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(0:00) Introduction to Health Decoded and toxic overload (2:36) Understanding toxic overload in modern life (3:41) Environmental toxins: Sources and effects (5:18) Everyday toxins: Heavy metals, plastics, and pesticides (9:45) Hidden toxins in personal care and household products (12:02) The body's response to long-term toxin exposure (17:32) Detox pathways and gut health (19:28) Research on toxin accumulation (20:07) Sponsor: Authentic Nutrition (21:31) Diagnostic testing for toxic burden (26:41) Assessing biotoxin exposure and individual detox plans (30:24) Phases of detoxification and natural healing (32:25) Strategies for detox and rebuilding health (37:04) Alessi Total Care program and listener benefits (38:22) Episode wrap-up and call to action00:00:00
Here's the truth.
00:00:00
Most people don't realize.
00:00:02
Toxins are those sneaky, sneaky, and they're not in various obvious places.
00:00:08
You don't need to live next to a landfill or smoke cigarettes to be carrying a toxic
00:00:13
overload or toxic burden at the end of the day, your oat milk might be full of glyphosate.
00:00:21
Right?
00:00:21
Your couch, flame retardants.
00:00:23
Your shampoo, endocrine disruptors.
00:00:26
Your tap water, heavy metals, PFAS, pharmaceuticals.
00:00:30
Even the receipts in your wallet wallet, the ink are coated in that BPA.
00:00:36
So it's not about one exposure.
00:00:38
It's about the total overload.
00:00:40
And over time, that toxic overload can quietly push your body into dysfunction across multiple
00:00:46
systems.
00:00:47
Welcome to Health Decode, your number one source for real health information with your
00:00:52
host, doctor Alessi and Matt Tack.
00:00:58
Hey, Health Decoded listeners.
00:00:59
Doctor Alessi here.
00:01:01
Let me ask you a serious question.
00:01:03
Are you tired of waiting until something goes wrong to finally see a doctor?
00:01:07
At Alessi Functional Health, we take a different approach, the right approach.
00:01:12
We believe true health care isn't about chasing symptoms.
00:01:16
It's about preventing them in the first place.
00:01:18
That's why we created the Alessi Total Care Program.
00:01:22
This is a functional medicine based membership that gives you proactive, personalized care
00:01:28
year round.
00:01:30
You'll get access to comprehensive blood work and functional testing, custom doctor grade
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nutraceuticals, deep discounts on labs, protocols, and follow ups, as well as twenty
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four seven direct access to your doctor, not just a ten minute checkup that ends with
00:01:47
another prescription.
00:01:48
And here's the best part.
00:01:50
As a Health Decoded listener, you'll get your first three months completely free when you
00:01:55
sign up for an annual membership.
00:01:57
That's on top of hundreds in savings already built into the program.
00:02:02
This is your chance to take responsibility for your health and join a movement that's
00:02:06
redefining what primary care should look like.
00:02:09
Head on over to alesseefunctionalhealth.com, click on our services tab, and go to Total
00:02:14
Care.
00:02:15
Learn more about this program and claim your exclusive podcast listener offer.
00:02:20
Your health is your greatest asset.
00:02:22
Let's protect it proactively.
00:02:28
Welcome back to Health Decoded, your number one source for real health information.
00:02:34
I'm your host, doctor Alessi.
00:02:36
And your cohost, Matt Tagg.
00:02:39
Awesome, man.
00:02:40
Good to see you.
00:02:41
Today, we're gonna have a really, really fun episode.
00:02:43
We are diving into a topic that really flies under the radar in most conventional medical
00:02:49
practice, but is quietly really at the root of many chronic health issues, and that is toxic
00:02:56
overload.
00:02:57
So just simply put, we live in a chemically saturated world.
00:03:02
Our ancestors dealt with bacteria, viruses, maybe occasional parasite, but they weren't
00:03:08
walking through these clouds of invisible industrial toxins twenty four seven like we are
00:03:13
today.
00:03:14
And so, we're exposed to over 80 chemicals, most of which have never really even been
00:03:19
tested for long term safety in humans, but have been in embedded into the things we put on our
00:03:26
body, the clothes we wear, the food we eat, right?
00:03:29
And so we're breathing them, eating them, absorbing them.
00:03:32
And for most people, their detox pathways are clogged.
00:03:36
So they're overwhelmed and sometimes they're even genetically impaired as well.
00:03:41
And so this episode uncovers how hidden environmental toxins like mold, plastics, heavy
00:03:48
metals, pesticides, parasites, and everyday chemicals can live undercover in your body for
00:03:54
years, causing chronic fatigue, hormone issues, gut problems, and more.
00:04:00
We're gonna break down the symptoms and how to test and how to truly heal with functional
00:04:05
medicine.
00:04:06
So let's get into it.
00:04:09
I'm so excited to talk about this because it's like super real, right?
