The water that comes out of your tap is pristine right? It looks so clear and pure! While I admire the technology our municipalities use to clean our water, I’m not crazy about what they leave behind: chlorine and chloramides, fluoride in many places, and trace amounts of other questionables.
The invention of water purification in our towns was responsible for a massive decline in many illnesses we would encounter in untreated water: think giardia and other bacteria, fungal or parasitic microbes. None of us want that! So yes, I am quite grateful to be able and turn on the tap without worrying about getting a bout of dysentery. But, I’m not crazy about ingesting the chemicals used to treat the water, nor the fluoride that is supposedly added for dental health. I’m not going to get into a big debate about the politics surrounding fluoride or chlorine, but suffice it to say that these are chemicals we don’t want to ingest- nor bathe in.
There are many reasons we don’t want these chemicals in our drinking and bathing water. For one, our bodies have a lovely, protective, and quite impressive microbiome on our skin. These bacteria serve many functions including protecting us from infection. When we bathe or swim in chlorinated water, we destroy this protective microbiome. You can read more about the skin microbiome here: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-23996/your-skin-microbiome-why-its-essential-for-a-healthy-glow.html
Second, when you’re taking a nice hot shower, you’re creating steam, of which you’re breathing in. The chlorinated steam can cause respiratory issues as well as irritate delicate mucus membranes and sinuses. Steam inhalation is a very effective way to ingest chemicals, of which we want to avoid in this case.
Third, fluoride, chloride and bromide are all halides which can disrupt thyroid function. Because these chemicals are so closely related to iodine, they can bind to your thyroid’s iodine receptors, thus creating an iodine deficiency. This can happen from drinking, bathing, or swimming in chlorinated and fluoridated water.
Fourth, drinking water with these chemicals on a daily basis has been associated with a myriad of health problems: headaches, kidney damage, skin conditions, asthma, liver problems, and even cancer- to name a few. When you think about it for a second, you wouldn’t drink bleach right? Well, this is what you’re doing when you drink tap-water, albeit a more diluted version, but we still need to be aware that even diluted amounts can still have negative health benefits.
So what do we do? As a Building Biologist I always recommend that my clients invest in a good quality water filtration system. There are many out there to choose from, and I refrain from making blanket recommendations because the appropriate system for you will depend on the water coming out of your tap. Every city has different considerations; microbe content, minerals, hardness etc. There are also budgetary concerns to keep in mind. While I’m a big fan of whole home systems, this isn’t economical for everyone. We also want to consider how many people are in the home and the combined habits (ie, long showers, cooking, lawn or plant irrigation etc.). We need to consider all of these areas to arrive at the best system for you and your home. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like some recommendations specific to your situation, we are always happy to help!
For those of you looking for a more immediate or convenient solution, I do recommend Berkey filters for just about any situation. They can be used with any kind of water (even untreated), and have solid science backing up their techniques for eliminating microbes, heavy metals, chemicals and other harmful pollutants. They’re convenient, stylish, and what I use in my home. They’ve even offered my readers a 5% discount when you click on the banner below. Thank you Berkey! They have shower filters as well, which I find even more important than a drinking filter. You’ll actually be absorbing more of these chemicals from one hot bath than you will from a week of drinking water, so don’t forget to invest in a good quality shower filter!
As always, let us know if you have any questions or concerns, and happy bathing!
Cathy Cooke, BCHN, BBEC Holistic Nutritionist and Building Biologist is the founder of Whole Home and Body Health which provides EMF Assessments, Mold Testing, and Nutrition and Health Consulting located in Boise, Idaho. Cathy is available for consulting via skype and phone, and is also willing to travel as needed for home assessments. Schedule an appointment today!
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