Everyone knows I’m not a doctor – thank God – because I haven’t subjected myself to medical school (AKA advanced pharmacy school) to cloud my perspective, creating an allopathic/pharmacological bias.

I prefer natural medicine over allopathic for most things. Natural medicine has been around for millennia, following its own evolution, getting better with real science – that loves to be questioned and tested – helping in its evolution. Allopathic, on the other hand, hates being questioned, which is NOT how science works.

Allopathic medicine, founded and funded by John D Rockefeller in 1901, is actually the “new kid” on the block. Rockefeller also invented the term “alternative medicine” in his propaganda campaign to vilify natural medicine, since that was his competition to this new drug-dependent industry he wanted to create. His term now refers to everything else besides allopathic, which is ironic because this new allopathic medicine is really the one that deserves that label.

Allopathic medicine is great at fixing broken bones and some surgeries, but that’s about 90% of its usefulness. I still research that side anyway, though, just to stay fair. My favorite research tools (including AI now) can be found and described in point #1 of this post (click here) if you’re curious.

I am a researcher, and doing it since 1987, I’ve become quite good at it (if I say so myself). Instead of starting with a bias, I investigate all sides equally to find health and fitness strategies I can use for myself and my X Gym members. Then I question it, challenge it, re-examine it, and have others question it because as mentioned, that’s how real science works.

In my latest research rabbit hole, I taught myself how to detox from heavy metals. This is important because heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, etc., can accumulate in the body from sources like fish consumption, dental amalgams, and environmental pollutants, potentially causing health issues like fatigue, neurological disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular problems, to name just a few.

Some people need various detox programs more than others, according to their healthy habits, liver function, and how much they poo, pee, and sweat. If I were living in the mountains of Hawaii, eating a perfect diet, drinking spring water, and getting lots of exercise, I might not need to detox. But alas, that’s not my life, hence, this rabbit hole.

An effective detox routine emphasizes supporting the body’s liver, kidneys, and gut for detoxification, using natural agents to bind and eliminate metals and minimize exposure. This program is structured in three phases—preparation, active detox, and restoration—over 60 days, aligning with principles of gentle, holistic detox.

If I were detoxing, this post details how I would do it. Since I’m not a doctor, I can’t recommend this to anyone else, but from my research, I have found this would be the safest and best way for me, being a healthy male, around 170 lbs.

This 60-day detox program includes zeolite, alongside supplements like DMSA, DMPS, EDTA, selenium, zinc, glutathione, cilantro, chlorella, and foods with natural detox properties. It’s divided into three phases: preparation (days 1-15), active detox (days 16-45), and restoration (days 46-60) to support the body’s natural elimination systems.

Phases and Details

• Preparation (Days 1-15): Start with hydration (10-12 glasses of filtered water daily), a high-fiber diet (fruits and veggies), vitamin C (liposomal 1000 mg 3X daily), liposomal glutathione (250 mg 2X daily), chlorella (6 tablets daily), selenium (200 µg daily), zinc (30 mg daily), EDTA (1000 mg daily in the AM on an empty stomach) and pure, certified zeolite (e.g., PMA-zeolite 250 mg daily, increasing to 1 g/day by day 15). Sweat daily with exercise or sauna for 20+ minutes, and avoid high-mercury fish like swordfish. Poop at least 1x/day, supplementing with 300 mg magnesium citrate if not pooping daily. If I’m feeling crummy in this phase, it means the detox part is working and releasing junk out of my cells, but I need to step up the elimination part more to get it out.
• Active Detox (Days 16-45): Increase chlorella to 15 tablets daily gradually, add cilantro (2.5 ml 3X daily), and continue vitamin C, selenium, and zinc. Add DMSA (250 mg thrice daily) and DMPS (100 mg daily) for 5 days on, 9 days off (three cycles, 15 days total on chelators). On chelator days (15 total), pause EDTA, glutathione, and zeolite; on off days (30 total), resume EDTA, glutathione 500 mg daily, and zeolite 1 g/day. Include sulfur-rich foods (garlic, onions) and sweat daily, monitor for symptoms like fatigue, nausea, or muscle pain, and increase excretion strategies if symptomatic (continuing magnesium when necessary for regularity).
• Restoration (Days 46-60): Taper chlorella to 10 tablets daily, reduce cilantro to twice daily, quit EDTA, continue glutathione (500 mg), vitamin C, selenium, copper, zinc, zeolite 1 g/day for the first week, then taper the zeolite to 500 mg/day by day 60. Focus on liver-supporting foods (broccoli, kale), ensure bowel regularity (with magnesium if necessary), and maintain high hydration. Same continued guidance for sweating, and toilet visits.

Foods with Natural Detox Properties (especially for permanent incorporation after the detox)

• Fiber-Rich Foods: Fruits (apples, pears), grains with bran, vegetables (beets, carrots) for bowel regularity and metal elimination.
• Sulfur-Rich Foods: Garlic, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts for phase II detox, acting as natural chelators.
• Vitamin C-rich foods: Oranges, strawberries, kale, and red peppers to reduce oxidative damage from metals.
• Pectin-Rich Foods: Green apples, citrus fruits, and cabbage for increased heavy metal excretion.
• Amino Acid-Rich Foods: Spinach, corn, grapes, pomegranates as natural chelating agents.
• Cilantro: Put it in salads, dips, soups, stews, sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, etc.

These foods support liver function, bind metals, and enhance antioxidant activity.

Safety and Monitoring

This approach emphasizes gentle detox to avoid overwhelming the body. Monitor for symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or digestive issues, and adjust doses as needed, reducing chlorella or zeolite if symptoms occur and waiting 1-2 weeks before increasing. Watch for mineral depletion signs (e.g., muscle cramps).  Ensure zinc, potassium, and magnesium supplementation cover potential losses.

Conclusion

This enhanced 60-day program offers a natural approach to heavy metal detox, focusing on supplements and foods, with phases to prepare, actively detox, and restore. Compared to medical chelation, this is gentler, supporting the body’s natural systems, and aligns with functional medicine’s holistic view. It’s designed for a healthy individual like me, so if you want to do any type of detox, consult a healthcare provider who knows your health because everyone is different, and if you have lots of toxins built up in your body, this program could make you feel horrible as you release those out of your cells without the proper elimination processes already in place.