What can I expect on a low thiol diet trial? |
|
Many people have discovered the important role that food plays in their day to day quality of life.
Most people are unaware however of the role that mercury and other heavy metals play in disrupting health. Thanks to the work of *Dr Andy Cutler thousands of people have been empowered to understand, investigate and to act upon a knowledge of mercury's effects thus changing their health outcomes for the better. Andy, a consulting chemical engineer came up with the high thiol food list as a result of his own sensitivity to thiol foods. Many hundreds have already felt the benefits of this dietary approach, this recipe book helps by providing easy recipes and a nutritionally sound approach in support of the detoxification of heavy metals. *See our 'resources' page for links to Andy Cutler Chelation information & links. Mercury from all sources is poisonous to humans. As it accumulates over time in our environment, soil, air, food and water it also accumulates in our bodies with wide-ranging effects which can be difficult to interpret or diagnose. Perhaps the most problematic source of mercury is amalgam fillings which off-gas over their lifetime. Old and worn metal fillings as well as removal by standard dentistry without adequate protection can lead to a higher body burden. Coal burning, fluorescent bulbs, the consumption of large fish species and multi-dose vaccines are also sources of exposure. What is a thiol? A Thiol is a sulfur compound [1] which occurs in many foods including garlic, onion, cabbage, coffee, chocolate, beans, chlorella and coriander leaf. If you're thinking that these are all foods that we're encouraged to consume as part of a healthy diet, you'd be absolutely right. They are for most of us, most of the time. Thiols are also present in supplements such as broccoli sprout powder, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) and Glutathione (GSH), again commonly prescribed supplements for detoxification and health, correct?[1] note that Free thiols differ from elemental sulfur found in a variety of foods. Thiols are also known as mercaptans a term derived from the Latin mercurium captāns or ‘capturing mercury’ due to their affinity for and binding to Mercury (Hg). Again this sounds like a good thing. Many believe that its this very feature which makes them the perfect metal detoxifying supplements. You should know however that thiols can be mono-thiol or di-thiol meaning that they have one or two metal binding sites respectively. Here's the catch, free thiols in food and supplements are mono-thiols and as such these foods and supplements don't bind mercury strongly. This for some will lead to the redistribution of mercury around the body causing symptoms typical of heavy metal poisoning The physiological impacts of mercury on the body is analogous to throwing a box full of spanners into a precision clock-work piece. The resulting impact is systemic and cumulative with perhaps the greatest damage being on the central nervous system and brain function. |
The majority of health practitioners however are not considering mercury in their evaluation so it’s hardly surprising that those adversely affected by mercury find themselves searching far and wide for answers and are often referred for mental health treatment. You have likely heard the term ‘mad as a hatter’ used to describe the symptoms of workers in the felt hat industry of the 19th century.
What does mercury toxicity look like? Disease conditions from leaky gut to hormone and thyroid issues, mental health, cardiovascular disorders, immune and autoimmune disorders, cancer, chronic fatigue, attention deficit and autistic spectrum disorders, skin, joint and muscle issues all can be traced to the devastating impact of toxic metals and mercury in the body. One of the most notable symptoms of mercury poisoning however is erethism which presents as shyness, apathy and depression. Practitioners who are familiar with mercury poisoning symptoms and the Andy Cutler chelation protocol will commonly advise a 10 day trial of a low thiol diet. This together with additional testing may be viewed as a diagnostic tool for mercury exposure. It's important to point out that not everyone with mercury poisoning will feel better on a low thiol diet trial. Some will feel worse which suggests that their sulphur amino acid status is low. Ideally you work together with a practitioner and take advantage of support groups and literature. Links for which can be found on our resources page. What should you look for on a low thiol diet trail? Look for changes or improvements in any of the following areas. (2) • gastrointestinal disorders • diarrhoea • reduced cognitive function (fuzzy brain) • depression • tremor, nervous system disorders • hormone disturbance- reproductive, thyroid, adrenal • yeast overgrowth • a deep and often debilitating fatigue • immune and autoimmune conditions An important part of remediation for mercury poisoning is gut health. Nurturing the microbes which reside in your gut will go a long way to reducing reabsorption of heavy metals both during detoxification and beyond. Low Thiol Recipes not only addresses the issue of mercury redistribution it also includes sound, nutritional principals and advice. A nutrient-dense diet has the potential to displace toxic metals with essential nutrients as part of a gut and body healing program. The introduction contains more detail on the topics of exposure, biological impacts and detoxification. It provides a variety of easy to prepare dishes for a low thiol diet trial and nourishment for those looking to heal and to recover their health. (2) For some people symptoms may be exacerbated, for others there may be no change at all. To assist in interpreting results and for further testing it is wise to work together with a health care professional. |
This website content is intended for educational purposes only. See Terms of Service below.
NEW
The Mercury Detoxification Manual
A guide to mercury chelation
by Rebecca Rust Lee and Andrew Hall Cutler, PhD, PE
The Mercury Detoxification Manual
A guide to mercury chelation
by Rebecca Rust Lee and Andrew Hall Cutler, PhD, PE
Endorsements- low thiol recipes
"This cookbook will give you some great recipes and ideas for low thiol cooking. Andy always made tasty food that met his dietary requirements and now you can too."
Joann Loos
Noamalgam.com Andy Cutler publishing
"About a third of mercury toxic people react badly to high thiol foods. When they eliminate them from their diet, they can feel worlds better. I often hear complaints from people, that once you eliminate dairy, for instance, what is there left to eat? Here is a useful book with really interesting and easy recipes to solve that problem. There is also an introduction which discusses what mercury toxicity is all about. Even if you can gorge on high-thiol foods and nothing happens, this book is a really interesting read."
Rebecca Rust Lee-
co-author with Dr Andrew Hall Cutler The Mercury Detoxification Manual: a guide to mercury chelation
"The challenge of restrictive healing regimens is to make the diet varied, interesting and delicious. The Low Thiol Recipe Book does just that, with a collection of recipes that make it easy to stick to the plan whilst healing is accomplished.
Sally Fallon Morell,
President The Weston A. Price Foundation
The Weston A Price Foundation is a not-for-profit, educational organisation with an independent perspective on the issues faced by modern civiliation including food production, environmental, pharmaceutical and agricultural trends which pose potential threats to human health.
Thiols are also known as mercaptans....
a term derived from the Latin 'mercurium captāns' or 'capturing mercury' due to their affinity for and binding to mercury.