We talk a lot about the importance of detoxification at our office. “Detox from what?” you may ask. We are exposed to a variety of toxins (poisons) on a daily basis. One classification of these offensive substances that can cause problems for us is metals, and one metal I’d like to discuss is ALUMINUM.

When I was growing up, my concept of aluminum was the foil we put our leftovers in and baseball bats. Actually, most people don’t realize how much aluminum shows up in the every day products we use.

Here is a partial list:

-Cookware and utensils

-Some baking powders

-Antacids (Rolaids, Alka-Seltzer, Mylanta)  

-Tap water

-Cans (food and drink)                            

-Shampoos

-Buffered Aspirin                                    

-Deodorants / anti-perspirants

-Pancake and biscuit mixes      

-Processed foods (pickles, relishes, cheeses)

Did you know that aluminum is used as an agent to get processed cheese (such as American singles) to melt smoothly over your hamburger?

So why make such a big deal over this metal? Well, perhaps the biggest concern we should have is that it could be a contributing cause to the growing number of Alzheimer’s cases that have developed over the years. Four times the normal amount of aluminum was found in the brain tissue of people who had Alzheimer’s at their autopsies. Furthermore, an accumulation of aluminum in the brain has been associated with a decrease in mental function (i.e. being able to think, focus, use your words, process what you hear, etc). Aluminum toxicity can also result in poor kidney function, osteoporosis (due to interference with calcium metabolism), digestive disturbances, and anemia.

What can we do?

1). DETOX. A simple oral detox program can be helpful with getting rid of this and other agents that negatively impact our health.

2). READ LABELS. Look for sources of aluminum in the list of ingredients.

3). CONSUME A HIGH FIBER DIET. Fiber helps you to eliminate toxins from the body.

4). COOK WITH MORE GLASS, STAINLESS STEEL, AND/OR IRON COOKWARE. Aluminum is popular because it is cheap. Some of these alternatives may be worth the investment.

5). THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE USING EVERY DAY. Are you wrapping your meats and vegetables in aluminum foil as you are doing your summer grilling? Are you drinking pop or beer from aluminum cans?

ABC stands for A Better Choice. We educate the public on this and other topics so people can make better choices about their health. We can help you through making better food selections, reading labels, getting on a good detox program, and doing testing if necessary. Ask us how!