How to Clean Up Your Water
What’s in Your Water?
Common pollutants found in most tap waters include:
Lead (from old piping)
Pharmaceuticals (residue that wasn’t filtered out from previous use)
Heavy metals (persistent in the environment)
Plastics (often from packaging)
Animal waste runoff (often from factory farming)
Parasites (no you don’t have to be in a third world country for parasites to be present)
Fluoride (added intentionally for cavity prevention, we’ll discuss this later)
Chloride (added intentionally as a disinfectant)
The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit focusing on toxin exposure, has created an online database that shows what is in your local water supply. A link to their database is here.
Once you pull up the report, you’ll see a list of contaminants that are above the healthy standard set by the Environmental Working Group for your local water supply. There are often several contaminants, such as chloroform, radium and trihalomethanes that are far above what is considered a healthy level.
This report is so wonderful because at the bottom it lists the most effective water filter based on the contaminants found in your water supply. Typically activated carbon and reverse osmosis are the most comprehensive systems for most water supplies.
Action Items:
Get a water filter based on the contaminants in your local water supply. See the attached handout that outlines the different types of water filters and recommended brands.
Remember that some filtration is better than no filtration. If you can’t afford the higher end water filters, start with a more basic model.
If full house filtration is not an option, consider investing in a shower water filter. Added bonus it tends to improve hair and skin health! See the water filter handout for recommended brands.
Flouride in Water
Fluoride was added to municipal water supplies in the 1950s after studies showed a correlation between increased fluoride exposure and preventing tooth decay. Fluoride then became a standard practice in modern dentistry along with the inclusion of fluoride in toothpastes.
More fluoride = less cavities, right?
The issue with correlation is it doesn’t always equal to causation. More recent studies are questioning the validity of adding fluoride to water. There is no known benefit of having fluoride in the bloodstream and the liver, how it is processed when consumed via drinking water. Added fluoride levels in tap water were evaluated for the first time since the 1950s in 2015 where the levels were decreased.
Possible health implications of fluoride:
Joint pain
Digestive upset
Impaired cognitive development in children
Thyroid issues
Increased cardiovascular disease
Potential increased risk of cancer
So do you need fluoride in your tap water? Our recommendation is no. Getting a water filter that filters out fluoride, especially at least 6 months prior to attempting to conceive, is best practice.
If you have further questions about fluoride and dental health, please consult a biological or holistic dentist in your area.
Action Items:
Choose a water filter that filters out fluoride. Some water filters, like reverse osmosis, will do this automatically. Others need fluoride attachments. See the water filter handout for details.
Make the switch to fluoride free toothpaste.
Clean Water on the Go
We can’t always take clean water with us everywhere we go. If you are primarily drinking filtered water at home, you can have more flexibility when you’re out and about. There are ways to drink cleaner water away from home without it being stressful!
If you have the choice between remaining hydrated with tap water or being dehydrated until you have access to clean water, always choose hydration. The goal is not perfection – it’s limiting exposures in your daily environment so the occasional exposures don’t matter as much.
Here are some rules of thumb for clean water on the go:
Ordered bottled water when you’re out to eat instead of tap water.
Glass bottled water is best. If glass isn’t available or doable, spring water in plastic bottles is next best option. Spring water does not contain added fluoride and has good mineral content.
Do not drink out of plastic water bottles that have been heated up, such as sitting in a warm car. The plastic chemicals are more likely to leach into the water.
Avoid purchasing alkaline water or don’t drink it often. Our stomach acid and urine both need to be acidic in order to function optimally. Frequently drinking alkaline water can disrupt the pH of the stomach and bladder.
Purchase a water bottle that has a filter in it so you have clean water wherever you go. Avoid plastic reusable water bottles.
Action Items:
Order bottled water.
Purchase glass bottled spring water when you’re out. Plastic bottled spring water is your next best option.
Avoid purchasing alkaline water.
Purchase a water bottle that contains a water filter in it. See the attached water filter handout for water bottle recommendations.
Steam Rooms, Hot Tubs, and Ice
Steam Rooms:
Heat exposure, when done safely, can be an amazing detoxification practice. People often wonder if saunas or steam rooms are more beneficial. While steam rooms can be helpful for hydration and promoting sweating, they also can be a significant toxin exposure.
Due to the high humidity environment, mold is prone to grow in steam rooms if they are not cleaned properly. Because the water is vaporized, the chemicals in the water are as well. Chlorine, an antimicrobial agent, becomes highly absorbable when vaporized and can have detrimental impacts on the gut microbiome.
Our recommendation is to choose a sauna over a steam room. Consult with your healthcare provider to see if the sauna is right for you.
Hot Tubs:
While hot tubs can be very relaxing, they tend to have the same issue with chlorine being vaporized in warm water. Our recommendation is to avoid hot tub use 6 months prior to attempting to conceive.
Ice:
Ice can be a little tricky because it is typically made from your fridge filter. Unless you have a whole home water filter, we typically do not recommend relying on a fridge filter for your water filtration. It is okay to use for smaller exposures like ice! Make sure you are changing the filter out regularly and cleaning the ducts routinely to prevent mold growth.
Action Items:
Choose sauna over steam room.
Avoid hot tub use 6 months prior to attempting to conceive.
It is okay to use your fridge for ice! Replace the filter when needed and clean the ducts routinely.
