The connection between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease has long been suspected, though concrete proof has yet to be discovered. During the 60s and 70s, the belief that aluminum was causing Alzheimer’s was at a high. Since then, some researchers have debunked the idea.
However, many still think that the two are connected. Does aluminum cause Alzheimer? Before we back or dismiss this notion, we need to know what we’re dealing with.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
This dreaded disease is a common form of dementia in which the patient suffers from memory loss and difficulty in processing and thinking. The brains of the patients have shrunk and have been discovered to contain senile plaques or decaying nerve terminals. Found within these plaques is the element aluminum.
What is aluminum?
When we say aluminum, we think of that thin sheet of silver foil used for wrapping food. It is more than that. Aluminum is a neurotoxin. In other words, it poisons the nerve tissues.
It is found everywhere. In fact, it is the third most common element in the world. It is in our drinking water, in the food we eat, in the ground we walk on, in the air we breathe, and even in our body. Suffice to say, it is quite difficult to avoid exposure to this metal.
Now, the question “Does aluminum cause Alzheimer?” is still begging for an answer
Back in 2014, Christopher Exley, a professor from Keele University in the United Kingdom stressed in his case study that aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease are indeed connected.
He saw high amounts of aluminum in the brain of a deceased person with Alzheimer’s. That person was regularly exposed to aluminum for eight years while working for a company that made a particular material used by the space and nuclear industries.
The man developed numerous medical problems including headaches, poor memory, exhaustion, mouth ulcers, and depression early in his stint with the company. He then suffered from Alzheimer’s disease until his death in 2011.
Brain samples retrieved from the deceased showed high levels of aluminum that suggested it had something to do with the fast deterioration of the person, and the early onset and rapid progression of the disease.
Whether this study is enough proof or otherwise, we should all steer clear of aluminum. Not only is it a prime suspect in Alzheimer’s, but it is also linked to autism, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological disorders.
The best way to prevent such medical issues is to avoid aluminum altogether. Or at least the ones we can control.
How to prevent aluminum exposure?
1. Avoid using aluminum pots and pans
Get rid of everything aluminum in your kitchen starting with your cookware. Replace your aluminum cook- and bakeware with nontoxic ones such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic and green non-stick cookware. Ceramic cookware is the best of the lot simply because they don’t leach anything into your food.
2. Stop using aluminum foil
For baking or packing leftover food, avoid aluminum foil. Try BPA free containers or casserole dishes with glass lids. Banana leaves will eliminate the need to use aluminum foil to wrap certain foods for baking.
3. Stop drinking from aluminum cans
Beverages in aluminum cans include sodas, beers, and other unhealthy options. For that reason alone, you should stop drinking them.
4. Avoid using cosmetics, sunscreens, and deodorants with aluminum
There are natural alternatives to these products while some products are made of natural ingredients. Check the labels for the presence of aluminum and other chemicals.
Click here and learn how to make your own aluminum-free deodorant.
5. Don’t take medicines containing aluminum
Aspirin, antacids, and other drugs often have aluminum. Look for other ways to treat medical issues without depending on such meds.
Alzheimer’s disease is no laughing matter. Ask anyone who suffers or knows someone who suffers from the disease and you’ll get an idea how hard it is. To avoid such situation, take care of yourself and your loved ones by avoiding aluminum as much as possible.
Sources: The Telegraph, Frontiers in Neurology, and Rense
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