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Intermittent Fasting – The Best Strategy for Weight Loss

Recently my wife, Merily, and I enjoyed a night out at one of my favorite restaurants, VENETO in Salt Lake City. VENETO specializes in using authentic ingredients, including handmade, non-GMO pasta, made from ancient grain shipped in from Italy, allowing Merily and I to indulge in the occasional pasta dish, something we would never touch unless it was glyphosate-free. Plus, friends who are gluten sensitive can eat the pasta served there too (an example for those who travel to Europe and are able to enjoy grains without issue). I love when restaurants behave with integrity, making it easier for us to dine out without ruining our weight loss goals, healthy diet, or adding significantly to our toxic burden.Think you can’t dine out without ruining your healthy diet? Try these biohacks for maintaining your health goals while on the road!

While at VENETO, we were joined by the owners, married couple Amy and Marco. Amy posed such an interesting weight loss question that we immediately recorded my answer on Facebook Live. Her problem is a classic for many Americans who are trying to meet their weight loss goals or maintain their current weight.

Both Marco and Amy had concerns about how to maintain a healthy weight, which seemed to them has become harder as they grow older. A debate had popped up between their differing ideas of HOW to achieve and maintain their desired weight, and I was asked to give my perspective.

Here’s the interesting thing: Marco and Amy were raised to eat very differently. Marco, a native of Italy, approached eating in a more European way. He tended to eat little to nothing for most of the day, and a big meal in the evening. Pasta was a big part of his childhood, and he doesn’t shy away from eating it now. Amy, born and raised in Utah, was convinced that this wasn’t going to be a good method for weight loss. Everything that she learned about achieving a healthy weight involved a restrictive diet, counting calories, watching macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein). Amy eats small meals frequently throughout the day. She has a long list of foods that she completely avoids. So their question for me was, “Who has the better approach to eating?”

Well, Amy, I’m sorry, but this time I have to give Marco the gold star. His approach to eating is a healthier way to eat, and better for weight loss in the long run. In some countries in Europe, this is simply how one eats. For the rest of us, we gave it a name. This style of eating less often is called intermittent fasting, and it’s an effective tool for addressing so many health problems, including excess weight.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

It sounds complicated, but intermittent fasting is actually a very simple concept. The idea is to do a short daily fast, only eating during certain hours of the day. So, for example, you might stop all food intake after 8pm, sleep, wake up the next morning, and, except for non-sugary drinks (pure water, organic coffee, tea, etc), you continue the fast until mid-day, or even that evening. Food for that day is consumed between the hours of 2 and 8pm. As you grow accustomed to intermittent fasting, you can push that window of time to be even more compressed. Some prefer to eat earlier in the day instead of the evening hours, i.e. 9AM to 3PM, and that works too. The key is consistency and finding what works for your schedule and lifestyle.

Intermittent fasting is a dietary approach that we see historically and archaeologically all over the world. I personally eat this way, and have coached many of my clients through it, who have experienced tremendous benefits and increase in health and weight loss. The standard American diet has strayed very far from this approach with disastrous results. Chronic inflammation is on the rise, leading to problems like immune disorders, hormone dysfunction, thyroid disease (see our thyroid detox), cancer, and even weight loss resistance. Intermittent fasting1 is known to be a fantastic tool for managing these issues, but here are a few reasons why it’s specifically beneficial for weight loss.

Efficient Fat Burning for Weight Loss

Let’s take a closer look at Amy’s diet, which involved eating small, frequent meals throughout the day. Now, she’s hardly alone in thinking this is the way to lose weight. We’ve been told by our family doctors and health organizations for decades that the way to lose weight is to restrict caloric intake, and to eat smaller meals more often. But ask yourself this: In weight loss, you’re trying to shed excess fat stores. You want your body to burn through its own fat, right? If Amy is eating throughout the day – even if they’re small meals – when is her body getting the opportunity to burn her stored body fat? Your body will use the energy from the food that you eat before it starts tapping into your fat stores. So, if you’re eating frequently throughout the day, there’s no need to burn stored fat for energy. Your body will simply use the energy from the food you eat, and leave its fat stores relatively untouched. Intermittent fasting solves this problem by forcing your body to burn its own fat. In other words, intermittent fasting helps to push your body into ketosis, or fat burning mode, using fat as cellular fuel.

