{"id":5893,"date":"2020-02-25T10:34:39","date_gmt":"2020-02-25T02:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/?p=5893"},"modified":"2025-04-14T09:51:36","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T01:51:36","slug":"ifm-interview-on-environmental-toxins-chronic-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/ifm-interview-on-environmental-toxins-chronic-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"IFM Interview on Environmental Toxins &#038; Chronic Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) interviews Dr Joseph Pizzorno, a Naturopathic Doctor and founding president of Bastyr Unviersity, school for Naturopathic Medicine. \u00a0Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifm.org\/news-insights\/toxins-drivers-disease\/\">here<\/a> to listen to his full interview or read below for the key take-away messages.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/ifm-interview-on-environmental-toxins-chronic-disease\/#Diabetes_Autoimmunity_Chronic_Disease\" >Diabetes, Autoimmunity &amp; Chronic Disease<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/ifm-interview-on-environmental-toxins-chronic-disease\/#Worst_Heavy_Metals\" >Worst Heavy Metals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/ifm-interview-on-environmental-toxins-chronic-disease\/#Measuring_Heavy_Metals_Toxins\" >Measuring Heavy Metals &amp; Toxins<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/ifm-interview-on-environmental-toxins-chronic-disease\/#Detoxification_Diet_Notes\" >Detoxification &amp; Diet Notes<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Diabetes_Autoimmunity_Chronic_Disease\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Diabetes, Autoimmunity &amp; Chronic Disease<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There has been an alarming increase in chronic diseases such as diabetes in the past decade. While dietary factors like sugar consumption has played a key role in the diabetes epidemic, exposure to environmental toxins is a much better correlate of the data.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cI would assert that about 90% of the diabetes epidemic is due entirely to environmental toxins.\u201d<\/em> \u2013Dr. Pizzorno<\/p>\n<p>In his years of experience, Dr Pizzorno notes that obese people only have an increased risk of diabetes when they have a higher level of environmental toxins, suggesting we have been overlooking the effects of toxins from our environment.<\/p>\n<p>A similar story can be seen in autoimmune diseases with Dr Pizzorno estimating that 20% of Rheumatoid Arthritis cases come from PCB exposure (a common toxin found in electrical waste and contaminated water). \u00a0How can environmental contaminants lead to autoimmune disease? Dr Pizzorno explains that when the toxin binds to our tissues, the tissue is rendered \u201cabnormal\u201d and the immune system begins making antibodies to target that tissue. Therefore, the more toxins that are stored in our tissue, the more likely you are to develop an autoimmune disease. What is also alarming is that the half-life for PCBs is 3-25 years, meaning once they are in the body they are very hard to remove.<\/p>\n<p>As such, for patients with any chronic disease Dr Pizzorno always checks the following:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Nutritional status<\/li>\n<li>Environmental toxin status<\/li>\n<li>Genetic susceptibility<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><em>\u201cWhen I talk to doctors, I say to them, \u201cEvery patient with chronic disease, you must check them for toxins.\u201d<\/em> \u2013Dr. Pizzorno<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div  class=\"wpb_single_image wpb_content_element vc_align_left wpb_content_element\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<figure class=\"wpb_wrapper vc_figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vc_single_image-wrapper   vc_box_border_grey\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"912\" src=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/heavy-metals-in-the-human-body.jpg\" class=\"vc_single_image-img attachment-full\" alt=\"Heavy Metals\" title=\"Heavy Metals\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/heavy-metals-in-the-human-body.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/heavy-metals-in-the-human-body-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/heavy-metals-in-the-human-body-1024x623.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/heavy-metals-in-the-human-body-768x467.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Worst_Heavy_Metals\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Worst Heavy Metals<\/span> <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In Dr Pizzorno\u2019s experience, these are the worst heavy metals for health:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Arsenic<\/li>\n<li>Lead<\/li>\n<li>Mercury<\/li>\n<li>Cadmium<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Through his research he was surprised at just how harmful arsenic is \u2013 it essentially poisons the beta-cells of the pancreas, which can lead to diabetes, and damages the structure of our DNA leading to a host of chronic diseases.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Measuring_Heavy_Metals_Toxins\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Measuring Heavy Metals &amp; Toxins<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The standard of care of heavy metal testing is blood and urine levels. Unfortunately, with these tests they typically indicate current exposure more than the heavy metal load on the body. Hair analysis is good for monitoring detoxification but it may miss those few who have genetic variations that cause them not to excrete heavy metals through their hair. Dr Pizzorno recommends using chelating agents which pull heavy metals out of tissues to get a better view of how much is being stored. This can also be called a provoked urine test*.<\/p>\n<p><em>*Note: We offer this testing at LifeClinic<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Detoxification_Diet_Notes\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Detoxification &amp; Diet Notes<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For heavy metal detoxification Dr Pizzorno recommends the following steps:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Uncover the sources of exposure and work to eliminating or minimizing these<\/li>\n<li>Support the body to excrete toxins naturally, for example increasing fiber intake<\/li>\n<li>Increase glutathione production of the body<\/li>\n<li>Support detoxification with other nutrients like vitamin C<\/li>\n<li>Implement strategies specific to which toxins are elevated<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>In terms of diet, Dr Pizzorno is a big believer in a balanced and diverse diet that is free from contaminants and has a high level of nutrients. He also advocates for a high fiber diet, which is essential for natural detoxification. Without adequate fiber, which is a common pitfall of the ketogenic diet, heavy metals processed by the liver simply become reabsorbed back into the body if not excreted. Lastly, Dr Pizzorno warns against farmed fish stating it as \u201cthe worst possible food for people to eat\u201d due to its high PCB content.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<section class=\"post_content\">Contact us at LifeClinic by phone: 2881 8131 or email: <a href=\"mailto:reception@lifeclinic.com.hk\">reception@lifeclinic.com.hk<\/a><\/section>\n<section class=\"related_wrap\"><\/section>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) interviews Dr Joseph Pizzorno, a Naturopathic Doctor and founding president of Bastyr Unviersity, school for Naturopathic Medicine. \u00a0Click here to listen to his full interview or read below for the key take-away messages. Diabetes, Autoimmunity &amp; Chronic Disease There has been an alarming increase in chronic diseases such as [...]","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6101,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[183],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-newswatch"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Fish-Eating-Plastic-2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5893"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8849,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5893\/revisions\/8849"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}