Sunday, February 12, 2017

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YOUR WATER IS NOT SAFE AS IT LOOKS


What’s in our water? Most of us don’t even want to know. If it’s the public water supply, then it has to be regulated, right? And we can just buy bottled water instead. Well the public water supply is regulated, but not very well at all. And bottled water? It’s barely regulated at all!
It’s important to know what is actually coming out of your kitchen faucet. Ignorance isn’t always bliss. Sometimes what you don’t know can really harm you.

Tap water is regulated, but the regulations are affected by industrial, military and pharmaceutical lobbyists.
Unfortunately, most tap water is far from pure, containing a vast array of disinfection byproducts, chemicals, radiation, heavy metals, and even pharmaceutical drugs. Chemical like Fluoride, which is still being added to many municipal water supplies, can make the water you drink each day more harmful than healing. 1

Tap Water Toxicity








So the “legal” water we drink? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) found 316 chemicals in tap water throughout the country, 202 of which aren’t regulated. And over 60 million of us have been exposed since 2004 to concentrations of chemicals or contaminations that don’t even pass outdated guidelines. And even then the guidelines get tricky too.


Where are some chemicals in your water.
a.     Bromates


Bromate is a chemical byproduct of drinking water disinfection with ozone. Bromate is formed when ozone reacts with naturally occurring bromide found in source water (Richardson 2007; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 2009b; WHO 2004a). Bromate may also form following chlorine dioxide treatment (Gordon 1990; Richardson 2003; WHO 2004A) or from use of hypochlorite as water disinfectant (Bolyard 1992).
Of all disinfection byproducts regulated by EPA, bromate is the most potent carcinogen in laboratory animals (Richardson 2007). Bromate causes tumors of the kidney, thyroid, and lining of the abdominal cavity and internal organs (mesotheliomas) in rats. Bromate is thought to cause these tumors by damaging DNA, both by causing mutations and damaging chromosomes. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded that chemicals that cause mutations are more carcinogenic when exposure occurs during infancy and childhood (Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 2001). The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified bromate as possibly carcinogenic to humans (IARC 2008b). 2


b.     Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs)

Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) are found world-wide in the environment, wildlife, and humans. They have many manufacturing and industrial applications because they impart useful properties, including fire resistance and oil, stain, grease and water repellency.  per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS),  perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). Perfluorinated Compounds (PFOA)
Susan Scutti, CNN report ‘’ Millions of Americans may be drinking water with unsafe levels of industrial chemicals, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters. These chemicals, known as polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances or PFASs, have been linked to high cholesterol, obesity, hormone suppression -- and even cancer.’’ 3
Perfluorinated Compounds (PFOA) nationwide testing has found that 6.5 million Americans in 27 states are drinking water tainted by an industrial compound that was used for decades to make Teflon.
The chemical, known as PFOA, has been detected in 94 public water systems. The amounts are small, but new research indicates that it can be hazardous even at the tiniest doses. PFOA and closely related fluorinated chemicals – including PFOS, once used to make Scotchgard – can cause cancer, birth defects and heart disease and weaken the immune system. 
Even the lowest level of PFOA detected by the water testing, which was mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency, was about five times higher than what’s safe to drink, according to the new research. This means that even if the EPA has not reported finding PFOA in your drinking water supply, it could still be contaminated. 4

In animal studies, PFOA has also been linked to: 5
  • Infertility -- A 2009 study5 found that both PFOA and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), dramatically increased the odds of infertility. PFOS increased the risk of infertility anywhere from 70 to 134 percent, while PFOA was linked to a 60 to 154 percent increase in the chance of infertility.
  • Thyroid disease – According to a study6 published in 2010, PFOA can damage your thyroid function. Individuals with the highest PFOA concentrations were more than twice as likely to report current thyroid disease, compared to those with the lowest PFOA concentrations.
  • Your thyroid has thyroglobulin protein, which binds to iodine to form hormones, which in turn influence essentially every organ, tissue, and cell in your body. Thyroid hormones are also required for growth and development in children. Thyroid disease, if left untreated, can lead to heart disease, infertility, muscle weakness, and osteoporosis.
  • Cancer -- PFOA has been associated with tumors in at least four different organs in animal tests (liver, pancreas, testicles, and mammary glands in rats), and has been associated with increases in prostate cancer in PFOA plant workers. The EPA has ruled PFCs as "likely carcinogens," and has stated that PFOA "poses developmental and reproductive risks to humans."
  • Immune system problems -- Several studies by scientists in Sweden indicate that PFCs have an adverse effect on your immune system. As described in a report on PFCs by the Environmental Working Group7 (EWG), PFOA was found to decrease all immune cell subpopulations studied, in the thymus and spleen, and caused immunosupression.



c.      Arsenic Contamination


Another source water contamination is arsenic—a powerful carcinogen that has been linked to an increased risk of several cases of cancer. Arsenic is a natural part of the earth’s crust and is widely distributed throughout the environment in the air, water and land. It is highly toxic in its inorganic form. 6
Inorganic arsenic is naturally present at high levels in the groundwater of some countries, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, China, India, Mexico, and the United States of America. 7

The level of arsenic in US tap water tends to be high due to natural groundwater contamination.8. But the biggest culprit is actually fluoride, as the most common form of fluoride used for water fluoridation (hexafluorosilicic acid) is often contaminated with arsenic. In fact, according to one recent study,9 switching the type of fluoride used to pharmaceutical-grade sodium fluoride would cut the amount of inorganic arsenic contamination in drinking water by 99 percent!

