Originally published October 22 2010
Selenium: Find Health with the Mercury Magnet
by Dr. David Jockers
(NaturalNews) Today's society is loaded with powerful toxins of all shapes and sizes. One of the most harmful & potentially lethal of these biological toxins is mercury. Mercury has a strong affinity for fatty tissue and loves to clog up the brain, liver, & kidneys. Science has now revealed that selenium is a powerful mercury detoxifying agents.
Many people have very high levels of mercury in their body. Mercury attaches and competes for cellular binding sites with other major trace minerals. When we are trace mineral deficient mercury is able to infiltrate and contaminate cells by shutting down their energy producing and anti-oxidant enzyme systems.
The major sources of mercury come from dental amalgam fillings, processed foods, vaccines, fish, & industrial pollution. According to a large study published in the Journal of Environmental Health in 2009, mercury cell chloralkali chemicals are used to manufacture color additives such as FD&C Yellow 5 and FD&C Yellow 6 and high fructose corn syrup.
Selenium is a trace mineral that incorporates itself into proteins to produce selenoprotein enzymes. These enzymes act as an anti-oxidant in the body to destroy free radicals and boost both the immune system and thyroid function. Mercury binds with selenium and reduces selenoprotein production. This deficiency hampers immune & thyroid function.
Selenium acts as a mercury magnet with a very strong binding affinity for the toxic substance. This strong attraction allows selenium to mix and neutralize their reaction characteristics. This new Hg - Se substance that is produced is not absorbed by the body and gets flushed out of the system. This is a very beneficial interaction that removes mercury from the body before it can lodge in fatty tissue and cause damage.
It is critical that we maintain a surplus of selenium in our body to effectively neutralize mercury and produce the anti-oxidant enzymes that benefit us so much. We must consume less mercury and more selenium in order for this to happen. If we have increased mercury consumption (dental amalgams, vaccines, processed food consumption), then we will need increased selenium consumption of up to 1000 mg/daily.
We should normally consume between 200-400 micrograms of selenium daily. Too much selenium is toxic; however, the average American consumes just 60 mg daily. This creates a deficiency that leads to lowered immunity and increased risk of disease. The most common disorders associated with selenium deficiencies include cancer, fatigue, stunted growth, high cholesterol and liver & pancreatic disorders.
Fish consumption has been a source of controversy due to the elevating mercury levels from industrial pollution. However, fish is also a great source of selenium. The key is to use fish sources that are minimally processed and contain significantly more selenium than mercury.
Dr. Nicholas Ralston's report to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that (southern) Flounder, Tuna, and Wild Pacific Salmon (including Chinook, Sockeye and Coho) have much more Selenium than Mercury. Pilot Whale, Tarpon and most types of Shark were shown to be the most hazardous.
Reduce Mercury & Boost Selenium Naturally:
1.Minimize processed food consumption.
2.Avoid vaccines & choose natural means to boost immunity
3.Do not get dental amalgams put in and look to remove existing ones by finding an IAOMT mercury-free dentist: http://www.iaomt.org/patients/search.aspx
4.Brazil nuts are the greatest source of selenium. A handful (depending on soil quality) contains anywhere from 200 - 550 mg. Eat 5-10 brazil nuts daily.
5.Only eat fish with very high selenium:mercury ratios: http://www.mercuryfacts.org/fselenium.cfm
6.Use cilantro (a heavy metal chelating agent) in your fish and other foods
7.Supplement with cracked-wall chlorella (heavy metal chelating agent).
http://www.mercuryfacts.org/fselenium.cfm
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/88/8802scic3...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenium
http://www.naturalnews.com/026729_selenium_m...
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/art...
About the author
Dr. David Jockers owns and operates Exodus Health Center in Kennesaw, Ga. He is a Maximized Living doctor. His expertise is in weight loss, customized nutrition & exercise, & structural corrective chiropractic care. For more information go to www.exodushc.com To find a Maximized Living doctor near you go to www.maximizedliving.com
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