Neurotoxins are minute compounds that may come from exposure to pathogens such as bacteria and fungi – in these cases they are known as biotoxins. Neurotoxins can also be free radicals. They create problems in the body which can lead to disease and premature death.
Free radicals are small damaging particles that can result from exposure to chemicals and heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. It is also believed some free radicals may be overproduced internally by the body when certain bodily systems go wrong, such as free radicals produced by chronic inflammation. In Chronic fatigue syndrome, poor mitochondrial function and chronic inflammation are two processes which are believed to increase free radical stress on the body. The key point to understand is that these internally or externally produced toxins are:
* Fat soluble, so they are not flushed out with water
* They dissolve into the fats and move through fatty tissue of the body
* They have a highly disruptive toxic impact on the body’s cells
The body is made up of around 50 trillion cells. Every single cell membrane of your body is made of fats. Hence neurotoxins can wreak havoc on the body by:
* Causing lipid derangement which disrupts cell membrane function in terms of what moves in and out of cells, effectively preventing them from breathing properly
* Attacking enzyme reactions which disrupts energy production in cells
* Stimulating certain enzymes which cause cell membranes to uncouple
* Disrupting DNA function resulting in part in increased inflammation in the body. Inflammation is where the immune system is in a highly active state and can do more harm than good to the body when it becomes chronic disease states now associated with neurotoxins include CFS/ME, Fibromyalgia, Lyme’s disease, Sick Building Syndrome and other diseases like MS, Parkinson’s and Autism.
Symptoms of neurotoxicity include:
* Deep, persistent fatigue Weakness Chronic muscle aches
* Cramping Memory impairment Impaired cognitive function
* Disorientation Confusion Sinus congestion
* Shortness of breath Red eyes Headaches
* Blurred vision Tingling Abdominal pain
* Diarrhea
* Vertigo
* Numbness
* Swollen painful joints Light
* Touch sensitive Anxiety
What are Neurotoxins?
To understand how to treat neurotoxins, it is important to understand where they go in the body. Fat soluble neurotoxins move through the cells of the body from the gastro-intestinal tract to the sinuses, to the lungs, to the eyes, to muscles, to joints, to nerves, then they eventually enter the liver, are then pumped into the gall bladder, then they move back from the gall bladder into the lower intestines as bile. Once neurotoxins unite with bile, they are reabsorbed through the intestines poisoning the body over and over again. For this reason, ensuring toxins in bile are actually flushed out through the colon in fecal matter is very important in cleansing and clearing the body.
The key to treatment is to stop the neurotoxins re-entering the body from the bile by clearing out the biliary tree (liver, gall bladder duct) to clear out the neurotoxins from the fats in the body, manage any immune dysregulation, and prevent the rise of enzymes which cause cell membrane uncoupling. This is done through fat flushing or exchanging cell membrane fats using supplemental phosphatidyl choline.
Interestingly fasting, or low fat diets, high carbohydrate diets and exposure to pathogens can cause biliary stasis, which promotes and increases the reabsorption of neurotoxins. High carbohydrate diets also trigger cell membrane uncoupling because the insulin increases these uncoupling enzymes.
Lifestyle Instructions:
* Avoid exposure to all external sources of neurotoxins (e.g. black fungus in sick buildings)
* Avoid consuming large body predator fish that may be contaminated with neurotoxins or heavy metals including amberjack or other jack species, grouper, swordfish, tuna, shark, barracuda, mahi mahi, red snapper, sea bass, largemouth bass, tilefish, oysters, pike, marlin, walleye, king mackerel and halibut
* Avoid exposure to chemicals, pesticides, solvents in the home or work place, i.e. go organic and switch to home cleaning products
* Check water supply and consider a water filter
* Avoid fluoridated toothpaste
* Avoid supplements including spirulina, blue green algae, green drink mixes, chlorella other than those grown in glass tubes.
* Removed processed oils, hydrogenated fats, margarine, canola oil, peanut oil or peanut butter, commercial mayonnaise or salad dressing with trans fats
Avoid the Following Foods:
* Grains (wheat, rice, barley , millet, rye, oat, corn)
* Pasta, bread, crackers, cookies, muffins, cereal
* Starchy vegetables such as potato and parsnip. Sweet potato, carrot, beetroot and radish are OK
* Fruit juice
* Caffeine
Permitted Foods:
* Protein at each meal, organic meat, poultry eggs, fish
* Raw organic nuts and seeds
* Organic butter, cream, homemade kefir, with lactic acid bacteria
* Oils – cold pressed only (do not heat) including sunflower and safflower oil, grapeseed oil mayonnaise, walnut and rice bran oil
* Oils for cooking at high temperature include butter (organic) oil, palm oil, coconut oil/butter
* Homemade salad dressingsï
* Limited sweet and new potatoes, beetroot, carrot, radish – always eat with protein and vegetable/greens
* Limited beans and legumes – always eat with protein and vegetable/greens
* Three pieces of fruit daily
* Vegetables
Green leafy vegetables and salads everyday
* Fresh herbs/spices
* Vegetable juices
It is very important to have up to 2 liters of fresh pure water daily
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is it safe?
Yes! This diet is not that dissimilar to the a Paleolithic or the Stone Age diet – the kind of diet man ate all the time before the time of agriculture, Âand many chronic disease did not appear until the appearance of agriculture!
How long do I have to stay on this plan?
Stay on it until your VCS test is clear and symptoms are relieved. This is usually after a minimum of 3 months
I am worried about losing too much weight?
Speak to you practitioner, but if weight loss is a worry, place a little more emphasis on the beans and legumes and some of the starchy vegetables. There are other hormonal and digestive factors which you should discuss with your practitioner
I am worried about putting weight on?
Very unlikely to occur. It is insulin which is a fat storage hormone – and you are going on an insulin holiday. Talk to your practitioner if you are still worried.
I have gallstones – can I do this diet and cleanse?
The answer is no, you need to have these gall stones professionally removed. Starting this diet and cleanse could move a stone and get it stuck more, which is potentially dangerous and very painful.
