Sources of Aluminum in our daily lives, safer alternatives, words to look for on labels

[Brian4]

Laurie, thanks so much for the extremely helpful info!

As I mentioned before, I'm using ZeroWater, but I take various forms (mostly drops) of supplemental Si throughout the day.

The frequent use of Al salts in water treatment facilities is disturbing....

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037863/

Brian

[lumia]

When choosing a water filter you need to first identify what is in the water that you want to remove. If you want to remove aluminum which is a cation (positively charged ion) you must use a cation exchange resin. Brita is a combination of cation exchange resin and activated carbon. My husband has tested the Brita, Zero and Pur filters for removing aluminum and all remove 98.5% of the aluminum however only the Brita doesn't remove silica (OSA), Pur removed 8 % of the silica, Zero removed 93% of the silica. This is why my husband chose the Brita filter for the Silicade recipe.

The filter you mentioned cleansui does not have a cation filter therefore it will not remove aluminum or other toxic cations, such as mercury, lead and cadmium so it is good you are considering a new filter if you want to remove aluminum and other toxic metal cations. When you move check the treatment procedure for your drinking water as an aluminum salt may be used to treat the water. Also water delivery systems have cement lined and lead pipes that add aluminum and lead to the drinking water.

I hope your move goes smoothly.

Well, the problem is this: it seems I and my wife have different priorities on what to remove; she seems to be more concerned about microplastics, of which the Brita--or the Mavea for that matter--certain does not remove.

[laurie]

Laurie, thanks so much for the extremely helpful info!

As I mentioned before, I'm using ZeroWater, but I take various forms (mostly drops) of supplemental Si throughout the day.

The frequent use of Al salts in water treatment facilities is disturbing....

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037863/

Brian

If you are trying to remove aluminum supplemental Si will not be effective as these supplements don't have enough OSA which is the form of Silica that is effective at removing aluminum. Here is a table of the testing my husband did on si supplements for the amount of OSA. [img]

test%20results%20supplement.jpg

[/img]

Yes the use of aluminum salts to treat drinking water is resulting in an increase of Alzheimer's and other neurological conditions. I live in the US and the City of Cambridge, Ma which has MIT and Harvard University treats the water with aluminum. The city of Chicago also treats the water with aluminum.

[laurie]

Well, the problem is this: it seems I and my wife have different priorities on what to remove; she seems to be more concerned about microplastics, of which the Brita--or the Mavea for that matter--certain does not remove.

There are so many toxins we are exposed to and it is challenging and sometimes difficult to try and avoid all of them. Aluminum is so serious that as you know it is one of my top priorities. I guess you and your household may have to have 2 water filters. Thanks for your interest in the information I have provided to this forum.

[lumia]

There are so many toxins we are exposed to and it is challenging and sometimes difficult to try and avoid all of them. Aluminum is so serious that as you know it is one of my top priorities. I guess you and your household may have to have 2 water filters. Thanks for your interest in the information I have provided to this forum.

This issue seems to originate from different ways purifiers are designed in Europe and Asia--Europeans are more concerned with limescale (thus the ion-exchange resin) and Asians are more concerned with microbes (thus the ultrafiltration membrane). It seems there's some hope in this; for the past few hours I identified a pitcher that has both (and also makes an aluminum removal claim).

EDIT: I'm referring to Laica's Mikroplastik-stop line, which is basically a Brita-DE/Mavea Maxtra with an ultrafiltration post-filter. It's not available in the US, but I have a reliable source from overseas.

[circular]

... my husband may research ceramics in the next few weeks...

Hi Laurie, I'm just curious whether your husband ever got around to testing ceramics.

Also, I've been trying to find a sunscreen that doesn't leave me shaking in my boots. They either have UV blockers than can get absorbed into the skin (possibly being a problem), have preservatives (which can kill the skin microbiome, I think?), and it seems nearly always have … your favorite, aluminum! I'm giving up on au naturale skincare products. They always seem to have oils and plant contents which aren't good for me and sometimes even cause rashes, so now I have to do the best I can in the world of destructive chemical concoctions. Any thoughts?

For a long while I haven't used sunscreen, having read a review that made it pretty clear it's not all it's cracked up to be. However, no protection is clearly damaging my skin, so I think I need to find some kind of middle ground.

I've never found a deoderant replacement. My skin is sensitive to all the alternatives I've found to try

[JD2020]

I've never found a deoderant replacement. My skin is sensitive to all the alternatives I've found to try

I've been making my own for years. It works better than the expensive alternative deods in the store. The recipe is under "Herbal Home Remedies" in this book:

[circular]

I've never found a deoderant replacement. My skin is sensitive to all the alternatives I've found to try

I've been making my own for years. It works better than the expensive alternative deods in the store. The recipe is under "Herbal Home Remedies" in this book:

Thanks! I’m hesitant to buy the book without knowing what the ingredients are. My skin reacts to some plant ingredients including oils, magnesium, baking soda ..,

[laurie]

... my husband may research ceramics in the next few weeks...

Hi Laurie, I'm just curious whether your husband ever got around to testing ceramics. .....

Also, I've been trying to find a sunscreen that doesn't leave me shaking in my boots. .......

I've never found a deodorant replacement. My skin is sensitive to all the alternatives I've found to try

My husband hasn't done the ceramics testing. It is still on his to do lists. Regarding sunscreen have you tried zinc oxide. Zinc oxide use to be thick and go on white, they now make ones that are thinner and leave no white.

Sorry to hear you can't find a deodorant. I actually don't use any. I am fortunate I don't perspire much and the only sweat that smells is my 'stress sweat'.

[circular]

My husband hasn't done the ceramics testing. It is still on his to do lists. Regarding sunscreen have you tried zinc oxide. Zinc oxide use to be thick and go on white, they now make ones that are thinner and leave no white.

Sorry to hear you can't find a deodorant. I actually don't use any. I am fortunate I don't perspire much and the only sweat that smells is my 'stress sweat'.

It's nice to know the ceramics testing is still on his list. I'm just curious. I'm not too worried about the dishes I'm using, and I'm still using and enjoying the double walled glass mug for most coffee and tea just to be on the safe side. Occassionally I use one of my favorite mugs that I'm less certain about, just so they don't spend their lives unseen in the cupboard.

I would use the commercial zinc oxide at this point. I had been using a zinc formulation that wouldn't be absorbed into the skin like the invisible nano zinc particles, but that product has too much oil and plant product and causes breakouts and possibly a recurrent rash too.

As far as sunscreens at this junction, it's the aluminum that's prevalent in them that worries me. Have you scanned a drugstore shelf of sunscreen ingredients lately? Lost of aluminum/alumina there.