When I was just beginning to explore alternative treatment for ALS, a practitioner recommended that I have my amalgam fillings replaced with a compound that did not contain mercury. His reasoning was that there was a well established link between mercury poisoning and neurological disease, and amalgam fillings are a key contributor to mercury poisoning. I took his advice.

The motor neuron specialist I was seeing at the time was less than encouraging about my decision. Since removal of mercury from the body had not cured or visibly slowed the progression of ALS in the studies he had read, he saw no value in replacing the fillings. His response is typical of the myopic view taken by many motor neuron specialists – if it isn’t a drug or surgery, it’s not worthy of their attention.

From a holistic perspective, my decision was a no brainer. It doesn’t take a medical degree or a genius to figure out that someone with a neurological illness should be diligent about avoiding and removing mercury. Telling someone with ALS to ignore their mercury levels is like telling a person with lung cancer not to stop smoking, because the degree to which the smoking is contributing can’t be determined. Yet, the doctors continue to ignore it. I even attended one neurology clinic where they served tuna sandwiches to their ALS patients for lunch! For those of you who may not get the irony, tuna has one of the highest mercury contents of any fish on the planet.

Following my first heavy metals urine analysis test, I was shocked to discover how much mercury, lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals I had been carrying around. It took about two years and three different approaches to get it all out. I used intravenous EDTA, oral DMSA, and sound therapy. Of the three, I found the sound therapy to be the quickest and most effective. Unfortunately, it is hard to find a good practitioner, it is expensive, and insurance won’t cover it. Was it worth it? I can’t prove it, but I doubt I would still be here, living with ALS for more than 10 years, had I not removed these toxins from my body. If you still need convincing about the ill effects of mercury and other heavy metals, check out this link: “Neurological Effects of Mercury Exposure“. The article cites numerous studies linking heavy metals to ALS, Parkinson’s, MS, autism, and other neurological illnesses.

Please share your thoughts and experiences on this topic, and if you happen to know a good motor neuron specialist who is open to alternative and holistic practice in or near the central New Jersey area, please let me know.