Aluminium oxide
aluminium, oxygen
Aggravation
Starchy foods especially potatoes Salt, wine, vinegar, pepper, alcohol /
spirits After eating
Alternate days New and full moon Morning
Warm room After menstruation
(exhaustion)
Improvement
Light exercise As the day progresses (mental and
emotional state) Alternate days
Warm weather and summer Damp weather
Causation
Worry Anxiety Anger Disappointment Sedentary lifestyle Mental excess
Lead intoxication Aluminium intoxication
Alumina is a deep acting remedy and an
important component of
Lycopodium and Graphites.
Alumina is a slow remedy in that it requires plenty of
time to do its work. Affinity for chronic complaints with
gradual onset.
Affinity for the young and the aged. Affinity
for delicate children.
Lethargy of mind or body is a key
indication.
Affinity for sedentary
or intellectual individuals. Sedentary remedies include analogues Arge nit, Bryonia, Lycopodium and Sepia, also
Aloe, Ammonium carbonate, Anacardium, Conium and
Affinity for those prone to negative emotional states (i.e. blue moods, anger, despair,
pessimism, apprehension,
anxiety), cf analogues Lycopodium, Mag mur, Nat mur, Sepia and Silicea,
also Arsenicum album, Merc sol, Nat sulph, Nitric acidum, Plumbum.
A remedy for the effects of negative
emotions, i.e. anger (cf
analogues Bryonia, Colocynthis, Lycopodium, also Zinc) disappointment (cf Ignatia, Kali phos, Nat mur),
worry and anxiety (cf Mag mur,
Nat mur, Sepia).
A remedy for digestive
weakness, neuromuscular and intellectual debility.
Alumina acts on the nervous system,
nervous transmission is inhibited (cf analogue Plumbum) resulting in inactive or paralytic states of e.g. colon, rectum,
bladder and voluntary muscles and cognitive insufficiency. Indications include inability to think
straight, mental confusion, inability to make decisions, poor judgment, poor
recall, memory loss,
confused self identity, cannot remember who he is or was, uses words incorrectly,
mistakes in writing and speaking, uses words not intended. Alumina is a key
remedy for constipation without urge (cf Bryonia, Collinsonia canadensis,
Graphites, Hydrastis, Opium,
Weakness is typical of many symptoms, e.g.
weak digestion, paralytic weakness of muscle groups (cf analogues Plumbum, and Manganum),
weak memory and weak mind
(confusion, indecision, cannot think clearly or follow a train of thought).
Absence of sweating (opposite Calc carb, Sepia, Silicea) is a distinctive indication. Aluminium inhibits perspiration hence its
use in antiperspirants.
The Alumina patient is cold,
and excessively sensitive to cold conditions, the peripheral circulation is
poor and cold extremities are typical. Cold sensitivity, cf analogues Calc phos,
Sepia, Silicea and Zinc.
Aluminium is a common metal in the modern
environment, toxicity
from e.g. cooking utensils, water and dental amalgam is more than possible. Dental amalgam toxicity,
cf Arge nit, Cuprum, Merc cor, Merc sol.
Along with Arsenicum album, Nux vomica,
Plumbum and Phosphorus, an obvious candidate remedy for the effects of atmospheric lead
pollution (leaded petrol) or lead toxicity. Platina is also a lead antidote.
Alumina has numerous symptoms in common
with Plumbum relating to the nervous system and is antidotal to lead poisoning.
Both Plumbum and Alumina have a neuroinhibitory effect that is probably responsible for many shared symptoms, e.g. cognitive
debility, muscular insufficiency of both the bladder and rectum, locomotor
disorders including coordination difficulties and paralysis. Alumina and Plumbum are remedies for
locomotor ataxia.
Alumina is very closely related to
Bryonia, Colocynthis, Lycopodium, Mag mur, Sepia and
Silicea.
Cf the chloride remedies Nat mur, Sepia and Mag mur in gastric and hepatic insufficiency.
Cf Mag mur in gastric weakness, pain of the right
hypochondrium extending to the epigastrium, white stool, rectal weakness,
aggravation from salt, lack of ennervation of the bladder,
poor tone of the rectum, anxiety, blue moods, aggravation in a warm
room, improvement outdoors.
Cf the phosphorous containing remedies
Colocynthis, Lycopodium and Sepia in digestive weakness.
Cf Colocynthis for symptoms from poor
digestion of potatoes and cereals, effects of anger, inclination to be angry,
right sided complaints with hepatobiliary involvement.
