In my last blog on fluoride in our water, I cited many sources of research by many healthcare professionals, proving beyond a doubt, the effects of fluoride on the body. The abundance of health-related conditions to overexposure of fluoride has been validated and confirmed by these professionals.

Over the last six months, there have been many published reports on fluoride toxicity and how the U.S. government has pretty much ignored these reports.

Some of the quick facts from the Fluoride Action Network include:

• Most developed nations, including 97% of western Europe, do not fluoridate their drinking water.
  
• Of the 34 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), only 10 have water fluoridation programs.
  
• Four of the 10 OECD countries with water fluoridation programs have less than 15% of their population drinking fluoridated water: South Korea (6%), Spain (11%), and the United Kingdom (11%).
  
• Only 6 OECD countries have more than 50% of their populations drinking fluoridated water: Australia (80%), Chile (70%), the Irish Republic (73%), Israel (70%), New Zealand (61%), and the United States (64%).
  
• Excluding the United States, just 7% of the population in OECD countries consumes artificially fluoridated water.
  
• In total, 369,656,000 people worldwide drink artificially fluoridated water. This represents 5% of the world’s population.
  
• There are more people drinking fluoridated water in the United States than the rest of the world combined.
  
• There is no difference in tooth decay between western nations that fluoridate their water and those that do not.
  
• Many children now exceed recommended daily fluoride intake from toothpaste alone. 
  
• Fluoride is not a nutrient. 
  
• 36 studies have linked fluoride with reduced IQ in children. 
  

The primary concerns with fluoride’s impact on human health can be summarized as follows:

• Current safety standards only protect against the most obvious forms of harm: Current safety standards for fluoride are based on the premise that severe dental fluorosis and crippling skeletal fluorosis are the first adverse effects that fluoride can have on the body.
  
• The current “safe” daily dose for fluoride fails to withstand scrutiny: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) states that anyone over 8 years of age — irrespective of their health condition — can safely ingest 10 milligrams of fluoride each day for their entire life without developing symptomatic bone damage. Ten milligrams, however, is the same dose that the IOM concedes can cause clinical signs of skeletal fluorosis within just 10 to 20 years of exposure. People with clinical signs of fluorosis can suffer significant symptoms, including chronic joint pain and overt osteoarthritis. Test 
  
• Some people are particularly susceptible to fluoride toxicity: It is well known that individual susceptibility to fluoride varies greatly across the population, and yet, the National Research Council has recently found that breathtakingly large gaps still exist in the safety literature on the effects these populations may be experiencing as a result of current fluoride exposures.
  
• The margin between the toxic and therapeutic dose is very narrow: The NRC concluded that the allegedly “safe” upper limit of fluoride in water (4 mg/l) is toxic to human health. While the NRC did not determine the safe level, their conclusion means that the safe level is less than 4 times the level added to water (0.7-1.2 mg/l) in community fluoridation programs. This is far too slim a margin to protect vulnerable members of the population, including those who consume high amounts of water.

FAN’s Professional Statement to End Water Fluoridation has been signed by over 4,000 medical, dental, scientific, and environmental professionals. Eight recent events make action to end water fluoridation urgent:

1. The publication in 2006 of a 500-page review of fluoride’s toxicology by a distinguished panel appointed by the National Research Council of the National Academies (NRC, 2006). The NRC report concluded that the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) safe drinking water standard for fluoride (i.e. maximum contaminant level goal or MCLG) of 4 parts per million (ppm) is unsafe and should be lowered. Despite over 60 years of fluoridation, the report listed many basic research questions that have not been addressed. Still, the panel reviewed a large body of literature in which fluoride has a statistically significant association with a wide range of adverse effects. These include an increased risk of bone fractures, decreased thyroid function, lowered IQ, arthritic-like conditions, dental fluorosis and, possibly, osteosarcoma.
   
2. The evidence provided by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2005 that 32% of American children have dental fluorosis – an abnormal discoloration and mottling of the enamel. This irreversible and sometimes disfiguring condition is caused by fluoride. Children are now being overdosed with fluoride, even in non-fluoridated areas, from water, swallowed toothpaste, foods and beverages processed with fluoridated water, and other sources. Fluoridated water is the easiest source to eliminate.
   
3. The American Dental Association’s policy change, in November 2006, recommending that only the following types of water be used for preparing infant formula during the first 12 months of life: “purified, distilled, deionized, demineralized, or produced through reverse osmosis.” This new policy, which was implemented to prevent the ingestion of too much fluoride by babies and to lower the risk of dental fluorosis, clearly excludes the use of fluoridated tap water. The burden of following this recommendation, especially for low income families, is reason alone for fluoridation to be halted immediately. Formula made with fluoridated water contains 250 times more fluoride than the average 0.004 ppm concentration found in human breast milk in non-fluoridated areas.
   