For people living in areas with fluoridated tap water, fluoride is a part of every glass of water, every bath and shower, and every meal cooked using that water. It seems inevitable that the addition of contaminated hexafluorosilicic acid to the water supply by definition must also increase the cancer rate in the US because of the arsenic it has. 10

Long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic, mainly through drinking of contaminated water, eating of food prepared with this water and eating food irrigated with arsenic-rich water, can lead to chronic arsenic poisoning. Skin lesions and skin cancer are the most characteristic effects.  11



d.     Chromium-6

EWG found cancer-causing chromium-6 in tap water from 31 of 35 cities it tested. Americans deserve the protection of official safety standards to protect our water and health. Learn more.
Laboratory tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group have detected hexavalent chromium, the carcinogenic “Erin Brockovich chemical,” in tap water from 31 of 35 American cities. The highest levels were in Norman, Okla.; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Riverside, Calif. In all, water samples from 25 cities contained the toxic metal at concentrations above the safe maximum recently proposed by California regulators. 12

Other Contaminants Found In Water Supplies
Chromium-6 is getting all of the attention lately, but we can’t turn a blind eye to the rest of the contaminants that creep in our water supplies.
  • Pharmaceutical Drugs: Pharmaceuticals, including disastrously hormone-disrupting compounds, are not removed in city water treatment facilities and circulate in the water system.
  • Heavy Metals
  • Bacteria, Pathogens, Parasites, Fungus, Micro-organisms
  • Fluoride
  • Pesticide and Herbicide Residue

Why Bottled Water Isn’t Always a Better Option


How much do we spend buying bottled water every year? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) says that the cost of bottled water can be up to 1,900 times that of tap water, and the worst thing is: we really have no way of knowing what we’re getting for our money.
Bottled water manufacturers aren’t required to disclose the level of contaminants in their water, and in many cases, it’s simply tap water anyway. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimate that at least 25% of bottled water is really just tap water and 22% of the brands they tested contained contaminant levels above state health limits. 13
In a study of 10 leading brands of bottled water; EWG found 38 toxic pollutants overall with each brand containing an average of 8.
The chemicals they found included arsenic, chlorine by-products, fertilizer, fluoride, fuel propellants, heavy metals, industrial solvents, pharmaceutical drugs, plasticizers and radioactive isotopes. Four of these leading brands also contained bacteria.
More than a third of these chemicals are not regulated whatsoever in bottled water. Two thirds are regulated on a “voluntary” basis, but some of the water tested contained known carcinogens that exceeded even those “voluntary” set limits. A study at the University of Missouri found that one of these leading brands of water increased breast-cancer-cell multiplication by 78%.

How to protect yourself from toxins associated with water
1.   Filters
There are 6 kinds of water filters and 8 different filtering methods.
You can use a pitcher, a faucet-mount, a faucet-integration, a counter-top filter, an under-sink filter or a whole-house water filter.
Filtering methods include: carbon-activated, ceramic, ion exchange, mechanical filters, ozone, reverse osmosis, UV light and water softeners as illustrated by Dr Jose Axe.
Carbon/Activated Carbon Filters
Activated carbon binds with many contaminants and removes them from water. It can remove asbestos, chlorine, lead, mercury and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). But, carbon filters cannot remove arsenic, fluoride, nitrate or percholate. Their effectiveness varies widely by manufacturer–some may only remove chlorine.
Ceramic Filters
Ceramic filters work like spaghetti strainers, blocking sediment and large particles. They do not remove chemicals.

Deionization/ Ion Exchange Filters
An ion exchange filter can remove heavy metals, minerals and charged ions. It cannot remove chlorine by-products, microorganisms or VOCs.

Mechanical Filters
These strainers can remove large particles from water but do not remove chemicals.

Ozone Filters
Ozone can kill bacteria and microorganisms but does not remove chemicals.

Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis filters use a semi-permeable membrane that can trap any molecule bigger than water. They are more effective than carbon filters since they are able to remove fluoride. A reverse osmosis filter is my personal recommendation for the kind of water filter that is best.

UV Light
Ultraviolet light kills bacteria and microorganisms but does not remove chemicals.

Water Softeners
These ion exchange filters remove barium, calcium, magnesium and radium. They do not remove other contaminants. They also add sodium to the water.



  1. Detox To Eliminate Cancer-Causing Chromium-6, Arsenic other toxins from your body.


These and many chemical and heavy metals are being released into our bodies since we use water every day. We have to be detoxing constantly using our natural food and herbs.

Detoxification internally cleanse the body doing away with the toxins accumulated within the body that is beyond the reach of normal cleansing processes.

Natural herb has properties and fiber to eliminate toxins and heavy metals in our bodies and flushed out clean our organs.




Because water toxins are part of our daily life, both inside and out, it may seem that they are a natural part of living that is why detoxification is very important.







References


     Axe, J. “Tap Water Toxicity."
     Retrieved January 03, 2016, from
     https://draxe.com/tap-water-toxicity/

1. 5. 10. Mercola, J. ‘’Fluoride drinking water’’
      Accessed on January 03, 2017 from

2.     Environmental Working Group. ‘’National Drinking Water Database’’.
      Accessed on January 03, 2017 from

3.    Susan Scutti, CNN. ‘’Study: Public water supply is unsafe for millions of Americans.’’
      CNN, August 9, 2016.

4.     Andrews, D. ''Is Your Drinking Water Contaminated with Toxic Non-stick Chemicals?'' EWG.
      Environmental Working Group, August 27, 2015.

6. 7.11. The World Health Organisation, ‘’Media Center –Arsenic’’
      Accessed January 03, 2017 from