00:04:13
Even breaking down soaps and, various things that, you're eating and putting into your body.
00:04:20
So, let's break it down, environmental side of toxins.
00:04:24
So it's not just mold in your basement or mercury in your tuna, which are, you know, a
00:04:30
lot of the hot topic ones.
00:04:32
Here's what we're really talking about.
00:04:34
The mold and mycotoxins.
00:04:38
Right?
00:04:39
So these are, toxic byproducts from mold species, in various forms.
00:04:45
So they can live in walls of HVAC systems, underlying floor, even in dry climates.
00:04:50
So we're in Florida.
00:04:52
These, mycotoxins are neurotoxic, immunosuppressive, and endocrine disrupting.
00:05:00
So these are the things that you need to really take a look at in terms of heavy metals.
00:05:06
So lead in old pipes is one of them.
00:05:08
That's something that, you're gonna see, water coming into your house.
00:05:12
So those old pipes, right, that's there's lead in those, even in paint sometimes.
00:05:18
Mercury from fish and dental fillings.
00:05:21
So I had one of those.
00:05:22
Had that taken out and actually but those are.
00:05:26
Right?
00:05:26
They used to use mercury in your dental fillings.
00:05:29
Aluminum and deodorants.
00:05:30
That's something I always check for now.
00:05:33
Typically, those are gonna be in the sprays, the gels.
00:05:36
You're gonna find the aluminum.
00:05:38
In the white, you're not gonna find nearly as much, but if you can get more of an organic,
00:05:43
Suave is a good name brand that actually I use that doesn't have aluminum embedded into it.
00:05:48
So these metals interfere with the mitochondrial function and damage neurons and
00:05:55
suppressive detox enzymes.
00:05:58
So they can cross blood brain barrier and bioaccumulate for decades without you even
00:06:05
knowing it.
00:06:07
So those are the things that you just wanna take a look at, you know, just standard use
00:06:11
type stuff.
00:06:11
Right?
00:06:12
So, as we aforementioned, that deodorant is is something that you use every single day.
00:06:17
Your toothpaste is stuff you use every single day.
00:06:20
So check out if there's aluminum or any type of fillings that that aren't more naturally based,
00:06:26
right?
00:06:27
So then you have plastics and endocrine disruptors.
00:06:31
So let's dive into this a little bit.
00:06:33
Chemicals like BPA, so the plastics that you have, a lot of times, like, I'm not sure if
00:06:40
like IKEA, those plastics have really never checked, but like you like, you're storing your
00:06:45
food containers.
00:06:46
If they're not BPA free, then they have BPA in them.
00:06:50
Right?
00:06:50
And so those can transfer over to the food that you're actually putting in those containers.
00:06:55
So you wanna look out for that even in water bottles, various things.
00:06:58
I'm not saying like not drink water.
00:07:01
You just want to be sure that what you're putting your water into is a BPA free, right?
00:07:07
So when the heating elements go through a dishwasher, that's something you want to look
00:07:11
out for.
00:07:12
Parabens are in food packaging and water bottles, cosmetic, and receipts, right?
00:07:17
So they mimic estrogen and block testosterone.
00:07:22
So if you wanna look at, you know, why men are coming down to testosterone, a lot
00:07:27
of these
00:07:27
are, it's exactly this, right?
00:07:31
So it's linked directly to hormonal imbalances, infertility, and obesity.
00:07:36
I've seen a number of women specifically, once they dial in their nutrition, their infertility
00:07:42
issue goes away.
00:07:43
It's pretty wild to see the, you know, the just the nature of, the world we live in today that
00:07:50
it's through what we put into our mouth that actually can make us fertile and infertile,
00:07:54
right?
00:07:55
So pesticide and herbicides.
00:07:59
So we're gonna dig into this right here.
00:08:01
Glyphosate, used in conventional agriculture and even in parks and lawns.
00:08:08
So this is the chemical that disrupts your gut gut microbiome, impairs detox enzymes, and
00:08:14
classified by the WHO as a probable human carcinogen.
00:08:20
This is one of the reasons why I stopped putting chemicals on my lawn.
00:08:24
Right?
00:08:25
Honestly, my lawn doesn't look like absolutely great, but like, I would rather put my feet in
00:08:31
that lawn rather than have my lawn looking absolutely spectacular, and then transferring
00:08:37
that inside my house.
00:08:38
So I actually think of those things.
00:08:40
We used to put TruGreen and other pesticides on our lawn.
00:08:43
That's not something I care about any longer, to be honest with you.
00:08:47
If you're gonna use something, you use something that's more naturally based organic
00:08:50
free.
00:08:51
There's a lot of other things that you can use out of there than use it like a TruGreen
00:08:55
service to put pesticides on your lawn because the moment you step in that, you're
00:09:01
transferring it into your house.
00:09:02
So, want to be cognizant of those things.
00:09:04
So, parasites.