4. The CDC’s concession, in 1999 and 2001, that the predominant benefit of fluoride in reducing tooth decay is TOPICAL and not SYSTEMIC. To the extent fluoride works to reduce tooth decay, it works from the outside of the tooth, not from inside the body. It makes no sense to drink it and expose the rest of the body to the long term risks of fluoride ingestion when fluoridated toothpaste is readily available. Fluoride’s topical mechanism probably explains the fact that, since the 1980s, there have been many research reports indicating little difference in tooth decay between fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities.
   
5. In 2000, the publication of the UK government sponsored “York Review,” the first systematic scientific review of fluoridation, found that NONE of the studies purporting to demonstrate the effectiveness of fluoridation to reduce tooth decay were of grade A status, i.e. “high quality, bias unlikely” (McDonagh et al., 2000).
   
6. The publication in May 2006 of a peer-reviewed, case-controlled study from Harvard University which found a 5-7 fold increase in osteosarcoma (a frequently fatal bone cancer) in young men associated with exposure to fluoridated water during their 6th, 7th and 8th years (Bassin et al., 2006).
   
7. The admission by federal agencies, in response to questions from a Congressional subcommittee in 1999-2000, that the industrial grade waste products used to fluoridate over 90% of America’s drinking water supplies (fluorosilicate compounds) have never been subjected to toxicological testing nor received FDA approval for human ingestion (Fox, 1999; Hazan, 2000; Plaisier, 2000; Thurnau, 2000).
   
8. The publication in 2004 of “The Fluoride Deception” by Christopher Bryson. This meticulously researched book showed that industrial interests, concerned about liabilities from fluoride pollution and health effects on workers, played a significant role in the early promotion of fluoridation. Bryson also details the harassment of scientists who expressed concerns about the safety and/or efficacy of fluoridation.
   

This statement concludes, “It is time for the US, and the few remaining fluoridating countries, to recognize that fluoridation is outdated, has serious risks that far outweigh any minor benefits, violates sound medical ethics and denies freedom of choice. Fluoridation must be ended now.”

US Government Admits Americans Have Been Overdosed on Fluoride

Even the government has fessed up about the need for reducing fluoride. According to a report published by Dr. Mercola on May 12, 2015, “The US government has finally admitted they've overdosed Americans on fluoride and, for first time since 1962, are lowering its recommended level of fluoride in drinking water.

About 40 percent of American teens have dental fluorosis, a condition referring to changes in the appearance of tooth enamel—from chalky-looking lines and splotches to dark staining and pitting—caused by long-term ingestion of fluoride during the time teeth are forming.

In some areas, fluorosis rates are as high as 70-80 percent, with some children suffering from advanced forms.

The former recommendation called for a fluoride level of 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of water. The new upper limit set by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is 0.7 mg/L, to prevent these visible signs of toxic overexposure.

According to Indybay Organization in their report on July 12, 2015 titled  “Mama’s, Don’t Let Your Babies Drink Fluoride”, “Fluoride was recently classified by leading scientists Philip Landrigan and Philippe Grandjean as a developmental neurotoxin in the March 2014 journal Lancet Neurology, and research now shows that fluoride can damage the fetal brain, adversely affect newborn babies’ behavior, damage the central nervous system of fluoride-exposed workers, and affect performance on neurological assessment tests. Forty-four human studies now show fluoride reduces IQ; 17 at levels the US EPA claims are safe. Over 100 animal studies show fluoride can directly damage the brain; with another 30 animal studies showing fluoride impairs learning or memory — including four published in 2014.

“Unfortunately, fluoridation promotion is not science-based but is politically motivated. While it’s important to avoid fluoridated water especially for infants, it’s imperative that parents contact legislators and tell them to stop adding unnecessary fluoride chemical into the public’s water supply,” says Paul Connett, PhD, FAN Executive Director and co-author of The Case Against Fluoride.

Developmental neurotoxins are capable of causing widespread brain disorders such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, and other cognitive impairments.

In March, an article published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health was the first to systematically look at the relationship between the behavioral disorder and water fluoridation. The study, “Exposure to fluoridated water and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder prevalence among children and adolescents in the United States: an ecological association,” found that “each 1% increase in artificial fluoridation prevalence in 1992 was associated with approximately 67,000 to 131,000 additional ADHD diagnoses from 2003 to 2011.”

Besides being unaware of fluoride’s neurotoxicity, most parents are not informed that routinely mixing infant formula with fluoridated water increases babies’ risk of dental fluorosis (discolored teeth) without any benefit. Bottle-fed infants in fluoridated communities get about 200 times more fluoride than breast-fed babies. The CDC reports that 41% of teenagers have dental fluorosis – a physical marker that too much fluoride was ingested while their teeth formed. Dental fluorosis is increasing. Black and Hispanic children have higher rates of fluorosis than White children.

