Masters of Health Magazine August 2019 | Page 120

Additionally, an imbalance or excess of Cu can disrupt the normal sexual and mental development of a fetus and baby’s brain sex pattern and sex organs during early stages of development. This is because high Cu is synonymous with high estrogen levels, which can impair male development. These problems are exacerbated by exposure to synthetic estrogens, which are prolific in our environment and food supply. To learn more about the high Cu/estrogen factor and the increase in gender disruption read Our Stolen Future, by T. Colborn, D. Dumanoski, J. Peter Meyers. All the more reason why it is so important to stop sources of contamination and clean up our environment and food supply.

Many children are born with excessive copper levels passed to them from their mother in utero. Hair analysis is a good test for measuring Cu levels, ratios, and toxicity.

(Cu) sources come from both food and the environment. Cu as a mineral (mentioned in Part 1) plays an important role in the body for energy production, female reproduction, blood formation, and hormonal balance, which greatly impacts behavior. When Cu is not properly balanced with zinc and/or other nutrients, or is in excess, it can create havoc with one’s hormones, emotions, and mental health. Adding to this complexity, low adrenal gland activity means copper may be present, but is bio-unavailable for use in the body. Slow oxidizers usually have high Cu or bio-unavailable Cu. Mercury toxicity often indicates a hidden Cu toxicity.

Environmental sources of Cu include: copper water pipes, copper sulfate added to drinking water, copper compounds used in swimming pools, mineral supplements (especially prenatal vitamins), copper cookware and tea kettles, birth control pills, copper intrauterine devices, vegetarian diets, stress, exhaustion of the adrenal glands. Many processed food products are made with soy or soy derivatives, which are also high in Cu.

Lead (Pb)

can inhibit copper-dependent enzymes needed for neurotransmitters (dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, which are associated with hyperactivity.

inhibits copper and iron dependent enzymes in the Krebs cycle required for energy production resulting in fatigue.

displaces and can cause a deficiency or bio-unavailability of calcium, zinc, manganese, copper, and iron.

interferes with iodine uptake by the thyroid (the emotion gland) and can inactivate the thyroid hormone thyroxin.

Is incorporated into bone in preference to calcium.

Pb toxicity can also contribute to anxiety, poor concentration, depression, mental hallucinations, hyperkinesis, memory impairment, mental retardation, mood swings, nightmares, psychotic behavior, and schizophrenia.

Children can be born with elevated lead, passed through the placenta from mothers. Diets deficient in calcium, magnesium, or iron increase lead absorption.

Within 30 days of exposure, most lead is removed from the blood and stored in body tissues. Thus, blood testing is not accurate for detecting chronic lead toxicity. Hair testing has been shown by the EPA to be a good method of testing for lead poisoning. However, several tests may be necessary before elevated lead levels are revealed.

Other conditions associated with lead toxicity include osteo arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lower pack pain, high uric acid contributing to gout, rickets, abnormal brain function, blindness, convulsions, deafness, dyslexia, encephalitis, encephalopathy, epilepsy, fatigue, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease, vertigo, arteriosclerosis, artherosclerosis, cardiovascular dysfunction,