00:09:07
There's another thing.
00:09:07
Most people think that parasites only affect people in developing countries, but they're
00:09:12
more common than actually you think.
00:09:15
From undercooked meat and parasites, there's aged meat, right, that comes into the grocery
00:09:20
store.
00:09:20
So undercooked meat, contaminated water, pets, or even travel have parasites.
00:09:28
They rob nutrients, disrupt gut dysfunction, and excrete toxic waste that essentially
00:09:35
burdens your liver.
00:09:37
Those are things you want to be extremely cognizant of because parasites are a real thing
00:09:43
in today's age.
00:09:44
We're going to go through some things.
00:09:45
We just want to highlight, some of the things that you should look out for.
00:09:48
And then we're going to at the end of the episode, make sure you stay tuned to the end,
00:09:52
because we're going to show you actionable items of what you can do.
00:09:56
Right?
00:09:56
So personal care products, your shampoo, deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, foundation, they
00:10:01
often contain formaldehyde.
00:10:04
One thing that I did not realize is that, you know, I became addicted and I like sharing
00:10:09
everything.
00:10:10
I became addicted to nicotine pouches.
00:10:12
Right?
00:10:12
Nicotine pouches actually are nootropic, but what they do is Xin is they actually soak those
00:10:17
in formaldehyde.
00:10:18
So when you're putting those into your mouth, you're actually sucking on formaldehyde.
00:10:23
So I stopped using those.
00:10:25
I like people being transparent with people and letting them know those are the things that I
00:10:29
look out for.
00:10:29
I'm like, well, I'm putting this in my mouth.
00:10:31
I'm sucking up formaldehyde.
00:10:32
I can't talk about it and not live it.
00:10:34
Right?
00:10:34
So and the next thing you look out for is fragrances, a proprietary label hiding dozens
00:10:41
of chemicals.
00:10:42
And the last thing you want to look out for, PEGs, parabens, and triglossin.
00:10:47
These are absorbed through your skin and bypass liver filtration and go straight into
00:10:54
circulation.
00:10:56
So those are just some of the things that in terms of oral digestions and things you put on
00:11:01
your skin, but then there's also household cleaners and flame retardants.
00:11:06
So think about dryer sheets, air fresheners, nonstick cookware, furniture, even kids'
00:11:11
pajamas.
00:11:12
They're coated in chemicals that have neurotoxic and endocrine disrupting and even
00:11:18
carcinogenic effects, that, honestly, at the end of the day, hinder and disrupt the body's
00:11:25
performance.
00:11:26
So we need to think about these things in terms of, you know, what we're actually utilizing and
00:11:31
how we're being educated on these.
00:11:33
So now here's the kicker, though, in all this toxins don't like don't hit like a car crash
00:11:39
right there slow leak invisible persistent and cumulative they hijack.
00:11:45
So first it's your brain anxiety insomnia brain fog then it becomes hormones, low libido,
00:11:51
irregular cycles, low T, then becomes your energy systems, your mitochondrial dysfunction.
00:11:57
Then last but not least, your gut lining and immune system, that leaky gut, autoimmunity.
00:12:02
We're seeing a ton of those actually come through our clinic, right?
00:12:06
So they do it so gradually that most people, honestly, they're not realizing.
00:12:12
So it happens over time until the symptoms are chronic, widespread, and confusing.
00:12:18
Or they just take it as a, this is normal aging, right?
00:12:22
So the National Institute of Environmental Health and Sciences says it best.
00:12:27
Environmental exposure to synthetic and naturally occurring toxins plays a central role
00:12:32
in the rise of chronic illness.
00:12:34
Wow.
00:12:35
So here's the final point.
00:12:37
The modern human is under chemical assault every single day.
00:12:40
And if you're not actively removing these toxins, you're accumulating them in your body.
00:12:46
And at the end of the day, it keeps score.
00:12:48
It's a game.
00:12:50
So in this next segment, we're gonna talk about signs and symptoms that might mean your body is
00:12:56
in toxic overload.
00:12:58
You might you might be surprised by how many boxes that actually check your lifestyle.
00:13:04
So here are the warning signs about your toxicity.
00:13:07
Let's paint the picture here first.
00:13:10
You might be thinking, I don't work in chemical plant.
00:13:12
I don't eat organ I eat organic and I work out.
00:13:15
I drink green juices every day.
00:13:18
I'm good, right?
00:13:20
Here's the truth.
00:13:21
Most people don't realize.
00:13:23
Toxins are those sneaky, sneaky, and they're not in various obvious places.
00:13:29
You don't need to live next to a landfill or smoke cigarettes to be carrying a toxic
00:13:34
overload or toxic burden at the end of the day.
00:13:37
Your oat milk might be full of glyphosate.
00:13:41
Right?
00:13:42
Your couch, flame retardants.
00:13:44
Your shampoo, endocrine disruptors.
