This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Pesticides in Water Supply May Cause Allergies

Is the water that your drinking leading to you experiencing allergies?

Drinking tap water has been linked to the increased occurrence of various food allergies in children and adults.

Tap water is often treated with a chemicals called dichlorophenols. These chemicals are used to purify ground water so it can be consumed safely.

According to a report in TIME Magazine, study participants who were found to have greater amounts of dichlorophenols in the body were "80 percent more likely to have food sensitivity than those with lower levels.

Find out what's happening in Eureka-Wildwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The authors believe the exposure to the chemicals may be contributing to a hyper-sensitive immune system that recognizes even common food proteins as foreign." Though the ultimate cause of allergic reaction is unknown, this hypersensitivity is thought to stimulate the immune system's overreaction to basic food products. It is most common in westernized countries.

For the past two decades, rates of food allergies and the use of water-purifying chemicals have both increased significantly. From 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of allergies to eggs, milk, peanuts, wheat, tree nuts, soy, fish and shellfish have increased by about 18 percent.

Find out what's happening in Eureka-Wildwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

About four in every 100 children has a food allergy, but many "outgrow" the allergies as they get older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children with food allergies are more likely to also have asthma or a skin allergy like eczema.

Purify Your Water

Though many people do not drink straight from the tap, we may be overestimating the effectiveness of our water filters or relying too heavily on bottled water. Here are some quick tips to ensure you have safe, clean drinking water.

  • Stop drinking water directly from the tap. This includes brewing your daily coffee with tap water. If you have not done this already simply because of the taste, then start now. Research has shown tap water to contain any number of the following contaminants: chlorine, heavy metals, beta-blockers, anti-depressants, estrogen and pain killers.
  • Ditch bottled water. Plastic water bottles are filled with chemicals called phthalates. Also known as "plasticizers," these industrial chemicals have been linked to reduced sperm count, testicular atrophy and liver cancer in tests on laboratory rats. Stop spending money on bottled water. Instead, buy a single stainless steel bottle--they're phthalate-free and can be used forever.
  • Filter your own water. Other cheaper filters are available, but four-stage reverse osmosis filters are the most effective. Drinking unfiltered tap water has been shown to increase men's risk of bladder cancer.

Clean drinking water represents only a single source of household toxicity.

Though purifying your drinking water does present a significant step in the right direction, dangerous toxins found in bleach, detergents, mold and even damaged Teflon cookware remain. A comprehensive approach is essential to enhance your body's natural ability to detoxify and heal.

 

Detoxification and Weight Loss Resistance

Accumulation of toxicity is one of the leading causes of weight loss resistance and hormonal imbalance, yet it can be overcome by taking small steps to detoxify to your body. By providing your body with the natural ingredients today, you can improve the function of the body's natural powerhouse antioxidant, glutathione. Maximized Living has even created a convenient, safe solution to help your body detoxify naturally.

To learn how to clean up a toxic household, contact Dr. Nick Barnes at drnick@212DegreesOfWellness.com

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Eureka-Wildwood