Written by Amber Walker, Owner of Origin Wellness
Amber Walker is a Doctor of Physical Therapy-turned author with a passion to empower others to heal from chronic illness. As the owner of Origin Wellness, Amber utilizes an approach based on a blend of functional/natural medicine, nervous system tools, nutrition, movement, and emotional healing to help patients move from surviving to thriving.
How often do we take things because it’s what we've done our whole life, without reflecting on whether it’s helping? Multivitamins mean well, but they are missing the mark by attempting to support the system downstream without looking at the root cause of inflammation or malabsorption. Furthermore, traditional multivitamins often contain fillers, chemicals, and versions of ingredients that are poorly utilized by the body.
Let's face it, the world we live in is far from perfect. The toxins we are exposed to in our air, water, and food increase each day, taking a dramatic toll on our health. This does not mean that we should live in a bubble. However, certain steps and decisions can empower us and help set us up for longevity and thriving as we age.
But first, on multivitamins
In an editorial in the Annals of Internal Medicine titled “Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements,” Johns Hopkins researchers weighed in on this topic and suggested that people focus on putting that money toward nutrient-dense food instead.
Why do we take multivitamins in the first place? Over recent years, multivitamins are getting increasingly complex. Vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, adaptogenic mushrooms, mitochondrial support, superfoods, pre and probiotics, digestive support, and antioxidants are commonly on the label of what used to be simple vitamins and minerals.
Why do our modern bodies need so many different types of support now?
All roads lead back to toxic burden, and toxicity creates deficiency.
We are living in unprecedented times, where our toxic burden is light years ahead of where it was in our parents' and grandparents' generations. In this modern world, we now breathe, ingest, inject, and absorb (contact) chemicals throughout the day, every day.
Every week, humans ingest one credit card's worth of plastic into our bodies (equivalent to one full cup a year). A large percentage of plastic exposure comes from our tap and bottled drinking water. Mismanaged waste gets leaked back to nature, which impacts our water, food sources, and air, creating a vicious cycle.
Many people are now familiar with the detrimental impacts of the herbicide glyphosate and the gender-altering toxin atrazine. Lesser-known pesticides like chlormequat (a plant growth regulator) also impact fertility and research from 2023 showed 90% of humans had toxic levels of this in their urine.
Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, radioactive elements, heavy metals, alcohol, mycotoxins (toxins from mold), industrial chemicals, microplastics, nanoparticles, phthalates, VOCs, phenols, and BPAs, PFAs (forever chemicals), parabens, and fluoride are a small array of the concerning toxins we encounter. The half-life of many of these chemicals is so long that they can impact our bodies for the rest of our lives. Exposure is linked to serious health, developmental, and fertility problems and poses a threat to plant and animal life. Newborns are testing at such a high rate of these toxins that it's no wonder that kids are developing health problems quicker and younger.
Traditional medicine response
As our bodies attempt to process foreign substances at alarming rates, the traditional medicine model would suggest that we continue to support ourselves with a daily multivitamin, WITHOUT looking at our individual needs, why we may not be absorbing things properly, or what is generating inflammation in the first place.
Functional medicine response
The functional medicine model would run a series of labs or tests to determine what may be deficient and then instruct patients to supplement based on that deficiency. They may also look at hormone and cortisol testing, stool samples, organic acids, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and industrial/environmental toxins to determine what is driving inflammation. Then, they often pair up lab findings with various supplements and herbs.
But why is the deficiency there in the first place? That is what foundational medicine aims to address.
Foundational medicine response
Foundational medicine asks, “What is the upstream root issue?” Instead of spot-treating a hormonal or neurotransmitter imbalance, for example, foundational medicine strives to address the biggest culprits of inflammation (typically elevated toxins and parasites) by zooming out to give the body what it needs.
There are many myths about parasites, the biggest being that they are rare or only become problematic with international travel. Parasites are vastly unrecognized in developed countries. They are sponges for toxins and accumulate heavy metals and toxic pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), to name a few.
Based on the foundational medicine model, once patients have completed a thorough process of healing from toxins and parasitic infection, the multivitamin concept of maintenance mode can be supported by continuing to include this foundational healing principle: toxin binders.
It’s important to pay attention to factors like drinking water and food sources, air quality, household and beauty products, etc.—but that alone is not enough. Let me introduce you to two ingredients that are much more powerful than multivitamins: humic and fulvic acid binders.
