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How Mercury Works to cause illness. 

There is no safe level for mercury WHO

To understand how mercury works to cause harm in the body we have to look at how our bodies work. Our cells have DNA in them which make RNA and the RNA makes protein. It is the protein which is the machinery of the body and does everything in the body. For every bit of protein the cell makes a bit of protein has to be removed from the cell and is metabolized. Enzymes are proteins and usually have a metal ion such as magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, chromium calcium etc. These metal ions are involved in many of the chemical reactions that occur in the body. Both Magnesium and zinc are known to be involved in over 300 enzyme reactions each. All these chemical reactions support the protein metabolism. The harmful heavy metal ions-, mercury, lead, arsenic and cadmium flood into the body and take up the places of the good metal ions which means that thousands of metabolic reactions are impeded and the protein metabolism does not work properly. This leads to high levels of partial breakdown products of  protein in the blood causing the blood to become more likely to clot and cause heart attacks and strokes. They cause inflammatory responses and damage the immune system leading to sores, food sensitivities and cancer. Symptoms like chronic fatigue and anxiety including, for mercury, psychiatric problems. Mercury poisoning is also known as mad hatters as the hat makers in England used mercury and became mercury poisoned as a result.

Our bodies have mechanisms for removing heavy metals - porphyrins. The half life of mercury in the body is from 45 to 90 days BUT mercury combines with Sulphate groups in fat and is embedded into the brain and thyroid - fatty tissues - and is difficult to remove from these tissues. A blood test for mercury is almost meaningless as after a week or so the mercury in no longer in the blood but is combined into the tissues. A hair test will indicate that there was mercury in the blood when that bit of hair grew. Hair grows at about 1cm per month.

Heavy metals displace the good  minerals in the body causing mineral deficiencies and the symptoms that mineral deficiency causes. I have listed minerals and how they are important to good health in the body. Mercury has the greatest impact on magnesium copper and zinc. Lead impacts calcium.

MINERALS OF SPECIAL IMPORTANCE from http://users.mrbean.net.au/~wlast/HF3-3.html

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Magnesium (Mg) 

RDA 350/280 mg, recommended intake 500 -1000 mg daily; activates many enzymes.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Apathy, confusion, depression, disorientation, hallucinations, irritability, paranoia, poor memory. Angina, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, sweating and tachycardia (fast pulse), strokes, thrombosis or infarcts. Convulsions, cramps, eclampsia, epilepsy, muscle twitching, numbness, nystagmus (rapid eye movements), tingling, tremors. Physical and mental rigidity, stiffness, stone formation in kidney and gall bladder (but not renal failure), tartar. Alcoholism, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, acute infections, intestinal malabsorption, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), prostate problems, strong body odor, overactive thyroid, colic, premenstrual tension

SOURCES Kelp, dolomite, seafood, sea minerals, grass juice, green leaves, nuts, oily seeds, molasses, sprouted grains  

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Zinc (Zn) 

RDA 15 mg, recommended intake 20 to 30 mg daily; therapeutic dose up to 300 mg; best taken together with vitamin B6. Diets low in protein and high in fiber, phytates, calcium, fat and copper may decease the absorption of zinc. Increased zinc is needed with calcium or magnesium supplements, and during chronic infections, convalescence and stress.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Skin: acne, boils, burns, leg ulcers, parakeratosis (horny red skin), poor wound healing, psoriasis, stretch marks. Hair: brittle, coarse, dandruff, falling, lacks pigment. Nails: white spots and bands. Eyes: keratitis (inflammations or lesions of the cornea), night blindness, retinal detachment. Taste and smell lost or distorted, mouth canker. Sexual problems: male sex organs underdeveloped, prostate enlarged, delayed sexual maturity, menstruation retarded, irregular, sterility. Poor growth, dwarfism. Body and breath odor, nausea (pregnancy). Poor circulation, cold extremities, fainting, heart infarct, sickle-cell anemia. Cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, gastric and duodenal ulcers, inflammation of the intestines (Crohn's disease), joint pains (especially knee and hip), liver cirrhosis/alcoholism, toxemia. Mental problems, increased emotionalism, hyperactivity, learning disorders, autism, schizophrenia. Loss of appetite, anorexia nervosa, multiple allergies.

SOURCES Oysters, herrings and sardines, kelp, seafood, oatmeal, liver, pumpkin seeds, sprouted seeds.

