Mercury and Chronic Infections
As referenced above, mercury clearly has a variety of detrimental impacts on the immune system. Many practitioners have long observed that patients diagnosed with chronic viral illnesses (EBV, CMV, HIV, herpes zoster and genital herpes, CFIDS, etc.), chronic fungal illnesses (Candidiasis and others), and recurrent episodes of bacterial infections (chronic sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, bladder/prostate infections, HIV related infections) often have dramatic recoveries following an aggressive mercury/amalgam detoxification program.36This would support a general immune enhancing benefit of any effective mercury detoxification program. It has also been shown that the presence of amalgam fillings conveys immunity to antibiotics to various bacteria and also impairs the body's own defense system. Mercury is, therefore, the only substance ever shown that induces antibiotic resistance in bacteria, other than an antibiotic itself.78 It is known that bacteria cause periodontal disease and that the removal of amalgam fillings can often be curative.77 Unfortunately, there are no studies to date that have tested the mercury hypothesis in other infections, even though the clinical evidence is overwhelming.
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Basics of Treatment
One of the essential initial steps of therapy is to optimize the diet BEFORE metal detoxification starts. One needs to decrease processed foods, stress and sugar. It would be best to limit fluids to water exclusively and minimize or eliminate all sugar, milk and wheat. These changes will improve immune competency and the body’s ability to tolerate the detoxification process. More details are available in the Reaching for Optimal Wellness article. The latest version can be found on the Internet at www.mercola.com. It is listed under a button called “Read This First” on the home page.
Mercury Compartmentalization
Metals are stored in many different body compartments. Each compartment requires different detoxification approaches. The different compartments are intracellular, extracellular (connective tissue), intravascular, kidneys or gut wall and central nervous system. Chlorella is used to shuttle mercury out of the gut. Chlorella and DMPS41,42 have powerful detoxification abilities on the connective tissue. It is important to begin detoxification by first unloading the connective tissue. This is best achieved with chlorella. When this is accomplished, one can then begin intracellular detoxification. DMSA or cilantro will move mercury out of the cell and brain. Sulfur containing substances like garlic,43 DMPS or DMSA will mobilize mercury out of the kidneys.
Muscle testing has shown that during mercury detoxification large amounts of mercury are not only excreted via the kidneys but also appear in the small intestine/upper colon (especially when Chlorella and Cilantro are used). They are excreted both via the liver-gall bladder-small intestine pathway, as well as through direct active and passive transport from the intestinal vessels into the lumen. However, the excreted stool contains a much lesser amount of mercury than the lower part of the small intestine/upper part of the large intestine. This suggests re-absorption of mercury during its passage through the colon.
Chlorella
Algae and other aquatic plants possess the capacity to take up toxic trace metals from their environment, resulting in an internal concentration greater than those of the surrounding waters. This property has been exploited as a mean for treating industrial effluent containing metals before they are discharged, and to recover the bioavailable fraction of the metal.44 Chlorella has been shown to develop resistance to cadmium contaminated waters by synthesizing metal-binding proteins.45 A book written for the mining industry, Biosorption of Heavy Metals, details how miners use organisms called biomasses to increase the yield of precious metals in old mines. These biomasses are sprayed into the mineshaft, washed out with water, and collected on ion exchange membranes. A biomass is a sludge of membranes usually from mono-cellular organisms that have a tendency to accumulate metals that they are exposed to in their outer cell wall.
Dr. Klinghardt believes that most, if not all chronic infectious diseases are not caused by a failure of the immune system but are a conscious adaptation of the immune system to an otherwise lethal heavy metal environment. Mercury suffocates the intracellular respiratory mechanism and can cause cell death. So, it is speculated that the immune system makes a compromise: it cultivates fungi and bacteria that can bind large amounts of toxic metals. This allows the cells to breathe. However, the system is compromised, as it has to provide nutrition for the microorganisms and has to contend with their metabolic by-products (“toxins”). These organisms, especially Candida, can frequently grow uncontrollably. When this occurs, the patient experiences the so-called “die-off effect” (the sometimes severe crisis or even lethal reaction a patient can have in the initial stages of aggressive pharmaceutical antifungal or antibacterial treatment). This is often due to acute heavy metal toxicity-metals released from the cell walls of dying microorganisms.