If you’re only eating within a compressed window of time in the day, your body will switch to using its own fat stores as an energy source until you eat. It will tap into the very fat that you’re looking to burn. In addition, over time you become very efficient at burning fat for fuel. This is one of the healthiest ways to promote true and lasting weight loss, and it can help maintain weight once you’ve reached your desired goal.

Fasting Increases Growth Hormone

If you want to age quickly or gain weight, eat sugar and processed carbs throughout the day. I can think of no better way to age yourself2. When you spike glucose levels, it causes oxidative stress to your cells, effectively aging them, speeding up cell death, and sapping you of energy3. Intermittent fasting, or any kind of fast for that matter, has the opposite effect. Growth hormones and testosterone levels rise, stimulating your body to regenerate itself4. In other words you can feel better, look younger, and have more energy by incorporating regular fasting into your lifestyle.

Fasting Can Make You Feel Fuller

Contrary to popular belief, you can feel full and more satisfied with a lifestyle that includes regular intermittent fasting. To show you how, let’s go back to Amy and Marco’s different approaches to eating. In the video, Amy explains her restricted calorie diet, how she has a long list of foods that she feels are forbidden, and how she felt guilty even indulging in some of the dishes that we ordered at the restaurant. On the other hand, Marco doesn’t worry too much about eating rich foods. His philosophy is that since it’s his only meal of the day, he should enjoy it and eat to fullness. While I would never say that it doesn’t matter what you eat, considering how contaminated the standard American diet is with pesticides, glyphosate, GMOs, unhealthy fats, and more, I will say that you have a lot more freedom in what you eat using intermittent fasting as a tool instead of a highly restrictive diet, which only promises to get more restrictive as weight loss plateaus and your metabolism slows down.

Remember that intermittent fasting is not starvation, nor deprivation. You’re not eating less, you’re eating less often. When you do eat, you eat delicious, healing foods until you feel satisfied. You won’t have to fear healthy fats, grass-fed meats, organic vegetables, or strategic amounts of healthy carbs. You hold off eating to allow your body to burn its own fat, and then eat until you are full. Does that sound like starvation to you?

A Word on Water Fasting

We talked a little bit about water fasting in the video. Both Marco and Amy have tried water fasts. There are a lot of benefits to doing water5 or bone broth fasts, even mini fasts as with the 5:1:1 Rule, including:

  • Reduced cellular inflammation
  • A boost in hormone sensitivity (Your body becomes more receptive to growth hormones, testosterone, etc)6
  • Increased autophagy (Your body has a chance to clear cellular debris and abnormal cells, like cancerous cells)
  • Enhanced weight loss via decreased glucose and insulin spikes and ketosis

As I indicated in the video, water fasts really come in handy at the start of a multi-step approach to weight loss. They push your body into ketosis, helping you to adapt more quickly. You’d be surprised how easy water fasts are once you get going…they’re not as intimidating as they sound.

Diet Variation and Weight Loss

I only just touched on diet variation as an additional tool for promoting weight loss, but we dig into the practice in-depth on CHTV Episode 157. It’s important to approach your journey to health and diet change in steps, not only to give your body a chance to adjust in increments along the way, but also to move at a pace that will better ensure changes you make don’t feel so extreme that you get discouraged and stop. Having said that, diet variation in tandem with intermittent fasting has the potential to totally transform health, downregulating inflammation, and helping you to become efficient at both burning fat for energy and burning glucose for energy.

It’s all about having a well-adapted body, able to switch between burning fat and sugar seamlessly. Diet variation most closely resembles how humans ate throughout history with food being plentiful at certain times and scarce during others. The human body is made to handle feast or famine periods and varying foods by season. Contrary to what the markets would have you think, apples for example, don’t grow year round. They’re harvested in the fall and kept warehoused for sale through the year. You wouldn’t believe what gets sprayed onto produce to keep it from rotting.

Combining seasonal eating with feasting and fasting periods is the best way I know to imitate how our ancestors ate. Using these methods, you can become highly adaptable, able to switch from a state of ketosis to burning glucose for fuel with ease. Specific diets like an autoimmune diet can also support specific health situations.

Bringing It All Together

It’s important to work with a trained practitioner to determine what diet strategies will work best for you. In terms of where intermittent fasting fits in with transforming how you eat, one multi-step plan might look like this:

  • Go into ketosis. Work to push your body into fat burning mode. For the high achievers, starting with a water fast can really jump start the shift.
  • Introduce intermittent fasting.
  • Come in with the diet variation. The 5:1:1 rule I mentioned earlier is a part of this step, as is seasonal eating.

