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What ISN'T Your Doctor Telling You That Could Save Your Life? Find Out in Our Free Newsletter |
Our Water Dilemma
Many different types of chemicals have invaded our water. This is true of our streams and lakes, but also of our tap water in our homes. Parasites from inadequate water treatment and chemicals are now found in our water supply. The chemicals range from pharmaceutical drugs, to pesticides from agricultural run-off, to detergents (petrochemical in origin), to rocket fuels. Most, if not all of the chemicals now commonly found in our water supply cause many different kinds of health issues.
Rocket Fuel in Water
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has released its long anticipated report on the human health effects of perchlorates, a byproduct of rocket fuel. Perchlorates, which are a common pollutant near military sites, have recently been found in the water at concerning levels in 35 states as well as in 93% of lettuce and milk. 97% of breast milk samples taken randomly from around the U.S.. have tested positive for perchlorates.
Perchlorates can inhibit thyroid function, cause birth defects and lower IQs, and are considered particularly dangerous to children. Read more about perchlorates here or check out this link www.organicconsumers.org/perchlorate.htm.
Pharmaceutical Drugs in Drinking Water
In 2002, the U.S.. Geological Survey (USGS) released the first study of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater-related chemicals in streams across the nation. Most sites were downstream of urban and farming areas where wastewater is known or suspected to enter streams.
The study showed that:
- Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater-related chemicals have been detected at very low concentrations in streams across the U.S.
- Many of the chemicals examined (81 of 95) do not have drinking-water standards or health advisories. Measured concentrations of compounds that do have standards or criteria rarely exceeded any of them.
- Among the chemicals detected were: human and veterinary drugs (including antibiotics), natural and synthetic hormones, detergents, plasticizers, insecticides, and fire retardants.
- Some of the compounds most frequently detected include: coprostanol (a fecal steroid), N-N-diethyltoluamide (an insect repellant), caffeine, triclosan (an antimicrobial disinfectant), tri (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (a fire retardant), and 4-nonylphenol (a detergent by-product).
- 38 chemicals were found in a single water sample.
The main problem is outdated water treatment systems (and the amount of prescription drugs and by-products people are passing into the water system).
"There are a bunch of systems out there, they are probably effective to some degree, but they're probably not completely effective," says Ephraim King, JD, director of standards and risk management in the EPA's Office of Water.
For more info on this article go to http://my.webmd.com/content/article/92/101794.htm.
Estrogenic Substances found in Water
A recent article in "The Denver Post" prompts concern when mutant fish appear in streams near Denver and Boulder (Sunday, October 03, 2004). The cause was found to be estrogenic-mimicking substances in the water such as petroleum products, synthetic hormones (both from people and the meat industry) and others. Read more on this here.
Is Bottled Water Safe?
Hearing about our current state of drinking water will likely lead you to the nearest bottled water. After all, commonly reported is that our current water treatment systems are not designed to remove the host of chemical agents now in our water.
However, studies performed by the National Resource Defence Council (NRDC) have shown bottled water is not necessarily better. The NRDC conducted a four-year review of the bottled water industry and the safety standards that govern it, including a comparison of national bottled water rules with national tap water rules, and independent testing of over 1,000 bottles of water.
The conclusion was that there is no assurance that just because water comes out of a bottle it is any cleaner or safer than water from the tap. And in fact, an estimated 25 percent or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle -- sometimes further treated, sometimes not. For more information on bottled water go to http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/qbw.asp.
Additionally, most bottled waters are packaged in soft bottles. These soft plastics leach plasticizer's into the water. Plasticizer's are another estrogen-mimicking molecule that can add up to a un-healthy affect on the body.
Obviously, it's very important to know the quality of the bottle and of the bottled water you drink.Billions of bottles of bottled water are purchased each year. Plastic takes 1000 years to decompose.
Purchase a water purifier for your home and avoid using plastics - it's better for you and the environment!
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