Although it is many years since we got rid of lead in our petrol and there is stricter control of lead in everything from cosmetics to house paint, the problem, in my opinion, is still wreaking widespread havoc on health.
Showing posts with label lead poisoning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lead poisoning. Show all posts
Thursday, November 17, 2016
More warnings about lead poisoning dangers - adults and children (Updated 24/09/14)
Wednesday, October 08, 2014
Unusual sources of lead poisoning identified (updated 08/10/14)
Despite lead having been taken out of automobile fuel, health problems caused by lead contamination remain frighteningly common:
Some of these cases may not be identified for decades, as may be the case with a teenage boy with a slug gun. Initial symptoms may be growing pains, difficulty with schooling and acne. His life may be dogged with fatigue, depression and constant infections.
Lead hangs around in the body and may be undetectable by blood testing because it is buried deep in the bones and fatty tissue (including the brain). It quietly wreaks havoc on health and thinking. I think of it like rust in the chassis of your car: You can't see it; but its there quietly doing damage that may be irreparable by the time it is found.
The presence of a toxin like lead, can be detected with a hair tissue mineral analysis. Once known and the make up of inter-related minerals are known, then measures can be taken to carefully and safely remove it from the body.
Here is an interesting article about one of the hidden sources of lead in your environment (I have had one case where an entire family, including the children, had lead contamination as identified by the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. The source was finally identified as the cast iron and porcelain bathtub!):
But could my tub have a dirty little secret that pretty much knocks all that stuff out of the water? According to, Laura Rudeseal, the answer is YES.
Over the weekend a Dallas Morning News article popped up on my Facebook feed about Laura’s family. I immediately recognized her as one of the amazing mama’s I’ve gotten to know through this blog and contacted her to clarify some things that weren’t covered in the DMN article. She graciously made time to share some incredibly important info with us – thank you Laura! Here’s her story:
Earlier this year, blood tests revealed that Laura’s two small children – two-year old Trevor and six-year old Kassidy – had elevated levels of lead in their system. She searched for the source with no luck, so she hired an expert to come do a little detective work. After eliminating the usual suspects – door frames, windowsills, walls, etc. – he headed straight for the . . . BATHROOM?
Yep. Though few parents know about it, experts estimate that 62 percent of the porcelain tubs in American households have lead leaching into the bath water, placing millions of children at risk. (source)
Okay, that can’t be GOOD, but how serious is it really?
http://www.mommypotamus.com/lead-leaching-bathtubs-the-dirtiest-secret-in-your-bathroom/
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- Connective tissue disorders like tendonitis.
- Arthritis affecting hips and knees in particular.
- Back pain, including disk prolapse.
- Osteoporosis.
- Depression.
- Anger and emotional volatility.
- Unexplained fatigue.
- Brain fog, difficulty with maths.
- Hyperactivity.
- Growing pains.
- Adrenal and thyroid problems.
- Dry, thin skin and poor hair and nails.
- Skin infections.
- Constant sore throats.
- Fungal infections of the toenails.
- Spider veins on legs and ankles.
- Autoimmune diseases especially those affecting the nervous system.
- Most cancers.
Hair Tissue test indicating lead toxicity in a patient with lumbar disk prolapse
Sources of lead
When I do a hair tissue mineral analysis and the results indicate the presence of a toxic element, like lead, we need to do some searching. This may involve delving deep into one's past. Some of the sources that have been identified to date:- Pistol shooting in enclosed rifle ranges, such as basement areas- most police officers may have lead contamination.
- Professional and recreational hunters.
- Children with slug guns - holding the pellets in their mouth while loading.
- Blowing smoke rings on the smoke sucked from the barrel of a shot gun.
- Cleaning firearms and getting the lead residue on one's hands.
- Stripping old paint off a house without adequate protection from dust and fumes.
- Old lead paint getting into the soil of the vegetable garden.
- Living adjacent to a lead battery recycling plant.
- Old mining tailings leaching into the municipal water supply (Tasmania).
- Eating a duck that was shot and not getting all the lead shot out of the carcase before cooking.
- Working in an oil refinery.
- Sheet metal and light engineering by occupation.
- Working or living adjacent to aircraft (aviation gas still has lead additives).
- Plumber-gas fitter or electrician.
- Lead leaching from a cast iron bath tub.
Lead in children's face paint!
"Tests of a children’s face paint kit have found it contains extremely high levels of lead.
Consumer NZ has found a Carnival Colors-branded paint contained 15,200mg/kg of lead. Lead is prohibited from use in face paints under the Cosmetic Products Group Standard. Young children are particularly at risk from exposure to lead, which can cause developmental and other problems.
