What Can I do About the Chlorine in My Shower and Refrigerator?

Aug. 12, 2010 - PRLog -- Have you ever been to a pool and smelled the chlorine and experienced your eyes burning after swimming?  Have you ever smelled it in your own house?  It’s there too.  Many of us are familiar with the fact that the government mandates that chlorine be used in our water to chemically disinfect and cleanse it of bacteria, germs, and viruses.  However, many of us do not think about chlorine as a toxic chemical that can be potentially harmful to our bodies.  

The body does not only come into contact with chlorine through the kitchen sink.  Chlorine enters our home through our refrigerator, shower, and the dishwasher as well.  It is in the water we drink, bathe in, cook with, garden with, and even make ice cubes with.  Drinking is also not the only way that chlorine can enter our bodies.  When we are in the shower, we absorb chlorine through our skin and also inhale it into our lungs (because it evaporates out of the water). The body actually absorbs more chlorine in the shower than we realize because more hydration and a raised temperature increase the amount of chlorine absorbed into the body. So, we may be consuming more chlorine than we even realize in combination with being ignorant of the potential dangers of too much chlorine.

Chlorine is an oxidative agent, meaning that it kills living tissue.  This is good when it comes to ridding water of some of the harmful contaminants and such, but when it comes into contact with our own living tissue it is not so great.  Chlorine does its job as far as effectively disinfecting our water supply, but it also does other things to our bodies.  Chlorine has been linked to colon, bladder, and other forms of cancer as well as pulmonary edema. It contributes to exacerbating respiratory conditions such as asthma, allergies, and sinus problems.  It is also risky for pregnant women to consume too much chlorine because it may increase the chance of having a miscarriage (Refrigerator Water Filters: http://www.freshwatersystems.com/c-453-refrigerator-filte... ).  Chlorine also does other things that are not necessarily life-threatening, but that are not good for one’s body.  Using shower water with too much chlorine present may dry out and therefore prematurely age the skin.  This is because the dryer your skin is, the faster it ages.  In addition to drying out your skin, chlorine will also cause your hair to become more dry and brittle.

Chlorine’s presence in your community’s water supply may be mandated by the government, but you do not have to keep consuming it in your own home.  Chlorine can and should be removed from the water in your house. Test the level of chlorine from your tap.  You may be surprised to find how much there is.  Test the level in your shower and then take into account that if you are a hot shower person, you are absorbing even more. There are water filter options such as whole house, shower filters http://www.freshwatersystems.com/c-226-shower-filters.aspx , and your refrigerator.  Utilizing these water filters will improve the feel, smell, and taste of your water as well as making it healthier for you to consume.

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