We’re exposed to thousands of chemicals every day. Chemicals can invade our body and create a toxic storm. Harmful chemicals can enter the body through food, lotions, shampoos, beauty and hair products, chemicals sprayed to keep new clothing fresh, dryer sheets, air fresheners and other aromatics, aerosolized cleaning fluids and through every oral/dental product, food and drink.

There are 80,000 chemical products that exist now that did not exist 100 years ago. Every chemical that enters our body that is not part of our natural physiology must be dealt with as a foreign substance and be removed. Chemicals such as synthetic colors (red dye 40), artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose) and preservatives (parabens, formaldehyde) are found in thousands of consumer products. A chemical such as formaldehyde—a by-product of the neurotoxic sweetener aspartame—has a particular affinity for the brain, as do many other “fat-soluble” chemicals, because of its high fat concentration (about 60 percent fat).

Harmful chemicals can invade our body and cause chemical-induced brain injury (metabolic encephalopathy) closely resembling physical brain injury (like TBI), with a host of symptoms—depression, anxiety, irritability, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances and chronic headaches, to name a few—ultimately leading to cell death and neurodegeneration.

While we are all exposed to these toxins to varying degrees, deployed military members experience tremendous toxic exposure, which invariably worsens their concussion symptoms. To optimize healing and recovery, it is important to identify and minimize or eliminate these sources of exposure. Employ safe and effective detoxification strategies—for example NAC, heavy metal chelators, sweating, ionic foot baths—that work with the body’s natural healing processes.

Connect with Dr. Carol Henricks, a neurologist at NorthStar Neurology PC and NorthStar Hyperbaric, at 520-229-1238 or NorthStarHBOT.com. Connect with Dr. Tim Marshall at 520-370-6044 or NorthstarHBOT.com. See ad, page 13.