Humic and fulvic acid-based binders
A binder is a substance that binds toxins and removes them (usually via the digestive tract) so that they are not reabsorbed into the body. In the natural and functional medicine world, traditional binders like activated charcoal, zeolite, bentonite clay, chlorella, chitosan, pectin, and diatomaceous earth are often used to help the body attract and clear toxins.
Not all binders are created alike
Many people use compounds like activated charcoal, clay, and a prescription called Cholestyramine when they are healing from mold toxins and heavy metals. However, even with the proper detoxification and drainage support on board to help their body clear what the binder is attracting, these binders only act in the gut, and toxins can recirculate and create a flare in symptoms.
Humic and fulvic acid are a unique class of ingredients that come from the soil. They are formed from the microbial decomposition of organic matter, often in areas of volcanic peat deep underground that tend to be more protected from pollutants like industrial chemicals and fertilizers.
These substances are akin to fermented dirt because microbes work to break down old plant material and recycle the soil into a nutrient-rich reservoir. They contain at least 70 types of minerals and serve as an adsorbent in the soil to bind toxins. These molecules not only bind but also protect, nourish, transform, and transmute so that healing substances work synergistically and more effectively. Humic and fulvic acids are incredible adaptogenic substances for immunity, digestion, and detoxification.
Carbon technology
Carbon technology binders are unique because they help repair the damage done to cells by toxins when they pull a toxin out of a cell, preventing collateral inflammation. They also provide carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen building blocks for energy production. Carbon binders are effective when taken with food, selectively bind toxins and do not bind to nutrients or other supplements, repair tissues and cellular processes, go systemic in the body, balance minerals, enhance absorption of iron in the body, increase positive gene transcription, alter metabolic profiles, and increase vitamin and nutrient retention, absorption and utilization.
In contrast, other binders have a higher pH, meaning they are less effective because they have less energy and binding power. Traditional binders stay in the gut (instead of going systemic) and are made of long-chain carbons. They need to be timed away from other foods, supplements, and medications, and they often clog detoxification pathways, leading to side effects.
The simplest and most powerful solution, in my experience, is utilizing a humic and fulvic-based carbon technology binder.
To maximize the binder’s healing strength, some people benefit from supporting their mitochondria, minerals, and detoxification organs. This is why it’s crucial to start this work with a professional who can customize a plan for you.
When working with patients who have inflammation from mold exposure, I often get asked, “How long do I need to take a binder?”
I used to think that binding was appropriate for a season until patients felt better and had improvements in lab results. However, given the constant rate of exposure to toxins in our imperfect world, it's key that we use one daily to help mitigate this exposure as best as possible.
Takeaways
First thing first: Find a foundational medicine practitioner who can help customize a detoxification and gut health plan to your unique case. Once that foundation is set, you will likely feel a big difference in your health and it will be easier to discern which types of humic and fulvic binders are best for your case. (Some are designed to attract toxins from mold, as opposed to others that may have a stronger affinity for heavy metals or chemicals.)
If you want to get a jumpstart on the multivitamin of the future, clean up lifestyle factors and consider taking a humic and fulvic acid carbon technology toxin binder (such as those created by Cell Core) each day. Toxins are not going anywhere, but we can change our response to them with simple steps to help give our system what it needs to thrive.
Read more from Amber Walker
Amber Walker, Owner of Origin Wellness
Amber Walker is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, author and the owner of Origin Wellness. She is passionate about a root issues approach to healing from chronic illness and has advanced training in functional medicine, nutrition, nervous system healing, Mind Body Spirit Release™ (MBSR™) and CranioBiotic Technique. With over 16 years of experience working with clients all over the world, Amber specializes in conditions such as mast cell activation syndrome, mold biotoxin illness, long Covid, POTS, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Lyme disease, autoimmune conditions, and chronic mysterious ailments. When not on a surfboard, she enjoys hosting telehealth groups, 1-on-1 care, and retreats in Mexico. Her mission: Help you go from surviving to thriving.
Helpful Resources:
References:
Guallar E, Stranges S, Mulrow C, Appel LJ, Miller ER 3rd. Enough is enough: Stop wasting money on vitamin and mineral supplements. Ann Intern Med. 2013 Dec 17;159(12):850-1. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-159-12-201312170-00011. Erratum in: Ann Intern Med. 2014 Jan 21;160(2):143. PMID: 24490268.
Wijnand de Wit, Nathan Bigaud et al. No Plastic In Nature: Assessing Plastic Ingestion From Nature to People. University of Newcastle Australia, 2019.
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