“This face paint kit claimed it had ‘passed authentication’ to European toy safety standards but the high levels of lead detected meant it should never have been sold,” said Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin.
“This face paint kit claimed it had ‘passed authentication’ to European toy safety standards but the high levels of lead detected meant it should never have been sold,” said Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin.
Some of these cases may not be identified for decades, as may be the case with a teenage boy with a slug gun. Initial symptoms may be growing pains, difficulty with schooling and acne. His life may be dogged with fatigue, depression and constant infections.
Lead hangs around in the body and may be undetectable by blood testing because it is buried deep in the bones and fatty tissue (including the brain). It quietly wreaks havoc on health and thinking. I think of it like rust in the chassis of your car: You can't see it; but its there quietly doing damage that may be irreparable by the time it is found.
The presence of a toxin like lead, can be detected with a hair tissue mineral analysis. Once known and the make up of inter-related minerals are known, then measures can be taken to carefully and safely remove it from the body.
Here is an interesting article about one of the hidden sources of lead in your environment (I have had one case where an entire family, including the children, had lead contamination as identified by the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. The source was finally identified as the cast iron and porcelain bathtub!):
Lead Leaching Bathtubs? The Dirtiest Secret in Your Bathroom
Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Is There Lead In Your Tub?
Confession: I vetted my rubber ducky’s lifeguard certification before I put him in the tub with my kiddos. Okay, not really, but as a mama I have tried to make bathtime safe. Skid-proof tub? Check! Filter to remove nasties like chlorine and heavy metals? Check! Homemade non-toxic shampoo and soap? Yep, that too.But could my tub have a dirty little secret that pretty much knocks all that stuff out of the water? According to, Laura Rudeseal, the answer is YES.
Over the weekend a Dallas Morning News article popped up on my Facebook feed about Laura’s family. I immediately recognized her as one of the amazing mama’s I’ve gotten to know through this blog and contacted her to clarify some things that weren’t covered in the DMN article. She graciously made time to share some incredibly important info with us – thank you Laura! Here’s her story:
Earlier this year, blood tests revealed that Laura’s two small children – two-year old Trevor and six-year old Kassidy – had elevated levels of lead in their system. She searched for the source with no luck, so she hired an expert to come do a little detective work. After eliminating the usual suspects – door frames, windowsills, walls, etc. – he headed straight for the . . . BATHROOM?
Yep. Though few parents know about it, experts estimate that 62 percent of the porcelain tubs in American households have lead leaching into the bath water, placing millions of children at risk. (source)
Okay, that can’t be GOOD, but how serious is it really?
Lead Poisoning Leads To Lowered IQ, Learning Disabilities, & Impaired Growth
Rest of this article about lead in the bathtub here:http://www.mommypotamus.com/lead-leaching-bathtubs-the-dirtiest-secret-in-your-bathroom/
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Is there a single police officer in New Zealand who does not have subtle lead poisoning?
To date, every police officer I have tested for lead (Pb) has produced a positive result. What is going on here?
 |
| Example of elevated lead levels |
How is it that there appears to be widespread lead contamination within the New Zealand Police Force? I think I know the answer, but, first, some of the symptoms of subclinical lead poisoning:
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Anger
- Difficulty handling stress
- Poor concentration
- Lowered intelligence
- Joint and cartilage problems, particularly affecting the spine, hips and knees
- Osteoporosis
- Cardiovascular disease
- Digestion disorders
- Diabetes
- Dupuytren's contractures and carpal tunnel syndrome
- Fungal and yeast infections
- Skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis
- Cancer
The worst case of Dupuytren's contractures that I have ever seen involved a police officer.
The worst case of lead poisoning that I have on record is a duck shooter who ate the duck with a lead pellet still in it!
The cause, without doubt, is the firing and cleaning of firearms. Their hair tissue mineral analyses are remarkably similar to those of pistol range shooters who are not police officers. It may be that police officers are more at risk than most other shooters because most of their practicing is in confined spaces, such as basement ranges, where the lead residue contaminates the air and every surface. Cleaning the firearm, sometimes on the kitchen table, risks the lead residue getting onto the hands where it is absorbed through the skin or ingested via food.
When we are talking about lead contamination, we are not talking about much at all - just parts per million - that's all it takes!
Lead contamination may never show with a blood test, or only show the tiniest of amounts. This is why polluting industries love the blood test while doing all they can to discredit the hair tissue analysis. A blood test will only show what is circulating in the blood at that very moment when the blood sample is taken, whereas the hair is a record of what has been in the circulation at any time during the months that the length of hair being tested took to grow. If a person has lead in their blood test and the exposure was longer than a week ago, this probably indicates that they have a serious problem! I would immediately recommend a hair tissue mineral analysis and nutrient support to mitigate its damage.
