Aluminum is the most abundant metal on our planet and has become very prevalent in just about every man-made product in the past century. But, like anything else, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
Aluminum is found naturally in our air, water and food. It’s also highly concentrated in non-food essentials we use every day. Here’s the catch; unlike other minerals, our body does not require aluminum. This means that when we absorb aluminum, it interferes with essential minerals we do need and can cause problems with parathyroid hormone levels.
Excessive amounts of aluminum tend to build up in the kidneys, brain, lungs, liver and thyroid where it competes with calcium for absorption. This can lead to problems in the central nervous system, particularly in our brains by producing oxidative stress and causing degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It’s also a major reason for hypothyroidism and anemia.
Symptoms of aluminum toxicity include, headaches, colic, bloating, extremely dry skin, frequent common colds, heartburn and in advanced stages, paralytic muscular conditions, loss of memory and mental disorders.
If you just did a spot check around your house, you would fine aluminum in most of your cookware, utensils, medications, cosmetics and even as a binding agent in flour, baking soda and cocoa. Sodium aluminum phosphate is often used as an emulsifier and is even in processed cheese. It’s also in your drinking water and has been found to react dangerously with fluoride. When mixed with fluoride, aluminum can contaminate the blood supply and cause brain cell degeneration.
You can’t eliminate aluminum completely from your existence, but there are steps you can take to ensure you don’t get it in toxic levels.
- Switch out your aluminum cookware for glass cookware. This helps eliminate aluminum seeping into the foods you cook.
- Don’t drink out of aluminum cans. Often highly acidic beverages are contained in those cans and can erode the container, allowing aluminum to easily enter your body.
- Switch to antacids and over-the counter medications that don’t contain aluminum.
- Avoid all hygiene products with aluminum hydroxide. There are many natural substitutes for these products available.
- Avoid processed and frozen foods, as the containers often contain aluminum. Choose fresh, organic fruits and vegetables or foods with eco-friendly packaging.
- Use sea salt instead of commercial table salt.
If you want to take things a step further, consider performing a toxic metal cleanse. Here are the basics for a simple cleanse:
- Eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C. They reduce toxicity by acting as an antioxidant.
- Load up on green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach and parsley. They help reduce the buildup of toxins.
- Spice things up with garlic and onions. The sulfur in these will act as a purifier.
- Flush it out by drinking 8 ounces of purified water every two hours.
- Avoid foods that usually contain high levels of heavy metals like farmed fish and non-organic grains.
- Avoid alcohol. Dinking spirits can make it more difficult for your liver to process toxins.
- Take supplements with chlorella, vitamin C, Cilantro, milk Thistle and probiotics to accelerate the detox process.
This should help you to “get the led out” and move more quickly to the goal of a healthier life.
