Most of us try to make healthy choices. We eat the foods that we are told are good for us. We choose whole grains. We eat fish for protein and omega-3s. We avoid processed foods. We believe we are doing the right thing for our bodies.

Mercury in seafood is another reason to consider moderation.

But sometimes, even healthy choices can carry hidden risks.

That is why testing for heavy metals—when symptoms or exposure history suggest it may be appropriate—can be so important.

Heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium can enter the body through food, water, supplements, environmental exposure or occupational sources. Over time, certain exposures may accumulate or lead to symptoms that are difficult to explain. These symptoms can be vague: tingling, numbness, fatigue, brain fog, headaches, digestive issues, thyroid changes, cholesterol changes or other neurologic and metabolic complaints.

The problem is that many of these symptoms overlap with other conditions. Without testing, heavy metals may never be considered. I learned this personally.

Three years ago, I was eating what I thought was a very healthy, gluten-free diet. Because I was avoiding gluten, I ate a lot of brown rice products: brown rice pasta, brown rice crackers; they seemed like the healthier choice.

But with heavy metal testing, my arsenic level came back as toxic.

That result helped explain the neurologic symptoms I had been experiencing, including tingling in my arms and hands. I stopped eating brown rice products completely. When I was retested recently, my arsenic levels were almost non-existent. Even more importantly, the tingling went
away completely.

That experience changed the way I looked at food and health.

In the past few years, my thyroid and cholesterol numbers have been in the normal range. However, recent bloodwork on April 24 showed that my levels had changed drastically enough to raise real concern. My TSH levels showed subclinical hypothyroidism and my cholesterol level shot up from normal to 270 mg/dL. Because thyroid function plays an important role in metabolism, including how the body processes cholesterol, those changes were included in the same investigation. While we cannot say heavy metals were the only factor, the question became impossible to ignore: could toxic exposure be contributing to a broader disruption in my body?

I quickly learned that mercury exposure can disrupt thyroid hormone production and regulation. To my surprise, my mercury level was elevated to 23 mcg/L, well above the lab’s reference range of less than 11 mcg/L. The likely source was something most people consider healthy: frequent seafood consumption.

I had been eating fish more than a couple of times a week, including salmon, sea bass, ling cod and tinned Atlantic mackerel. Fish can be an excellent source of protein and nutrients, but some fish contain more mercury than others. And frequency matters. What may be fine occasionally can become a problem when eaten often over time.

My doctor, Joe Scherger, MD, and I looked to diet once again. With his recommendation, I reduced higher-mercury fish, became much more selective about seafood and shifted toward other protein sources. I also added supportive whole foods for my thyroid: one Brazil nut daily for selenium, along with fiber-rich fruits such as whole kiwi and dragon fruit. I also reduced consumption of goitrogenic, cruciferous vegetables like arugula, broccoli and kale (especially in their raw forms) as eating too many goitrogens can affect thyroid health by stopping iodine from working properly. The thyroid gland requires a steady supply of iodine to function.

These changes are not meant to be a “detox cure.” They are part of a practical plan: reduce the likely source of exposure, support the body nutritionally and retest to see whether the mercury level is moving in the right direction.

After a retest on June 12, all of my levels returned to normal. There was no sign of subclinical hypothyroidism, and my cholesterol has dropped from a scary 270 mg/dL to a happy 180 mg/dL. Although the heavy metal test won’t be back for a couple of weeks, these results help answer the most important question: Did removing or reducing the exposure make a measurable difference? Yes indeed, it did! I am forever grateful to Dr. Scherger for being proactive about heavy metal testing. The original results may have prompted some doctors to prescribe thyroid medication and statins.

My hope in sharing this story is not to make people afraid of food; it is to encourage awareness. If you are eating a restricted diet, the same foods every day, consuming a lot of rice-based products, eating seafood frequently (even lower-mercury seafood), or you are experiencing unexplained neurologic symptoms, thyroid changes, cholesterol changes or other persistent symptoms, it may be worth asking your doctor whether heavy metal testing is appropriate.

The goal is not panic. The goal is prevention.

Testing gave me answers. Answers gave me direction. And direction helped me make changes that are hopefully improving my health.

Often, the missing piece is not another medication or supplement; it is identifying what your body has been exposed to and removing the source. We cannot correct what we do not measure. And in my case, measuring made all the difference.

Li Saul is a resident of La Quinta. Dr. Scherger is the founder of Restore Health Disease Reversal in Indian Wells, a clinic dedicated to reversing chronic medical conditions. To schedule a consultation, call (760) 898.9663 or visit www.restorehealth.me.