Chelation--Dissolving the Debris in the Arteries

One of the lesser known processes used by a growing number of doctors (but still a small minority), is called chelation therapy. We are well aware of the fact that unwanted material builds up in the arteries and veins, the most common term for this buildup is called plaque. Plaque accumulates as a defense to some type of irritation or break in the internal vessel walls. A combination of material builds and forms plaque. From the plaque buildup, the arteries and the veins become more occluded or obstructed and more and more rigid,

or as some have said, “turning to stone.”

The word chelation means to grab or adhere to something, and the chelation materials adhere, dissolve and then carry away the calcium plaque and heavy toxic metals.

Our vascular health plays the key role in maintaining our health and strength. When the vessels which carry the blood to the heart, and from it, are plugged up or impaired because of the buildup inside the vessel, then the delivery of the nutrients and the oxygen so vital to life and to health is impaired and one's life force diminishes. No one challenges the need for an adequate supply of oxygen in the body. Obviously it is the bloodstream that carries nutrients to the cells and carries away the metabolic waste. Poor cardiovascular health ranks as the number one cause of death and disability in America.

It usually takes time for plaque to build up, but we are seeing somewhat alarming evidence that this substance starts to buildup even in childhood. While de-natured, unbalanced nutrition is the main cause, we should not rule out the liver overload that comes from toxic chemicals so very present in the air, water, cleaning supplies, and in the food we eat.

Chelation therapy has been used effectively and safely for several decades and is helpful in slowing down the process of aging. In an effective oral chelation supplement, the main ingredient is a substance called EDTA, which is known to dissolve calcium plaque in the arteries.

There are two ways of administering chelation therapy: orally or intravenously. Intravenous or IV chelation is performed under the supervision of a doctor and is faster than the oral method, and this may be the way to go with a person who is critical or in an advanced stage of the disease.

There are doctors that have had special training in administering chelation therapy intravenously. The taking of an oral chelation supplement is so safe, it needs no doctor's evaluation, and it needs no prescription. Sometimes when studying risk, it is helpful to make comparisons.

EDTA chelation has actually been found to be 300 times safer than aspirin.

This is in contrast to the taking of potentially dangerous drugs and their side effects, or having surgery, or some type of open heart surgery or arterial stints applied. Most all of us are grateful for the skills and development of these techniques or protocols, but a fact does exist that those who receive that kind of intervention in a specific area of the vascular system should be aware that it is localized and, the conditions that caused it in the first place are still in existence. In contrast EDTA chelation works by reaching every blood vessel in your body, going from the largest artery to the smallest capillary.

Many of our blood vessels are much too small, or too deep within the body or in the brain and other organs, to be reached by surgical methods. Both the American Heart Association and the Food and Drug Administration have approved the use of EDTA chelation therapy for removal of lead, aluminum and cadmium poisoning from the vascular system. However, neither the AHA nor the FDA has yet to acknowledge that chelation shows every evidence of being the most powerful, least expensive, and safest supplement for improving cardiovascular health.

That brings up the question of “Why?” Why have only a relatively few heard of it, especially given the fact that chelation therapy has several decades of safe usage? One author on this subject says, “The reason for this lack of general pushing for this procedure is painfully obvious. A low cost protocol for heart treatment will not be allowed to flourish and compete on any large scale with the huge heart surgery monopoly. Make no mistake; heart disease is big business in America —an industry in itself.”

Cardiovascular health problems still remain our number one killer. For a long time it has been the major factor in health care, and it is not really being solved by modern medicine. Even healthy people might consider taking oral chelation as a preventative, because without special tests we do not realize when plaque is gradually building up in the vascular system. Even when we are conscientious about our diet, we can still absorb toxic materials because of their prevalence in our environment through air, food and water. No people in history have had to cope with the amount of toxic chemicals that we do today.

Our bodies accumulate toxic metals and toxic materials from pesticides, herbicides, and even from chemicals we use even in the cleaning of our homes. Under normal conditions the body, particularly the liver, would break down and eliminate these foreign elements. But with the increasing amounts of these toxic chemicals plus other factors like stress and poor nutrition, the liver gets overloaded and what it can't handle is stored in various parts of the body.

