Poisonous Metal: How to Avoid Aluminum Toxicity at Home and Eating Out

by: Lauren Rae, CPT at TRYM Fitness and Sunwarrior Contributing Writer

Conversation about “chemicals” is on the rise lately: pesticides, BPA in your plastics, mercury in fish, carcinogens from over cooked food, and more. One harmful metallic chemical compound known as aluminum is widely used all over the world. Aluminum is present in nearly all cooked restaurant food, the water supply and soil, aluminum cooking foil, antacids, baking powder, and deodorant, as well as over-the-counter and prescription medication and vaccines! As a result of this overexposure, it is possible that we all suffer from some degree of aluminum toxicity. What is uncommonly known, is that this regular exposure to aluminum can be extremely harmful.

This metal element is stored in our cells and tissues, and long term exposure causes brain cell degeneration leading to Alzheimer’s as well as skeletal deformities. General symptoms of aluminum toxicity include lethargy, digestive problems, headaches, and weak, aching muscles. More severe symptoms can include premature osteoporosis, bone pain, impaired immunity, seizure, dementia, anemia, and scoliosis. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, always check with your doctor as you could be suffering from a severe amount of aluminum toxicity.

With your liver and kidneys working overtime to process aluminum and other harmful elements, your organs can be compromised and your health will suffer. Here’s what you can do to rid your body of these toxins:

1. Exercise regularly and sweat for healthy elimination of toxins. Saunas and steam rooms or heated yoga are a great way to continue the burn after your workout.
2. Total body cleansing every 2–6 months allows your liver, kidneys, and other tissues to eliminate this and other harmful elements from your cells.
3. Consuming superfoods and herbs like chlorella, milk thistle, and dandelion root will promote the natural, regular detoxification of your body. And as always, stay away from processed foods!

Exposure to aluminum increases as we use common household items and prepared foods. Safeguard yourself and your family by following these rules to avoid overexposure:

At home

• Replace your aluminum or metal cookware with enamel coated steel cookware.
• Do not cook or grill your food with aluminum foil, and minimize using it for hot food storage. (Estimates say that as much as 4 milligrams of aluminum can be transferred to each serving of an acidic food, such as tomatoes or citrus fruits, that has been heated or stored with aluminum. Therefore, never use it to wrap acidic foods like oranges, lemons, or tomatoes.)
• Use a bamboo steamer in place of classic metal vegetable steamers.
• Check store-bought food items, medicine bottles, and all hygiene products for aluminum content and switch to an all-natural brand whenever possible.
• Order mostly raw, organic foods, like dark, leafy green salads or low-sugar raw juices as mostly all cooked menu options come into contact with the facility’s metal cooking utensils.
• If you do opt for cooked restaurant food, taking a dose of Core Level C (a variety of vitamin c supplement) or 2–3 cloves of raw, crushed garlic daily can boost your body’s natural level of glutathione. (Glutathione occurs naturally and is responsible for attaching or binding itself to metals and other toxins to eliminate them from the body.)
• Finally, avoid baked goods whenever possible as they are generally prepared in pans with aluminum additives. 

Eating out

• Order mostly raw, organic foods, like dark, leafy green salads or low-sugar raw juices as mostly all cooked menu options come into contact with the facility’s metal cooking utensils.
• If you do opt for cooked restaurant food, taking a dose of Core Level C (a variety of vitamin c supplement) or 2–3 cloves of raw, crushed garlic daily can boost your body’s natural level of glutathione. (Glutathione occurs naturally and is responsible for attaching or binding itself to metals and other toxins to eliminate them from the body.)
• Finally, avoid baked goods whenever possible as they are generally prepared in pans with aluminum additives.