“The last children that need to lose IQ points are children from low-income families, and yet they are precisely the children being especially targeted with fluoridation programs, largely because 80% of US dentists will not treat children on Medicaid,” says Connett .

“This is a classic case of good intentions going awry,” said Dr. William Hirzy, a former risk assessment specialist at the US EPA and FAN’s Washington, DC, representative.”

Fluoride and the Link to Behavorial Disorders Substantiated


A recent report on June 14, 2-15 from Dr. Mercola, cites a new study that links water fluoridation to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States. The study, entitled: “Exposure to fluoridated water and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder prevalence among children and adolescents in the United States: an ecological association,” was published in the journal Environmental Health in February.

According to the authors:

“State prevalence of artificial water fluoridation in 1992 significantly positively predicted state prevalence of ADHD in 2003, 2007 and 2011, even after controlling for socioeconomic status.

A multivariate regression analysis showed that after socioeconomic status was controlled each 1 percent increase in artificial fluoridation prevalence in 1992 was associated with approximately 67,000 to 131,000 additional ADHD diagnoses from 2003 to 2011.

Overall state water fluoridation prevalence (not distinguishing between fluoridation types) was also significantly positively correlated with state prevalence of ADHD for all but one year examined.

Conclusions: Parents reported higher rates of medically-diagnosed ADHD in their children in states in which a greater proportion of people receive fluoridated water from public water supplies."

Elevated Hypothyroidism Rates Linked to Fluoride Consumption in the UK

Also in February, a major fluoridation study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health--a British Medical Journal (BMJ) publication—and it’s already getting major media attention.

The study is a large observational evaluation of GP practice data and fluoride levels in drinking water. It’s the first study to ever look at fluoridation and hypothyroidism in a large population, in this case, England.

It found a relatively strong and statistically significant effect, with General Practice (GP) areas being 62 percent more likely to have high rates of diagnosed hypothyroidism if their drinking water fluoride levels were above 0.7ppm compared to areas with fluoride levels below 0.3ppm.

This was after researchers had accounted for key confounders, which are other factors that influence hypothyroid rates.

According to FAN’s Science Director, Chris Neurath:

“Scientific and medical research stretching back to the 1920s has shown that fluoride can affect the thyroid. The levels of fluoride exposure known to lower thyroid function overlap with the levels of exposure known to occur in some people drinking artificially fluoridated water.

Hypothyroidism is a very common disorder in the US. It can have serious adverse health effects. Reduced thyroid function in pregnant women is linked to reduced IQ in their children.

There is accumulating evidence that fluoride, at levels within the range fluoridated populations are exposed to, is associated with lowered IQ. Fluoride's effect on thyroid function might be the mechanism by which it lowers IQ.”

The article notes that "thyroid dysfunction is a common endocrine disorder..." The first time fluoride was labeled an endocrine disrupter was in the 2006 report6 of the National Resource Council of the National Academies.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “Research shows that endocrine disruptors may pose the greatest risk during prenatal and early postnatal development when organ and neural systems are forming.”

HHS Admits Overexposing Americans to Fluoride

In April, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) admitted that the fluoride levels, which they promoted and encouraged as safe, has damaged children’s teeth. Because of the major increase in dental fluorosis (white spotted, yellow, brown and/or pitted teeth) on the teeth of 41 percent of teenagers, HHS says that water fluoride levels should be lowered to 0.7 mg/L (formerly most communities used 1 mg/L while the guideline was 0.7 – 1.2 mg/L) and in 10 years they’ll check children’s teeth to see if they were right about this new level.

In January 2011 when the HSS first announced this recommendation, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water released documents to substantiate the safety of continuing water fluoridation. However, the EPA has not yet responded to the many substantive comments they received.

So while HSS has finalized the guideline for the level of fluoride in fluoridation schemes, the safety of the issue has not yet been addressed. The HSS response to these concerns was to whitewash them. HHS ignored hundreds of animal studies that reported adverse health effects from fluoride and the 43 studies linking fluoride to children’s lowered IQ. When fluoridation began, officials had no idea that fluoride could affect cognitive functions. 

We Can Reduce Our Exposure to Fluoride


There are currently a few ways to eliminate fluoride from our tap water. Reverse osmosis has been the treatment of choice for many years, but activated alumina and bone char are two medias used with a great amount of success for reducing fluoride. Bone char, in particular, can also be constructed in point-of-entry systems to reduce fluoride in the entire home. A three-stage point-of-use water filtration system with bone char will give fluoride-free, clean drinking water. Besides removing fluoride from drinking water, non-fluoridated toothpastes are readily available, and parents should consider these products especially for younger children. Consumers do have a choice today, and it is up to us to continue the fight for our health and welfare.


