A doctor last week encouraged people to be on alert for the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning, after a woman returning from China was found to have a buildup of lead and mercury in her body.
Chen Hui-hsuan (陳惠萱), a physician in the Department of Internal Medicine at Taichung-based Everan Hospital, said that a 60-year-old woman surnamed Lee (李) was found to have heavy metal poisoning after complaining that her tongue was numb.
Lee, who has lived in China for a long time, experienced the sensation for several months and the symptoms worsened just before she returned to Taiwan, after which the condition improved, Chen said.
Photo: Chen Chien-chih, Taipei Times
Lee told Chen that her condition worsened whenever she used more than one tea bag to brew her tea.
Based on her symptoms, Chen said she suspected the environment Lee lived in or her dietary habits were the root cause and arranged for her to undergo tests, including for heavy metals.
The results showed an excess residual amount of heavy metals — lead and mercury, in particular — which could have caused the numbness of her tongue, Chen said.
The buildup of heavy metals in the organs could also result in a general regression of the nervous system, possibly contributing to the development of Parkinson’s disease or dementia, she said.
Excess heavy metal residue in the human body could also harm organs, and threaten the functions of the immune and circulatory systems, she added.
Chen said she instructed Lee to reduce her use of the tea, and start exercising and visiting saunas to help her body sweat more.
Chen also prescribed certain nutrients, and the treatment has significantly reduced the numbness of Lee’s tongue, she said.
If Lee’s condition when she first checked in to the hospital was a 10, then she was at a zero or one after treatment, she said.
Chen said people with high levels of heavy metals in their body should seek to isolate the source, such as water, a diet of fish or the use of herbs of unknown origin.
They should drink plenty of liquids and seek to sweat and urinate more to help the body remove toxic heavy metals, she said.
Using functional medicine could also bolster a person’s digestive and kidney functions, and enhance the body’s ability to expel toxins, Chen said, adding that chelation therapy should be considered in some circumstances.
Functional medicine is a form of alternative medicine that seeks to address the root cause of a disease, with a focus on nutrition.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS