The Hidden Toxins in Our Water Supply

The Hidden Toxins in Our Water

Chemical toxins are present in all aspects of human life in the 21st century.  Clean, pure water is one of the greatest natural resources in the world.  Every metabolic function depends upon the presence of water.  Cities are built around abundant supplies of water.  There are many industrial toxins present in our municipal water sources that must be avoided.

Water is absolutely necessary for optimizing energy production and detoxification abilities within the body.  The ideal source of water is as pure and unadulterated as possible from a natural spring. Unfortunately, our water supply is loaded with toxic contaminants.  Here are a few we all need to be aware of and take measures to avoid and in this article, I will go over exactly what to do to reduce your exposure to these toxins.

Arsenic:

This is a powerful cancer causing agent (1, 2).  In 2001, the EPA lowered the maximum level permitted in drinking water from 50 ug/L to 10 ug/L due to the well-established carcinogenic risk.  The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that as many as 56 million Americans living in 25 states drink water with unsafe arsenic levels (3).

Aluminum:

This toxic heavy metal is linked with neurological, gastrointestinal and liver damage.  Most city water has elevated levels of aluminum.  Aluminum competes with calcium for skeletal absorption but does not mimic calcium’s effects in the body.  High aluminum reduces skeletal mineralization (4, 5, 6).

It also retards the absorption of phosphorus, zinc, & selenium.  Zinc and selenium are key immune system modulators.  Aluminum causes deficiencies in these critical minerals and malcoordinates the immune system.

Fluoride:

This halogen molecule is a highly potent free radical in the body that damages neurological tissue, injures the immune system and hampers thyroid function among many other problems (7, 8).

In a 2006 report by the National Research Council of the National Academies it states, “Fluoride is an endocrine disruptor in the broad sense of altering normal endocrine function (9).”  It is important to reduce your exposure to fluoride and the other chemical toxins in typical tap water.

Chlorine:

This is used to sterilize the water and rightfully so as many infectious diseases can be attained through contaminated water.  Natural springs should never be sterilized but city water absolutely should be.

Unfortunately, when chlorine is not filtered out of the water and is instead consumed in tap water it destroys the natural microflora throughout the body.   This adversely affects natural immunity and dramatically increases the risk for immune disorders and cancer (10).

One of the most dangerous forms of chlorine includes chlorine vapors and chloroform gas.  The FDA and other US government agencies have reported that most homes in the US have measurable levels of chloroform gas.  This seeps out of toilet bowls, dishwashers, showers, etc.

These vapors dramatically increase the risk of asthma, airway inflammation and respiratory allergies.  Chloroform gas is known to cause acute dizziness, nausea and fatigue (11).

DisInfectant ByProducts (DBP’s):

These are used along with chlorine to destroy any form of life in the water.  These chemical toxins include trihalomethanes, halogenic acetic acids, haloacetonitrils and haloketons among others.

DBP’s are considered to be far more dangerous for consumption than chlorine.   They are powerful carcinogenic molecules that destroy the liver, kidneys and nervous system (12).

Prescription and Over-the Counter Drugs (OTC):

Studies have shown  that even minute amounts of RX and OTC drug exposure causes human cells to grow and mature abnormally.  There are numerous small drug combinations within tap water that are extremely hazardous for consumption (13).

Some individuals have extreme allergic reactions to certain drugs that may also be present in a very diluted form in the tap water they are drinking.  The Maine Department of Environmental Protection tested their water and found a number of different drugs to be present (14).  The most common ones included:

OTC pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen

Antidepressants

Birth Control Pills

Blood Pressure & Cholesterol Medications

The Solution:

Use a non-chlorinated detergent in the dishwasher. Leave the dishwasher door closed until the dishes are dry.  If possible, avoid the dry cycle and allow the dishes to air dry.  If you have to open the dishwasher immediately after the wash cycle, try and avoid breathing the steam as it comes out of the unit. Turning on the kitchen fan and opening windows also helps steam to travel out of your breathing zone.

Many quality water filtration systems remove chlorine, disinfectant byproducts (DBP’s), pesticides, Rx drug residue and other toxins.  Read this great article to learn more about the type of water filter you are looking for.  I recommend a good whole house water filtration system to ensure chlorine, DBP, pesticides and prescription drug residue from all the water (shower, cleaning, toilet bowl) in the house.

By having a good whole house filtration you dramatically improve your air quality which is vitally important to both short-term quality of life and long-term health.  I use and recommend a strong carbon filtration system which I find is the best value whole house system.

