ALUMINUM – THE
SOFT-IN-THE-HEAD MINERAL
by Dr. Lawrence Wilson
© May 2017, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.
All
information in this article is solely the opinion of the author and is for
educational purposes only. It is
not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health
condition.
Aluminum is one of the most important toxic metals today. Hair mineral testing reveals that
almost everyone has too much aluminum.
The reason is that it is all over the environment.
Aluminum
is called the soft-in-the-head mineral because it affects the brain more than
any other system of the body, impairing memory and cognition.
Dementia
epidemic. The current epidemic of dementia in
America and elsewhere is due, in part, to widespread aluminum toxicity.
SOURCES OF ALUMINUM
These are many, and most are quite insidious.
1. Drinking water. Most
cities, especially in the United States, add aluminum to the drinking water,
supposedly to help dirt settle out of the water.
2. Any food product prepared with
water. This is due to #1 above. Thousands of food products are made with water that contains
added aluminum. They include
breads, canned foods, reconstituted juices, baby foods, pickles, all baked
goods, sauces, and many, many other prepared food products.
3. Table salt. Aluminum
is often added as an anti-caking agent.
4. All food products that contain
added salt (see the paragraph
above). There are thousands of
these products for sale in the markets.
2. Anti-perspirants.
Almost all are loaded with aluminum, which is a nerve poison that stops
sweating.
Warning:
Weleda lies about the aluminum content of their deodorants by simply
omitting putting it on the label.
5. Vaccines and flu shots. Aluminum is often added as an adjuvant
or additive. This is especially
harmful for babies and children, who can easily receive a toxic dose of
aluminum just from vaccines alone.
6. Hundreds of food products made
with aluminum-containing baking powder. These include most baked
goods such as cookies, cakes, muffins and others.
7. Aluminum-containing anti-acids. Aluminum
can calm an acid stomach. Drug
store products that contain a lot of it include Gaviscon, Riopan, Maalox,
Mylanta and others. Millions of
people use these products on a daily basis.
8. Clay-containing products sold mainly
in health food stores. These include zeolite, bentonite,
azomite, and montmorillonite. Clay
is very high in aluminum.
9. Food cooked in aluminum
cookware. Aluminum is a very soft metal and can leach from
cookware easily, especially if the food item is acidic, such as tomatoes.
10. Beverages in aluminum cans or cardboard
containers, unless the container is
coated on the inside. These
beverages include soda pop, beer, juices and others.
11. Other foods such as processed cheese
and bleached flour.
12. Cooking with fluoridated water
increases the leaching of aluminum from aluminum pots and pans.
13. Cosmetics.
Some cosmetics such as rouge, foundations and others contain aluminum
that can be absorbed through the skin.
The sparkly appearance is aluminum.
14. Skin remedies. BurrowÕs
Solution, which is aluminum acetate, is sold as an anti-fungal remedy.
15. All children today in the West are
born with elevated aluminum. It is passed from mother to fetus
during pregnancy through the placenta.
16. Natural sources of aluminum.
These include some herbs, such as peppermint, spearmint and
wintergreen. It also includes all
salt, to some degree.
Aluminum is the most plentiful element on earth, found in all clay
soils. As a result, it may find
its way into any food product grown on high-aluminum, usually clay soil.
17. Aluminum that rubs off many common
products. They include appliances, computers,
pipes, tapes, insulation, and other items people touch that are made of
aluminum.
DETECTION OF ALUMINUM TOXICITY
Blood
– may have value, however serum levels definitely do not indicate total
body load of aluminum.
Hair -
levels appear to correlate well with bone levels of aluminum. Several hair tests may be needed before
aluminum is revealed on the test, as it may be sequestered within body
tissues.
HOW ALUMINUM AFFECTS HEALTH
Nervous system - In animal studies, aluminum blocks the action
potential or electrical discharge of nerve cells, reducing nervous system
activity. Aluminum also inhibits
enzymes in the brain (Na-K-ATPase and hexokinase). It may also inhibit uptake of important chemicals by nerve
cells (dopamine, norepinephrine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine).
Behavioral effects - Dementia resulting from kidney dialysis related
to aluminum toxicity causes memory loss, loss of coordination, confusion and
disorientation.
Digestive system - Aluminum reduces intestinal activity. It is used in many antacids. An excess may cause colic.
Skin effects – Aluminum can suppress some skin infections,
including tinea or ringworm.
SYMPTOMS OF ALUMINUM TOXICITY
Early symptoms: flatulence, headaches, colic, dryness of skin and mucous membranes,
tendency for colds, burning pain in the head relieved by food, heartburn and an
aversion to meat.
Later symptoms: paralytic muscular conditions, loss of memory and confusion. Other symptoms may include:
Brain
fog
Memory
loss
Dementia
and Alzheimer's disease
amyotrophic
lateral
sclerosis
anemia
hemolysis
leukocytosis
porphyria
colitis
dental
cavities
hypoparathyroidism
kidney
dysfunction
liver
dysfunction
neuromuscular
disorders
osteomalacia
Parkinson's
disease
ulcers
ALUMINUM ANTAGONISTS
calcium,
magnesium, zinc, vitamin C,
ALUMINUM CHELATORS
Deferoxamine is a synthetic drug that can be used
to chelate alumium out of the body.
However, it has many side effects, so it is rarely used.
ALUMINUM AND HAIR ANALYSIS
Ideal levels. See the article Ideal
Mineral Level, Ranges,Toxicity and Poor Eliminators for the most up-to-date
ideal levels and ranges that we use for hair tissue aluminum.
Poor eliminator pattern.
This is a hidden aluminum toxicity pattern. This means that the body contains plenty of aluminum, but
the body cannot eliminate it properly.
It is an important hair analysis indicator for aluminum toxicity. For details, read Poor Eliminator Pattern.
Rise in aluminum on a hair retest.
Hair levels may rise on retest hair mineral analyses during a
nutritional balancing program as more aluminum is mobilized from tissue storage
sites.
Hidden aluminum toxicity.
Aluminum poisoning may be hidden on a hair mineral analysis. Hidden aluminum indicators on a
properly performed hair mineral analysis include:
1.A hair manganese level above 0.04 mg%.
2.
A hair iron level above 2 mg%.
3.
Possibly elevated chromium or selenium.
Iron, manganese and aluminum are called the ÔamigosÕ or ÔfriendsÕ as
they are often found together. For
more on this topic, please read Iron, Manganese
and Aluminum - The Amigos on this site.
4.
As explained above, a poor eliminator pattern with aluminum is also an
indicator of hidden aluminum toxicity.
ALUMINUM DETOXIFICATION
Aluminum
is not that difficult to remove from the body with a nutritional balancing
program. As it is eliminated, many
clients report improvement in symptoms such as memory loss, brain fog, and
sluggish thinking. Skin conditions
may improve, as well.
Chelation and other methods. Some holistic doctors use chelating
agents to remove aluminum. This is
not nearly as effective, and it is somewhat toxic. I do not recommend it ever, and it is not needed.
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