00:13:46
Your tap water, heavy metals, PFAS, pharmaceuticals.
00:13:50
Even the receipts in your wallet wallet, the ink are coated in that BPA.
00:13:56
So it's not about one exposure.
00:13:58
It's about the total overload.
00:14:00
And over time, that toxic overload can quietly push your body into dysfunction across multiple
00:14:07
systems.
00:14:08
So here we go.
00:14:09
Let me walk you through what we commonly see in our clinic.
00:14:13
And I have personally experienced at the end of the day.
00:14:16
So like, I want to say I personally experienced these things.
00:14:18
Yep.
00:14:19
Because they the reality is we're not going to get away from all these toxins.
00:14:22
It's now what we do to disrupt them, right?
00:14:27
So brain and mood symptoms, when your brain's detox pathways are backed up or your
00:14:33
mitochondria is poisoned by your metals, mold and chemicals, You feel it upstairs.
00:14:41
Brain fog.
00:14:41
I walk into a room and forget why I'm there, which that happens, but not every day.
00:14:49
So when it's a common occurrence, right, anxiety or sudden panic, especially out of
00:14:53
nowhere.
00:14:55
Memory lapses.
00:14:56
I used to be so sharp.
00:14:58
What's happening?
00:14:59
You ask yourself.
00:15:00
Depression or low motivation.
00:15:03
Trouble falling asleep.
00:15:05
It's a huge one.
00:15:07
So here's a fact.
00:15:09
Mold toxins are neurotoxic, meaning they target the brain.
00:15:14
Mercury displaces zinc in the brain, and BPA alters neurotransmitters.
00:15:20
So this stuff literally changes the way you think and then ultimately the way you feel.
00:15:24
Here's the metabolic effect and energy disruption.
00:15:28
Your mitochondria, the energy engines of your cells, your building block, your cells are
00:15:35
extremely sensitive to toxins.
00:15:37
And when they get jammed up, you might notice fatigue that's not fixed by sleep.
00:15:44
Right?
00:15:44
Weight loss resistance, even with clean eating, thyroid dysfunction.
00:15:49
That means that low t three we've talked about often.
00:15:52
Right?
00:15:52
Sluggish metabolism, adrenal burnout.
00:15:56
You're just getting weak, that 3PM burnout every single day.
00:16:00
Right?
00:16:00
Can't can't hold it together through an entire day.
00:16:03
Wired, but tired.
00:16:06
And then blood sugar swings.
00:16:08
You get shaky, hangry, or crash even after meals.
00:16:11
Right?
00:16:12
And if your liver is overwhelmed, your body may intentionally hold on to fat because fat stores
00:16:18
toxins.
00:16:20
Your fat becomes a storage locker for stuff your liver can't just keep up with at all.
00:16:25
So here's the immune and inflammatory problems.
00:16:29
Toxic overloads puts the immune system in constant low grade fight or worse, it turns
00:16:36
against you.
00:16:37
Autoimmune flares.
00:16:39
Some things are Hashimoto's psoriasis.
00:16:43
You have histamine issues, itchy, flushed, hives, reaction to wine or leftovers.
00:16:51
Alright?
00:16:52
Skin issues like eczema, acne, and rashes.
00:16:56
Here's joint pain is a big one.
00:16:59
You get hit in that mid thirties, forties joint pain that moves around and feels just
00:17:04
completely unexplained.
00:17:07
Frequent illness or slow recovery process.
00:17:12
So 70% of your immune system lives in your gut.
00:17:16
When your gut barrier gets compromised by these toxins, you become reactive to everything.
00:17:25
So let's dive into the gut and the toxins and the detox pathways, which are which are
00:17:31
breaking up the cycle.
00:17:32
Right?
00:17:32
So this is the exit ramp.
00:17:33
But if you're not pooping, sweating, or draining, well, you're recirculating that
00:17:39
garbage on a daily basis.
00:17:41
So you could experience bloating or gas after meals, constipation or loose stools, new or
00:17:48
increasing food sensitivities, chemical sensitivity, perfume stores, cleaning supplies
00:17:55
make you sick, Your liver congestion signs, pain under right rib cage, nausea or fatty
00:18:04
meals, headaches, especially in the morning, or taking a long time just to wake up because you
00:18:10
have elongated sleep cycles, Your liver has two detox phases, phase one and phase two, and they
00:18:17
both require nutrients and energy to function.
00:18:21
So if you're nutrient deficient, or you're chronically inflamed, your detox becomes like a
00:18:26
clogged drain pipe.
00:18:28
So think of that.
00:18:29
We had those big old cast iron pipes at our house that we had to clean out.
00:18:35
But over time, the rust built up, rust built up, built up, built up, where the water only
00:18:41
had a big four inch pipe only had a dime sized figure to go through at the end of the day.
00:18:47
That's that's exactly what happens, right, when all these toxins never get decompressed and
00:18:52
actually released.
