The Truth About Chlorine

“Chlorine is the greatest crippler and killer of modern times. It is an insidious poison”. – Dr. Joseph M. Price, MD

“Cancer risk among people drinking and swimming in chlorinated water is 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine.” – U.S. Council of Environmental Quality

“The Chlorine problem is similar to that of air pollution,” -Dr. Robert Carlson, Highly respected University of Minnesota Researcher

“50-60% higher levels of chlorination, in the breast tissue of women with breast cancer, than women without breast cancer”. – Breast Cancer Research Study Findings (Hartford, CT)

What’s in your pool water?

Chlorine is an element that exists as a diatomic molecule, Cl₂. Chlorine is popular because it handles the three main jobs in keeping a swimming pool clean: It sanitizes (kills bacteria and germs), oxidizes (controls organic debris from sweat, body oils, etc.), and deters algae. On the light side, the chemical is unpopular because it has a strong odor, reddens eyes, and causes allergic reactions in some swimmers. But chlorine also has a much darker side, it’s harmful to human health and is a carcinogen. Too much exposure to chlorine has been linked to major health problems including cancer, reproductive disorders and even birth defects.

While chlorine remains to be the most common and popular form of pool sanitation, it is old school technology! There are newer non-toxic, eco-friendly alternative methods that are completely safe and just as effective without the use of chlorine or any other toxic chemicals to humans, animals and the environment.

What your other pool companies won’t tell you…”there is no reason to subject yourself to poisonous chemicals in your pool anymore!”

To make matters worse, people are not testing their chlorine levels and are over-chlorinating their pools and spas to the point of highly toxic and corrosive levels of chlorine. People assume it’s safe and OK because it’s sold in pool stores, approved by the government and an industry standard. The fact is chlorine reared its ugly head during wartime as a chemical-warfare weapon! So, knowing that…who would want to swim in it, have their children swim in it, and/or have their pets swim in it? Also, our tap water is loaded with it. Who wants to drink that?! Consumers are becoming aware of the dangers and demanding safer alternatives. The natural movement is upon us. The time is now. The planet is changing. Be the change you want to see in the world!

Salt Water Pool Myth

Lots of clients that have Salt Water Systems insist their pools are chlorine free. Unfortunately, they are a victim of deceptive marketing. More accurate terms for Salt Water Systems would be: Saltwater Chlorine Generators, Salt Water Chlorinators, Salt Pool Systems, Chlorine Generator, Chlorinator, and Hypochlorous Acid Generator. Which means instead of adding chlorine directly to the pool water, salt water chlorinating systems use electrolysis, which releases chlorine gas from the salt in the water. When the chlorine gas mixes with the water, it creates liquid chlorine, which then mixes with the pool water, providing the cleaning component to the system.

A Saltwater Pool contains exactly the **SAME** Chlorine as a traditional pool. Instead of adding Chlorine directly to your pool, you add Salt (NaCl) that is transformed into pool Chlorine by the pool’s Saltwater Generator. A huge negative side effect is that salt water is corrosive to all metal in and around the pool. For example; ladders, rails, heaters, motors, light fixtures and hardware, and structural stainless steel pool walls. It also creates Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), which is an industrial used caustic material that requires constant monitoring and adjusting of your pools pH level. Saltwater Pools are also bad for the environment as they are neither eco-friendly or chemical free. There are countries that are banning these systems due to salinity. Salinity is the build up of salt in the soil and water. This has a major negative impact on plants, animals, crops, etc. Salinity increases the cost of treating water for drinking, renders farmlands useless, reduces biodiversity of plants and animals, and is costing the economy millions a year.

SKIN

Our Largest Organ

Body organs are NOT all internal like the brain or the heart. There’s one we wear on the outside. Skin is our largest organ—adults carry some 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) and 22 square feet (2 square meters) of it. Our skin protects us from toxins. Our skin is highly absorbent. Do Not put anything on your skin that you CANNOT eat.

A Skin Irritant

We all know what that “chemical” feel of a pool is when we come across it; stinging, blurry eyes and that chemical smell! Now, numerous scientific studies are reporting that chlorinated water is a skin irritant. It has even been associated with skin rashes like eczema.

This is because chlorinated water has the ability to destroy polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E naturally housed in the body, while at the same time, generating toxins that produce free radicals. If you’ve noticed that your skin is growing increasingly irritated by your chlorinated pool, consider supplementing your diet. Some doctors recommend supplementing it with some essential fatty acids, like flax seed oil and vitamin E. Additionally, along with eczema, chlorine has also been shown to aggravate existing skin conditions like acne, psoriasis and seborrhea.