It is normal to want quick results; we like magic wands and like things to happen quickly; nevertheless, chelation and nature in general move more slowly. When one is taking oral chelation they may notice some positive results in as little as thirty days or perhaps more rapidly by doing the intravenous method. However, it is very important to realize that the kinds of conditions that lead to heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative type diseases take a long time to build up, and so with rational judgment, we should not expect a quick, magic-like reversal of these various kinds of conditions. It is reasonable to expect gradual improvement over a period of months. Severe conditions would warrant checking with a doctor who administers IV chelation.

Poor or impaired circulation often has tell-tale signs such as cold feet and numb fingers. These symptoms begin to go away within a couple of months after you begin chelation therapy. The next positive sign could be that the pain in your legs from walking only a short distance begins to fade and gradually disappears. Occasional pain in the chest or discomfort begins to lessen within a few weeks, sometimes even sooner. The positive affects of chelation therapy are subtle and gradually accumulative.

Most of our decisions are made, of course, based on that which is commonly accepted; also we depend on the experiences of others we know. When we do learn about contrary options, we obviously need to get information and make comparisons. The standard medical protocols for treating heart problems involve drugs and surgery. The New England Journal of Medicine said, “Surgery appears neither to prolong life nor to prevent myocardial infraction (heart attack). This is an invasive serious procedure that addresses only a small part of the cardiovascular system and does nothing to counter the cause of the buildup in the first place.”

To repeat what was said earlier, the word chelation means to adhere to something; chelation materials adhere, dissolve and carry away the calcium plaque and heavy toxic materials. Much of that is eliminated through the kidneys so a basic bit of advice on this (and many other things), is that you drink plenty of water which, of course, aids in the flushing of the toxins from the kidneys. The usual advice is to drink at least 6, and preferably 8, 8-ounce glasses of water every day.

Chelation is a total health approach for the whole body. It is entirely safe, and someday it will become general knowledge and most everyone will know about it and be using oral chelation. One fact to be noted is that in doing chelation, key minerals can be depleted. When it is by IV the doctor can add minerals; however, in oral chelation there is a possibility of depleting certain key minerals because EDTA also latches onto those. So if a person is doing a series of oral chelation, consider taking a broad spectrum mineral supplement.

If a person is interested in finding a physician that does chelation therapy you can get in touch with the American College for the Advancement in Medicine (ACAM). The address is 23121Verdugo Drive, Suite 204 , Laguna Hills , California 92653.

The Harvard Health Letter reported that there are some “potential risks” using EDTA, such as cardiac arrhythmia and kidney damage. In the University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter of October 1990, some more risks were cited. But these “experts” at Harvard and Berkeley neglected to mention that the FDA had assessed the toxicity of EDTA over a 30 year period and reported in 1987 that they found none of the toxicity mentioned in either the Berkeley or Harvard letters. The assessment involved the history of 500,000 patients who had used EDTA.

There are those who feel that the attitude expressed in the letters as well as mainstream medicine regarding EDTA chelation therapy is unfounded, perhaps because they are trying to protect a multi-million a year industry.

EDTA has still flourished in the face of great odds, including some medical doctors who say “it does not work" or "that it may be dangerous,” and there are insurance companies who refuse to pay for EDTA, etc. In the past some doctors have been threatened with loss of their medical license. Still, over half a million Americans, upon hearing of its benefits and how it has helped their friends, have received this therapy from thousands of doctors who believe in it. EDTA does work, and the healed people and success stories are convincing.

Many patients have been hospitalized with severe chest pains and been told that IF they left without bypass surgery, they would absolutely die. A great number of patients have ignored this “death sentence,” and instead have chosen to seek out doctors who administer chelation treatments.

Surgery is not the ideal option when the high rate of mortality associated with coronary artery bypass is taken into consideration. In over 30,000 bypass operations in the state of California in 1989, the death rate was 5.73 percent (about one out of seventeen patients).

Abundant  Living

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