There was a time when I thought shower filters were merely gimmicks for health freaks and women with very delicate hair and skin. Reading about various research findings changed my mind. Studies found that filtering your shower’s water likely aids your health more than the tap water filter on your kitchen faucet. While you’re scrubbing, cleansing, and exfoliating dirt and bacteria off your body, your shower head is actually spraying you with water laden with chemicals. This can cause an array of health problems, from skin dryness and irritation, to life-threatening diseases. Basically, without a filter you are showering in a pesticide (which chlorine is, it kills harmful pathogens in water and beneficial bacteria in our body). Still, be aware that scare tactics are common and claims about, for instance, dermal chlorine absorption may be exaggerated. Here’s an overview of the risks, demonstrated by medical science, the benefits of shower head water filters and if they are really necessary for every household. 1. Sickmaking bacteria reside in showerheadsYou probably don’t even think of what is actually coming out of your shower head when you turn on the water and start lathering your loofah. But Biology Professor Norman Pace of the University of Colorado claims that even if you shower by yourself, you’re not alone: millions of microorganisms and bacteria are piled up inside your unfiltered shower head, ready do rain down on you the minute you turn the faucet handle. Pace lead a study in which 50 showerheads from across the country were tested to see how much gunk (what they called biofilm) was building up inside and what exactly was crawling around in that gunk.
It seems like this is all you need to hear before you decide that you need a shower filter, but the benefits of installing one reach far beyond gross showerhead goo.
2. You will look younger and save moneyThere are some pretty convincing cosmetic reasons for getting a shower head filter. The problem with having even trace amounts of chlorine in your shower water is that it bonds to the skin and hair, removing moisture and disrupting the balance of necessary, helpful bacteria that resides on your body.
People who switched to using a shower filter note that “the very first time you shower you can feel the difference in your hair and skin”. In other words, shower head filters make you look younger.
3. More chlorine enters your body via inhalation while showering than through drinking tap waterThe chemical chlorine, used by water treatment facilities, reduces pathogenic bacteria in our water yet it’s byproducts are hazarous to our health. When chlorine reacts with organic matter in water it forms disinfectant byproducts, aka trihalomethanes (THMs) one of which is the cancer-causing chloroform. It is often claimed that, when showering your pores open which leads to increased dermal absorption of toxic substances such as chlorine and its byproducts. By taking a shower without a water filter, you are even more susceptible to chlorine and chloramine than by merely drinking unfiltered water The health risks caused by chlorine absorption are explained as follows in a paper by The Department of Community Health:
Science News reported that researchers found increases in chloroform in study participants’ lungs of about 2.7ppb after a 10-minute shower. Combined with warm water opening pores, skin absorption and lung inhalation during a 10-minute shower showed to be greater than the amount that would be ingested by drinking 8 glasses of the same water. Also, besides chlorine and chloroform there are other airborne chemicals that may be absorbed by open pores while showering. Generally, skin absorption and inhalation causes the chemicals to travel directly to the blood stream, contaminating your body quickly and causing irreparable damage.
A recent EPA rreport notes, “Virtually every home in America has a detectable level of chloroform gas in the air due to chlorine and showering.” Even though study conclusions are sometimes inconclusive, the signs are clear. Chlorine and its byproducts are a cold hard fact and while showering you are exposed in two ways, dermal and via inhalation. So aside from the more aesthetic changes in your skin and hair, a quality shower filter helps protect your body on the inside.
4. A shower head water filter may help you feel fitterDo you sometimes feel worse after a long, hot shower than when you first got in? It might be due to chlorine absorption and inhalation. Chlorine exposure can cause physical fatigue, mental depression, and a lowered autoimmune function, making it harder for your body to ward off infectious diseases and allergic reactions. A shower filter will get rid of those harsh vapors, strengthening your immune system and leaving your mind truly envigorated.
5. Research demonstrates showering can cause cancerVaporized, inhaled chlorine damages lungs. The Center for Disease Control confirms that people who take hot showers are more exposed to chlorine and its hazardous by-products than those who drink unfiltered tap water. This is because when the unfiltered water is heated, the chlorine turns into a gas and is absorbed into the skin or inhaled.
