One of the cases that stand out in my mind from the beginning days in practice was of a woman with Alzheimer's disease who was brought in by her husband for treatment. They were old time Vermonters - Earl, a farmer who prided himself on ingenuity and self-reliance, and Mary, a sturdy, strong looking woman. (Not their real names.)
Just Who Am I? Aluminum, Dementia & a Case of ADD
Aluminum toxicity is one of the most commonly cited factors in the development of dementia and Alzheimers disease. Cookware and utensils has been a major of source of exposure. Increased awareness has brought a reduction in the domestic use of these implements in more recent years, but comes too late for the current elderly generation amongst whom dementia has become epidemic. Even so, cooking techniques which bring aluminum foil into direct contact with foods are still common and the use of aluminum cookware is still widespread in institutional cooking and restaurants, as well as the developing world for reasons of affordability and convenience.
Pharmaceutical medication is another often overlooked route by which aluminum is introduced into the body. While the presence of mercury has gained much more notoriety, aluminum is also used as a preservative in vaccinations and other drugs.
It is no wonder then that in the homeopathic treatment of dementia, a remedy derived from aluminum - or more specifically aluminum oxide is one of the most common prescriptions.
Treating an Autoimmune Headache
It will be fifteen years ago next month when a patient we’ll call Pat first came to consult with me. A mild mannered, hard-working woman in her mid-sixties, she complained of ongoing weakness, breathlessness and dizziness that had been bothering her for years. She also had unstable blood pressure for which she had already been medicated for over 30 years.
From a homeopathic perspective, her case was fairly clear at the time. The lack of energy, vertigo and the breathlessness that was especially exasperated when climbing the stairs or walking up hill along with her salt of the earth yet timid nature was enough to suggest the remedy Calcarea Carbonica.