00:18:54
So I'm gonna be brutally honest with you.
00:18:56
Eat eating clean, taking supplements, hitting the gym, even sleeping eight hours, and you're
00:19:01
still inflamed or foggy or exhausted, doesn't mean you're not broken.
00:19:06
You're probably just toxic at the end of the day.
00:19:09
And here's the science to back this up.
00:19:11
So from the Journal of Integrative Medicine, toxin toxin accumulation impairs mitochondrial
00:19:17
function, detoxification pathways and immune imbalance leading to multi system dysfunction.
00:19:26
So that's not alternative medicine.
00:19:28
That's just reality medicine.
00:19:31
It's not in your head.
00:19:32
It's not in your cells.
00:19:33
It's not in your liver.
00:19:34
It's in your brain and hormones and skin.
00:19:38
So up next, we'll talk about how we actually test for this at Alessi Functional Health in
00:19:46
the functional medicine world.
00:19:48
And no, we're not using like a guesswork scheme, right?
00:19:52
We're running advanced tests that reveal what's really going on underneath the hood.
00:19:57
So if this segment hit home, stay tuned.
00:20:02
But here, first is a quick word from our sponsor.
00:20:07
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Now back to the episode.
00:21:29
Alright.
00:21:30
Welcome back.
00:21:31
Now, definitely let's get into, you know, the action steps.
00:21:35
I think this is always the great the great part.
00:21:37
You definitely touched on a lot of big things there.
00:21:39
Things that people have probably experienced from time to time.
00:21:42
And I wanted to touch on something real quick.
00:21:44
We test for leaky gut all the time in our clinic.
00:21:48
And I think when you look up the stats online, right?
00:21:51
It is not reflective of the truth.
00:21:53
Most people, it's probably higher, right?
00:21:56
Because I'd say it's almost one hundred percent of people who have come in and we've suspected
00:22:00
leaky gut, so we run a test, they have it.
00:22:02
And so, it's so common because, again, everything you just explained, all the things
00:22:07
that we're putting in and taking into our body are just breaking down that gut, the gut
00:22:12
barrier, right?
00:22:13
And making it more permeable.
00:22:15
So, let's do this.
00:22:17
Let's get let's get functional.
00:22:18
Let's get into how testing works and how we test for toxic load.
00:22:22
And so, might be wondering, right?
00:22:24
Okay, I have these symptoms.
00:22:26
Now, how do I know if it is toxins at the root cause?
00:22:29
Because the reality is your regular doctor is not looking for this.
00:22:35
You could have mold in your sinuses, you could have mercury built up in the brain, or even
00:22:40
parasites in your gut, and your conventional labs could still come back normal.
00:22:45
But normal doesn't equate to optimal, and it definitely doesn't mean clean.
00:22:51
So that's where now functional medicine comes in.
00:22:53
Because again, we don't guess, we test.
00:22:56
And we often use a lot broader and more, I guess, diverse testing protocol to look for
00:23:03
things that other medicine providers are not looking for.
00:23:07
And you know, inside our Total Care program, we use these advanced diagnostic tools that reveal
00:23:13
what's lurking under the surface.
00:23:15
So let's talk through here now our toxic burden testing, right?
00:23:19
What does that look for?
00:23:21
So one of the things we use is a urinary mycotoxin test.
00:23:25
So this is basically the go to for mold exposure.
00:23:27
It's gonna screen for dangerous mold toxins like Okra toxin, which can disrupt immune and
00:23:33
kidney function, Aflatoxin, which is a potent carcinogen, and Gliotoxin, which is an immune
00:23:40
suppressor that can hide deep in your tissues, right?
00:23:43
So it's very difficult to pin this one out.
00:23:46
So, here in Florida, very common if you've ever lived in a water damaged home, a dorm or an
00:23:52
office, or maybe a hurricane prone area, right?
00:23:55
We just experienced this last year, houses getting flooded.
00:23:58
If the mold is not remediated that can build up and then now that's accumulating inside of you.
00:24:04
And it gets into the air ducts and it is, it is tough to get rid of.
00:24:08
The next one we look at is what's called a GPL tox basically an environmental pollutants
00:24:13
panel.
00:24:14
And so this is going to check your urine for everyday chemical toxins.
00:24:18
Things like phthalates, which are in plastics and fragrances, BPA, which we talked about in
00:24:24
the receipts, the water bottles.
00:24:26
Basically, if your if your plastic is touching your food, you're getting BPA.
00:24:29
If it's unless it's BPA free.
00:24:31
And oftentimes, the labels lie too.
00:24:34
They've found ways to get around telling you if it's BPA free or not.
00:24:38
Things like parabens, which are in lotions and shampoos.
00:24:42
It also looks for things like styrene and xylene, which are air pollutants that come from
00:24:46
like solvents and insulation in homes.
