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How to Detox Cadmium Safely and Naturally
With my approach to mineral balancing, I like to help rebuild the person, replenish nutrients, and work on supporting detoxification. Once the body restores metabolic balance, it can work on removing any of the bad things that we might have underlying- this includes heavy metals (like cadmium), parasites, viruses like EBV, and more. We need energy to detox, and harsh methods that involve ripping metals (and much needed minerals) from the tissues can create a lot of chaos if your body isn’t strong enough for it.
So I’m going to give an overview on one of the most common metals we see on HTMA and why it would be high, as well as what helps to take care of it. You can detox cadmium safely and naturally when work on overall foundational care.
How to Detox Cadmium
Cadmium is just below zinc on the periodic elements table, and this allows it to take zinc’s spot in a zinc deficient body. This is perhaps the biggest issues with metals in general- they can take the place of minerals in the body so they can accumulate easily in a very deficient person. It can take time for cadmium to show up on HTMA because it can take awhile to build up the metabolism of a person, especially in slow oxidation. Slow oxidizers need to focus on so many different aspects of health at once- so getting rid of the metals will more likely take several years. These metals didn’t build up overnight, and we will not get rid of them overnight. But a slow, nourishing, and supportive approach is preferred to prevent any severe reactions. We’re so used to conventional medicine and trying to “fix” things instantly- but there is no way to do that!
Cadmium affects:
- Energy levels (the Krebs cycle)
- Mental health– Can cause learning disorders, as well as anger issues
- Kidneys– Cadmium tends to accumulate in the kidneys and disrupt their proper functioning
- The Male reproductive system– since cadmium can take the place of zinc, this will interfere with hormonal balance in men
- Teeth– Cadmium interferes with calcium and vitamin D which can lead to tooth decay
- Other health issues created by cadmium toxicity: Cancer, cardiovascular disease, infertility, inflammation and liver disorders
What are common Cadmium Sources?
- Soil and water ( the west coast of the USA is a huge source of cadmium)
- Large fish like tuna and cod
- Processed foods- Hydrogenated oils are a huge source of cadmium. Most processed foods use these oils!
- Cigarettes are one of the worst sources of cadmium- and yes, it’s in smoke that other people are inhaling too!
- Exhaust fumes
- Some paint
What will detox Cadmium?
- Restoring Zinc (balance copper!)
- Balancing magnesium and calcium
- Restoring Sodium (and the Na/K ratio)
- Rebuilding the adrenals
- Supporting the liver, kidneys, and lymph
- Dry skin brushing, sauna therapy (for those that tolerate it, or you can look into single lamps to make your own)
Read more about Cadmium:
Hi Kristin,
I believe I have liver and kidney disease and I need help asap. My whole youth and family and livelihood has been robbed from me, and due to my age it’s getting worse. I just read about the reasons why I have poor health. So I am writing to you for help.
Hi Christa- I am so sorry to hear about what you’re dealing with 🙁 That is definitely a lot to go through. I have my main liver post that could help right now: https://www.sassyholistics.com/best-natural-liver-health-foods-supplements/
recently diagnosed with kidney disease, but I am reversing that. Want to get heavy metals detoxed, which starts with the liver. But will liver detox adversely affect the kidneys? My kidneys may just not be strong enough. The kidney disease was Stage 4 but now it’s 3. Aiming for stages 2 and 1, even return to normal functioning, if possible
Yes, any detox can affect the kidneys as well unfortunately. It’s best to work with a good functional or integrative doc in a case like this that has some experience with detox support, and going veryyyy slowly.