10 Ways Our Contaminated Water Is Making Us Sick
Perhaps because it is so readily and inexpensively available, we all generally take water for granted. Like electricity, we can't possibly live without water, but, still, we assume that it will always be available when we want it.
Of course, electricity isn't a physiological necessity but how many people today in developed countries would be able to function were it not available?
Not only do we expect that water will always be available but we also assume that the water that our communities provide for us (especially the bottled type we pay for) is safe for consumption. Most communities in developed countries treat water for biological contaminants--more specifically, germs.
Such purification "treatments" include fluoride, chlorine, or a combination of chlorine and ammonia (chloramines); it may also include such things as filtration, UV irradiation, and ozone gas.
While these measures are effective against most (but not all) disease-promoting pathogens, they don't adequately (if at all) address either chemical or radioactive contaminants. In fact, most tap water (as well as bottled water) contains dozens of dangerous toxins that end up in drinking water in a variety of different ways.
It is these contaminants (including the chemicals added to water in order to kill germs) that pose a serious threat to your health. These "threats" are manifested or realized in one of these 10 water-facilitated ways:
1. By being inhaled in the form of mist or steam into the breathing passages and the very sensitive-to-pollutants lungs. Depending on the harshness of the chemical or toxin in question, exposure can irritate the breathing passages, damage lung tissue, exacerbate or lead to breathing disorders, or, in worst case scenarios, induce anaphylactic shock or even trigger a heart attack (if breathing is seriously impaired).
2. By providing an effective and/or "sneaky" way to transport dangerous pathogens into our bodies. A direct result can, of course, be the inducement of water-borne diseases (i.e., malaria, cholera, hepatitis A, Typhoid fever, etc.) but other medical complications may also be triggered.
3. By damaging DNA or inflicting other types of genetic degradation, change or complications. This might be brought about, for example, by radioactive water or by mutagenic/teratogenic chemicals in the water.
4. By overwhelming the kidneys and other organs. Water is used by the body to transport things to and from organs. Contaminants in the water we drink (once drawn into our physiology) can produce all kinds of dangerous, dominos-falling-like effects. Both the kidneys and the liver work hard to filter contaminants from the water (and other things) we consume or absorb but, if the contaminants are too numerous or in excessive quantity/concentration, these organs (and the life-saving benefits they provide) can be compromised, perhaps even permanently damaged.
5. By helping disease-inducing microbes and pests to stay alive. Stagnant water in general is often responsible for providing a rich medium for pathogens; it can also serve as the drinking water for things like rats, cockroaches, termites, and other insects/animals. As a general rule, don't allow water to accumulate on your premises, especially in generally-undisturbed containers. Also, be careful when collecting and storing water. Water can become contaminated after a while even if stored in clean containers.
6. By bringing about (or acting as a catalyst for) dangerous chemical reactions. One such situation might involve contaminants in the water you consume reacting with powerful medications you take for an ailment. As disturbing as it sounds, traces of popular medications are now being found in many of our water sources--a result of tons of pharmaceuticals being dumped into drainage pipes, water levels rising (often leading to contamination of reservoirs), and human waste easily seeping into the water table.
7. By disrupting the many important hormones in your body. The very commonly used bisphenol A or BPA, for example, can interfere with the same hormones that affect many life and high-quality-of-living-preserving functions. BPA is often used to line the inside of packaged food containers; it can also be found in plastic bottles of water.
8. By facilitating the accumulation of powerful toxins in your body, over a period of time potentially leading to chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, CVD, autoimmune disorders, allergies, etc. Such toxins may include lead, fluoride, mercury, pesticides, DDT, Strontium-90, heavy metals, chlorine, etc.
9. By exposing you to harmful toxins in indirect and unsuspected ways. You might, for example, not suspect or worry about the water that you clean your dishes with, bathe in, do laundry with, brush your teeth with, use in your toilet or even spray on your car, your lawn and on your house but any of these uses can expose you to dangerous contaminants.
10. By making it easier for toxins and pathogens to get into your cells, thereby promoting potentially life-threatening diseases. Unfortunately, our cells are constantly absorbing or getting rid of water. This is especially troublesome when it comes to viruses which need access to cells and which, once they invade the cells, set up the kind of "shop" that the immune system is in most cases unable to attack or fix.
Conclusion
Although we can't stop drinking water, we can strive to drink, cook with, bathe in and use water that is, for the most part, uncontaminated either with pathogens or dangerous toxins. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, even in developed countries.
The first step you need to take in addressing this serious danger is by no longer assuming that the water that comes from your tap or from bottles you pay for is perfectly safe for human consumption.
For the record, most of the water made available to the public today is contaminated in one way or another. In fact, it's not a question of "if" but how badly.
If you have the means and the curiosity, by all means have your water tested. But the truth is that this is simply not necessary. Your local public water authority and the federal government already do this on a regular basis. You can avail yourself of their published reports.
Those official tests, though, only target a limited number of toxins and microbes. They may not, for example, test for toxins that have illegally or accidentally seeped into water supplies; they may also not test for radioactive contamination.
Your best bet is to obtain the best water purification/filtering system(s) you can afford for your home. A whole-house filtration system, as a matter of fact, will give you the best protection. But even a point-of-use filter in each of your faucets and shower heads will greatly reduce your chances of getting sick because of contaminated water.
Is your health worth the costs involved? This is a decision no one can make for you but, whatever you do, don't underestimate how important such an investment would be for your health and the health of your family members.
Water is the most important thing you consume on a daily basis. Making sure that there is nothing in it that can harm you is a simple exercise in common sense. Or are you one of the millions of people who don't mind playing Russian roulette with their health--using H2O instead of a gun?
References & Resources
1. http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/12-toxins-in-your-drinking-water/
6. http://www.naturalnews.com/028934_water_filters_LifeSource.html
7. https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/water_diseases.html
8. https://www.wellness.com/blog/13282001/are-drinking-water-myths-making-us-sick/fred-fletcher
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