We’ve written before about how absolutely crucial pure water is for your health. Today we want to discuss why using a water shower filter is as CRUCIAL as drinking purified water!
Just drinking enough water on a daily basis is hard enough without having to worry about its purity. Sadly, though, the water that comes out of your tap just isn’t up to snuff. Nearly everywhere in the United States, it’s contaminated (authorities would say “treated” or “enhanced”) with high levels of chlorine, fluoride, and other nasty chemicals.
Fluoride is of particular concern, simply because the U.S. government and even most regulatory agencies are unwilling to recognize it as the poison it is. Studies have demonstrated that fluoride can lower IQ[1] and cause ADHD in developing children,[2] and its consumption has also been strongly correlated with cognitive dysfunction, endocrine dysfunction, mental illness, dementia, and more.[3] You can get the full scoop about why you should avoid fluoridated water in this article.
Don’t think that bottled water is any refuge either. It’s not only grossly unsustainable for the environment, but also is sometimes even more contaminated than tap water. One study found that a staggering percentage of popular bottled water brands are contaminated with arsenic, industrial solvents like xylene and tuolene, pharmaceuticals, nasty pathogens like E. coli, and more.
And here’s the kicker: even if you’re drinking all filtered water, your health is still at high risk from showering with unfiltered water. This article will outline some of the dangers of unfiltered shower water, and will explain why investing in a shower filter is an incredibly wise choice.
Don’t let your showers poison you
It’s tempting to think that as long as we’re not consuming unfiltered water, we’re protected from its dangers—but this just isn’t the case.
The unfortunate truth is that you actually can absorb more of the chemicals and pollutants in tap water through showering than by drinking it. This is because your skin is the largest organ in your body, so the chances of chemicals like chlorine making it into your body are dramatically increased. Warm or hot water also increases absorption by opening your pores.
This video shows just how quickly and completely the chlorine in water is absorbed into your skin. I’ve replicated the experiment at home…it’s a frightening eye-opener.
And the harmful effects of chemicals absorbed through the skin are no trifling matter. One study even demonstrated that exposure to chlorinated water increases the lifetime risk of bladder cancer, kidney cancer, rectal cancer, spontaneous abortion, birth defects, low birth weight, asthma, respiratory tract damage, liver dysfunction, immune dysfunction, and heart problems.[4]
Many of these health problems are linked to the destruction of the microbiome that occurs through exposure to contaminated water. Chlorine and other water pollutants kill huge numbers of the beneficial bacteria that live on and in your skin—a colony that is as essential to your overall health as your gut flora.
Some of these health problems are specifically linked to the inhalation of chlorine and the toxic byproducts that are created when it’s exposed to water, like chloramine and chloroform (yes, the poison that villains use in movies to make people pass out).
Another prominent study found chloroform in the lungs of people showering in chlorinated water.[5] As you may have already guessed, the steam created in a hot shower makes inhalation of chlorine and other water contaminants much, much more likely. And the chemicals carried by the steam even make their way into the rest of your house every time you shower.
Convinced yet that showering with unfiltered is a bad idea?
Luckily, there’s a very easy solution…
Use a shower filter!
Given all the risks discussed above, installing a filter in your shower should be considered a fundamental necessity for maintaining optimal health.
It’s easy to avoid this investment, especially if you’re not sensitive to chlorine (if I shower with unfiltered water, my skin becomes slightly irritated after even only a few minutes, so the choice to purchase a filter was simple). If you ever suffer from dry and itchy skin, asthma, sinus problems, or any of the other health issues discussed above, know that getting a shower filter could be a very simple and direct solution to your problem.
Regardless, make no mistake: no one is immune to the damaging effects of chlorine and its poisonous byproducts. By continuing to shower in unfiltered water, you’re increasing your risk for the conditions listed above, even if you can’t feel any damage happening on a daily basis.
Water filter technologies have come a long way, and there’s now a wealth of options from which to choose.
When it’s this easy to fully protect yourself from such a debilitating toxin source, the investment is a no-brainer. You’ll enjoy smoother and healthier hair and skin…and you’ll be able to rest assured that you’re doing everything you can to minimize the long-term damages of chlorinated water.
References
[1] http://fluoridealert.org/studytracker/22508/
[2] http://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-015-0003-1
[3] http://fluoridealert.org/issues/health/brain/
[4] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16556748