Sources:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/are-you-feeding-a-brain-toxin-to-your-babies-300110634.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/06/14/fluoride-health-effects.aspx
http://fluoridealert.org/content/oecd_nations/
http://fluoridealert.org/issues/health/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/12/fluoride-overdose.aspx?x_cid=ranart_fluoride-overdose_facebook-os-hhl

 

The U.S. consumer has been brainwashed and duped for over 55 years in believing the benefits of fluoridation to prevent tooth decay. Without knowing what fluoride really is, we have been convinced by the medical industry that it is an essential chemical for our teeth.

It is more interesting to point out that About 97% of western continental Europe has rejected, banned, or stopped fluoridation due to environmental, health, legal, or ethical concerns. Other countries that have also banned fluoridation of water are Japan, China, Israel, and India.  So, we must ask ourselves, why doesn’t the United States take a more proactive stand to protect the health of its citizens. As with other deceptions that have been allowed to continue on in this country over the last ten years, I believe it is all about the money and the lobbying that has taken place by the aluminum and fertilizer industries. Most consumers do not know that fluoride is a highly toxic by-product of these industries, and they have convinced us that this toxin is beneficial to our teeth. The fluoride used for water fluoridation does not have FDA approval and is considered by the FDA as an "unapproved drug".

Some scientific facts on the biological effects of fluorides by Allen Buresz, D.C.:
1.     Fluoride exposure disrupts the synthesis of collagen and leads to the breakdown of collagen in bone, tendon, muscle, skin, cartilage, lungs, kidney and trachea
2.     Fluoride stimulates granule formation and oxygen consumption in white blood cells, but inhibits these processes when the white blood cell is challenged by a foreign agent in the blood.
3.     Fluoride depletes the energy reserves and the ability of white blood cells to properly destroy foreign agents by the process of phagocytosis. As little as 0.2 ppm fluoride stimulates superoxide production in resting white blood cells, virtually abolishing phagocytosis. Even micro-molar amounts of fluoride, below 1 ppm, may seriously depress the ability of white blood cells to destroy pathogenic agents.
4.     Fluoride confuses the immune system and causes it to attack the body's own tissues, and increases the tumor growth rate in cancer prone individuals.
5.     Fluoride inhibits antibody formation in the blood.
6.     Fluoride depresses thyroid activity.
7.     Fluorides have a disruptive effect on various tissues in the body.
8.     Fluoride promotes development of bone cancer.
9.     Fluorides cause premature aging of the human body.
10.  Fluoride ingestion from mouth rinses and dentifrices in children is extremely hazardous to biological development, life span and general health.

The latest research on fluoride toxicity has lead to the discovery of it being a neurotoxin. New research is also raising doubts about its efficacy for the tooth decay prevention, and, hence, many countries finally outlawing this treatment practice. This country has had a multiple-fold increase in learning disabilities, autism, hypo-thyroidism, cancer immune system disorders and other chronic ailments. All of these could be attributed to exposure to fluoride in our drinking and bathing water.  As one doctor aptly stated: “No physician in his right mind would prescribe for a person he has never met, whose medical history he does not know, a substance known to be extremely toxic in low doses, with the intention of creating bodily change, with the advice: ‘Take as much as you like for the rest of your life because some children suffer from tooth decay.’ It is a preposterous notions.”

According to the Environmental Working Group, water fluoridation is a public health problem. Fluoride is often added to municipal water to reduce tooth-decay in children, but when consumed in water it actually has very little effect on dental health. The chemical is most effective when applied directly to teeth in toothpaste or mouth-rinse.

A growing body of evidence demonstrates the known and potential health consequences of fluoridated water:
·      Permanent fluoride spotting on teeth (called dental fluorosis) is common and generally innocuous
·      A 2006 National Research Council review indicated that long-term exposure to fluoride in water increases bone fracture rates.
·      The same review concluded that fluoride might also affect thyroid, immune, and endocrine systems.
·      Perhaps of greatest concern is a 2006 peer-reviewed study by four Harvard scientists and medical doctors indicating a correlation between fluoride exposure and increased incidence of osteosarcoma -- a dangerous bone cancer -- in boys.

According to the Fluoride Action Network, FluorideAlert Thyroid Nation:
“The effects of fluoride on various aspects of endocrine function should be examined, particularly with respect to a possible role in the development of several diseases or mental states in the United States. Major areas of investigation include . . . thyroid disease (especially in light of decreasing iodine intake by the U.S. population).” (National Research Council 2006).

The thyroid gland, which regulates the body’s metabolic rate, plays an exquisitely important role in human health. Because all metabolically active cells require thyroid hormone for proper functioning, thyroid disruption can have a wide range of effects on virtually every system of the body. Chemicals that interfere with thyroid function must be treated with great caution. According to the U.S. National Research Council, and as discussed below, there is substantial evidence that fluoride exposure can impact thyroid function in some individuals.