(lovetoknow.com by Jacqueline Dautaj)

Compounds Called Trihalomethanes

What are triahalomethanes and why should they matter to you? For starters, trihalomethanes are carcinogens that result from the combination of chlorine and organic compounds in water. These chemicals do not degrade very well and are usually stored in the fatty tissues of the body. At first glance, that may not seem so bad, but when you consider that some of those “fatty tissues” consist of the breasts, and by extension, mother’s milk, you begin to understand why some people are growing increasingly concerned.

Further, these chemicals, also known as organochlorides, besides being stored in mother’s milk, have been found in other fluids in the body. Namely, blood and semen. The result can be extremely harmful since organochlorides can cause mutations in DNA, suppress the immune function of the body and interfere with cell growth.

(lovetoknow.com by Jacqueline Dautaj)

Other Health Concerns

Unfortunately, the list of dangers of chlorinated swimming pools goes on. Chlorine, especially in children who frequent chlorinated pools, has also been documented as an aggravating factor in asthma. Several studies have also linked chlorine and chlorinated by-products to:

Bladder cancer
Breast cancer
Malignant melanoma
Bowel difficulties

Additionally, scientists are exploring a link between treated, chlorinated tap water and congenital cardiac anomalies.

(lovetoknow.com by Jacqueline Dautaj)

What one puts onto their skin will be absorbed into their body and bloodstream. In effect, you are “eating” the products that come into contact with your skin.

FACTS

Asthma

The odds of children developing asthma increases with exposure to chlorine, presumably mediated by nitrogen trichloride (NCI) (3) — a by product of chemical reactions between ammonia and chlorine that can damage the respiratory thin tissue in children and increase their risk of lung disease. In a study conducted from Catholic University in Belgium, researchers found that regularly visiting chlorinated pools is associated with an increased risk in developing asthma in young children.

Allergies

Chlorine indirectly contributes to allergies through the irritation and sensitizing of the respiratory tract. Experiencing itchiness, red skin or hives is not an allergy but the result of an irritant dermatitis — similar to a chemical burn says the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) caused by hypersensitivity to chlorine.

Bronchospasm

People who engage in daily swimming are prone to bronchospasm — airway narrowing that occurs during or after exercise or physical exertion says Mayo Clinic.

Dental Enamel Erosion

Pools that are not properly chlorinated can cause rapid and excessive erosion of dental enamel, when acids wear away the enamel on a person’s teeth. New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry’s Dr. Leila Jahangiri told NYU’s news publication “improper pH levels can result in irreversible damage to one’s teeth.” “Case studies show that the effect occurs when the pH of the water ranges between 2.7 and 7.” In an epidemiologic survey made of 747 private club pool members published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, it was found that symptoms related to dental enamel erosion were reported by 3 percent nonswimmers, 12 percent of swimmers who were not members of the swim team and 39 percent of swim team members. The swimmers that were clinically verified with dental enamel erosion prior to the study trained regularly in the pool for competitive meets.

Spontaneous Abortion and Stillbirths In Pregnant Women

Swimming is popular among pregnant women because it can ease pregnancy symptoms while helping them maintain their muscle strength and relieve weight-bearing strain on the lower extremities. However, expectant mothers who swim in chlorinated pools can actually harm their fetus due to the toxic chemicals like chloroform, formed by a chemical reaction between chlorine and organic matter, says the U.S. Department of the Interior and the United States Geological Survey. Belina Phipps, from the National Childbirth Trust, told BBC that she supports the call for reducing chlorine content of swimming pool water since vast number of pregnant women in the United Kingdom swim and do aqua exercise programs as a means of fun and to help them cope with their pregnancy. In reference to the potential risks of chloroform and pregnancy – Phipps said “[it] offers a simple solution to limit chemical levels in swimming pool water by reducing the amount of chlorine used — a measure which the NCT would strongly support.” Reducing the amount of chemicals used would not only be beneficial to pregnant women but to all swimmers alike.

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer has been linked to exposure of chlorine by-products in drinking water and through inhalation and dermal absorption. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers observed whether bladder cancer risk was associated with exposure through trihalomethanes (THMs) while swimming in pools. The results of the study showed participants who drank chlorinated water had a 35 percent greater risk of bladder cancer compared to their counterparts, and swimmers who regularly swam in chlorinated pools had 57 percent greater risk of developing bladder cancer.

Chlorine not only kills the bad bacteria that can make us sick, but it also kills good bacteria on which our our skin relies on. According to Dr. Rona, M.D., chlorinated water destroys most of the intestinal flora–friendly bacteria that help not only with the digestion of food, but with the production of vitamins B12 and K. A press release announcing the result of findings reported by quickacneremedy.com on PRLog.org also notes chlorinated water also destroys vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids. All of these factors have been shown to result in acne and other skin irritations, including eczema and rashes.

(medicaldaily.com)

We Care About Your Family

Whether you have a chlorine, salt water or mineral system call Blue Dolphin today because “Happy Summers Start with Healthy Pools.”™