Showering and chlorine
Most of us take showers every day. Clean shower water is much more important than you may think. When we shower, we are exposing our largest organ - our skin - to about 25 gallons of chlorinated water during the shower.
The American Journal of Public Health has determined that up to two-thirds of harmful chlorine exposure can be due to skin absorption and inhalation while showering. The Journal also links chlorine to “significant increases in certain types of cancer, asthma and skin irritations…”
The steam inhaled during a shower can contain up to 20 times the concentration of chlorine (and other synthetic chemicals) as tap water. One can absorb as many toxins in one shower as you would drinking chlorinated tap water for an entire week. Studies show that after a 10-minute shower in chlorinated water, your blood levels of THMs* (common Disinfection ByProduct – DBP) can potentially increase by as much as 700%.
*Trihalomethanes (THM) are a group of four chemicals that are formed along with other disinfection by products when chlorine or other disinfectants used to control microbial contaminants in drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in water.
How can your exposure to chlorine and its associated DBPs be higher when you shower? Why doesn't the chlorinated water just bounce off your body? Simply a hot shower causes the pores of your skin to open, which in turn elevates the absorption rate of chlorine and other chemicals directly into your system and causes the body to directly absorb foreign chemicals into your body tissues and bloodstream. Not to mention the fact that chlorine strips the natural protective oils from skin, causing excessive drying.
Different from drinking unpurfied water where your digestive system has the ability to filter out some of the harmful contaminants, in the shower these contaminates are directly absorbed into the bloodstream.
Absorbing and inhaling chlorine and associated DBPs are not healthy for you or your family. Long-term health risks certainly can spike due to chlorine effects on your bodily functions.
from the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency): When chlorine vaporizes in steam in your shower, it converts to chloroform gas. Chloroform can be a strong respiratory irritant and cause fatigue.
The bottom line – When absorbed or inhaled into your body, chlorine DBPs can potentially cause a weakening of your immune system… disruptions to your central nervous system… damaging effects to your cardio system… unhealthy functioning of your renal system… and harmful impacts to your respiratory system.
solutions
Shower filtration is one of the best and easiest ways to reduce our harmful exposure to chlorine and other tap water contaminants. The bottom line is if you're not already filtering your shower water, you should be. Its very important to one’s health to have a high quality filter and to change the cartridges on a regular basis.
Here are two good shower filter solutions:
First the Aquasana, by far the very best basic filter available. A two-stage shower filter that uses a combination o
f copper-zinc oxidation media and coconut shell carbon to reduce 91% of the chlorine in your water, and also reduces synthetic chemicals and enhances pH balance. This means that you’ll be able to enjoy the health and cosmetic benefits of showering in clean water, significant reduction of exposure to toxic chemicals while benefiting from softer skin and healthier hair. The Aquasana filter cartridges last 6 months or 10,000 gallons, this filter allows you to shower in the healthiest water for the best value.
f copper-zinc oxidation media and coconut shell carbon to reduce 91% of the chlorine in your water, and also reduces synthetic chemicals and enhances pH balance. This means that you’ll be able to enjoy the health and cosmetic benefits of showering in clean water, significant reduction of exposure to toxic chemicals while benefiting from softer skin and healthier hair. The Aquasana filter cartridges last 6 months or 10,000 gallons, this filter allows you to shower in the healthiest water for the best value.
Second is a shower filter with the ability to remove Fluoride. this filter utilizes a aluminum resin to remove Fluoride, Arsenic, Heavy Metals and Chlorine. Fluoridation has become common place in most city municipal water treatment.
Beyond filtration
For those who wish to go beyond just filtering their shower water to enhancing their shower water. This filter first filters contaminates from your shower water, then enhances the water with rare volcanic minerals, far-infrared ceramic beads and magnetic rings. These enhancement medias soften and ionize your water and infuse your water with anti-bacterial qualities that help lessen the effects of atopic dermatitis.
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