Yes! Wild blueberries have been known to be effective in counteracting the effects of heavy metal poisoning.
They have antioxidant properties that help the body mop up the free radicals produced when the body encounters heavy metals.
What is Heavy Metal Poisoning?
This is when people that are exposed to heavy metals start to have a build-up of these metals in their bodies. This results in ailments that are related to the accumulation of metals in the body.
Heavy metal damage can be acute or chronic. Acute episodes are caused by exposure to high concentrations of heavy metals in a short period. These usually result in more insidious symptoms.
Chronic heavy metal damage is caused by an accumulation of these metals in body tissues. It can take many years for a person to start having the symptoms of chronic heavy metal toxicity.
The early symptoms of chronic exposure are usually not as severe as those of acute exposure. However, with time, chronic exposure can also cause severe symptoms.
Heavy metal poisoning is found worldwide. The industrialization of many manufacturing plants has resulted in more and more people being exposed to toxic metals.
Heavy metals are denser than 5g/cm³ and have an atomic weight greater than 40.04.
Examples of toxic heavy metals include:
- lead (Pb)
- Mercury (Hg)
- chromium (Cr)
- arsenic (As)
- aluminum (Al)
Lead exposure and high levels of mercury exposure commonly lead to heavy metal toxicity.
Not all heavy metals are toxic. Some, like iron (Fe), cobalt (Cb), and copper (Cu), are essential to body function within certain limits. They only become toxic when they start to build up in the body and cause deficiency syndromes if they are lacking.
Routes of Exposure
Heavy metals enter the body via inhalation, ingestion, and through the skin. Industrial pollution of water sources and the air has contributed to the increase in heavy metal poisoning incidents worldwide.
Other sources of heavy metals include contaminated food, containers that have a faulty coating, medicines, dental amalgams, and lead-based paint ingestion.
The Effects of Heavy Metals in the Body
When heavy metals enter the body, they are introduced into body cells, where they start to disrupt the normal function of proteins and DNA. As a result, the damage is not restricted to particular organs but is multi-systemic.
In the central nervous system, heavy metals can cause mental disorders and degenerative neurological disorders. In addition, damage to blood vessels may lead to hepatic, renal, and cardiac damage.
Long-term exposure to heavy metals can cause mutations in cells’ DNA, leading to cancer.
Symptoms of Heavy Metal Toxicity
The symptoms of heavy metal poisoning are specific to the type of heavy metal to which a person would have been exposed. There are acute ones that appear quickly, and then the chronic exposure symptoms which can take years to manifest:
| Acute Exposure Symptoms | Chronic Exposure Symptoms |
| Nausea and vomiting | Neurodegenerative symptoms like impaired motor, language, sleep disturbances, and cognitive skills |
| Body pains and muscle cramps | Malaise and generalized body weakness |
| Convulsions | Emotional instability |
| Sweating | |
| Headache | |
| Skin rash |
Seek advice from a health care professional if you experience these symptoms.
Measurement of the Levels of Heavy Metals in the Body
The levels of heavy metals in the body can only be measured by taking a heavy metal blood test.
In most cases, a physician will request a heavy metal blood test for a person with high levels of exposure.
Blood is drawn and taken to the laboratory, where it undergoes a series of tests that determine how much heavy metal buildup there is in the blood. If the levels are significant, treatment should start immediately to minimize the risk of further damage.
Treatment of Heavy Metal Exposure
The best treatment for heavy metal exposure is to stop the process. First, the source must be identified and dealt with so that the damage is limited. After this is done, chelation therapy can commence.
Chelation Therapy
Chelation therapy is the mainstay of heavy metal treatments. A chelating agent is a metal-binding ligand that is specific to a heavy metal. It binds to the metal and forms rings that are called chelates.
Our bodies can’t effectively excrete heavy metals in their elemental forms. The use of chelating agents makes the elimination process more efficient.
Chelation therapy is more efficient when it’s combined with antioxidants. Wild blueberries are very rich in antioxidants.
The search for the ideal chelating agent is still ongoing, and for now, plant products are a safer alternative, and they are cheaper too.