Excreting lead that has accumulated in the body is never a continuous, steady process but more a series of bursts of excretion whenever the liver is sufficiently healthy, rested and energised enough to undertake the difficult process of excreting a deadly toxin like lead. Most times the lead is relatively safely sequestered in the bones and the fat where it quietly rusts away one's health. It can not be left to circulate where it will cause rapid and possibly irreparable harm.
A trained and experienced health practitioner can help a person to safely and gently chelate lead from their body through the use of a combination of vitamins, minerals and herbs that help the body do its job of cleansing itself. There is no need for harsh chemical chelation which can do more harm than good.
As a matter of interest, lead contamination is linked to criminal behaviour. It would appear that our police force and their clients, have more than one thing in common!
“Stunning” links have been found between crime rates and levels of lead in the body, and the long-banned poison is still “a massive problem”.
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Is there a link between lead contamination and criminal behaviour?
Here is a fascinating interview with a researcher who claims the main reason for the drop in violent crime in the Developed World is the reduction of lead:
"Political blogger Kevin Drum discusses what may be the hidden villain behind rampant crime, lower IQs, and even the ADHD epidemic: tetraethyl lead. In his article "Criminal Element," he postulates that lead in gasoline may account for 90 percent of the fluctuations in violent crime over the last 50 years, and he shows the upside to investing in lead abatement."
"Political blogger Kevin Drum discusses what may be the hidden villain behind rampant crime, lower IQs, and even the ADHD epidemic: tetraethyl lead. In his article "Criminal Element," he postulates that lead in gasoline may account for 90 percent of the fluctuations in violent crime over the last 50 years, and he shows the upside to investing in lead abatement."
Gary:
Lead contamination is widespread; my own testing of people with health issues reveals a disturbing degree of lead contamination - even here in "Clean, Green New Zealand (Yeah - Right!). While there may have been a reduction in lead contamination from sources such as gasoline and lead paint, the fact is this:
Lead is now well and truly concentrated in the food chain!
 |
| An example of lead contamination in a person leading to health problems including arthritis, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and even anger. The good news is we know how to get it out of the body! |
Lead is "Heavy". Lead produces "Heavy Dudes". Tendency to violent rages, argumentativeness and difficulty with empathy would be typical behavioural characteristics one might see in a person with lead contamination.
Lead interferes with calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc metabolism and even vitamin C. This leads to health problems such as osteoporosis, severe back pain, joint degeneration and extreme fatigue.
Sources of lead contamination that I have identified in people tested include:
- Hair dye to cover greying hair.
- Chewing the red paint on a builder's pencil.
- Eating a duck that was cooked with a piece of lead shot still in the carcass.
- Working in an oil refinery.
- Holding lead shot in the mouth as a child while loading a slug gun.
- Blowing smoke rings from the barrel after firing a shot gun.
- Pistol shooting in a basement range.
- Working on lead painted ships.
- Red Lipstick (some).
The fact is that lead is heavy stuff that should be nowhere near any living organism.
Take care out there folks!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Feeling low after commencing the adrenal fatigue programme
"Gary,
Wondering if the adrenal boost pills may have the opposite effect? I'm real flat , no energy esp low on strength, maybe I have a low grade virus but nothing obvious?"
"B"
____________________________________________
Gary:
Some people commencing the adrenal fatigue programme may feel worse for a while. This may be experienced as feeling a little under the weather, aching, or feeling like having a cold or flu - Exactly as you are describing.
During stress and adrenal insufficiency, the physiological processes that are regulated by the adrenals slow down, including immune function and detoxification.
In your case, this is complicated by exposure to heavy metals through your work in the heavy industry sector, principally lead (Pb) (Refer to your HTMA chart to the left). This, in itself, is an enormous burden on your adrenals, liver and kidneys.
When the adrenal supplements start supporting the adrenal glands there may be a spurt of detoxification and immune activity. It is this renewed activity and not the supplements that may be causing you to feel unwell.
This is a good sign.
With enhanced adrenal function, the liver has to work harder as cellular activity is up-regulated, including detoxification of waste that has built up around the body during the period of low adrenal function. This includes the elimination of lead and other heavy metals which are present. Both the release of toxins into the circulation and increased liver function can result in aching, weakness and a low grade fever.
As the immune system gets the signals from the adrenals to increase activity, it sends out white blood cells to find and destroy any lurking pathogens including viruses, bacteria and aberrant cells that may have taken hold during the period of adrenal fatigue. This process may also result in symptoms of illness.