Various publications such as the books Never Fear Cancer Again: How to Prevent and Reverse Cancer and The American Health Hoax: The Surprising Truth About How Modern Medicine Keeps You Sick mention that; “Exposure to vaporized chlorine is 100 times more damaging than drinking chlorinated water”
Two separate studies, one in Massachusetts and one in Colorado, both determined that chlorine, as well as the by-product chloramine (which is chlorine mixed with ammonia) was present in water and was linked to an increase of deaths due to cancer in the bladder, kidneys, and rectum.
6. Chlorinated showers may be risky for pregnant womenFor women who are pregnant, a shower filter is vital in reducing chlorine exposure that may not only put the mother’s health at risk, but the unborn child as well.
Real conclusions can not be drawn from the limited studies, especially not since no studies specifically on the effects of showering in relation to pregnancy have been done. Considering the other health hazards it may be wise to be better safe than sorry though.
7. Children may run developmental health risksFor children, a hot bath or shower with unfiltered municipal water could have dangerous effects on their development. In Belgium, a study was done to find out if there was any correlation between school children who spent time breathing the air in an indoor swimming pool and an increase in lung permeation and the development of asthma. Children who played frequently at the pool had an increased risk of developing juvenile asthma, and in some cases the symptoms were severe.
8. Chlorinated shower damps are known to cause asthma and allergy attacksAsthma and allergy sufferers are reported to have fewer attacks when using shower head water filters blocking the irritants. Even though outdoor air quality has improved the past decades asthma among children has increased by over 300%. Researchers think poor indoor air quality due to synthetic chemicals, especially from vaporized shower water, may be a cause. Also remarkably, the incidence of sinus infections has significantly increased since the Spring of 1990. This is theorized to be likely caused by increased (indoor) air pollution and antibiotics use. Chlorine is known to cause inflammation of the sinus linings.
9. We’re already exposed to so many toxic chemicalsIn our modern day industrialized society we use more than 75,000 toxic chemicals. Our public water supplies are known to contain 2100 of these. Most, if not all, of these toxins can be inhaled and absorbed while showering. Considering that other common chemical pollutants, from fragranced products such as laundry detergent to scented candles, from modern building materials to certain foods, reducing our exposure to toxins is critically important to our health and wellbeing. A shower filter can be a great and effective start in doing so.
Are shower filters really necessary for everyone?It depends on whether or not your municipal water is chlorinated (or contains chloramine). If not you might be able to shower safely without a filter. Some water companies use chloramine (chlorine plus ammonia) to disinfect municipal water. This substance releases ammonia to the air as well thus making it a potentially even more dangerous disinfectant. Check your local water company’s website or give them a call to find out what’s in your water. Shower filters that completely remove chloramine do not exist.
How to pick a shower filter. Which Shower Filter is the best?There are thousands of different brands and types of shower filters on the market today, but the most effective filters use a carbon, Vitamin C, or kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) filtration system. Each type of filter has their advantages as well as some disadvantages, so it’s essential to know what you need to filter out in order to decide which type would work best for your needs. However, generally considered the best shower filters are either vitamin C filters, two stage filter systems or carbon filters containing high-grade carbon, made from coconut shell, instead of charcoal. A very popular and affordable option is the Culligan shower filter.
ConclusionA shower is typically a pleasant experience. Taking a shower can perk you up in the morning and get you ready for the day ahead, or when taken in the evenings can wash some of your troubles away before bed. By using a shower filter, the levels of harmful chemicals and bacteria found in your water may be greatly reduced, decreasing your risk of dermal irritations and possible disease. Once installed, a shower filter removes any sediment that may be present in your water, and reduces the traces of chemicals, making your water cleaner and safer on the body. For most people, a shower head filter is definitely worth the price and the upkeep. It helps you protect yourself and your family from absorbing, inhaling, or consuming dangerous chemicals and pathogens. It’s true that no filter will be 100% effective at filtering your shower or bath water, but they do help decrease the percentage of your exposure to anything hazardous, leaving you with noticeably soft skin and hair and protecting your body from the threat of cancer and other disease.
Featured image, Pixabay. First image, Wikimedia Commons, second photo, Nicolas Fuentes, last photo, psychobabble |
|
来自: 昵称36239717 > 《文件夹1》