Cf Lycopodium in gastric insufficiency,
food intolerance especially carbohydrate foods e.g. cereals and potatoes (intolerance of potatoes and starchy foods, cf Colocynthis,
intolerance of potatoes, cf Sepia), cognitive debility, poor writing or speech (mistakes in writing or speech), effects of anger or apprehension,
anxiety, poor circulation, nightly palpitations, morning aggravation (e.g. wakes feeling wretched, confused,
frightened or anxious).
Cf Sepia for cold and cold sensitive persons with poor
peripheral circulation, relief from exercise, aggravation from a sedentary or
intellectual lifestyle, weak digestion, potato intolerance, aggravation from
milk, craving for sour (acid) food, white stool,
difficulty defaecating with a soft stool, herpes,
sweating abnormalities, tendency to
blue moods, anxiety, anger, worry, wakes feeling wretched.
Cf Silicea in anxiety or apprehension,
digestive insufficiency, mental fatigue, constipation, rectal weakness, cracked
skin, nail disorders, cold sensitive chilly patients. Alumina is not as cold sensitive as Silicea, extreme sensitivity to cold suggests Silicea rather
than Alumina.
Cf Bryonia in anxiety, difficulty
thinking, vertigo, weak digestion, craving for sour (acid) food, right sided
complaints with hepatobiliary involvement, wakes feeling wretched.
Cf Nat carb in
aggravation alternate days, aggravation full moon, weak gastric digestion, poor
starch digestion, poor circulation (cold extremities, aggravation from physical inactivity), mental debility.
Cf Cadmium sulphate, Calc carb, Plumbum,
Selenium, Thuja and
Zinc in cognitive debility.
Cf Arsenicum album, Nux vomica, Phosphorus
and Plumbum for
lead sensitivity or toxicity (e.g. disease from exposure to air polluted by
combustion of leaded petrol).
Cf Plumbum in intestinal or abdominal
pain, atonic bladder or rectum (rectal paralysis and difficulty expelling
urine), poor memory, cognitive debility, locomotor disorders (coordination difficulties, paralysis), anxiety.
Cf Nat mur and Sepia in gastric
insufficiency, craving for sour (acid) food, gastrohepatic syndromes, cold
sensitivity, sadness, depression, worry and anxiety.
Cf Calc phos, Ipecacuanha, Bryonia,
Lycopodium, Arge nit, Bryonia, Nat mur, Silicea and
Sepia in gastric insufficiency; all these remedies except Calc phos and
Ipecacuanha also have gastrohepatic syndromes.
Cf Ipecacuanha in nausea
and vomiting. Ipecacuanha acts on the pneumogastric nerve
(cf Lobelia inflata), nausea and vomiting is a key
symptom. Ipecacuanha has been used as an antidote for aluminium toxicity.
Cf Graphites for constipation without
urge, anal fissures, cracked skin.
Cf Nitric acidum for
anal fissures.
Cf Carbo veg,
Cf Calc phos in poor gastric digestion, poor peripheral
circulation (cold or numb extremities).
Cf Zinc in poor peripheral circulation
hence cold sensitivity; food intolerance, gastric and liver complaints,
cognitive debility including slow comprehension, consequences of negative
emotions including the effects of anger, burning
sensation in the spine, aggravation from wine,
consequences of mental excess.
Remedies
Containing Aluminium
Alumen, Graphites, Lycopodium
Biochemistry
Aluminium:
# influences hydrochloric acid secretion.
Aluminium is a component of some allopathic anti acid medications. Alumina is a key remedy for indigestion from insufficiency of
hydrochloric acid secretion, cf the aluminium containing remedy and
analogue Lycopodium. Calc carb, Calc fluor, Calc phos and chlorine
remedies such as Nat mur, Mag mur and Sepia, also Arge
nit,
# is a silica antagonist.
# is a lead antidote (homoeopathic
potencies of Alumina are antidotal to lead induced colic or paralysis).
# inhibits choline acetyl transferase
activity hence nervous transmission inhibition.
# inhibits choline transport in red blood
cells.
An anxious disposition suggests elevated
lactate. Analogue Lycopodium
is a key remedy for lactate elevation.
