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Friday, May 27, 2011

I FOUND THIS ARTICLE AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT HELP!

What is Kelation or Chelation?

LaTasha Favors

LaTasha Favors has been writing professionally since 2008. She specializes in travel- and health-related topics and has published articles on various websites, including Search-costa-rica.com and MyFrenchRealEstate.com.

By LaTasha Favors, eHow Contributor?

Since its beginning in the 1940s, chelation has been widely used for the treatment of a number of medical conditions. Chelation is the process of removing toxic heavy metals and excessive mineral deposits in the body. It is done with the use of chelating agents, particularly EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid). Chelation has been scientifically proven to be an effective form of treatment and has since been used by physicians and alternative-medicine practitioners for over 20 years.

1. History of Chelation

o The use of chelation for the treatment of medical conditions was discovered accidentally. EDTA chelation was originally used to treat people suffering from lead poisoning. The effectiveness of this treatment led scientists to study more about the process and to learn about its other therapeutic effects. For example, according to the Artery Health Institute, a study consisting of 92 patients referred for surgical intervention was conducted. At the close of the study only 10 out of the 92 patients required surgery. Such conducted studies led to discoveries that chelation can also be an effective alternative in the treatment of other health conditions.

Conditions that Can Be Treated with Chelation

o In addition to lead poisoning, chelation has been found to be effective in treating several kinds of illnesses and disorders. Many of these diseases are relatively common and had been considered incurable in the past. Some of the illnesses found to be curable with chelation include cataracts and other eye disorders such as those caused by macular degeneration of the retina and diabetic retinopathy, emphysema, heart-valve calcification, arthritis and Parkinson's disease, among others.

How Chelation Works

o Excessive mineral deposits and toxic heavy metals may lodge in the tissues and fluids of the body and cause harm. The amino acid (EDTA) used in chelation binds itself to these minerals and toxic metals. Since EDTA is foreign to the body and is regarded as an intruder, the immune system reacts and signals defense cells to destroy it. In this process, the unwanted minerals and toxic heavy metals are also destroyed. These are transformed into waste products and flushed out of the body through the kidneys.

Types of Chelation

o Chelation can be performed in two ways: orally and by intravenous injection. Oral chelation is executed primarily by ingestion and can be done at home without professional help. Intravenous chelation, however, may need to be carried out by a qualified practitioner. Both types have their own advantages and disadvantages. Intravenous injection chelation, for instance, may be more effective than oral chelation because it is injected directly into the blood stream. Oral chelation, however, may be preferred by many because of its more-affordable cost.

Dangers Associated With Chelation

o Though chelation may be a widely used method in treating common diseases, continued and prolonged use of this type of treatment may be dangerous. This is because the process may not only remove harmful and toxic chemicals and excess minerals in the body but the needed minerals and nutrients as well. As a result, the body may be deprived of essential nutrients and the immune system may be impaired. This may result in complications such as kidney damage and cardiac arrhythmia.