Now, toxins do play a role in weight issues. Build-up of cellular toxins, including heavy metals and other environmental chemicals, drives inflammation, blunts hormone receptivity, and can lead to many chronic disorders, including weight loss resistance. If your toxic burden is high, PompaCore Cellular Detox™ is a key piece of the puzzle. This is why having that coach on your team is so vital. Don’t go it alone!

When it comes to weight loss, controlling a chronic disorder, detoxifying cells, or even maintaining the amazing health that you’ve already achieved, there’s never just one answer, no magic pill or protocol that works for everybody. This is why I advocate so strongly for a Multi-Therapeutic Approach, using both the best in modern science and ancient strategies for restoring cellular function. Weight loss is no different. Often a multi-step process is necessary for real and sustainable results.

 

  • 1. Patterson, R. E., and D. D. Sears. “Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting.” Annual review of nutrition. August 21, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28715993.
  • 2. Gkogkolou, P., and M. Böhm. “Advanced glycation end products: Key players in skin aging?” Dermato-endocrinology. July 01, 2012. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23467327.
  • 3. Russell, J. W., D. Golovoy, A. M. Vincent, P. Mahendru, J. A. Olzmann, A. Mentzer, and E. L. Feldman. “High glucose-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in neurons.” FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. November 16, 2002. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12409316.
  • 4. & 6. Ho, K. Y., J. D. Veldhuis, M. L. Johnson, R. Furlanetto, W. S. Evans, K. G. Alberti, and M. O. Thorner. “Fasting enhances growth hormone secretion and amplifies the complex rhythms of growth hormone secretion in man.” The Journal of clinical investigation. April 1988. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3127426.
  • 5. Cheng, Chia-Wei, Gregor B. Adams, Laura Penn, Min Wei, Xiaoying Zhou, Ben S. Lam, Stefano Da Sacco, Mario Mirisola, Davod I. Quinn, Tanya B. Dorff, John J. Kopchick, and Valter D. Longo. “Prolonged Fasting Reduces IGF-1/PKA to Promote Hematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Based Regeneration and Reverse Immunosuppression.” CellPress. June 5, 2014. http://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/abstract/S1934-5909(14)00151-9.

Dulse “Bacon” Bites

Dulse Bacon Bites

  • 1 package dulse seaweed
  • Avocado or coconut oil for frying
  1. Rip dulse sheets into bite-size pieces by hand.
  2. Heat skillet over medium heat and cover bottom of pan with oil.
  3. Once oil is hot, place dulse pieces in skillet and fry until crisp.
  4. Serve over salad, as a soup garnish, or plain as a snack.

 

Nori Chips

Nori Chips

  • 1-2 sheets toasted nori seaweed
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Avocado or coconut oil for frying
  1. Rip nori sheets into bite-size pieces by hand.
  2. Heat skillet over medium heat and cover bottom of pan with oil.
  3. Once oil is hot, place nori pieces in skillet and fry until crisp.
  4. Season with salt and serve.

Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Compote

chocolate cake raspberry

Cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups packed almond meal
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups packed pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
  • 3 pastured eggs
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Compote:

  • 1 bag frozen raspberries
  • Pinch of sea salt

Coconut Cream:

  • 1 can organic, full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
  • Touch of stevia
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
  3. Blend dates and water in blender until smooth paste forms.
  4. Mix date paste with other wet ingredients until smooth.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until smooth.
  6. Grease an 8″ round cake pan with coconut oil and pour in batter.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. While cake is baking, heat frozen raspberries in stainless steel pan with a pinch of salt. Reduce sauce to desired consistency.
  9. Make coconut cream. Coconut cream is simply the “cream” that separates from the water and rises to the top when a can of coconut milk is refrigerated. Mix in a touch of stevia and sea salt to taste.
  10. Once cake is baked, allow to cool and set.
  11. Slice cake and serve with compote and coconut cream (or real heavy whipped cream).

Epigenetics: The Science of Epigenetics For Cellular Health

In the past, there has been a common theme in the discussion of what health disasters might be inherited from our familial gene pool. The thought process goes something like this: my mom had cancer, and so will I; my whole family has thyroid challenges, and so will I; I come from a family of diabetics, and that will ultimately be my fate—what a bleak outlook.