00:24:49
And then things like, you know, you go to the gas station, you breathe in those gasoline
00:24:53
fumes, you can build up things inside your body as well.
00:24:56
So basically, this test is going to tell us what are you absorbing from your products, and
00:25:01
your air, and whether or not your detox pathways are keeping up too.
00:25:05
Another one and this is one that we run a lot is a heavy metals test.
00:25:09
So we can use either urine or hair analysis.
00:25:12
I like the hair because it's stored there for a long time.
00:25:16
And so the hair is going to tell me if this is something that's been accumulating.
00:25:19
It's going to look for the big ones mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium.
00:25:24
Again, these are things that are in everyday stuff, right?
00:25:27
Like like some of the bigger fish is gonna have a lot of mercury in it, right?
00:25:30
Things like tuna.
00:25:31
So making sure we're buying like low mercury tuna, lead which is in old paint.
00:25:37
Arsenic is in it's in groundwater and tap water if you're drinking just basic tap water.
00:25:42
And then cadmium is if you're, you know, if you have exposure to smoke, right?
00:25:47
And so even low levels of this, like it doesn't have to be a lot can block enzymes and disrupt
00:25:51
your hormones and then cause downstream effects from that.
00:25:56
Another one that is very common for us to run is what's called an organic acids test or an
00:26:01
oat test.
00:26:02
So this basically is like a metabolic footprint.
00:26:05
And we can use this for metabolic issues as well, not just for toxicity, but it's a great
00:26:11
combo for both of those because it's gonna reveal if there's fungal or candida overgrowth.
00:26:17
It will reveal if there's mitochondrial damage, oxalate issues, neurotransmitter imbalances, or
00:26:24
if you're depleted in glutathione, which is basically your your boss body's master
00:26:30
detoxifier.
00:26:31
And so, this test is gonna show us whether your cellular engines are running or if they're
00:26:37
misfiring.
00:26:37
Right?
00:26:39
And then, you know, another one.
00:26:41
This one is I'd say this one is a little bit more of a pricey test.
00:26:45
So people often, if we don't to run it, we won't but it is a fantastic test for getting to
00:26:49
the bottom of it is a GI map stool test.
00:26:53
So basically you collect a stool sample, and it is going to 100% tell you if you have
00:26:58
parasites, if you have pathogenic bacteria, very common one is H.
00:27:02
Pylori, see that all the time.
00:27:04
Fungal markers like Candida.
00:27:07
If you have secretory IgA, which is basically like an overload of the IgA immune component in
00:27:14
your gut, or if you have liver enzymes in the stool.
00:27:17
And so this will tell us if we have a backup going on.
00:27:20
And a big one here for us to want to run this test would be like if someone has chronic
00:27:24
fatigue, they have skin issues like eczema or psoriasis, histamine problems, which is like
00:27:30
those sensitivities to chemicals, and then food sensitivities as well.
00:27:35
So you have to check what's brewing in the gut.
00:27:38
And then this gives us a % array of what's going on.
00:27:43
And then one that we don't, I can't say we run this one a lot, but it is a cool test is a VCS
00:27:48
test or a visual contrast sensitivity.
00:27:51
It's a non invasive eye test.
00:27:52
It screens for biotoxin exposure, neurological effects, poor oxygen delivery to the brain,
00:27:58
basically some of those early warning signs for a toxin triggered brain inflammation.
00:28:03
I will say that the main ones we're going to use is the urine toxin, the stool test and the
00:28:08
oat test.
00:28:08
Those are probably non negotiables we can sense that maybe there's toxicity.
00:28:15
And then, you know, beyond beyond the labs, right?
00:28:18
What else can we do?
00:28:19
Because testing isn't just about looking at the blood and the urine, right?
00:28:22
It's about the story.
00:28:24
And so we also want to take a history intake.
00:28:26
Have you ever lived near a farm?
00:28:28
Have you do you use a lot of personal care products?
00:28:31
Have you ever had mercury fillings that maybe were removed, right?
00:28:35
When they remove them, a lot of times that kicks that mercury into the bloodstream.
00:28:40
Where have you worked?
00:28:41
What have you been exposed to throughout your life?
00:28:44
And then also, there's some really cool home tests you can use to test your home for mold,
00:28:48
the dust and also water, right?
00:28:51
What's the water contaminant look like?
00:28:53
So, know, I don't want us to like free people out.
00:28:57
This is that's not the point of this.
00:28:58
We're not trying to scare people.
00:29:00
But we're trying to let you know that it you need to figure out what your body is burdened
00:29:05
with if you have these symptoms, right?
00:29:07
Because when you identify the source, now you have an idea you can treat the root.
00:29:12
So, not just the symptoms.
00:29:14
There's a quote here from Frontiers in Public Health in 2021.
00:29:19
And it said testing and individualizing detox plans improves outcomes in patients with
00:29:25
chronic fatigue, autoimmunity, and metabolic disease.
