The Dangers of Aluminum

On first thought, one would perhaps think that a metal like aluminum, for instance, would be inert and cause no health problems.  You would think it would just sit around being a light shiny metal - like a roll of foil - and not really generate anything blog-worthy.  Yet, this is not the case.

We have known for a number of years now that there has been a link between aluminum and neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.  To my knowledge a causative relationship has not been definitively proven.  But, the circumstantial evidence against aluminum is high with a positive correlation between these two diseases and high aluminum levels in postmortem brain tissue samples.  Today Dr. Mercola's website talks about the connection between aluminum and breast cancer.  A study out of Italy found much higher levels of aluminum in

women with breast cancer, than in women who do not have it.  The mechanism suggested was that aluminum causes iron to be separated from its binding, carrier proteins.  Free iron has very high free radical potential, and it has also been connected with various cancers for quite a long time.

Whether aluminum can be factually and solidly blamed for these serious life threatening diseases or not, the fact that there is an apparent problem should give pause.  Further, since God did not see fit to put bauxite or aluminum into our daily dietary intake -- you know, where in the food pyramid is "aluminum"? -- perhaps it would be a good thing to avoid?  That first belief that aluminum is just an inert, harmless, pretty, non-staining, light, highly malleable metal useful for all kinds of things has made manufacturers latch onto it as the tempting modern convenience it is.  So where would your body pick up aluminum?

Here are some sources of aluminum, should you choose to try and avoid it for your health:

• Antiperspirant deodorants
• Aluminum cookware
• Aluminum foil
• Pie tins and food containers
• Pop cans
• Baking powder
• Vaccines