From: dks@sr.com (Dave K. Sprow)
Subject: Re: Another brain/aluminium question.
Reply-To: dks@srhqla.UUCP (Dave K. Sprow)
Organization: Silent Radio, Los Angeles
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 18:11:00 GMT

In article <3858@unisql.UUCP> collene@unisql.UUCP (Collene Pearce) writes:
>In article <1992Oct1.232710.28696@newshub.ccs.yorku.ca> tony@nexus.yorku.ca (Anthony Wallis) writes:
>>
>>...states some italians cook tomatoe paste in Al pots...wonders if this
>>contributes to Alzheimer's....
>>
>>Or are we all eating aluminium-laced tomato paste anyway ?
>
>Perhaps I am being naive, but I always thought the tomatoe paste/spaghetti
>sauce we buy at the grocery store (Ragu, Hunts, whatever) was cooked in
>giant stainless steel vats.  I thought that most food processing plants
>preferred stainless steel because of some type of "health laws", and the
>difficulty of maintaining cleanliness with Al and certain other metals.
>
>
>-- 
>
>********************* #include <std_disclaimer.h> **********************
>* A. Collene Pearce (512-343-7372, x114) * Organization: UniSQL, Inc.  *
>*                                        * Austin, TX                  *
>* unisql!collene@cs.utexas.edu           * 512-343-7297 or 7383(fax)   *
>************************************************************************

In response to the above original question, I find this interesting in
light of the questions/opinions/attitudes that appear on this newsgroup
often concerning many of the alternative methods of  natural healing.
Almost always, the attitude here is homeopathy, vitamin taking, etc., etc.
is a) a bunch of crap, b) a plecebo with c)where's the scientific stidies,
etc.

I am one who feels there's a place for many of the these "therapies",
includinwestern medicine. I think that one of the most important things
traditional western medicine needs to do is become more knowledgable
about alternative medicines or at least to be more open-minded about
the possibilities that some of this may have a good deal of validity and
have a place in an overall systematic approach to healthcare, particularly 
in the preventative area. Personally, I have receiveda good deal of benefit
over the yeers from accupuncture, herbal therapy and chiropractic.

The reason I bring this up is concerning this possible link between aluminum
and Alzenheimers.  I was told (from more than one source) about 20 years
ago not to use aluminum cooking utensils, not to drink soft drinks out
of aluminum cans, not to use deordorants with aluminum (which is most
commercial brands), and to do my best to stay away from aluminum in general.
Now I couldn't verify this myself of course, not were there any scientific
studies available that I knew of to confirm this. But I was, IMO, open-minded
enough and read enough opinions on this to satisfy myself that it wouldn't
be that difficult to do and why not do it if there was a good possibility
(in my mind) that it *could* be harmful.

Even though the aluminum/Alz. connection is not yet proven, as far as I know,
let's assume that at some point in the future it is (for sake of argument).
That puts what I was told 20 years ago on the then "cutting edge" of
health prevention.  Which I feel the better practitioners of the alternative
health practices often are. And they are generally pooh-poohed. This has
been the pattern of science in general and medicine in particular for their
entire history.  I think most people like to think we are "civilized" in
our attitudes, yet the medical profession as a profession continues to
exhibit the same kinds of "satus quo" methods that it always has.  There's
ceratinly nothing wrong with healthy scepticism, a demand for research,
etc.  What I object to is this "disdain" for alternative healing as an
*attitude*, with little basis other than the old, worn out, arguments
stated in my first paragraph.

The medical profession would be better off and show more caring and
responsibility if they would do some of their "own" research into
alternative healing.  Serious research.  Unfortunately, this is
probably asking too much as it would require a drastic change in
attitude and shift in paradigms. While there have been some
inroads (and important ones) in terms of how diet affects your health
with the biggest emphasis being upon heart care the problem as I see
it is it takes too many years for this type of information and
thinking to filter down to the mainstream medical community.  This
stuff was being "preached" well over 20 years ago.  And also 
unfortunately, so much research has gone into drugs to treat/control
symptoms rather than find/treat the underlying causes and the fact
that this is big bucks for the drug companies leads to me to believe
that this research in not likely to get done.  I mean, why would
drug companies like people to know that with a really healthy diet,
good exercise, health preventative practices (therapies), that most
people could live a healthier life, generally without a lot of the
drugs used in the quantity they are today?

I find it very sad. But ultimately it's the individual's own responsibility.
The information *is* out there. People need to learn to think more for
themselves, to question the established ways of thinking, and to take
a higher degree of personal responsibilty for their own hearth.
Doctors certainly have their place and I would not hesitate to go to
one if I had a health problem that required immediate attention.  We
just need to stop assuming that Drs. know all there is to know about
health care.

David Sprow