Q & A: Test Your Knowledge About Heavy Metals

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Q & A with Dr. Michael Wald

qa1. Which of the following is not a heavy metal?

a. Mercury

b. Aluminum

c. Lead d. Tin

e. Arsenic

ANSWER: Arsenic

2. True or False: Drinking 2-4 green vegetable drinks per day will effectively remove heavy metals from the body?

ANSWER: False. Various antidotes (detoxifier) are required to remove different metals and toxins

3. True or False: All three major forms of mercury are detoxified from the body the same way?

ANSWER: False. A combination of chelators (substances that remove heavy metals) is necessary to remove mercury in its various forms.

4. True or False: Headache, fatigue and muscle aches are some symptoms which can results during the process of heavy metal and toxin removal and always mean that the detoxification process is working.

ANSWER: False. These symptoms could also mean that adverse organ responses are occurring.

5. True or False: Mercury levels are best checked in blood?

ANSWER: False: Mercury from fish is best checked in urine, but all three major forms of mercury are best checked in a variety of tissue samples including urine, plasma and red blood cells. Failure to check all three of these tissues will result in inadequate total body mercury burden assessment.

6. True of False: Hair analysis is a reliable test of heavy metal toxicity in organs?

ANSWER: False: Hair analysis may not be as reliable as other types of toxin testing and does not reflect organ burdens.

7. Some findings on blood work that might indicate a predisposition to heavy metal burden include which of the following:

a. Low or low normal chloride

b. Low or low normal uric acid

c. High IgM

ANSWER: All can indicate heavy metal body burdens

8. True or False: “Free metals”, metals not bound with proteins, are the forms of metals which are responsible for tissue damage and symptoms?

ANSWER: True. Urine free metals assessment may indicate toxic burdens.

– Dr. Michael Wald, aka The Blood Detective, is the director of nutritional services at Integrated Medicine of Mount Kisco, located in Westchester New York. He has appeared on ABC World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, Channel 11 PIX, Channel 12 News, CNN, The Food Network and other media outlets. Dr. Wald earned the name Blood Detective for his reputation to find problems that are often missed by other doctors. He earned an MD degree, is a doctor of chiropractic and a certified dietician-nutritionist. He is also double-board certified in nutrition. He has published over a dozen books with three additional titles due for release late 2013 including: Frankenfoods – Genetically Modified Foods: Controversies, Lies & Your Health and Gluten-A-Holic: How to Live Gluten Free and the Blood Detective’s Longevity Secrets. Dr. Wald can be reached at: www.intmedny.com or www.blooddetective.com or by calling: 914-242-8844.