Aluminium may be a manganese, calcium and magnesium antagonist; adequate dietary intake of these
minerals may be important in preventing aluminium toxicity. The magnesium phosphate containing remedy,
Colocynthis is exceptionally closely related to Alumina. Mag mur shares atonic
disease of the bladder and rectum, gastric insufficiency, milk intolerance and liver related
pain extending to the epigastrium. Mag
carb shares anxiety, milk intolerance and aggravation on alternate days.
Manganum shares difficulty walking due to neuromuscular affections of the legs.
Calc carb shares anxiety, milk intolerance, mental confusion and cognitive
debility. Calc phos shares gastric insufficiency and poor peripheral
circulation. These remedies may be useful allies in Alumina patients.
Alumina invites comparison with phosphorus
(Phosphorus) and lead (Plumbum) for neuromuscular disease.
Note that zinc and sulphur compounds (metallothionine protein) are involved in toxic metal hence
aluminium elimination.
Physiology
Alumina acts on the:
# nervous system.
# digestive
system, especially the stomach but also the liver; possibly as a result of nervous or circulatory insufficiency. An imbalance of the autonomic nervous
system from mental or emotional excess may underly digestive weakness, cf
analogue Lycopodium.
# circulation, cold or numb extremities (cf Calc phos,
Sepia), tinnitus, vertigo (cf analogues Bryonia and
Lycopodium, also Phosphorus and the phosphorus containing remedies China,
Gelsemium, and the Phosphorus analogue Nux vomica). Waking in the night, early
morning or morning with palpitations is an indication.
# skin.
Common
Indications
# Digestive weakness from hepatic or
especially gastric insufficiency (cf analogues Bryonia, Colocynthis, Lycopodium, Mag mur, Sepia,
Silicea, Zinc), hydrochloric acid insufficiency, craving for sour (acid) food (cf analogue Sepia), distress from the
simplest food, nausea, vomiting,
vertigo, eructations (sour or bitter),
flatulence, stomach distension from gas (cf analogue Calc phos), liver
disease, symptoms of
both hypochondria but especially the right.
Gastric symptoms from milk, cf analogues Bryonia, Lycopodium,
Sepia and Silicea, also
Calc carb and Mag carb.
# Chronic
fatigue, worse from talking.
# Mental weakness (cf Calc carb, Plumbum, Selenium, Zinc), incoherent thought processes, weak memory,
difficult thinking, slow perception, confusion, Alzheimers disease?.
# Nail abnormalities, brittle nails or white spots on nails.
White spots (an indication of zinc deficiency) suggest
Alumina, Nitric acidum, Silicea. Spotted nails suggest
Alumina, Calc carb,
Nitric acidum, Arsenicum album, Phosphoric acidum, Sepia, Silicea,
Longitudinal or especially transverse marks
which give an undulating appearance suggests Thuja as does soft
nails that bend easily or peel. Yellow nails with white
spots suggests Nitric acidum or Silicea.
Yellow nails
suggest Conium. Brittle thickened nails
suggests especially
Ant crud, Arsenicum album, Graphites, Silicea,
also others including Alumina and Thuja.
Corrugated, uneven spotted and irregular nails in an infant or child
suggests Calc carb.
# Skin disease, eruptions, herpes, indurations, cracked
skin, fissures, bleeding fissures, ulcerations,
nightly itching (aggravation from the heat of the bed, cf Lycopodium,
Merc sol, Sulphur), itching relieved by severe scratching.
# Severe neuromuscular
disease (cf Arge nit,
Manganum, Merc sol, Plumbum),
myelitis, locomotor ataxia,
coordination difficulties, sclerosis, paralysis.
Unusual
Symptoms
# Symptoms worse on alternate days, cf
# New or full
moon. Alumina,
Cuprum, Graphites and Silicea have aggravation from the full or new moon. Thuja has sensitivity to
Moon phases. Aggravation at full moon, cf Calc carb, Cuprum, Graphites, Kali
bromatum, Nat carb, Nat mur, Silicea.
# Absence of sweating
regardless of exertion or clothing.
# Hair loss from skin or
various body parts (cf
Selenium), eyelashes fall
out, excessive loss of scalp hair, hairless areas of skin.
# Pressure on limbs causes numbness /
weakness; limbs go to sleep on pressure (poor circulation), cf analogue Calc phos, also Carbo veg.
# Muscle weakness, arms and legs feel heavy, difficult speaking, weakness of the rectum or bladder (cf Mag mur, Plumbum, Selenium, Silicea),
constipation, difficulty or inability to
expel stool (cf Mag mur, Selenium, Silicea), slow or difficult urination (must strain at stool to urinate),
urine slow to start flowing when urinating, slow emptying of bladder, cannot
speed up flow, weak flow of urine (cf Mag mur).