So, feeling under the weather a few weeks into commencing an adrenal support programme may be a good sign. Continue to take the supplements at relatively low doses, as prescribed, rest as necessary and drink plenty of water. If the symptoms are too uncomfortable, then it may be necessary to stop all supplementation for a day then reintroduce each supplement at the lowest dose and gradually increase the dosage to what was prescribed depending on symptoms. Start low - Go slow is the motto.
This feeling of being under the weather should pass within a week or so after which you will notice an improvement in energy. However; in the presence of significant toxic burdens, such as lead, as appears to the be case here, there may be further waves of detoxification. This is a necessary inconvenience. My advice is to hang in there for as long as it takes. The overall gains in health and wellbeing over the long term will more than offset any short term setbacks.
Wondering if the adrenal boost pills may have the opposite effect? I'm real flat , no energy esp low on strength, maybe I have a low grade virus but nothing obvious?"
"B"
____________________________________________
Gary:
Some people commencing the adrenal fatigue programme may feel worse for a while. This may be experienced as feeling a little under the weather, aching, or feeling like having a cold or flu - Exactly as you are describing.
During stress and adrenal insufficiency, the physiological processes that are regulated by the adrenals slow down, including immune function and detoxification.
In your case, this is complicated by exposure to heavy metals through your work in the heavy industry sector, principally lead (Pb) (Refer to your HTMA chart to the left). This, in itself, is an enormous burden on your adrenals, liver and kidneys.
When the adrenal supplements start supporting the adrenal glands there may be a spurt of detoxification and immune activity. It is this renewed activity and not the supplements that may be causing you to feel unwell.
This is a good sign.
With enhanced adrenal function, the liver has to work harder as cellular activity is up-regulated, including detoxification of waste that has built up around the body during the period of low adrenal function. This includes the elimination of lead and other heavy metals which are present. Both the release of toxins into the circulation and increased liver function can result in aching, weakness and a low grade fever.
As the immune system gets the signals from the adrenals to increase activity, it sends out white blood cells to find and destroy any lurking pathogens including viruses, bacteria and aberrant cells that may have taken hold during the period of adrenal fatigue. This process may also result in symptoms of illness.
Start Low - Go Slow
So, feeling under the weather a few weeks into commencing an adrenal support programme may be a good sign. Continue to take the supplements at relatively low doses, as prescribed, rest as necessary and drink plenty of water. If the symptoms are too uncomfortable, then it may be necessary to stop all supplementation for a day then reintroduce each supplement at the lowest dose and gradually increase the dosage to what was prescribed depending on symptoms. Start low - Go slow is the motto.
This feeling of being under the weather should pass within a week or so after which you will notice an improvement in energy. However; in the presence of significant toxic burdens, such as lead, as appears to the be case here, there may be further waves of detoxification. This is a necessary inconvenience. My advice is to hang in there for as long as it takes. The overall gains in health and wellbeing over the long term will more than offset any short term setbacks.
_______________________________________
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Is the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis an accurate measure of heavy metal contamination?
The Lead Group of Australia has said that the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis is not reliable as a measure of heavy metal contamination, such as lead. Is this true?
Also, is it better to use aggressive methods like EDTA chelation to remove heavy metals from the body?
___________________________
Gary comments:
Here is the link to the article concerned. Please read it then come back to this article.
The first comment about the Lead Group's advice is that it is far too dated: Hair testing technologies have made enormous advances since 1990.
When it comes to shifting heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead and uranium, I would always be inclined to stick to the conservative, tried and proven methods (antagonistic minerals and vitamins) for several months and then repeat the testing.
You do not want to aggressively shift sequestered heavy metals into the circulation too quick. It is safest to shift them very slowly using minerals and vitamins that neutralise their effects.
It is sad that the Lead Group have adopted a negative stance over the HTMA test when it is scientifically robust and when there is such a huge problem in Australia with heavy metal contamination. It would be very interesting to find out all the connections of the various experts and finding sources of this volunteer group. Is the negative stance to the HTMA because this test will show the full extent of contamination and lead to an explosion of compensation law suits? Better that big industry keeps the lid on it and one way to do this is to discredit valid forensic testing tools that can show evidence of harmful contamination long ago.
A blood test is useful only in that it will show recent exposure and/or recent mobilisation from tissue such as fat and bone. A blood test will not show historic contamination - the HTMA will show contamination even decades ago.
When reviewing numerous HTMAs there are common patterns of contamination within industry by type. I need no more than this consistent pattern to be convinced that the test is accurate.
Do you have a question?
Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.
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