A Way to Improve Cognitive Function with Water?
Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? That’s what I thought when I heard about this. Yet it’s true: there is apparently an element in some mineral water that could help improve cognitive function and assist the body to rid itself of aluminum.
As you may know, aluminum in the body is in no way healthy. High levels of aluminum have been observed in people with MS and Alzheimer’s, and in the brains of deceased autistic children. Here’s what I learned.
Contents of mineral water differ based on the source of the water. Volvic™ brand is high in silicon and, according to a discovery and research by Dr. Christopher Exley, PhD, drinking 1 to 1 ½ liters of silicon-rich mineral water a day helps to release toxic aluminum stored in the body.
Dr. Exley has done extensive investigation on this subject, revealing some very promising results. In a 12-week study where fifteen Alzheimer’s patients drank the recommended 1 to 1 ½ liters of silicon-rich mineral water daily, three of them showed statistically significant improved cognitive function. That may not seem like a high number, but remember this was only after twelve weeks. And all of the patients released increased amounts of aluminum into their urine, which is how it was measured.
Think about that. Aluminum is everywhere. Deodorants, cookware, aluminum foil, aluminum cans, vaccines (used as an adjuvant), beauty products and the air we breathe are but a few sources that come to mind. So, chances are high that the majority of us have aluminum that is being stored in our bodies, and it is impacting us in some way. Why? Because our bodies are using energy to deal with it. That’s energy which could be better used for other bodily functions, like strengthening immunity for example.
Heavy metal toxicity is something I am intimately familiar with. About seven years ago I found myself feeling exhausted much of the time and didn’t know why. Testing done at the office of a well-respected naturopath revealed that my body was storing excess levels of lead and cadmium.
Lead is often associated with a feeling of heaviness, and that sure was how I felt. And since I was tired of feeling exhausted much of the time I wanted it out of my body ASAP. We chose to do a course of IV chelation therapy, consisting of eight sessions whereby the metals would adhere to the EDTA that was sent coursing through my veins and then excreted through my urine. Afterwards we retested and, while the levels had come down, there was an increase in the aluminum and mercury that had been previously not shown in the results. I was happy to see this because to me it meant that my body was releasing at much deeper levels. Of course I understood that my detox organs (liver, kidneys and skin) would have to process all of these metals and it was determined we would use an oral chelation protocol with specific dietary supplements.
To make a long story short, the supplements made me feel like total crap, so I opted not to take them and prayed to be shown another way to heal. That’s when raw food entered my life, followed by a great deal on the purchase of a far-infrared sauna.
I love the idea of drinking silicon-rich mineral water to help the body release this heavy metal. It’s certainly safer and cheaper than undergoing chelation therapy, which also leaches necessary minerals from the body that then have to be replaced.
One caveat: according to Dr. Exley, it’s important to note that silica supplements do not offer the same benefit, as they are basically sand in a bottle. Silicic acid is the form of silicon found in the beneficial mineral water discussed here.
And now, I’m off to enjoy some Volvic water while I search for other brands that might offer the same benefit. If you end up giving this a try, please let me know how it goes.
Cheers!
Links to articles referenced in this post:
• Dr. Chris Exley, September 2017, lecture about all things Aluminum
• Published on NIH: Silicon-rich mineral water as a non-invasive test of the ‘aluminum hypothesis’ in Alzheimer’s disease
• On ScienceDirect.com: Aluminium in brain tissue in autism