Based on fluoride’s anti-thyroid effects in hyperthyroid patients, concerns have arisen about whether current fluoride exposures could be contributing to the increased prevalence of under-active thyroid (clinical and/or subclinical hypothyroidism) in the United States and other nations. Supporting this possibility are a number of studies from China, India, and Russia that have found alterations in thyroid hormones, including reduced T3 and increased TSH, in populations exposed to elevated levels of fluoride in the workplace or in the water. (NRC 2006; Susheela 2005; Mikhailets 1996; Yao 1996; Bachinskii 1985; Yu 1985).

Read: The Case against Fluoride: How Hazardous Waste Ended Up in Our Drinking Water and the Bad Science and Powerful Politics That Keep It There by Dr. Paul Connett. Paul Connett, a chemist by training and director of the Fluoride Action Network (FAN), is recognized worldwide as a leader in the movement to eliminate fluoride from municipal water supplies, and I'm pleased to be working with him to achieve this goal.

In July of 2012, a team of Harvard researchers published a “meta-analysis” of 27 studies that have investigated the relationship between fluoride and human intelligence. (Choi 2012) The overwhelming majority of these studies found that fluoride exposure was associated with reduced IQ in children. In fact, 26 of the 27 studies that met the Harvard team’s inclusion criteria found a relationship between elevated fluoride and reduced IQ. The Harvard team thus concluded that fluoride’s effect on the developing brain of children should be a “high research priority” in countries like the U.S. where, despite mass fluoridation programs, no studies have yet been conducted to investigate the issue.

As noted by Dr. Philippe Grandjean, an environmental health scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health: “Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain. The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.”

From Dr. Mercola’s article: “The Truth About Fluoride Becoming More Widely Know”
Ten facts about fluoride you should be aware of:
1.     Most developed countries do not fluoridate their water.
2.     Fluoridated countries do not have less tooth than non-fluoridated countries
3.     Fluoride affects many tissues in the body beyond the teeth (bones, brains, thyroid and pineal glands, various organs)
4.     Fluoridation is not a natural process
5.     40% of American teenagers show overexposure to fluoride leading to dental fluorosis.
6.     For infants, fluoridated water provides no benefits, only risks; new rules are suggesting not giving fluoridated water to infants.
7.     Fluoride supplements have never been approved by the FDA but are sold by presecription.
8.     Fluoride is the only chemical added to water that does nothing for the water but is claimed to have medical benefits.
9.     Ingesting fluoride provides little benefits to teeth.
10.  Disadvantaged communities are the most disadvantaged to fluoride water treatment.

In conclusion how do we, as consumers in the U.S., protect ourselves? Unfortunately, fluoride in tap water is not easily removed. Traditional carbon-based water treatment systems will not remove fluoride, but there are special medias that can be combined in a water filtration system to treat this. These two medias, one called activated alumina and the other, bone char, do a fairly decent job in reducing fluoride from drinking water. There are some limitations to both medias, but I would recommend the latter, because it is a naturally derived media that actually can reduce much more that just fluoride. The best system available is a reverse osmosis (RO) water purification system which will remove all fluoride. We can protect ourselves against this very toxic substance with affordable water treatment systems. Secondly, stop using toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain this toxic chemical. It is up to us and how we choose to be responsible for our own health. Staying informed today is critical for our survival.

Sources:
http://enjoyabetterworld.com/2011/01/30/fluoride-poison-fluoride-removal-and-fluoride-water-treatment/#sthash.b1MSKCFE.dpuf
http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2007/08/ask-ewg-what-can-i-do-about-fluoride-my-water
http://www.fluorideactionnetwork.com
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/03/30/fluoridation-drinking-water.aspx
http://all-natural.com/fleffect.html

We have an overabundance of health-related ailments and diseases today, but the experts continue to scratch their heads as to the source. Maybe, just maybe they really know and cover up the facts for the all-mighty dollar.  It now seems a matter of life and death for all of us consumers to take charge and become aware of our surroundings instead of living in a bubble. It’s all about fighting for our rights and that includes standing up for them and going the distance…I mean getting involved with environmental groups, sign petitions, etc., because they do count. Many groups such as Environmental Working Group, Food and Water Watch, and Consumers Union have fought diligently for consumer rights and have won some fights. They cannot do it alone.

I have had a passion for a long time since getting into the water treatment business to help consumers make an informed decision about the water they drink. Much of it is not fit to drink out of the tap, but it is up to them.

One of the contaminants that continues to reek havoc on our bodies is lead. Lead is considered the number one health threat to children, and the effects of lead poisoning can last a lifetime. Not only does lead poisoning stunt a child’s growth, damage the nervous system, and cause learning disabilities, but it is also now linked to crime and anti-social behavior in children.

