| Aluminum is one of the most prevalent toxins in our environment.While the second half of the 20th century was considered the lead and mercury age, today we are right in the middle of the aluminum age. High levels of aluminum have been linked as a causative agent of Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Aluminum has an affinity for building up in the brain, and it also causes vascular inflammation. We are exposed to aluminum on a daily basis from food and water, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and the air we breathe. The average American consumes 7-9 milligrams of aluminum per day. While only about 1% of the aluminum we consume gets absorbed, it is the accumulation of these daily exposures that can build up to toxic levels. There are a variety of ways we consume aluminum, including: Through salt and flour, where aluminum is often added as an anti-caking agent >Leaching into our food from aluminum foil and cans >Leaching into our food from aluminum cookware >Baking powder and baking soda (aluminum-free versions are available) >Bleached flour >Antacids and buffered medications >Food additives like artificial colors >Processed cheese >Toothpaste >Added to municipal water, lakes, and reservoirs to control algae growth While your body is fairly good at protecting itself from ingested aluminum, it has less protection from aluminum exposure to the lungs and skin. Some of these exposures include: >Aluminum-containing antiperspirants and other cosmetics easily absorb through the skin >Aluminum is liberated into the air from industrial pollution, car exhaust, tobacco smoke, and fireworks. >Most vaccines contain aluminum as a preservative and/or adjuvant. The body has little defense against injected aluminum While the majority of the damage caused by aluminum is in the brain, it can also wreak havoc throughout the body.If you notice that your cognition and memory have declined as you get older, it might not just be “old age.” It could be from the deodorant that you put on every day! Many of these exposures can be avoided: foods like bleached flour, table salt, and processed cheese should not be consumed because they are unhealthy foods in general in addition to the aluminum content. Deodorants and cosmetics containing aluminum can be switched to safer and more natural products (though finding an aluminum-free deodorant that works can be difficult). You can filter the water in your home, but avoiding airborne aluminum presents a challenge. DentalHealingArts |
