Aluminum

Health Hazard?
As the metal aluminum is present in our food, water supply, and soil, most people suffer from some degree of aluminum toxicity. After years of accumulated exposure and storage of it in body tissues, this poison can have results ranging from brain degeneration to skeletal deformities.

– Dr. Anita Pepi D.C.

Aluminum is in almost everything that affects our daily lives. It is in deodorants and anti-perspirants, over-the-counter medications, soda cans, toothpaste, food dyes, and the pots we cook our food in. Aluminum is in pesticides and can infiltrate our drinking water. Aluminum is in food additives found in baking mixes, processed cheeses, and pickles. Aluminum has also replaced Mercury in most vaccinations (one toxic metal for another one.)

A neat little side note:

• Aluminum oxide is the active ingredient in most deodorants/anti-perspirants. It blocks the pores to decrease the amount of sweat that is excreted. The bad thing about this, is sweating is how our bodies release toxins from our skin and cool our bodies. Aluminum oxide is also the compound that mixes with bacteria in the armpit to cause the nasty green or yellow “pit” stains. Talk about attractive!

Disturbed sleep, nervousness, emotional instability, memory loss, headaches, and impaired intellect are all symptoms of aluminum poisoning. The metal aluminum is extremely toxic to the nervous system and can impair the way our body’s digestive system breaks down the food and minerals we ingest. For instance, it can hinder the amount of calcium and phosphorus our body is able to absorb. Thus, we can suffer from a reduction of bone growth and bone density. Too much aluminum can also cause aching muscles, speech problems, anemia, impaired liver, kidney, and intestine functions. It has also been connected to Alzheimer’s disease.

To lower your risks from having harmful amounts of aluminum in your bodies, you can cook with non-aluminum pots, cast iron, or glass cookware. You can also check the labels of products you are unsure about and eat more “homemade” foods, rather than those from mixes and restaurants that use aluminum in preparation. They also make aluminum free deodorants and other body products. If heavy metal toxicity is a concern, there are many ways to detox including the use of bentonite clay.