quicksilverscientific.com   Mercury Testing and Detoxification  http://learntruehealth.com/mercury/ Countless research has proven the dangers of mercury. In my past episodes, I have tackled topics about how mercury and heavy metals can hamper our health goals. But today, I’m thrilled to have Dr. Christopher Shade on the show to explain the details of mercury testing aside from heavy metals detoxification.  Organic Farming  Dr. Christopher Shade describes himself as a reductionist from an academic family. He recalls his college years full of mind-liberating experiences. During this time, he started to believe in the holism of the world and the inner relationships in nature.  It was not long after college when Dr. Christopher Shade became an organic farmer. He did a couple of other things before going into academic studies about organic farming.  Dr. Christopher Shade started studying environmental chemistry around agriculture and eventually earned a Masters’ Degree. He then pursued a Ph.D. degree in Illinois and looked into agricultural pollution and environmental chemistry. But he found it boring.  “Then I found this guy who was doing these global models of mercury cycling. So I went into that and developed this testing for different forms of mercury during graduate school where we could separate different forms,” said Dr. Christopher Shade.  He adds, “I got a patent on that and started my company in Boulder County, Colorado. My company did environmental testing, got into health and wellness, and applied the testing to metals and toxins.”  Dr. Christopher Shade decided to focus on health and wellness after the crash of 2008. Fortunately, his jump in health and wellness was well-received.  Testing For Toxins  Dr. Christopher Shade brought this new method of testing where they could look at different forms of mercury in the body and how they are excreted. The test can also show how the functional excretion and detoxifications were working, as well as what forms of mercury are present including its sources.  “I explored what was the standard of treatment then. Long-term chronic toxicity involves failure of the detoxification and wearing down of the system,” Dr. Christopher Shade explains. “It’s more important to restore the functioning of antioxidants, enzymes, and transporters that are associated with ridding the body of toxins.”  He adds, “As you bring them up, not only do you get rid of the toxins out of your body. You also make your body more resistant to the presence of those toxins and any future exposure to toxins. That’s what put me where I am today to help people get well.”   Role Of Glutathione  Dr. Christopher Shade acknowledges the importance of glutathione. Glutathione is not only an essential antioxidant in animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria. It can also prevent damage to cellular components caused by things like free radicals and heavy metals.  “If mercury is in your cell and it’s stuck in one of your proteins, you need to get it out by first linking it on to glutathione. But if you have glutathione there, it doesn’t mean that the mercury is going to jump off the protein onto the glutathione,” explains Dr. Christopher Shade.  Dr. Christopher Shade says we need this intermediary called the glutathione s-transferase. It pries the mercury off the protein so they can bind onto glutathione.  Importance of Sweating  We know that sweating is beneficial for getting toxins out of our body. But Dr. Christopher Shade says sweating isn’t well understood.  Dr. Christopher Shade readily admits he used to improperly say that sweating is really about plastics, solvents and not about metals. Then he read some data wherein it states that the metal content of sweat is relatively similar to urine. That’s why they call it the 3rd kidney.  According to Dr. Christopher Shade, there has to be a similar thing wherein the transporters are pulling from the blood and dumping into the sweat. But that has not been elucidated yet.  “If I give