The list of organisms that have the highest affinity for toxic metals covers the full spectrum of typical infectious diseases: fungi of the candida species, streptococci, staphylococci, and amoebas, among many others. However, two algae top the list of organisms in their ability to effectively bind to mercury: Chlorella pyreneidosa and Chlorella vulgaris. Although spirulina and super blue green algae are also algae with other health benefits, the mining and clinical research does not support their use in binding these heavy metals.
Chlorella appears to have two significant mechanisms of action that make it an ideal agent to be used in a toxic-metal treatment protocol. Its cell wall absorbs rather large amounts of toxic metals (similar to an ion exchange resin). Either the specific combination of amino-acids, the chlorella derived growth factor, or some other yet unknown mechanism leads to mobilization of some mercury from within the cell. It enhances mobilization of mercury compartmentalized in non-neurologic structures such as the muscles, ligaments, connective tissue, and bone.
Chlorella is an essential part of the detoxification program, as approximately 90% of the mercury in our bodies is eliminated through the stool. To increase the fecal excretion of mercury, certain principles should be applied. First, it is wise to first start the mercury detoxification by first unloading the connective tissue with chlorella. Large doses of chlorella will clear out the mercury that can frequently contaminate the colon. Chlorella works likes a sponge to suck up mercury from the body. Chlorella only pulls mercury out of the gut wall. Once the gut is cleared, the mercury will then, by osmosis, go into the gut from other body tissues where chlorella will effectively remove it from the body.
Chlorella Dose
The powder is the most cost effective approach but some people will prefer the tablets or capsules for convenience. One can start out with a one quarter of a teaspoon of the powder (one500mg tablet)once a day initially to confirm that there is no hypersensitivity present. Work up to 3/4 of a teaspoon (5- 500 mg. tablets) with every meal. Every tenth day you can take a large dose of one tablespoon (16- 500 mg tablets) with each meal. A simple way to dissolve the powder is to place it in a container with a lid partially filled with water. Then tighten the lid and shake to dissolve and drink the solution. Most people find it inconvenient to spread the doses out to include the lunch meal. Therefore, one could possibly increase the normal daily dose to 1 1/2 teaspoons with breakfast and dinner for convenience. CAUTION: If at any time one develops nausea or starts "burping up" the chlorella taste then the chlorella should be stopped immediately as a food sensitivity is developing which will only worsen if you continue taking it.
Chlorella is also very helpful for removing radioactive metals or fallout. Amalgam tattoos are black deposits on the gum and cheeks that are due to mercury deposits. These are typically removed surgically. Chlorella can be used to remove the amalgam tattoos noninvasively by sticking the chlorella powder on a cotton roll and placing it on the tattoo overnight. The treatment requires about two weeks to remove the tattoo.
Cilantro
Dr. Omura has found that Cilantro (Chinese parsley) can mobilize mercury and other toxic metals rapidly from the CNS and the brain when appropriate amounts are consumed daily.46 47 Cilantro mobilizes mercury or tin stored in the brain and in the spinal cord and moves it into the connective tissues, Cilantro is especially useful for removing mercury from the brain, as brain detoxification is one of the most difficult to achieve. The mobilized mercury appears to be either excreted via the stool, the urine, or translocated into more peripheral tissues. This is a revolutionary discovery and makes cilantro the first known substance that mobilizes mercury from the CNS.
The active principle is unknown. Dried cilantro, however, does not work which suggests that the active substance is in the volatile fat-soluble portion of the plant. It would be wise to use fresh cilantro as a seasoning four to five times a week. A pesto can also be prepared by purchasing fresh organic cilantro and putting it in a blender with a small amount of water, sea salt and olive oil. Blend this until creamy. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times/day with meals. A tincture is also available and the dose is ten drops three times a day, however, the commercial distillates are not as cost effective as using the fresh herb. Coriander may also be similarly useful although it is not as well studied. Cilantro does not facilitate the removal of heavy metals out of the body; this usually requires DMPS or DMSA with Chlorella and sauna treatment. The use of Cilantro with DMSA or DMPS has actually been documented to show an increase in motor nerves following DMSA or DMPS administration.48