00:29:29
Basically confirms that the root of those diseases comes from toxic overload, right?
00:29:33
Or can come from toxic overload.
00:29:36
And so again, that's why we test.
00:29:38
That's why functional medicine works.
00:29:40
Truly, functional medicine is real medicine, right?
00:29:44
Throwing a medicine on throwing medicine at something just to try to cover it up.
00:29:48
That's not medicine.
00:29:49
That's lazy.
00:29:49
That's, you know, a system that's been built to generate money for an industry that is
00:29:55
realistically just failing.
00:29:57
So functional medicine is how does your body get back to equilibrium and actually work for
00:30:01
itself?
00:30:03
So now we know what to look for symptom wise, you explained that great, Matt.
00:30:08
Now, we know what tests we can run, and obviously what to do in the next step.
00:30:14
Now, how do we heal, right?
00:30:15
How do we take that information that we've gained with testing, with symptoms, with
00:30:21
history, and then turn it into a healing platform?
00:30:24
And so, here's the good news, right?
00:30:26
Your body is built to heal.
00:30:28
It's a healing machine, right?
00:30:29
You cut your hand or your arm, it's gonna heal.
00:30:32
It just does.
00:30:33
So, it's not that it's broken, it's just overloaded.
00:30:36
And so, it can't adequately do what it's meant to do.
00:30:40
And so, you have to create the right conditions.
00:30:42
And that's why removal is the first R in our protocols.
00:30:45
Always get removed.
00:30:46
Remove what's getting in the way.
00:30:48
So, this is kind of the I like wanted to keep it simple here, but the four phases of true
00:30:54
detoxification.
00:30:55
So, number one, again, remove the source because you can't detox what you keep being
00:31:00
exposed to, right?
00:31:02
That'd be like trying to, I don't know, like trying to keep taking things in and get things
00:31:07
out of your house, right?
00:31:08
You keep taking new stuff in, but you're trying to get rid of things.
00:31:10
It's clutter.
00:31:11
So, here's how you can clean up your environment.
00:31:15
Starting with the air using purifiers, things with like those HEPA and activated carbon
00:31:20
filters.
00:31:21
I even more so like the ones that have the ozone and they can break down the pollutants
00:31:26
rather than just kicking them back into the air.
00:31:29
Water is a big one.
00:31:31
So drinking clean water is huge using like a reverse osmosis or those countertop Berkey
00:31:36
filters are great because tap water in most developed cities and places is gonna be pretty
00:31:43
bad.
00:31:44
Full of fluoride and all kind of chemicals.
00:31:47
And then products, switching to like non toxic cookware, natural cleaners, and the, you know,
00:31:53
the beauty products and things, as well as food.
00:31:56
Eating organic whenever possible, trying to avoid processed foods and seed oils, and then
00:32:02
the makeup and the beauty products.
00:32:04
You don't have to be perfect, right?
00:32:06
What do we always say?
00:32:08
Be consistently good rather than occasionally perfect, right?
00:32:12
And because every bit is gonna help empty that toxic bucket.
00:32:17
Now, step two, okay, you've removed.
00:32:19
Now, how do we support the drainage and detox that your body's trying to do, it just needs
00:32:24
some help.
00:32:25
Because you can't detox unless your body can drain.
00:32:28
So, we focus heavily on opening up what's called your emanctary system, which is
00:32:32
basically your liver, your kidneys, your colon.
00:32:35
These are the organs that eliminate waste.
00:32:37
This is the lymphatic system as well, often overlooked, as well as your skin.
00:32:42
There's a really cool practice called dry brushing, where basically you get like a
00:32:47
bristle brush that's kind of hard and you brush your skin towards the lymph systems like
00:32:51
towards the armpits, towards the groin, and it is pushing the lymph from the skin and getting
00:32:56
that you should get kind of red from it, right?
00:32:58
It's because you're flushing things into the system.
00:33:01
Other tools that we can use are things like binders.
00:33:04
This is always going to be part of some of our functional medicine protocols.
00:33:07
Like chlorella activated charcoal.
00:33:11
Humic and fulvic acid are great ones that we use a lot because they're pretty gentle, but
00:33:15
they're going to capture and push things out.
00:33:18
As well as supporting the liver with milk thistle glutathione NAC.
00:33:23
Lymph drainage right like we just talked about dry brushing rebounding or or those vibration
00:33:28
plates that we have in our clinic.
00:33:30
Whenever someone's doing a detox protocol, they're gonna come and use these power plates,
00:33:34
these vibration plates, which is gonna stimulate that lymph drainage.
00:33:37
And then sweating, infrared sauna, hot yoga, Epsom salt baths.
00:33:42
Because remember, detox isn't doesn't equal a juice cleanse.
00:33:46
Right?
00:33:46
That's not what it looks like.