Thankfully, much research has come to the forefront to disprove these theories, including the science of epigenetics. Your genetics are NOT set in stone. If your mom has diabetes, that may not be your ultimate diagnosis later in life.

We can now free ourselves from the dread that permeates generations who worry about heart disease, diabetes, thyroid challenges, cancer, and weight loss resistance and link these challenges to lousy family genetics. Now we can celebrate a newfound understanding that it is mostly our environment and our mindset that determines our future, NOT our genes.

The Science of Epigenetics

In recent times, many studies1 are proving this new premise. And the evolving science of epigenetics (the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression) reveals facts about our gene pool that have never before been discussed. These studies are now handing us the responsibility to care for our bodies and emotions, so unhealthy family genes do not get expressed.

For example, the Human Genome Project started in 1988 to map out genes to lead to some breakthrough studies in healing many incurable illnesses. But what they found was surprising. Not only did we find that human beings possess fewer genes than previously documented, the very genes we thought we knew so much about operated quite differently.

How Environment Affects Our Gene Pool

In 1988, John Cairns, a British Molecular Biologist, proved that our environment in which we live and to which we are exposed has everything to do with how our genes express2.

In an article written by Konstatin Eriksen entitled “The Science of Epigenetics: How Our Minds Can Reprogram our Genes”3 in Wake-Up World, he writes the following about Carins amazing discoveries:

“…Cairns took bacteria whose genes did not allow them to produce lactase, the enzyme needed to digest milk sugar, and placed them in petri dishes where the only food present was lactase. Much to his astonishment, all of the petri dishes had been colonized by the bacteria within a few days, and they were eating lactose. The bacterial DNA had changed in response to its environment.

This experiment has been replicated many times, and they have not found a better explanation than this obvious fact – that even primitive organisms can evolve consciously.

So, information flows in both directions, from DNA to proteins and from proteins to DNA, contradicting the ‘central dogma.’ Genes can be activated and de-activated by signals from the environment. The consciousness of the cell is inside the cell’s membrane. Every cell in our bodies has a type of consciousness. Genes change their expression depending on what is happening outside our cells and even outside our bodies…”

Same Genes, Different Outcome

Let’s elaborate. All humans share about 99% of the same DNA. We all have the same genes, and that is why we don’t look like rabbits. But since that is so, why do some people get sick and others do not?

The epigenome (a multitude of chemical compounds that tell the genes what to do) can be thought of as the body's software, and the genes act as the hard drive from our parents. We inherit a certain set of genes, and some get turned on or expressed, and some do not.

Gene expression is determined by many factors: our environment or habitat, which may either be healthy or polluted, our lifestyle (junk food, organic food, tons of sugar, healthy fats, to name a few), and our habits (too much alcohol, staying up too late, getting enough sleep and creating a peaceful environment).

Twin Mice Study

A study at Duke University4 took 2 sets of identical twin mice. Researchers separated mice into 2 groups and gave them the same diet and exercise routine; but, one thing was different. One set of identical twin mice were exposed to a carcinogenic chemical called BPA, found abundantly in our environment (often in plastic bottles and personal care products).

What was the result? In the mice exposed to BPA, it turned ON a gene called the agouti gene. The agouti gene predisposes one to obesity, thyroid, and cardiovascular disease. The exposed mice became obese, their fur turned an unhealthy color of yellow, and they produced offspring that were obese from birth.

The study's positive outcome was they were able to turn off the agouti gene with the addition of certain nutrients that turned on their capabilities of methylation. When this occurred, even though the mice were still exposed to BPA, the next generation of mice did not inherit the turned on agouti gene.

How Methylation Can Protect Gene Expression

We must increase our methylation capabilities to help protect our cells from a polluted environment. Methylation is the process by which the body turns stress hormones on and off. If you have methyl group depletion, the body will have more toxins and inflammation to turn on bad genes.