Alpha-lipoic acid is a naturally occurring antioxidant. The body makes it and it can also be taken in food.
Alpha-lipoic acid works by restoring the levels of other oxidants such as Vitamin C. It also helps the body deal with heavy metal poisoning by minimizing the oxidative stress that heavy metals cause.
Antioxidant Detox
Antioxidants are substances that help the body to eliminate free radicals. These are formed when heavy metals react with proteins and other substances that are part of the body’s metabolism.
Research has linked unchecked free radical action to the development of degenerative mental disorders such as cognitive impairment, heart disease, and cancer.
Wild Nordic Blueberries Are Antioxidant-Rich
Wild blueberries are a source of a number of vitamins and minerals
Wild blueberries are rich in antioxidants. A cup of wild blueberries contains 13,427 of them, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and flavonoids like anthocyanin and quarticin. Each of the nutrients mentioned above is a potent antioxidant.
The Recommended Daily Allowance of antioxidants is a tenth of the number of antioxidants that a cup of wild blueberries has. This makes blueberries the perfect choice for heavy metal detox regimens.
Wild blueberries aren’t the same as cultivated ones. Instead, nordic wild blueberries are richer in flavor and nutritional value. The conditions that are found in Northern European Forests give Nordic wild blueberries their characteristic flavor and nutrient profile.
What is a Heavy Metal Detox?
A heavy metal detox is a diet that is aimed at reducing the levels of heavy metals that are found in a person’s body. It also aims to minimize the damage that is caused by heavy metal poisoning.
Steps for Effective Heavy Metal Detoxification
If you suspect that you may have heavy metal buildup in your body or your doctor has already diagnosed it, we have a simple step-by-step detox plan for you.
Step 1: Get rid of the source
The best way to start this type of detox is to eliminate the source of the heavy metal intake. There is no point in removing toxins from your system if they will be replaced by more.
Step 2: Eat Clean
To quicken the process of detoxing your body, eat healthy foods that are full of nutrients and antioxidants. This will boost your immune system and make it more efficient.
Eating clean does not mean that you will be limited to fruits and vegetables only. It can be as simple as cutting out fatty foods, reducing alcohol intake, lowering your dairy intake, and eating less processed foods.
Pesticides contain heavy metals, and even though there are steps taken to eliminate pesticides from fruits and vegetables after they are picked, trace elements can remain.
Organic foods are preferred because fewer pesticides are used in their production. The purpose of organic farming is that pesticides are only ever used as a last resort, and they’re strictly regulated and controlled.
At LOOV we closely monitor our raw ingredients to ensure no pesticides have been used.
Remember to stock up on your essentials like wild blueberries. Fear not if you can’t find fresh blueberries. There are alternatives that are just as nutritious.
You can get freeze-dried organic whole wild blueberries or freeze-dried organic wild blueberry powder. You can choose the option that will be easier for you to incorporate into your daily cooking routine.
Other people have tried our wild blueberries as part of their detox program, and here’s what they have to say:
If you are looking for yummy ways to incorporate more organic wild blueberries into your diet, we have a selection of some of our best blueberry recipes here for you.
Step 3: Keep hydrated
The body uses water to get rid of toxins. Drink lots of water to help your body effectively eliminate all the toxins from your body. It’s important to note that drinking too much water can result in electrolyte imbalances.
To avoid this, speak to your primary physician about how much water is safe for you to drink during a detox. Alternatively, you can add lemon or cucumber to your water or regularly drink electrolyte replacement drinks so that you do not deplete your body stores.
Step 4: Make the changes permanent
Your body encounters many toxins on a daily basis. Changing your lifestyle and eating habits will go a long way in minimizing the long-term effects of repetitive oxidative stress caused by these toxins.
Blueberries For Heavy Metal Detox
In your everyday life, you may be exposed to many heavy metals. However, by incorporating antioxidant-rich foods like Wild Nordic Blueberries into your diet, you can reduce the damage that heavy metals cause in the body and help to eliminate heavy metals as well.
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Featured Image from: Unsplash by Joshua Woroniecki