# Electric shock
sensations on touching objects.
Aggravation
# Starchy foods, e.g cereals and
especially potatoes (potatoes
contain aluminium), cf Colocynthis, Lycopodium. Aggravation from potatoes, cf Colocynthis, Lycopodium and Sepia.
Aggravation from starchy food, cf Nat carb.
# Salt, wine, vinegar,
pepper, alcohol / spirits.
# After eating, cf analogues Bryonia, Calc phos,
Colocynthis, Lycopodium,
Mag mur, Silicea.
# Alternate days, cf
# New and full
moon, cf Cuprum, Calc carb,
Graphites, Silicea. Thuja has sensitivity to Moon phases. Aggravation at full
moon, cf Calc
carb, Cuprum, Graphites, Kali bromatum, Nat carb, Nat mur, Silicea.
# Morning on waking, e.g. bewildered on waking, sad in morning, feels wretched in morning (cf analogues Bryonia, Lycopodium,
Sepia, Zinc), anxiety on waking (anxiety worse morning on awakening, cf Kali phos; anxiety worse morning, cf
Arsenicum album; anxiety worse evening or night, cf Merc cor).
# Warm room (prefers the outdoors though cold sensitive, cf Mag mur).
# After
menstruation (exhaustion or
debility after menstruation, cf
Improvement
# Light physical exercise, cf Aesculus hippocastanum, Cyclamen,
Gelsemium, Kali carb, Kali phos, Mag carb, Mag mur,
Nat carb, Nat mur, Pulsatilla, Sepia,
# As the day
progresses (mental and emotional state).
# Alternate days, cf
# Warm weather and
summer. Better in Summer,
cf Aurum, Calc phos, Ferrum, Silicea.
# Damp weather, cf Hepar sulph (opposite Merc sol,
Causation
# Worry, cf analogues Bryonia, Lycopodium and Sepia, also Arsenicum album, Mag carb
and Nat mur.
# anxiety, cf Arsenicum album, Calc carb, Mag carb,
Mag mur, Nat mur, Nat sulph, Sepia.
# Anger, cf analogues, Bryonia, Colocynthis, Lycopodium, Sepia and
Zinc, also Aurum, Chamomilla, Ignatia,
Nat mur, Nat sulph, Nux vomica,
Staphysagria.
# Disappointment, cf Ignatia, Kali phos, Nat mur.
# Sedentary life
style. Cf
Arge nit, Bryonia, Lycopodium, Nux vomica, Sepia and
#
Mental excess, cf
analogues Calc phos, Lycopodium, Mag mur, Sepia and Silicea, also Arge nit,
Calc carb, Manganum, Nat carb, Phosphorus, Phosphoric acidum, Plumbum,
Selenium, Sulphur, Zinc.
# Lead intoxication, e.g. canned food,
polluted air or water,
cf Arsenicum album, Nux vomica, Phosphorus,
Platina, Plumbum.
# Aluminium intoxication from e.g.
antacids, aluminium cookware, dental fillings, aluminium foil.
Personality
Characteristics
* Anxious (anxiety on waking is indicative, cf Kali phos), anxiety about the future, apprehensive, fearful, cf Arge nit, Arsenicum album, Bryonia, Calc
carb, Gelsemium, Kali carb, Kali phos, Lycopodium, Mag carb, Mag mur, Merc sol,
Nat mur, Phosphorus, Plumbum, Silicea.
* Inclined to blue moods; angry, gloomy,
discouraged, negative, sad, pessimistic. Pessimism, cf Nat mur, Plumbum, Sepia. Sadness, cf Calc carb, Nat mur, Pulsatilla, Sepia, Thuja.
* Worried, fretting.
* Mood improves as the day progresses, cf
* Easily frightened, cf Calc carb, Merc sol.
* Impatient, hurried, things cannot be
done fast enough, time passes too slowly, cf Arge nit, Aurum, Ignatia,
Lilium tigrinum, Medorrhinum, Nat mur, Nux vomica, Sulphur.
* In a hurry to leave places, excessive
desire to leave. Excessive
desire to go home suggests Bryonia.