In a previous article, I wrote about methylation, saying this: “…a researcher and doctor named Dr. Alan Vinitsky theorized that due to the importance of methylation…and its multiple functions, there must be a prioritization of the valuable methyl groups (used) in many life-sustaining functions. There is a hierarchy of importance…and survival is always at the top… if methyl groups are lacking, your body will use them first to adapt to stress…and if there are a lack of methyl groups, (other) needs are not met, and new problems arise such as DNA damage (cancer) or gene’s susceptibility to (turn on bad genes)…”

MoRS: My First Choice to Increase Methylation

The product I often use to increase methylation is called MoRS by Systemic Formulas. In the same article discussing methylation, I wrote, “The methylation cycle is very complex, with many rate-limiting factors that can cause depletion. MoRS is the only product I know of currently that addresses all of them. Using certain active forms of methyl donors utilized in the cell without being converted to another form, such as 5 methyltetrahydrofolates, is important because many people genetically do not have enzymes to make the conversion (known as the MTHFR genetic SNP) and are predisposed to methyl depletion. These individuals are more prone to toxic build-up, and need to take the correct product with the active forms of the B vitamins such as MoRS…”

MoRS is an important product to increase methylation I use for my clients. We can only protect ourselves so much from our environment. And when we are inadvertently exposed to daily chemical stressors or silver amalgam fillings in our mouth (heavy metals damage methylation capabilities), we can take MoRS as an insurance policy. Our cells count on methylation for proper function, and we want to do everything possible to keep them healthy and thriving.

Brilliant biologist Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of “Biology of Belief,” discusses how day-to-day thoughts and attitudes can change gene expression. In an article based on my interview with Dr. Lipton, I wrote, “…(Dr. Lipton concludes that) our bad thoughts have the ability to create inflammation and our good thoughts can reduce inflammation. In fact, our brain is the chemist: it creates the chemistry of our blood. When we are in love, we release oxytocin and dopamine (“feel good” neurotransmitters) that create a feeling of immense well-being and stability.

Conversely, when we have angry, worried thoughts that create fear and anger, those stress chemicals cause inflammation. It shuts down the growth of cells; in other words, fear and anger kill cells! Cells only see the picture you have in your mind; they don’t have the ability to see the real world.

So the chemistry of the blood changes with the pictures in mind. As it views this picture, the brain creates certain neurochemicals consistent with the picture, thus turning it into biology.

(When) the mind misinterprets the world, our cells don’t know it is not true, and fear shuts down all cellular protection. And in this state of fear and anger, when we have an infection, our cells can’t protect themselves, and stress shuts down our immune system to conserve energy. Every day, as we bath ourselves in stress, it systematically shuts down our protective forces…”

The stunning conclusion is that negative belief systems, self-talk, unconscious limiting beliefs, and low esteem can turn into bad genes. I suggest reading Dr. Lipton’s “Biology of Belief” and following his suggestions on turning around unhealthy thought patterns.

Turning Bad Genes Off is the Key

The study of epigenetics is exciting and motivating. Unfortunately, the conventional world is not fully embracing this science (yet anyway). Many docs still believe you get cancer because your parents had cancer. But now we know that few diseases are purely genetic, meaning a complete chromosome error. I am talking about thyroid disease, diabetes, weight loss resistance, etc., is that we can look to the science of epigenetics for answers. The discussion we need to have is how to turn these bad genes off.

We live in an instant gratification society, and most patients want instant results. But we have to remember that it took generations and one’s own lifetime to turn bad genes on, and it will take time and commitment to get them turned off. It’s easy to blame our parent's and grandparent’s genes, but it most probably was their lifestyle, diet, environment, and thoughts that created an unfavorable gene pool.

Another well-known study followed 2 identical twin females. One got cancer, and the other did not. Again, they were able to trace it back to huge variances in their lifestyle and environment. We have to keep in mind that we need to change our environments and remain as toxin and stress-free as possible.

Burst Training: Turn on Fat Burning

The TIME article, “How Exercise Can Change your DNA,”5  explained that certain types of high-intensity exercise would affect enhancer genes (genes involving carbohydrate metabolism). This has to do with how muscles use energy to burn fat. So, with high-intensity exercise, we can turn on genes that make us efficient fat burners, turn up our metabolism and make better use of insulin—another reason why exercise positively affects diabetes.

In the research study referred to in the article, it is so difficult to study exercise because so many variables affect our genes. How do we know which exercise is affecting the genes? In the study, participants exercised only one way; on a bike using either the right or the left leg, they were able to isolate what genes were turned on.

If we want to lose weight, high-intensity exercise (or burst training) can turn the genes that make us better fat burners and help us utilize insulin more effectively.

Watch my video on burst training and get your heart rate up to 80% maximum. When you do burst training, exercise hard for at least 30 seconds to 2 minutes, then take 1-2 minutes to recover and repeat that cycle at least 3-4 times. I suggest bursting 2-4 times per week, always allowing adequate recovery time.