One study by Environmental Health Perspectives showed that as many as 21 percent of all ADHD children actually have lead poisoning. Several small studies have linked autism symptoms with lead poisoning, and state that recovery from lead-induced autism is possible. Common sources of exposure include dinnerware, artificial food coloring and toys. - See more at: http://www.naturalhealth365.com/autism_news/chemicals.html#sthash.BGT3LbkX.dpuf

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, there are approximately 7,500 cases of illness linked to drinking water in the United States each year. This number is much lower than what is generally accepted, because drinking water contaminants are often not considered in the diagnoses of illnesses. Lead is "a highly toxic metal the agency considers a major public health threat", according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The National Centers for Disease Control considers lead to be the country's number-one preventable pediatric health problem. More than 30 Million Americans are drinking water with lead levels in excess of the Maximum Contaminant Level set by the EPA.

According to the recently released lead toxicological profile for lead from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), “the adverse health effects of lead range from slight increases in blood pressure at 10 ug/dL to severe retardation and even death at very high blood-lead levels of 100 ug/dL. High lead levels in pregnant women increase the risk of complications in their pregnancies, and damage to the fetuses. High lead in men can cause heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, and hypertension.”

Over 98% of homes in the U.S. have pipes that contain lead or lead solder. The main sources are lead pipes or copper pipes connected by lead solder, and from brass faucets, which also contain lead ( most chrome plated faucets are made of brass which is 8% lead). The level of lead in tap water should not exceed 5 parts per billion.

Lead, a metal found in natural deposits, is commonly used in household plumbing materials and water service lines. The greatest exposure to lead is swallowing or breathing in lead paint chips and dust. Lead in drinking water can also cause a variety of adverse health effects. Infants, children, pregnant women, and fetuses are more vulnerable to lead exposure than others because the lead is more easily absorbed into the sensitive tissue of actively growing bodies. An equal concentration of lead is more destructive in a child than in an adult. Pregnant women should also be especially cautious about lead exposure, because it can cause premature birth, and reduce the birth weight of babies. In babies and children, exposure to lead in drinking water above the action level can result in delays in physical and mental development, along with slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. In adults, it can cause increases in blood pressure. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure.

Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. The most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures which can leach significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water.* Even with newer homes, lead contamination can be a problem. Chloramines used to disinfect the majority of our drinking water can cause leaching of lead from lead pipes, lead soldering and from so called “lead free” brass plumbing parts. Lead leached by chloramines can cause lead poisoning. Lead poisoning can cause neurological damage, health problems and even death in young children.

In conclusion we can all do our part as consumers. Be aware of leaded products at home. There are many more non-toxic alternatives today. Be conscious of what you put down the drain, because it will eventually land up somewhere in the water table. If you suspect lead in your water, get it tested. There are inexpensive tests at your local retailers. Use special water filtration to remove toxic lead from your drinking water.

* From the U.S. EPA Drinking Water Contaminants Effects of Lead Contamination: Infants and children: Delays in physical or mental development; children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities

I have always had a passion to help and educate people is some capacity. Having had an opportunity in the last ten years to learn all about water, it is this subject that my passion has turned to.

In the world of survival, water is the most essential nutrient of life, and, without it, we cannot survive. “According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.”  So that makes our body composed of over 60% water.

Water helps your body with the following:

• The body requires water to maintain the volume of blood and other fluids. When more water is lost than taken in, dehydration can result.
  
• Water lubricates and cushions your joints.
  
• Water protects your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues.
  
• Water is necessary for the dissolution and dispersion of vitamins, minerals, glucose, amino acids and other nutrients. 
  
• Water also assists with the digestive process. It gets rid of wastes and toxins through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.
  
• Water is essential for regulating body temperature through thermoregulation.
  

With that said, how do we think, in an emergency or disaster, we could have enough water to sustain ourselves for many days. We have seen, all over the world in recent years, an increase in disasters resulting in a need for large volumes of clean drinking water for survival. But yet government agencies, The Red Cross, FEMA and even news agencies promoting the need for storing bottled water. That doesn’t really work in many of the recent disasters we have seen. Bottled water has a limited shelf life, and in many cases you might need water for a week or more. Now how can we store and move all of that water especially if it is for a family? It is the most ridiculous notion, but yet even to this day, the solution is bottled water. You might think those agencies are being paid off by the bottled water industry! There is a solution and there has been a solution for many years. I have written about this previously but events in the last two weeks in Los Angeles has prompted me to reinforce my passion. There has been an increase in earthquake activity in California which always prompts the news media to promote their “emergency kit contents” or some web site that sells emergency kit products – none of which address long term water survival.

