Cowboys, Aliens, and Neurotoxins: The Poisons in Our Brains”

By Pamela Costello MD PC

Holistic Neurological Physician, Holistic Neurosurgeon

     Hippocrates stated 2500 years ago that “all diseases are crises of purification, of toxic elimination”. More so than at any other time in history, this wisdom applies to our current state of health crises and to our nervous system’s response to an increasingly toxic planet

While it is generally accepted that our brain function is positively influenced by a healthy lifestyle, good nutrition, regular exercise, adequate rest, and good genetics, it is not as well known that a multitude of toxic influences (neurotoxins) adversely affect our neurologic function, contributing to everything from brain fog, headaches, decreased mental processing, to even more severe maladies such as infection/inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. If left untreated, this exposure can manifest as chronic debilitating pain syndromes, limb weakness and numbness, hearing or visual loss, balance and gait dysfunction, debilitating mood disorders, or as a number of other neurodegenerative disorders, including dementia.  In the developing brain, these neurotoxic influences can contribute to maldevelopment in children, such as the autism spectrum, micro or macrocephaly, spinal deformities, as well as behavioral, learning, and mood disorders.  These adverse influences are referred to as acting in a neurotoxic manner to the brain and neurologic tissues. While structural issues and even genetics must always be considered as a contributing background, it is often a surprise to patients that a number of both identifiable and potentially reversible neurotoxic agents are contributing to their neurological dysfunction or illness.

Of these neurotoxins, there exists a number of categories that involve potentially reversible toxic influences on the nervous system that, once removed, can lead to significant improvement in brain function and help restore improved neurologic health.  To begin with, there is the adverse inflammatory influence of dietary choices. Much of our immune system resides in our gut wall, where there exists an interface between all ingested substances and our immune systems. Many currently available food sources can cause a substantial allergic inflammatory response that directly adversely affects our brain function. This is readily testable and can be corrected by the appropriate dietary changes.  Additionally, there exist the severely neurotoxic agents of pesticides, radiation, and the wide array of neurotoxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, nickel, cadmium, aluminum, etc. These toxins are measurable with appropriate laboratory testing, as well as readily, safely removed with chelation (binding and removing) therapies.

Furthermore, dental energetic interference fields and ongoing brain exposure to Mercury/”Silver” dental fillings can adversely affect the brain and nervous tissues, and are readily testable and treatable with the help of a biological dentist (see related Mercury filling article with ad by Dr. Bill Wolfe in this issue).Finally, there exists an array of elusive viral, bacterial, and fungal infections that have an affinity for our brain matter, leading to brain fog, chronic pain syndromes, mood and behavioral dysfunction, and even to the extreme conditions of encephalitis and myelitis.  If we didn’t have as much environmental toxicity to contend with, these pathogens would likely not be such a health issue. Addressing both the environmental toxicities, as well as the infectious pathogens, is therefore imperative to achieve healing.  Diagnosis of these neurotoxic influences is the first step toward restoring good brain health. Once identified, careful and thorough treatment can be undertaken. This evaluation and treatment would involve conducting a thorough neurologic history and physical, to include both structural and physiologic analysis, followed by chelation therapies, nutritional and avoidance behavior counseling, eliminating toxic environmental exposures, addressing toxic dental issues, as well as management of any underlying infectious issues and other toxic imbalances.  To arrange such an evaluation, please contact my office at the phone numbers listed in my adjoining ad. Our office accepts all insurance plans.