Is Your Toxic Bucket Full?

Obviously, it is pretty impossible to live in a chemical-free, stress-free environment. But again, MoRS helps to turn on methyl groups that determine how we adapt to stress, activate positive stress responses, and increase methylation. If we are properly methylated, we can normally respond to stress and adapt. Disease boils down to the ability or inability to adapt to stress: when we don’t adapt, we turn on bad genes.

What about your toxic bucket? We all have different sized “toxic buckets,” meaning that we have different abilities to tolerate stress and handle toxic exposure, much of which is determined by our methylation capabilities.

If you picture a bucket with stressors inside, they either accumulate or get cleared away. But chemical stressors tend to bio-accumulate in this bucket, and with any extra stress or toxic exposure, the bucket overflows. We need to empty our toxic buckets that can turn off our bad DNA. PompaCore Cellular Detox™ will help to empty chemical stressors from the bucket.

Why PompaCore Cellular Detox™ is a Must

One thing is definite: we must detoxify our cells. I am not talking about a colon cleanse or a liver cleanse, although there is nothing wrong with doing those cleanses. I am referring to is a process called PompaCore Cellular Detox™.

Please read my article about the 5R’s of PompaCore Cellular Detox and Healing™. R2 is Regenerating the Cellular Membrane. We now know that it is the cell membrane that turns genes on and off. In fact, it is the cell membrane that holds the intelligence.

The cell membrane looks at your environment, determining whether it is good or bad, and then changes the way genes are expressed. On the outside of each cell, attached to the cell membrane, are different hormone receptors. If they sense toxins, this registers, and it changes the nucleus of the cell, thus affecting the genome.

Fix the Cell to Get Well

My 5R’s of PompaCore Cellular Detox and Healing™ are a roadmap for fixing cellular dysfunction. We have many different support products to change each part of the cell called core cellular products. And if you read these articles (R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5) explaining my 5R’s, you can understand how to fix your genome.

I recently implemented a very comprehensive 3-month program to detoxify cells called the PompaCore Cellular Detox™ program. It not only provides 3 months of the best nutritional and herbal support possible, but it educates you through a series of articles and videos that are unparalleled. It is well worth your investigation.

You can change your gene expression, but you have to change your environment, clean out your toxic bucket and empty your stressors. Only then will you start to adapt better to any stress (physical, chemical, or emotional). Eventually, you can start to control your DNA. High-intensity exercise, a healthy diet, and taking cellular support products will help you reach this goal over time. If you do, in a year from now, your gene expression could be quite different.

  1. Weinhold, Bob. “Epigenetics: The Science of Change.” Environmental Health Perspectives. March 11, 2006. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1392256.
  2. Cairns, John, Julies Overbaugh, and Stephan Miller. “The origin of mutants.” Nature.com. September 8, 1988. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v335/n6186/abs/335142a0.html.
  3. Eriksen, Konstantin. “The Science Of Epigenetics – How Our Minds Can Reprogram Our Genes.” Wake Up World. March 26, 2012. http://wakeup-world.com/2012/03/26/the-science-of-epigenetics-how-our-minds-can-reprogram-our-genes.
  4. Dolinoy, Dana C. “The agouti mouse model: an epigenetic biosensor for nutritional and environmental alterations on the fetal epigenome.” Nutrition reviews. August 6, 2008. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2822875/.
  5. Park, Alice. “How Exercise Can Change Your DNA | TIME.com.” Time. March 7, 2012. http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/07/how-exercise-can-change-your-dna/.

How to Detox Heavy Metals Correctly and Safely

(When Detox is Dangerous – Part 3 of 3)

The “How To” of True Heavy Metal Detoxification and Chelation Using Proper Heavy Metal Chelating Agents and Detox Protocols

The key to properly detox heavy metals and heavy metal chelation is using a true chelator or chelating agent within its “half-life” in the body. The half-life of a substance in the body is defined as, “The time it takes for the blood plasma concentration of a substance to halve (plasma half-life) its steady-state,” or when it has lost “half of its pharmacologic, physiologic, or radiologic activity.”[1] In other words, the chelating agent needs to be taken often enough so that there is sufficient amounts left in the blood and body to keep the metals from recirculating and redistributing to other cells within body tissues. In the case of dimercapto succinic acid (DMSA), it needs to be taken every 4 hours, which is its half-life. Taking DMSA at its half-life keeps the chelating agent at consistent enough levels for heavy metals to move safely and effectively out of the body. To explain this more simply, keeping the true chelating agents like DMSA consistent in the body is similar to having a hepa filter in your body extracting metals versus a feather duster. A feather duster just moves it around; a hepa filter permanently removes the toxins.

