Chlorine is a toxic disinfectant
Most people are very concerned about chlorine in their drinking water, and as testing has shown there is very good reason to be.
Chlorine in water has been shown to combine with organic matter, forming compounds called trihalomethanes(THM's).
Many of these byproducts have been shown to be carcinogenic.
Studies have shown that pregnant women exposed to unfiltered water, containing chlorine or its byproducts have higher birth complications ranging from low birth weight, premature delivery, nerve damage, weakened hearts and spontaneous abortion.
Children who frequented indoor swimming pools had increased risk of developing juvenile asthma. They also had increased damage to epithelial tissue. (tissue lining the skin and the inside of the lungs)
Chlorine doesn't distinguish between the good and bad bugs
The problem is that chlorine also kills beneficial bacteria, not only our endogenous flora(inside the body), but our exogenous flora(outside of the body) that populates every single inch of our skin.
We have different flora designated to each particular region of the skin. The flora on your elbow would live in an area similar to the desert, while the flora in your armpits the amazon. Some forests denser than others!
These flora are beneficial, there is now proof of a link between gut dysbiosis and autoimmune diseases. Skin that loses its beneficial flora is more prone to abnormalities such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.
Breathing in chlorine vapours is a need for concern
While we may have water filters that remove these nasties, there are still people that do not have a good shower filter.
The body does have a defence when you drink chlorinated water, the digestive system will attempt to breakdown these by products, but inhaled chlorine through hot showers, leaves the body defenceless.
Experiments have shown that during a 10 minute shower, you may consume more of these by-products than if you were drinking 2 litres of chlorinated water a day.
What should you do
First of all, purchase a good shower filter. The next step is to use lower temperatures, the hotter the shower, the larger the amount of chlorine gas formed. Try having a luke warm shower and maxing it out at 3 minutes.
You could turn the shower off, when applying your hair products, then turn it on again to rinse. Similar to washing the body.
Open a window, and turn on a extractor fan.
Swim in outside pools, or even better try natural lakes and oceans.
Apply a natural oil as a moisturiser before you shower or bath to provide a hydrophobic barrier to the water. (This works)
Oils can clean better than soaps. (How many times have you used an oil as a make-up remover?)
My choice in shower filters
I purchased a shower filter from Wrays health food store about a year ago, it wasn't expensive. (about $60)
It did reduce the smell of chlorine and at the time I thought is was great. I recently purchased a more expensive version, online and although I would never spend longer than a few minutes in the shower, I consider it now to be similar to being under a waterfall. It is amazing, the water is ionised, it sounds weird but you have to try it to see.
Heres the link, if you do purchase one can you please let me know what you think.
https://shop.gapsaustralia.com.au/therapy-shower-filter-delux-neutural/
My name is Blair Harvey and I have had the pleasure of working at one of Australia's best Health Retreat's for the past fourteen wonderful years. Over those years I have had the delight of working with a spectacular kitchen team, we all have an immense passion for cooking good healthy food that is unique and tantalizing to your taste buds. Together we have not only developed our skills in cooking wholesome, nourishing and out right delicious foods, but we have been committed to broadening our knowledge of healing with whole foods and exploring the beauty of healthy living. Because of our enthusiasm in the benefits of foods and there healing properties I developed a blog to help us SHARE what we have learnt with the rest of the world.
You will find tasty gems of wisdom on health, food and healing, helping to expand your mind and revitalize your knowledge of healthy eating.