Silent Toxins: Aluminum
by Paula Muran

Toxins are something we all know about but rarely pay much attention to.  Most of my adult life I avoided taking anything that was chemically based to prevent toxins from getting into my body.  I am extra careful with foods and buy organic or from local farmers but I forget that when I eat out or buy a muffin at the local bakery the ingredients are not all natural.

Toxins are a poisonous substance, which are capable of causing disease when introduced into the body.  Common toxins like air pollution, car-exhaust, cigarettes; drugs, paint, industrial pollutants and others are well-documented chemical agents that do not mix well with human tissues.   The body can process some toxins given the opportunity with exercise and water to flush the system but if the accumulation is too great, our tissues accumulate toxic material and the body begins to break down causing symptoms no one can diagnosis.

Then there is another group of toxins we are oblivious of, which I call silent toxins. They are found in foods, water and personal hygiene products and most things we take for granted in our daily lives.  The one I am most intrigued with is Aluminum.  Recently a friend called to tell me she had unusual lumps in her breast and asked if I would tune-in and see what was going on.  When I did, my attention was directed to her lymph nodes located under her arms I immediately felt that antiperspirants were the cause. Aluminum is one of the main ingredients in deodorants. The skin in the underarm area camouflages our lymph nodes, so they immediately absorb anything placed onto the skin. When the lymph nodes become stagnant from bad diets, lack of exercise and pure water intake they harden causing congestion and eventually tumors.

This toxin is all around us from aluminum foil, cans, insecticides, nasal sprays and automotive exhaust.  Junk food and processed foods containing aluminum-based additives include dry cake mixes, pastries and croissants made from frozen dough, processed cheeses, some donuts and waffles, muffins, which contain baking soda containing aluminum. Water utilities companies use aluminum sulphate to clarify drinking water. Antacids contain aluminum trisilicate, buffered aspirin, cigarettes, dental amalgams, it is even included in some toothpaste especially tooth whitening products, Kaopectate, vanilla powder, some beers, colored candy and anti-perspirants have aluminum in them. It’s the most abundant metal on Earth. 

Other obvious and easily avoided sources are aluminum cooking pots and pans. This can be quite easily remedied by using enameled, stainless steel and cast iron pots. Cooking in earthenware and glass containers is another option.

Aluminum is harmful to all life forms.  It damages all types of tissue. "Aluminum is a protoplasmic poison and a pernicious and persistent neurotoxin".  On a recent news show I watched researchers indicated that fibromyalgia might be caused by neurotoxins in the brain.No living systems use aluminum as part of a biochemical process.  It has a tendency to accumulate in the brain, thyroid gland and bones.  It is considerably less toxic than mercury, arsenic, lead or cadmium, but it appears to be more persistent than most of them. 

For thirteen years I was addicted to diet cola.  My drink of choice had to be in a can.  There was something very refreshing when I popped open the can first thing in the morning.  Little did I know that the cola leached the aluminum from the can and deposited it into my tissues.  The danger with aluminum is that is goes undetected for most of our adult lives until one day we no longer have bowel movements, can’t think clearly, become very forgetful, and in extreme cases, full blown dementia. It is also known to cause bone softening and bone mass loss, along with kidney and other soft tissue damage. In large doses it can cause cardiac arrest. A certain type of non-iron-deficient anemia may well be caused by the accumulation of aluminum.   It also causes:

• Gastrointestinal disturbances
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Poor calcium metabolism
• Colic
• Decreased liver and kidney function
• Osteoporosis
• Speech disturbances and memory loss
• Weak and aching muscles
• Seizures
• Vertigo and loss of balance

This toxin is so prevalent throughout the environment that it is nearly impossible to avoid it altogether. Aluminum salts are soluble in water and are, therefore, easily assimilated into the body.  This toxicity is commonly elevated in children and adults with low zinc and behavior/learning disorders such as ADD, ADHD, and autism along with high mercury levels.

 The actually cleansing of heavy metals from the system is a process. Hair analysis is the best and most accurate way to determine the levels of heavy metals in the system. Look online for a reputable place. There are supplements available at your local health food store especially from Hanna Kroeger Herbs and Dynapro International.  The Bio-Cleanse footbaths are another way to detoxify aluminum from the system, and chelation therapy.  Homeopathy is another method of detoxing the tissues of heavy metals but you’ll have to locate a Homeopathic Doctor in order to purchase some of the remedies. Whichever method or methods you choose remember cleansing the body of heavy metals takes time as the poisons are layered in.
 
Avoidance is the best way of protecting you and your family from the serious, long-term damage that can result from ingestion. Pregnant and lactating women are at more of a risk. The most effective way of preserving your mental acuity is to:

• Block its uptake with supplements (calcium, magnesium)
• Eat foods that help to eliminate aluminum from the system. Foods rich in sulfur such as cabbage, beans and lentils, onions and garlic and egg yolks.

Most importantly read labels and be conscious of the foods you eat to prevent aluminum poisoning.