This process works and it saved my life and thousands of others. It is the only protocol that is both safe and effective. With that said, there is more to true heavy metal detox than using a true heavy metal chelator and understanding its half-life. I discuss this in detail in other articles I have written on PompaCore Cellular Detoxification and restoration. Maintaining cell function is critical for the heavy metal detox process to work smoothly and effectively. For example, raising and maintaining INTRACELLULAR glutathione is key to not just protect the DNA, but to keep the toxins, such as heavy metals, moving out of the cells. Glutathione doesn’t do a great job of taking heavy metals completely out of the body, but it does protect the brain from circulating metals like mercury. Raising glutathione in the cell also moves heavy metals out of deeper cellular “store houses” of heavy metals that also need to be removed. Please see my 5R’s of Cellular Healing and Detox articles for more information. These articles explain the importance and process of cellular preparation and detoxification:

Before I, or any other practitioner we train, begin any heavy metal detoxification protocol, we also prepare and restore critical detoxification pathways, which include the liver, kidneys, lymphatic and intestinal systems. You must keep these down-stream detox pathways open during the detoxification process or cycle. This is another important reason why it is necessary to work with a practitioner trained in this protocol. Now that we have this foundation, let’s go deeper into how to perform true heavy metals detoxification of substances like mercury and lead.

What is a Safe Heavy Metal Detox Protocol and Detox Cycle?

We already discussed DMSA and its half-life for proper heavy metal chelation. Next, we need to discuss the length and cycling of DMSA during a protocol. For example, it is necessary to take this oral chelator for at least 4 days before you stop. Typically, if you stop AFTER 4 days, little if any metal will be left in circulation to redistribute. If you stop BEFORE 4 days, very little, if any, heavy metals will redistribute and cause unwanted symptoms. Once the heavy metals are cleared from the “shallower stores” in the body, in approximately 4 days, a resting period must begin. Two (2) things happen during this resting period in the body. One, the heavy metals residing deeper in the tissues and cells will begin to move from higher concentration areas to lower concentration areas in the body. Two, detox pathways, enzymes, antioxidants, and nutrients etc. necessary for effective and safe detoxification are allowed to reestablish in the body. We have found that a 10-day off-cycle is sufficient for these two things to occur. Once again, you can see why utilizing a doctor trained in proper heavy metal detoxification protocols is helpful and at time necessary. Otherwise, your detox can become dangerous. We train our doctors on how to support the body in both the on-cycle and off-cycle heavy metal detoxification process.

The next 4-day on cycle will re-clear the heavy metal(s), such as lead and mercury, which have moved out of the high concentration cells and tissues during the off cycle. As I stated before, raising glutathione in the cell during the 4-day on cycle helps this process and prevents any metal from crossing into the brain and moving into other cells and tissues. Also, utilizing a binding agent in the gut helps to prevent metals that make their way to the gut during detox from being reabsorbed. This is known as “auto-intoxication” and is a classic oversight of most practitioners. Please see the R1 article HERE.

How Long Does Heavy Metal Chelation and Detoxification Take?

Perhaps a great mistake of practitioners is not telling their patients the reality of the time this process takes. If a practitioner states that the metals measured on a heavy metal challenge test can be removed in a few months, you know you are in the wrong place. They may even test you afterwards and say, “Look your heavy metals are cleared,” but this far from the truth. It took 20-40 years for heavy metals to bio-accumulate in your tissues, so does it make sense to you that it will come out that quickly? Of course not! No logical person would think it would once we stop and think about it. If it all came out that quickly, you would be permanently damaged or it could even be fatal. Your body is not designed like this. True detoxification and restoration must happen daily and relatively slowly. On average it takes 2 years to remove the majority of most heavy metals like mercury from the body. However, with my high mercury levels and genetically weak heavy metal detoxification pathways, it took me 4 years. Because of my genetic weakness, I still chelate periodically to maintain stability and performance. At one point during the detox (typically after a year), we purposely start to extend the heavy metal chelation off-cycles to provide the metals more time to move out of the deeper “store houses” or deeper tissues. There is also new research for those of you who are detoxing lead that states it can take up to 10 to 15 years for periodic chelation therapy. The reason for this extended period is that lead is stored deep within the bone and during certain life changes, it is released as a result of normal bone loss and regeneration. For example, one study indicates that seniors between the ages of 65-87 with high lead levels, who are losing bone as a part of natural aging, were nearly 60% more likely to die during the 12 year study. They concluded the lead being released from the bone is increasing their rate of heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes and weight gain. [2] In the case of lead, this amount of time and chelation sounds challenging, however, we teach our clients on this process and system and they are eventually able to do it on their own. We believe in empowering individuals by teaching them what to do and continue to do to get their own life back. This is how we are able to help individuals who have not been able to get their life back anywhere else.