You cannot beat Aquasauna whole house filtration systems when it comes to quality and customer service.  You can check out their products here

Reverse Osmosis:

Reverse osmosis is a great system to utilize due to its ability to get nearly all of these major toxins out of the water.  On the downside it utilizes heavy amounts of water and strips minerals from the water.  This can be draining on the environment but it does take out all contaminants in the water including flouride.

Some manufacturers are using colloidal silver to effectively disinfect the water and coral sand to boost the pH.  They then add anti-oxidants using zeolite and essential minerals using jade to restore valuable calcium and magnesium in the proper ratios.  This is highly recommended if available to you.

You can also get a portable reverse osmosis drinking water system here which is a low-cost option for a house or an apartment.  Add in a pinch of pink salt and a drop of your favorite essential oil per 8oz of water and you are good to go with a clean, mineralized, and anti-oxidant enriched water.

Be sure to get a high quality shower filters here as well so you don’t shower in toxic water.

Berkey Water Filters:

Berkey water filter systems are fantastic due to low cost and their remarkable ability to remove harmful pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, and unhealthy chemical toxins such as chlorine to levels higher than 99.99%, while at the same time leaving in the essential minerals your body needs.

Berkey water filter systems also distinguish themselves from many other filtration systems by having the capabilities to significantly reduce fluoride and arsenic via the “PF” line of filters.  Each durable Black Berkey Water filter will last up to 3000 gallons (6000 gallons per set of 2). This is much longer than the majority of water filter solutions on the market.

At 10 gallons per week, this equates to more than 11.5 years of healthy clean drinking water!   Including fluoride and arsenic reduction, 1 gallon of Berkey water costs just 7 cents!  Stop and think how much money you could save by the simple reduction in bottled water purchases by regularly using water filtered by your Berkey water filter.

Berkey systems do not rely on electricity and they are portable so you can travel with them.  For those of you who live in apartments or rental homes, this is the most cost-effective solution for you.  Check out the various systems and find out what Berkey system would be right for you here

Sources For This Article Include:

1. Tchounwou PB, Patlolla AK, Centeno JA. Carcinogenic and systemic health effects associated with arsenic exposure–a critical review. Toxicol Pathol. 2003 Nov-Dec;31(6):575-88. PMID: 14585726

2. Tchounwou PB, Centeno JA, Patlolla AK. Arsenic toxicity, mutagenesis, and carcinogenesis–a health risk assessment and management approach. Mol Cell Biochem. 2004 Jan;255(1-2):47-55. PMID: 14971645

3. NRDC – Executive Summary and Recommendations Findings Link Here

4. Krewski D, Yokel RA, Nieboer E, et al. HUMAN HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT FOR ALUMINIUM, ALUMINIUM OXIDE, AND ALUMINIUM HYDROXIDE. Journal of toxicology and environmental health Part B, Critical reviews. 2007;10(Suppl 1):1-269.

5. Fewtrell MS, Bishop NJ, Edmonds CJ, Isaacs EB, Lucas A. Aluminum exposure from parenteral nutrition in preterm infants: bone health at 15-year follow-up. Pediatrics. 2009 Nov;124(5):1372-9. PMID: 19858156

6. Mailloux RJ, Lemire J, Appanna VD. Hepatic response to aluminum toxicity: dyslipidemia and liver diseases. Exp Cell Res. 2011 Oct 1;317(16):2231-8. PMID: 21787768

7. Choi AL, Sun G, Zhang Y, Grandjean P. Developmental Fluoride Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2012;120(10):1362-1368.

8. Wang H, Yang Z, Zhou B, Gao H, Yan X, Wang J. Fluoride-induced thyroid dysfunction in rats: roles of dietary protein and calcium level. Toxicol Ind Health. 2009 Feb;25(1):49-57. PMID: 19318504

9. Review of the 2006 United States National Research Council Report: Fluoride In Drinking Water. Link Here

10. Morris RD. Drinking water and cancer. Environmental Health Perspectives. 1995;103(Suppl 8):225-231.

11. Bureau of Environmental Health – Chloroform Link Here

12. Richardson SD, Plewa MJ, Wagner ED, Schoeny R, Demarini DM. Occurrence, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity of regulated and emerging disinfection by-products in drinking water: a review and roadmap for research. Mutat Res. 2007 Nov-Dec;636(1-3):178-242. PMID: 17980649

13. Rodriguez-Mozaz S, Weinberg HS. Meeting Report: Pharmaceuticals in Water—An Interdisciplinary Approach to a Public Health Challenge. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2010;118(7):1016-1020.

14. Lubick N. Drugs in the Environment: Do Pharmaceutical Take-Back Programs Make a Difference? Environmental Health Perspectives. 2010;118(5):A210-A214.