* Indecisive (cf
* Slow to realise or comprehend, confused,
dazed, stupified, In cognitive
debility, cf Calc carb, Carbo veg, Merc sol, Nat carb, Phosphoric acidum,
Phosphorus, Plumbum, Selenium, Thuja, Zinc.
* Easily angered, disposed to anger, cf Merc sol.
* Diet sensitive, averse to starchy foods
e.g. cereals or
potatoes, cf
analogues Colocynthis, Lycopodium. Potato intolerance, cf
Sepia.
* Prefers outdoors, cf Mag mur,
opposite Merc sol.
* Cold sensitive, chilly, cf analogues Calc phos, Mag mur, Sepia, Silicea, Zinc, also Calc carb and Mag carb.
Appearance
# Thin, cf analogues Lycopodium and Zinc, the
phosphorus remedies Calc phos, Kali phos, Mag phos and Phosphorus, also
Plumbum.
# Appears older
than chronological age, cf
Arge nit, Lycopodium, Sepia, Syphilinum.
# White spots on nails or thicked nails.
# Sparse
eyelashes or hairless areas of skin including the scalp, cf Selenium.
# Pale face
alternating with redness, cf
Kali phos, Nat phos, Phosphorus.
# Red faced after a meal, cf Carbo animalis. Analogue Silicea has red spots on the cheeks or nose after a meal.
# Red nose, cf the calcium and magnesium remedies, Calc carb,
Some
Astrological Indications
o The Moon (or Pluto) afflicting the
Ascendant or its ruler. The
Moon or Pluto afflicting Mercury, or
a Gemini or Virgo Ascendant may be especially significant.
o The Moon afflicted in House 1 or 6.
o The Moon in House 6.
The Moon in House 6, cf Lycopodium, Silicea and chlorine remedies such as Mag mur, Nat mur and Sepia.
o The Sun, Moon or Ascendant in Cancer.
o The Moon (or Pluto) or a Cancer Ascendant
afflicted by Saturn, cf Lycopodium?,
Mag mur, Nat mur, Sepia.
o The Moon in Scorpio.
Notes
Aluminium is traditionally associated with
the Moon however Alumina also has a relationship to Mercury (and Gemini)
because of it’s oxygen content. A relationship with the Lunar
octave Pluto is possible. Pluto
afflictions incline to emotional excess.
Alumina is a major Moon remedy (cf Arge nit, Calc carb, Calc fluor,
Selenium, Silicea, Thuja and chlorine
remedies such as Mag mur, Nat mur and
Sepia ) hence aggravation related to the Lunar monthly
cycle, cf Calc carb, Cuprum,
Silicea, Graphites (Graphites contains aluminium), Pulsatilla and Thuja in
monthly cyclic aggravation.
Moon and especially Pluto afflictions
incline to emotional excess.
Aluminium shares many digestive symptoms
with other Moon remedies such
Arge nit, Bryonia, Lycopodium, Mag mur, Pulsatilla, Sepia and Silicea.
For
emotional excess, including
excessive worry or anxiety, cf other Moon remedies such as Arge nit,
Bryonia, Lycopodium, Pulsatilla, Sepia
and Silicea; and the Moon and Pluto remedies Ignatia, Nat mur and Zinc.
The Moon is associated with cognitive
function (especially the memory), along with Mercury, Jupiter (judgement) and
Saturn (logic).
Moon Mercury remedies include Arge nit,
Bryonia and Lycopodium.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sources
Of Aluminium Toxicity
Aluminium is a naturally occurring food
component however toxicity from manufactured products and environmental
contamination of water from acid rain is a threat. Possible sources of
aluminium toxicity include:
# Water: reticulated water treated by aluminium sulphate
(flocculating agent).
# increased aluminium levels in river
water etc as a result of acid rain.
# Hot water (cathodic corrosion prevention).
# Food: baking powders, spices, food
additives in cheese and salt, aluminium cookware, aluminium foil in food
storage, infant milk formulas.
# Pharmaceutical
products, e.g. deodorants, antiperspirants, antacids, Bufferin.
# Dental materials
including amalgam and ionomers.
Aluminium toxicity from drugging with aluminium
hydroxide has caused osteomalacia and osteonecrosis.
Note
Calcium, magnesium and manganese may be
dietary factors important in preventing aluminium toxicity (Ca & Mg may compete for absorption in the gut).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Notes
Food Chemical Sensitivity / Robert Buist Ph D . / ISBN 0
06 312083 6. / Chapter 5 is a useful reference for information on aluminium toxicity.