First things first; what kind of water are you drinking?
Water is an essential part of our lives, without water we could not survive. Over half of the human body is made up of water. Water helps us digest food and to absorb nutrients, move our bodies well, get rid of waste products and keep our body at the right temperature. But lets get real. If your water isn’t right then it doesn't matter how many amazing nutrients, living enzymes and vitamins you pump into your body, drinking crap water will ruin all of your efforts. And if you think water is water, well think again. Read on to learn about some common chemicals found in Australian tap water.
Disinfectants
Water authorities regularly add disinfectants to public drinking water to neutralise pathogens. The most widely used are:
Chlorine – The traditional disinfectant added to tap water across Australia. Effective and inexpensive, but can form potentially harmful byproducts.
Chloramine – A combination of chlorine and ammonia that provides longer-lasting disinfection but fewer byproducts than chlorine alone. Its use is increasing.
Ozone – A newer disinfectant made from oxygen that breaks down to plain oxygen after treatment. More municipalities are adopting ozone for disinfection.
While no one wants to drink contaminated pathogen rich water, the problem with drinking disinfectants is, it is disinfecting your gut! That’s right, every time you have a nice cool refreshing glass of tap water your killing all the good gut biota, which in turn effects your ability to absorb nutrients from the food you eat. Scientists have found that the gut microbiome plays a large role in metabolism, allergy development, weight gain, disease susceptibility and mental health.
Trihalomethanes (THM) which are byproducts of water chlorination, cause damage to your cells and contribute to the pressure of other health conditions.
Doctors suggest that chlorine also creates or aggravates existing skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema as the microbiome on your skin is thrown out of balance.
Continuous exposure to chlorine can cause dry skin or even acne, as the skin struggles to cope with the imbalance.
Studies prove that chlorine in drinking water also increases the risk of breast, bladder, and colon cancer.
Fluoride
While fluoridation policies vary locally, fluoride is still added to the majority of public water systems in Australia to help prevent tooth decay. But some believe its health risks outweigh the dental benefits. There are so many studies now that have found cognitive deficits in children with elevated fluoride exposure.
Heavy Metals
Trace amounts of heavy metals like lead, copper, cadmium, and arsenic make their way into tap water from old piping and plumbing systems. These metals can be harmful, even at very low levels.
Pesticides and Organics
Runoff from farms and other sources can introduce small concentrations of pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, and other synthetic organic chemicals into public water supplies.