Toxic Cocktail | American Water and Plumbing

Your Toxic Cocktail – Why You Should Purify Your Drinking Water

Susan Gentry

You would be shocked to know what is actually in your water. Depending on your area, as some are worse than others, but here are some items that are typically found in drinking water:

  • Chlorine
  • Lead
  • Copper
  • Bacteria
  • Arsenic
  • Fluoride( toxic ingested-see dangers of Fluoride blog )
  • Fertilizer, Pesticides and Nitrates
  • Insects
  • Parasites ( like Cryptosporidium)
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Sodium

Lets discuss a few of these and why we should filter/purify our water.

Chlorine

According to the US Council of Environmental Quality, the CANCER risk of those who drink chlorinated water is 93% HIGHER than those who don’t. The truth is that most Americans are ingesting 300-600 times the “safe” amount should be. Chlorine was created to protect us from infectious disease, and chlorine alone is benign, but it reacts with organic chemicals already in the water, creating DBP’s, resulting in toxins 100 times more toxic. The effect of  chlorine: Heat attacks, headaches, tiredness, dizziness, eye/sinus/throat irritation, liver & kidney problems,low sperm count (men), miscarriage, still birth, congenital formations, increased odds of  having children with spina bifida, weakened immune system, gastrointestinal issues, arthritis, skin rashes, drying or damaged skin, scalp and hair cuticles.

Lead

The effects of Lead Poisoning are silent, potent, and irreversible. That’s right Permanent! You may not be diagnosed at first, as a neurotoxin may not show up for months. High lead content in the body can lead to : high blood pressure, nerve damage,fertility issues, development of nerve & muscle damage,muscle cramps,serious aliments such as brain damage and anemia, physical & developmental delays, speech deficits, behavior & learning problems, hearing loss, fatigue, kidney & reproductive organ damage.

Copper

Organic copper found in minerals is essential to your health, but Copper found in your drinking water is inorganic and processed differently and more toxic. Too much can cause these adverse health effects: vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea. It has also been associated with liver damage & kidney disease. Children and people with Wilson’s disease are more vulnerable and its much more toxic. Copper works its way into the water from dissolving copper pipes in the plumbing. Over long periods of time, this leads to build up of copper in the body, which leads to Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and diabetes because your body can not process the metal. High levels of copper have been linked to: Gastrointestinal complaints, liver damage, schizophrenia, Autism, childhood hyperactivity, depression, insomnia, senility, premenstrual syndrome, hypertension, stuttering, fatigue, headaches, and muscle & joint pain.

Arsenic

An element found in the Earth’s crust, commonly found in water, but it does find its way into food, soil,and air. It is known to cause a variety of cancers with both short term, chronic or long term effects.  Chronic effects of Arsenic are: Bladder, lung, liver, kidney, prostate and skin cancer, heart disease, strokes and diabetes. Shirt term effects are: nausea, vomiting, neurological -such as numbness or burning sensation in hands & feet, cardiovascular -such as decreased blood cells, creating fatigue, skin coloration & thickening , creating small corn like growths on palms of hands & soles of feet.

Nitrates

Originate in ground water, primarily from fertilizer, septic systems, and manure. Nitrates are extremely dangerous to babies, because of their size and immature digestive systems , and can cause Methemoglobinemia.

Cryptosporidium (parasite)

A deadly parasite which will likely affect your small intestine, causing severe stomach cramps, fever, diarrhea, and nausea. Children may suffer sever cases of malnutrition and dehydration.

The best way to purify your water is through a Reverse Osmosis multi filtration system, ( RO ).  Besides removing deadly pathogens, a Reverse Osmosis ( RO ) removes odd smells and tastes from the water. RO filtration systems eliminate issues by removing contaminants and providing safe water.  Filtered water has benefits for Cancer Patients during chemotherapy or radiation, for patients with auto immune disease or anyone with weak immune systems, by giving them a safe,better option by removing these harmful micro-organisms and tiny germs that can cause infection. Someone with High blood pressure, kidney or liver disease, or someone on salt restrictions can benefit from the sodium being removed. Not only is this a healthy option, but with all of the contaminants, sulfur -based compounds and various chemicals removed, the water now has a cleaner, fresher taste. When you have a home RO filtration system, you save money and protect the environment from purchasing and disposing of bottled water.