I have been promoting survival products from a trustworthy company for many years, a company which designed the water filtration bottle. I have tried and tested this bottle in many compromised water areas, including other countries, streams, lakes, rivers, and this bottle truly is the solution for emergency preparedness. The EAqua Survival Water Filtration Bottle will remove over 99% of log 6 virus levels, and not to mention so many other pathogens and contaminants from fresh water. The filter can be used for over 400 uses of the 28-oz. bottle, so you could absolutely have all the water you need from any source, even some unmentionable sources if you were stuck outside with no other water resource. This bottle has been used by the military during wars and many disasters around the world. The filter is also available for use as a pump system, can be attached to a filtration pack and also be used a gravity-fed system. EQua is your solution for your survival and emergency kit.

Let’s All Do Our Part in Water Conservation

The extreme climate changes happening in the world today must prompt many of us to think about how we can do our part in conserving water in our homes. In the United States, we continue to take water for granted. Just last week, the governor of California declared a drought state of emergency, taking action to prevent future mandatory cutbacks in water usage. Now is the time for residents in California, as well as industries, to seriously look at ways to conserve water. For residents, it is a fairly easy task, but the big question is: "Do people really want to change their bad habits? And moreover, do we want our government to tell us we can't freely use our water?" This is a big problem with most people, but we must review our water usage before it is too late. Below are several simple ways to conserve water without taking away your rights.

Facts About Water Use and Waste

• About 65% of indoor home water use occurs in our bathrooms. Toilets are the single greatest water user.
  
• “UNESCO has predicted that by 2020, water shortage will be a serious worldwide problem.”
  
• Did you know that in Canada in 2001, the average person used more than 335 litres of fresh water a day?
  
• In your house check for leaks from faucets and pipes; even the smallest drip can waste as much as 75 liters a day.
  
• Almost 80% of the earth’s surface is covered in water. Of this, 97% is salt water, 2% is glacial ice. That leaves less than 1% as fresh water for use to use.
  
• The human body is about 70% water; we cannot survive more than a week without water.
  
• A mere 10% of our home water supply is used in the kitchen and as drinking water.
  
• Indoor water use peaks twice a day year-round, in the mornings and evenings.
  
• The biggest peaks during the year occur in the summer, when about half to three-quarters of all municipally treated water is sprayed onto lawns.
  
• As communities grow, the water use grows even faster, because the diversity of water uses increase with size.
  

Ways for Water Conservation

Throughout the house
Check for leaks from faucets and pipes — even the smallest drip can waste as much as 75 liters a day.

In the bathroom

• Flush less — remember, the toilet is not an ashtray or wastebasket.
  
• While brushing teeth, shaving, etc., turn off the water.
  
• Take shorter showers.
  
• In the shower, wet yourself down, turn the water off, lather up, then turn the water on to rinse off soap.
  

In the kitchen

• Operate the dishwasher only when you have a full load.
  
• Scrape, don’t rinse, your dishes before loading in the dishwasher.
  
• When purchasing a dishwasher, consider a water-efficient model.
  
• Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or microwave, not under running water.
  
• Store drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the tap run while you wait for cool water to flow.
  
• When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink to one-third or one-half full — avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.
  

In the laundry

• For washers with variable settings for water volume, select the minimum amount required per load.
  
• If load size cannot be set, operate the washer with full loads only.
  
• Use the shortest wash cycle for lightly soiled loads; normal and permanent press wash cycles use more water.
  
• Check hoses regularly for leaks.
  
• Pretreat stains to avoid rewashing.
  

If possible check out systems for recycling your water. There are several greywater recycling systems available and depending on your state (check on regulations and permitting), you can install these to recycle your laundry and shower water, two areas where the some of the most waste water occurs. These systems can be used for irrigation and, in some cases, for flushing your toilets.

With more drought conditions in the Western United States and other areas throughout the world today, it is critical for us to do our part in water conservation. In the United States, we take water for granted, and  there may come a time in the near future where we have severe shortages as in Africa and have no water for everyday use. As responsible citizens, NOW IS THE TIME! Do your part!

BPA In Water Bottles And Other Plastic Products 

Summer’s almost fully upon us, and the hotter we get, the more water we drink. But, what about those rumors we’ve heard about plastic water bottles causing cancer? We’ll never forget when Sheryl Crow attributed her breast cancer to the BPA (Bisphenol A, a chemical used in plastics) in re-used water bottles. 

According to Shanaz H. Dairkee, Ph.D., a Senior Scientist of Cancer Research at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute and Consulting Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, BPA is all around us, everywhere. “We are swimming in it,” she says. “In our homes, workplaces, schools, and recreation areas.” She points out that it’s used to line food cans and paper plates, in beverage bottles, and even in cash register receipts. 

Beverly Rubin, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Anatomy & Cellular Biology at Tufts University, says BPA is also in the soil, ground water, and in the dust that collects both indoors and outdoors. And, it’s not just around us: a whopping 93% of people in the U.S. have appreciable levels of BPA in their urine, according to Cheryl S. Watson, Ph.D, the editor-in-chief of Endocrine Disruptors (Landes Bioscience Journals) and professor of bio-chemistry and molecular biology at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dr. Dairkee says that BPA has also been found in human blood, breast milk, and fetal liver - which indicates that BPA can cross the placenta. 

