Just about everyone is impacted by dementia in some way. A relative or a friend may have the disease – or perhaps you’re worried that you may be showing signs of it yourself. But this much is certain: Alzheimer’s disease and dementia aren’t necessarily our fate. We aren’t destined to get these conditions. There are a number of factors that cause these brain malfunctions, and you can eliminate or mitigate some of those factors.
More than 5 million people have Alzheimer’s disease, America’s 6th most common cause of death. And that doesn’t include dementia not related to Alzheimer’s. A startling 1 in 3 people will have some form of dementia when they die. Sadly, these numbers are only expected to grow.
One controllable factor in preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is mercury. Let’s focus on it.
Mercury Is A Known Neurotoxin
No one disputes that mercury is a powerful neurotoxin. No amount of mercury exposure is safe. It’s known that this liquidy metal can pass through the blood-brain barrier and build up in your brain as few other substances can.
Research has shown elevated mercury levels in the brains of deceased Alzheimer’s patients. But tests on living people don’t detect this buildup because the tests look for mercury in the blood, hair or urine. There is no way to find out how much is in your brain while you’re alive.
These things are facts.
And we know something else: We’re all exposed to mercury in a variety of ways throughout our lifetimes.
Mercury Exposure From Amalgam Fillings
The neurotoxic effects from mercury aren’t fully understood, yet dentists still install amalgam fillings that are at least half mercury in people’s mouths. When you have amalgam fillings – newly installed or present for years – mercury is released as vapor all the time, and you can inhale this vapor very easily. Once it’s in the lungs, it quickly gets into the bloodstream, then into other parts of the body. This can include the brain.
Research shows that some people seem to be able to release mercury from their brains and elsewhere in their bodies more easily than others. And the older you get, the harder it is to detox from mercury without help.
Fortunately, most dentists no longer use silver-colored, mercury-containing amalgam. But many people still have amalgam fillings.
Other Ways Mercury Contaminates Your Body
Lax control of mercury means it has polluted many waterways, including streams, rivers and more – and has found its way onto crops. While federal officials continue to downplay the importance and prevalence of mercury contamination, mercury in many forms has been banned in countries around the world. Still, you may be getting mercury into your body in myriad ways here in the United States, including through:
- Seafood and fish, where mercury is present in the highest concentrations in predator fish
- Flu vaccines for both children and adults, which contain an ethyl-mercury preservative called thimerosal, banned in most vaccines
- Compact fluorescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes, which are now being phased out
- Coal burning, gold mining and other invasive earth processes
- And so many more ways.
It’s no wonder that Alzheimer’s and dementia are more prevalent than ever before. It’s just hard to believe that more people aren’t paying attention to the strong link between these conditions and proven-harmful mercury.
Avoiding mercury exposure when possible is key. And so is detoxing. For example, BodyPure detox foot pads can help pull mercury and many other toxins from your body while you sleep. These affordable pads are the first step toward eliminating mercury contamination and the side effects that go along with it.
