3 Heavy metals: Another study of 20 patients
reported in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology found that subjects’ sweat contained about 24 times more cadmium, 19 times more nickel, 16 times more lead and almost three times more aluminum than their urine. Overall, sweat proved more effective than urine at removing 14 of the 18 heavy metals studied. It also contained and, therefore, expelled larger quantities of 16 of the 18 metals than the blood samples did. Of all the metals, aluminum was found at the highest concentrations in sweat, with zinc, copper and nickel also occurring at relatively high levels.
4 Bisphenol A (BPA): Researchers reporting in the
Journal of Environmental and Public Health examined the blood, urine and sweat of 20 participants for BPA, an endocrine-disrupting toxin found in canned foods, plastic water bottles and other items. Of the 20 sweat samples collected, 16 contained BPA, while only 14 urine and 2 blood samples tested positive for the toxin. This reveals that sweat is the most effective way
of removing BPA build-up in the body; just as vital, it demonstrates that testing blood or urine for toxicity levels may not present the whole picture.
A wide range of activities, including exercising and engaging in sports, can help us break a sweat. A low- impact option is spending time in a sauna. Notably, in a focused study, the sweat from an infrared sauna expelled
more bismuth, cadmium, chromium, mercury and uranium than that produced by a steam sauna. The steam sauna caused higher levels of arsenic, aluminum, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel, lead, tin, thallium and zinc to be excreted (Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology). Hydration is essential in maximizing all these health
benefi ts. Failure to hydrate properly during and after sweating can lead to other health problems. An easy rehydration practice is to step on the scales right before and after sweating; the weight lost is the optimum amount of water to drink afterwards (Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine). For reference, one pound of water is slightly less than a one-half liter. Sweat contains minerals essential for optimal functioning of
the whole body. Following excessive sweating, it’s important to replace the minerals lost, especially zinc, copper, selenium, chromium and potassium. Coconut water is a good source of potassium; nuts, seafood, whole grains and legumes generally contain relatively high doses of zinc, copper, selenium and chromium. The next time the couch and air conditioning beckon, think of all the “sweaty” benefi ts about to be sacrifi ced. Breaking a sweat might seem like an effort, but it keeps internal detox systems healthy and optimally functioning.
Deanna Minich, Ph.D., is an author, teacher and researcher, as well as founder of Food & Spirit, a framework to integrate ancient healing traditions with modern science. She leads online detox programs as part of her whole-self approach to health. Connect at
DeannaMinich.com.
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