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Chlorine.The addition of chlorine to our drinking water began towards the end of the 19th century and has been the standard water disinfectant treatment in the UK ever since. Chlorine, which is a bleach, has not been chosen because it is the safest or even the most effective means of purifying our drinking water. We use it because it is the cheapest. In spite of all our technological advances‚ we still pour this bleach into our water before we drink it. The long-term effects of using chlorinated water have only relatively recently been documented. Over 40,000,000 tonnes of chlorine are produced by the chemicals industry each year. It is added to drinking water and used in swimming pools to kill harmful bacteria. Parents are assured that chlorinated tap water is safe for human consumption but, according to many scientific studies, it can be dangerous to humans, particularly children. The added chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in the water, creating a host of dangerous carcinogenic by-products called trihalomethanes (THMs), about which comparatively little is known. It is known, however, that they do not readily degrade, and may be stored in the fatty tissues of the body such as the breasts, mother's milk, blood, semen and other fatty areas. They can suppress immune system function, cause mutations by altering DNA, and interfere with the natural controls of cells growth. Chlorine has also been known to aggravate asthma, especially in children who make frequent use of chlorinated swimming pools. Studies indicate that miscarriages and serious birth defects may be caused by the chlorine added to drinking water. An increased amount of THMs consumed can lead to a higher risk of spontaneous abortion. The same association has been shown with neural tube defects, in which the spinal cord is not properly enclosed by bone. THMs have allso been linked to bowel, breast and bladder cancer. In one (Canadian) study, it was found that about 15% of bladder cancer cases had a direct link to drinking water with high levels of THMs. A study by Dr Niels Skakkebaek of the University of Copenhagen showed that the average human sperm counts have dropped in Denmark by almost fifty per cent due to the presence of chlorine human tissues and breast milk. It isn't just drinking the water that carries the danger, however. "Up to 2/3 of the harmful effects of chlorine are due to inhalation and skin absorption while showering." - The American Journal Of Public Health Chlorinated tap water is, essentially, a weak bleach solution. It can cause skin irritation and has beeen associated with eczema-like rashes . It destroys polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E in the body while generating toxins capable of free radical damage known as oxidation. Chlorinated water destroys much of the 'friendly' bacteria - intestinal flora that help in the digestion of food and protect the body from harmful pathogens. Many chronic, digestive disorders as well as chronic skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, seborrhea and eczema can be improved by switching to un-chlorinated drinking water. Healthier intestinal function may be restored by supplementing the diet with "good bacteria" such as lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus. It is important to realise that chlorine is also to be found in certain 'low-calorie' fizzy drinks Filtering out the chlorine in your tap water for drinking, cooking and showering can minimize or even eliminate some immune system problems. Chlorination is necessary to maintain water disinfection. It would be highly dangerous to abandon it without finding alternatives to treat our water. However, a number of non-toxic options exist that could be employed without prolonged delay, such as ultra-violet light or ozone gas. According to Dr. Joseph M. Price MD, author of "Coronaries/Cholesterol/Chlorine", "We are learning the hard way that all the time we thought we were preventing epidemics of one disease‚ we were creating another. Two decades after the start of chlorinating our drinking water, the present epidemic of heart trouble and cancer began." |
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