Removing Heavy Metals from the Brain

After 3 months of DMSA ONLY cycling, we add a fat-soluble chelator to the protocol to expedite the metals from the brain. We call this the “brain phase” and this is where the real magic happens. Recalling what I said earlier, it is the mercury in the brain that causes the real problems and symptoms. Studies indicate heavy metals, mercury in particular, bio-accumulate over time in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which is the control center of the hormone system in the body. In Part 2 of this series, we discuss how catastrophic this is to how we function and live. The good news is to offset this damage, during the brain phase; it is typically safe and effective to support the hypothalamus and pituitary. As a warning, I have found that supporting these tissues too early may cause the release of metal before the rest of the body is cleared. This is another major mistake that poorly trained doctors make, causing their clients unwanted symptoms. Along those lines there is a timing supporting the thyroid and adrenals during detox and cellular healing. Violating the timing can cause weight gain instead of weight loss, restless sleep, fatigue, brain fog, irritability and irrational behavior.

I recall reading something that Andrew Cutler Ph.D., a great researcher who teaches a similar protocol, said…that after 6-9 months of the brain phase, some symptoms may come back but after you push through this time, your life really begins to change [3]. In other words, finally, the dimmed lights become brighter and you can start to see life clearly again with far less symptoms. Many of you reading this article are living in the dark and you did not know how you got there because the lights dimmed slowly over time and you never noticed. Life can get better when you remove the cause. I can say for sure that after a year, I was nowhere near being done but I had my life back. How do you know when you’re done? Dr. Cutler always said, if you can go 6 months without chelation and have no symptoms. In my experience, I believe a real measure is when you can go 9 months to a year, symptom free, without oral chelation therapy. I had said earlier that typically after a year, I tell individuals to try to go longer off cycles or allow more time for the metal to come out of the deeper tissues. During these chelation breaks, many symptoms start to resurface if you are off-cycle too long. I recall going 2-3 months without chelation (a very long off-cycle) and my wife would tell me I needed to get back on DMSA as she would see the signs and symptoms before I would or wanted to admit. She was always right. Literally, with one or two pills, I would be a new person. The lights came back on! Another time after 7 month off, I thought I made it but, again, my wife told me to get back on. This time I didn’t want to hear it. I fought her on it because I just wanted to be done this time, but she was right again. The metals just come out in waves like peeling back an onion. It takes time but you will get your life back.

True Hope and NO Gimmicks

Heavy metal toxicity is one of Three (3) major sources that I see at the root of so many different health challenges, especially those who suffer with unexplainable symptoms. I believe in my heart that God allowed me to go through what I went through and have victory over it, to bring this message to the millions that are suffering with no true answers. They spend thousands on the next gimmick or product with great marketing, but with little change to their well-being. I also know that God will use your suffering for a greater purpose as well. Never give up looking for the cause because it always exists, and when you remove it, the body really does heal itself; God designed it to do so. Continue to put your hope and trust in Him and ask Him to lead you to that cause…He will not fail you nor forsake you.

Detox Article Series:

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References

  1. “Biological Half-Life.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation Inc. 5 February 2014. Web. 10 February 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_half-life>
  2. Article on bone loss lead and toxicity – Khalil, Naila. “Association of blood lead concentrations with mortality in older women: a prospective cohort study.” Environmental Health. BioMed Central Ltd. 8 August 2009. Web. 10 February 2014 <http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/15>
  3. A book on how to cure mercury poisoning – Cutler, Andy. (1999) Amalgam Illness Diagnosis and Treatment. Andrew Hall Cutler.

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