal
Mercury Toxicity and Far Infrared Saunas
Mercury is the name of a planet, a Roman god, and a make of automobile. Most people are generally familiar with each of those three, but it is the mercury included in the periodic table of elements that demands more human understanding. For if modern society placed more of an emphasis on the grave dangers of mercury exposure, perhaps fewer people would be afflicted with devastating illnesses and diseases. Mercury is the most toxic non-radioactive element on Earth, and the World Health Organization has declared that no level of mercury can be considered to be safe. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded in a 2001 study that one in every 10 American women of childbearing age is at risk for having a baby born with neurological problems due to mercury exposure. There are three important types of mercury, and each type poses a serious health hazard to humans. The first type, elemental mercury, is a liquid that gives off mercury vapor at room temperature. This vapor can be inhaled into the lungs and passed into the bloodstream. Elemental mercury can also enter the bloodstream by passing through the skin. Inorganic mercury compounds, the second type, can also be inhaled as well as pass through the skin. Unlike elemental mercury, however, inorganic mercury compounds can also be absorbed through the stomach if swallowed. Elemental mercury, if swallowed, is not absorbed and usually passes out of the body without harm. Many inorganic mercury compounds are irritating or corrosive to the skin, eyes and mucus membranes. The third type of mercury, organic mercury compounds, can enter the body through all three routes – lungs, skin and stomach. Exposure to any form of mercury on a repeated basis, or even from a single, very high exposure, can lead to chronic mercury poisoning. According to the New Jersey State Department of Health, there are three main symptoms of chronic mercury poisoning: Gum problems. The gums get soft and spongy, the teeth get loose, sores may develop, and saliva production may increase. Mood and mental changes. People with chronic mercury poisoning often have wide mood swings, becoming irritable, frightened, depressed or excited very quickly for no apparent reason. Some people may become extremely upset at any criticism, lose all self-confidence, and become apathetic. Hallucinations, memory loss and inability to concentrate can also occur. Nervous system impairment. The earliest and most frequent symptom of chronic mercury poisoning is a fine tremor of the hand. Tremors can also occur in the tongue and eyelids. Eventually, a person with chronic mercury poisoning may experience trouble balancing and walking. In the book What Your Doctor May Not Be Telling You About Autoimmune Disorders, Dr. Stephen Edelson and Deborah Mitchell call mercury “one of the most common poisons to which we are exposed,” noting its presence in our drinking water, the air we breathe, the fish we eat, and our dental fillings. Edelson and Mitchell write that “once it is in the body, mercury affects both the immune and nervous systems by damaging neurons and the transmission of signals in the brain, causing symptoms such as loss of sensation, vision problems, muscle weakness, loss of coordination, loss of memory, chronic fatigue and tremors.” The authors further state that mercury toxicity has been linked with rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and many other conditions. While mercury can also be found in such commonly used products as waterproof mascara, contact lens solution, and fabric softener, it can be argued that the subject of dental professionals’ use of mercury in amalgam fillings has attracted mercury its most public attention in recent years. According to information in the Alternative Medicine Guide to Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Environmental Illness, “Every year, more than 100 million mercury amalgam fillings are put into the mouths of U.S. dental patients, despite the fact that, in 1988, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency declared scrap dental amalgam a hazardous waste...Evidence now shows that mercury amalgams are the major source of mercury exposure for the general public, at rates six times higher than mercury from fish and seafood.” The book continues, “Since mercury vapors are continuously released from amalgam fillings, as long as you have mercury dental fillings, you inhale mercury vapor 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The resulting level of mercury in the body has serious health consequences. Research has demonstrated that the body’s tissues, especially in the brain, kidneys, jaw, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and liver, absorb and store mercury.” As the public has become aware of such research findings, some people have begun insisting that their dentists use composite fillings, also known as “white fillings” as a non-toxic alternative to amalgam fillings. As well, some dental patients are demanding that their existing amalgam fillings be removed and replaced with composite fillings. In her book Detoxify or Die, Dr. Sherry A. Rogers writes, “Autoimmune disease, heart disease, high cholesterol and triglycerides, chemical sensitivity, allergies, antibiotic-resistant infections, depression, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, leukemia and just about any symptom you can think of have improved once sufficient accumulated mercury was removed from the teeth and body.” Yet, as Dr. Daniel Royal, member of the Nevada State Board of Homeopathic Medical Examiners, points out, “While removal of amalgam fillings stops further poisoning from mercury fillings, you still need to detoxify the body to eliminate the residual effect from mercury that remains behind in the body. After all, it has been accumulating for as long as you’ve had amalgam fillings.” Dr. Royal calls the sauna a useful adjunct to safe mercury removal because it induces copious sweating. And, he notes, “You will derive immediate benefits from sauna detoxification, such as mental alertness, a sense of inner cleanliness, and enhanced well-being.” The far infrared sauna is the sauna of choice for many health professionals who routinely prescribe sauna detoxification or sauna therapy. One reason is that far infrared saunas can effectively function at temperatures lower than those typically found in traditional hot Finnish saunas. Another reason can be found in the quality of sweat produced in a far infrared sauna. The sweat of the people who used a far infrared sauna as part of a recent U.S. study consisted of less water and more toxic material than the sweat of the participants who bathed in a conventional sauna. In the perspiration of the people using the far infrared sauna, the non-water portion consisted of cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, toxic heavy metals like mercury and aluminum, sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia, and uric acid. The findings of this study seem to indicate that far infrared saunas are simply better detoxification devices than traditional hot saunas. Before you begin a sauna detoxification program, or if you suspect that you suffer from mercury poisoning, you should discuss your thoughts and concerns with a qualified health professional. And if you decide to purchase a far infrared sauna for any of its many therapeutic properties, be sure to thoroughly research the various options available to you.
Pertti Olavi Jalasjaa is the Finnish-born author of “The Art of Sauna Building,” an acclaimed reference book on sauna construction. He is also the general manager of Great Saunas, which has been manufacturing and selling high-quality saunas and sauna kits to sauna enthusiasts around the world since 1974. Visit Great Saunas online at http://www.greatsaunas.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pertti_Olavi_Jalasjaa Related:
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