How to Detoxify Lead

It is becoming harder and harder to avoid contact with heavy metals. Lead is one heavy metal that is found all around us in paints, ceramics, gasoline, plumbing fixtures, vegetables grown in contaminated soil and exposure through the workplace. Once absorbed into the body, 90 percent of lead is deposited into the bones, and it can take up to 50 years for that same lead to eventually detoxify. Symptoms of lead poisoning include fatigue, anemia, metallic taste, loss of appetite, headaches and nervousness. According to the World Health Organization, the effects of lead poisoning in children may be irreversible.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring scales
• Vegetable juicer
• Breathing mask

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Instructions

• 1

  Prepare the kidneys and urinary tract for detoxification. Lead is primarily eliminated from the body through the urine, and maintaining strong and healthy kidneys is vital for this process. One of the most important supplements you can take is urtica dioica, also known as Stinging Nettle. The leaves of urtica dioica are rich in minerals and chlorophyll and are used as a tonic for the kidneys. Add 5 grams of the dried urtica leaves to 1 cup of boiling water and wait for the liquid to turn dark green before straining and pouring. Drink up to three times daily. The stingers on the leaves of urtica dioica are instantly destroyed when they come into contact with boiling water.

• 2

  Take supplements that will aid the excretion of lead from the body. Of these, garlic juice is the most well researched. In one study that looked at a lead smelter in the 1960s, researchers found that workers who took garlic juice were 83 percent less likely to exhibit signs and symptoms of lead poisoning after one to three months. Juice two fresh garlic cloves and add the juice to 2 cups of cold water. Drink a 1/2 cup of the diluted mixture twice daily. Add fruit juice to help with the taste. Alternatively, purchase dried active garlic extract from the pharmacy or health food store, and take up to 500 milligrams daily with meals.

• 3

  Prevent uptake of lead in the digestive tract with mineral supplements. Deficiencies in calcium, zinc and iron are related to increased absorption and susceptibility to lead. Recommended dosages are calcium 1000 milligrams, zinc 15 milligrams and iron 20 milligrams for women and iron 5 milligrams for men, taken daily with food. Minerals are best taken at dinner, as the body tends to utilize minerals for tissue repair at night.

• 4

  Avoid exposure to lead in order to prevent poisoning. Always wear a mask or breathing gear when painting or removing paint, as lead can be absorbed through the lungs. Wash vegetables and do not eat anything that grows within 100 yards of traffic. Also make sure ceramics used for eating have a proper full glaze covering them to prevent leaching lead into food.