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Calcium (Ca)

RDA 800 mg, recommended intake 0.6-1.2 g daily. Deficiency frequently due to overacidity, lack of vitamin D, magnesium or boron, underactive thyroid and overactive parathyroids, or oversupply of phosphorus. The normal calcium-phosphorus ratio in blood is 10:4. If the calcium level is too high, calcifications result - stone formation, tartar, arthritic deposits, cataracts and muscle tension.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Fragile, deformed bones; muscle cramps, twitching and weakness; irritability, headaches, depression. Menstrual problems: excessive and painful menstruation, poor circulation and tender breasts. Undue sensitivity to pain; insomnia, allergies, inflammations; low blood pressure, varicose veins, piles, distended veins and abdomen, swellings, slow wound healing, pyorrhea, gingivitis; eye problems (near-sightedness).

SOURCES Bone broth, eggshells, dolomite; sardines, leaf vegetables, goats' milk products, sesame seeds, kelp.

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Chromium (Cr)

Active as trivalent chromium; its biological value differs greatly in various foods. Aim for 100 mcg of high bio-value, supplements as glucose-tolerance factor or chelated chromium.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Poor blood-sugar regulation (diabetes, hypoglycemia); disturbed fat/protein metabolism, alcohol intolerance, impaired growth, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, weight loss, fatigue, eye problems (opaque cornea, near-sightedness, glaucoma).

SOURCES Brewers' yeast, molasses, mushrooms, seafood, grains.

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Copper (Cu)

RDA 1.5 to 3 mg, recommended intake 3 to 5 mg daily. Dietary deficiency is rare. Inorganic copper may be oversupplied from copper water pipes; however internal deficiency may result from insufficient binding capacity within cells.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Anemia, especially in infants; bone disorders; defective spinal cord - multiple sclerosis; hair graying, fine and straight, loss of curliness; infertility, weak connective tissue: heart problems - enlarged heart, weak aorta (holes, ruptures), aneurism, varicose veins, hernias; cancer, leukemia, arthritis, inflammations, parasites, underactive thyroid.

TOXICITY Liver cirrhosis, jaundice, symptoms of zinc deficiency.

SOURCES Liver, food yeast, nuts and oily seeds.

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Iodine (I)

RDA and recommended intake 150 mcg daily. Needed for thyroid hormones which regulate the metabolism.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Goiter, cretinism, fatigue, overweight, mental retardation, debility, cancer.

SOURCES Kelp, seafood, iodized salt.

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Iron (Fe)

RDA 10/15 mg, recommended intake as for RDA, less for the elderly. Deficiency causes anemia, fatigue. Oversupply in inorganic form (tablets, bread additive) is a contributing factor in degenerative diseases, especially arthritis

SOURCES Kelp, liver, yeast, molasses, sesame seeds, egg.

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Manganese (Mn

Recommended intake 5 to 10 mg daily; therapeutic dose 20-100 mg.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Muscle weakness, myasthenia gravis, drooping eyelids, poor memory, dark-red skin spots, diabetes, hypoglycemia, atherosclerosis, schizophrenia, epileptic convulsions, bone deformities, mucus problems, impotence and/or sterility, ataxia (muscle incoordination), poor equilibrium, abnormal inner ear, retraction of head.

SOURCES Grass juice, spinach, parsley, spices (cloves, cardamom, ginger), nuts, peanuts, sprouted and fermented seeds.

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Molybdenum (Mo)

Molybdenum is an integral part of several enzymes involved in cell oxidation and carbohydrate metabolism. Daily requirements are not known. It is an antagonist to copper.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Cancer of the esophagus, dental decay, impotence in elderly males, asthma, sensitivity to sulfites, MSM and other sulfur compounds.

SOURCES Buckwheat, beans, fermented soy products, liver, barley.

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Potassium (K)

RDA 2000 mg, recommended intake 3 g daily. Deficiency may originate from oversupply of sodium (salt), use of diuretics or adrenal weakness.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Anxiety, nervousness, fatigue; diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart strain, high blood pressure, liver problems, lower back pain, muscle weakness, multiple sclerosis, overweight, prevention of stroke.

SOURCES Kelp, fruits and vegetables.

Casey-Cardinia Casey Cardinia Library Corporation Endeavour Hills, Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Doveton, Pakenham Selenium (Se)

RDA 70/55 mg, recommended intake 100-200 mcg daily; therapeutic dose up to 500 mcg in organic form. Acts as an antioxidant together with vitamin E. Lost in cooking, very toxic in overdose (2000 mcg or more).

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS Fatigue, cancer, liver damage, pancreatic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, weak immune system, reproductive disorders, cataracts, hemorrhaging, hemolytic anemia, underactive thyroid. Deficiency causes viruses to become very virulent.

SOURCES Kidney, liver, seafood, brewers' yeast, kelp.