00:33:48
It's about opening up these drainage pathways, mobilizing and eliminating toxins in a safe,
00:33:53
supported way.
00:33:54
We actually discussed this heavily in episode eight.
00:33:57
So, back and listen to that one.
00:33:58
It will further kind of explain what we're talking about here and go tandem with this.
00:34:04
The next step after you're supporting the detox is rebuilding your cellular health.
00:34:08
Now, once the junk is out, let's talk about how we rebuild from the inside out.
00:34:13
Mitochondrial support, focusing on that with things like CoQ10, PQQ for better energy,
00:34:20
supporting the gut with probiotics, gut lining nutrients, parasite cleanses when needed.
00:34:26
Nervous system reset something you talk about all the time HRV training right breath work.
00:34:30
How do we support the vagus nerve with things like cold exposure.
00:34:34
This is going to get that body back toward a state of rest and digest.
00:34:38
And then hormone rebalance.
00:34:39
Well, how are we using adaptogens or, you know, test based protocols, obviously based on the
00:34:45
labs to rebalance the hormones.
00:34:48
This is usually the phase where people start to feel more like themselves.
00:34:51
They're gonna have more energy, maybe skin's clearing up, less brain fog.
00:34:56
And again, it's not magic, it's physiology.
00:34:59
And then the last part and probably the thing that we do that other providers don't do is the
00:35:06
lifestyle medicine component.
00:35:08
This is where we stand out because we take it further than just hey, do this, take this.
00:35:13
It's like no, how do we focus on what you're doing on a daily basis and really guide you
00:35:17
through how to optimize your lifestyle?
00:35:20
Right?
00:35:20
So because the truth is your daily habits are either loading your toxic burden or lightening
00:35:25
it.
00:35:26
And so getting morning sunlight, blocking blue light at night, resetting that circadian rhythm
00:35:32
because recovery and drainage happens at night.
00:35:34
There's a concept in Chinese medicine that 3AM is really where your liver is kicking and it is
00:35:40
hitting hard.
00:35:41
Oftentimes people on a detox, or if they're struggling with liver detox, are going to be
00:35:46
waking up around that time of night every every night like what's going on?
00:35:49
That's a good sign.
00:35:51
Prioritizing deep sleep, reducing your digital overload, right?
00:35:55
Reducing your stress and EMFs.
00:35:57
And then making the low toxic living basically part of your life, right?
00:36:02
You have to adopt these things.
00:36:03
And it's not like you just do it once and then you're good.
00:36:06
It's like no, this has to become part of your daily life.
00:36:09
And so just real quick here before we start wrapping things up, there's a great quote from
00:36:13
the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine in 2020.
00:36:16
They said ongoing detoxification support and environmental hygiene are foundational pillars
00:36:22
in long term chronic disease recovery.
00:36:26
So basically, you're healing from some kind of chronic disease.
00:36:30
You have to incorporate the the lifestyle and environmental component or else you're just
00:36:35
gonna end up right back in that position.
00:36:37
Your environment matters, your habits matter, and ultimately that's, you know, you matter.
00:36:42
So take take ownership of that, make changes that you need, and then seek help when
00:36:47
necessary.
00:36:48
So you weren't born toxic, although some people maybe were born predisposed, right, or their
00:36:54
their early years.
00:36:56
But over time, the world we live in, it just fills that bucket up with the plastics, the
00:37:01
molds, the metals, and the stress.
00:37:04
And so, functional medicine gives us the tools to like pinpoint and identify.
00:37:08
And then, Total Care, which is what we've created within our office, gives you the map to
00:37:12
fix it, right?
00:37:13
And so, it's not just about cleansing your body, it's about reclaiming your energy, your
00:37:18
clarity, your vitality and ultimately your life.
00:37:21
And so, if you would ever like to learn more about how we help diagnose, reverse, heal
00:37:26
toxicity and chronic disease within our Alessi Total Care program, go to
00:37:31
AlessiFunctionalHealth.com, schedule a consultation with me or one of our providers.
00:37:36
Let's create a personalized plan for your lifelong health.
00:37:40
Listeners of this podcast are always gonna get an exclusive discount and price reductions on
00:37:45
all of our protocols and lab testing, so be sure to mention where you heard about us.
00:37:50
And as always, if you found to value in today's show, please like, subscribe, and share this
00:37:55
episode with someone who needs to hear it.
00:37:58
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00:38:03
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00:38:06
Email us at ask@AlessiFXHealth.com.
00:38:09
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00:38:14
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00:38:19
cutting edge therapies.
00:38:22
Awesome, man.
00:38:23
And thank you again for tuning in to Health Decoded where we break down science, bust the
00:38:27
myths, and help you take control of your health naturally.
00:38:30
Until next time, stay curious, stay empowered, and remember your health is in your hands.
00:38:36
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00:38:42
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00:38:45
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00:39:00
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00:39:11
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