naturopathydigest.com -- Heavy-Metal Detoxification

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Heavy-Metal Detoxification

ACAM Highlights Benefits of Chelation Therapy

By Apryl Krause, ND

I recently joined the staff of a complementary medical clinic as its naturopathic doctor. The owner of the clinic is an osteopath, Dr. Lloyd Armold, a member of the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM).

He regularly sees dozens of patients a day for chelation therapy. On my first day of work, he registered me for my first ACAM conference in Dallas from May 2 to 5. Throughout the next month, Dr. Armold told me I would love the conference, that it's the only one he goes to, and that he tries not to miss any lectures. I arrived on a Tuesday to attend the two days of pre-conference workshops, which included auricular acupuncture, IV therapies, billing and business management for alternative medicine practices, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, and metals toxicity, just to name a few of the workshops.
I attended the metal toxicity workshop because I knew that, as soon as I returned to Arizona, I would begin helping with the established chelation patients. All the speakers were excellent and came from all parts of the country. Two naturopathic doctors gave presentations: Walter Crinnion from Tempe, Ariz., lectured on detoxification through nutrition (as well as chelation with oral DMSA), and Lynn Patrick presented the top-five heavy metals to watch for in this country, the symptoms they produce and their sources. During one of the question-and-answer sessions, an MD venturing into chelation therapy and alternative medicine asked how to handle colleagues who don't understand his new modalities. Dr. Crinnion answered that as a naturopath, he is practicing the kind of medicine he was trained to do, so there is no need to justify or explain anything to his colleagues - very gratifying to hear. There were 10 other speakers whose topics included the clinical picture of mercury toxicity, how chelation therapy works, its administration, the history of chelation and lab testing.
It was great to sit down to my first conference lunch and meet new people, listen to conversations, ask questions and share information. This conference was filled with practitioners who champion alternative medicine and chelation therapy. MDs and DOs filled the lecture rooms and dining hall, as well as acupuncturists, nurses, naturopaths and supportive staff from medical offices. People spent time with friends and acquaintances, but also were completely open to meeting new people, which was refreshing to say the least. Not only did I meet physicians from the U.S., but from several countries around the world.
The theme for the general sessions was "Infection and Chronic Illness: Integrative Approaches to Lyme Disease, Stealth Infections and Inflammation." Naturopathically, one of the most poignant lectures was by Mark Levine, MD, who works at the National Institutes of Health. He was a colleague of pioneer Linus Pauling and is determined to prove Pauling was completely on target with his work and research regarding vitamin C. Levine is working hard to prove to the conventional medical community that IV vitamin C is a valuable treatment for many conditions, including cancer. He's gathering information to show that vitamin C IV's are safe to administer, using the testimony of practitioners for his data. He eventually would like to put it through the same efficacy trials that drugs are put through. An entire day was dedicated to Lyme disease: lab testing to truly find out if someone has it, its disease pattern, as well as typical co-infections and its conventional and natural treatments. The other general session days included "The Role of Infection in Cancer," "Gastrointestinal Stealth Infections," "Novel Therapies for Chronic Prostatitis: Role of Nanobacteria" and "Autoimmune Disease and the Primary Care Provider - A Naturopathic Perspective."
The ACAM has started posting naturopathic physicians who join the organization on their Web site, in addition to their MD and DO database. They also will be credentialing individuals as certified chelation therapy practitioners (CCTPs) after they attend the metal toxicology workshop and pass a comprehensive test that will be administered online. I highly recommend the metal toxicology workshop to anyone interested in using chelation therapy for heavy metal detoxification, as well as for cardiovascular health. The workshop is thorough and will provide a network of support for you if you have questions or run into any problems. I believe if we, as naturopathic doctors, want to be acknowledged and accepted as colleagues by the medical community, we need to mix with other practitioners, especially MDs and DOs. Joining ACAM is a fantastic way to do so.
The next ACAM conference is in Palm Springs, Calif., with the general sessions focusing on brain health. I encourage everyone to consider attending this or future ACAM conferences. Not only will you learn a great deal, meet new people, get new ideas for your practice and have the opportunity to speak with vendors, but you also will have fun with a bunch of people who have every interest in furthering the cause of alternative and complementary medicine. For further information about the ACAM, visit www.acam.org.

About the Author: Apryl Krause, ND, graduated from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2002. She practices at Complementary Medicine of Phoenix in Glendale, Ariz., focusing on family and women's medicine, nutrition, botanical medicine and IV therapies.