The danger of BPA in our bodies lies in its relationship to estrogen, Dr. Watson says. “BPA resembles (but is not exactly like) natural estrogens, and can mimic or disrupt the actions of the body’s own estrogens, for both males and females.” When a body has too much estrogen, Dr. Dairkee says, it can initiate cancer and precancerous lesions in estrogen-sensitive tissues. The effect has has been proven in animals, with results that repeat across species. Though this isn’t technically direct evidence that BPA causes cancer in humans, humans are indeed animals, and the results of these tests should be taken seriously. 

So, should you ditch your water bottle? Dr. Dairkee says that re-using plastic does indeed cause more BPA to leach out of the product. And, it’s even worse for water bottles left in the sun or in a hot car, as the sun causes the chemicals in the plastic to leak into the beverage - a process that occurs at a faster rate in a warm environment. While we can try to avoid using products that contain BPA as much as possible by using glass water bottles, Dr. Dairkee says that using BPA-free products isn’t necessarily a safer option - because the replacement compounds haven’t been reliably tested yet. “Current regulatory requirements in the U.S. do not place the burden of proof on the manufacturer, which is why there is almost no incentive to pre-test chemicals for safe consumption,” she explains. 

The bottom line: To minimize your cancer risk, stay away from BPA. “A chemical such as BPA, which is not only persistent but disruptive for normal functioning right down to the level of individual cells in the human body, should be avoided to the best of one’s ability,” Dr. Dairkee says.

BOTTOMLINE: why not invest in our EAqua cost-effective re-usable BPA-free plastic or stainless steel water filtration bottle right here...some models will filter out up to log-6 viruses...what a great addition to your outdoor equipment list, survival kit, emergency water backup, everyday water filtration needs!

First in a series…

My passion since starting my adventure in the water treatment industry has always been to get people out of what I call “The Bottled Water Syndrome”. If you think about it, millions of consumers today have this syndrome, kind of like a bad habit or obsession! With that said, many today do not know we have great alternatives out there. The bottled water industry is a multi-billion dollar giant just because we aren’t educated, and it is way too convenient…we are a convenient instantaneous society…wanting things at our fingertips…wanting things immediately…needing instant gratification.

Tons and tons of plastic bottles today litter our waterways and landfills, contaminating and killing huge numbers of fish and other animals. This is not including the cost of producing these bottles - the millions of barrels of petroleum used and the transportation of these bottles…pollution abounds in every area. And the quality of bottled water has come under fire in the last few years for its quality and is not regulated for its purity…

Now comes a personal portable water filtration device that gets you that instant hydration, safe and healthy drinkable water without spending sometimes $5.00 per gallon to get it. This bottle or these other devices will give you that water at approximately $.30 per gallon. WOW! What a concept! And these products were developed nearly twenty years ago. It seems like a well-kept secret. I have personally been involved in selling this company’s products for over five years, tested them, and found them to do what they say they do. Taking them to foreign countries and testing them against microbiological pathogens, I found these bottles to be an incredible asset for travel. I have scooped water from mountain streams and drank the water with confidence.

These portable water filtration products not only take out chlorine (like the latest one on the market and unfortunately the company with the multi-million dollar ad budget to reach the masses!), but these products can actually be very valuable companions in an emergency, disaster, travel to regions where the water is very contaminated, and for just about any outdoor activity where you would consume bottled water. Through a unique ionic adsorption micron filtering technology, these products remove up to 99.99% of contaminants in four areas - aesthetic, microbiological, chemical and dissolved solids. Using EPA protocols, the filters have been independently tested to NSF/ANSI standards 42 and 53.

My emergency bottle, EAqua, is an indispensable product for everyone’s emergency survival kit. The advanced filter will remove up to log6 virus from water, so you can imagine what kind of water you can use to get clean, healthy drinking water…any disaster, backpacking where you cannot rely on the quality of water anymore, traveling to foreign countries where I have heard of serious pathogens are lurking in the water, and even some public drinking water fountains where aging equipment and old pipes make for non-potable water.

For those of you who need larger quantities of safe, drinking water for outdoor activities and camping, these products also come in a pump system and gravity feed bag system with the same filtering process. There’s even a filter that can be attached to a hydration pack, making it the first filtered hydration pack ever.

Please check out all of the affordable alternatives to “Bottled Water” in the product section of our site.

Enjoy the clean, healthy taste of filtered water “On-the-Go”! Do your part in being environmentally responsible for our planet! We can no longer take our water for granted, whether it be assuming it’s clean, or assuming we can waste it and pollute with bottles!