Did you know that your water may not be as clean as you think? I recently had my routine physical with standard testing and blood work done and when the results came back I was surprised to learn that I had elevated lead levels. Chatting with my doctor, we discussed the sources of lead, which can be the following:
- Paint
- Dust
- Soil
- Drinking water
- Children’s toys
- Lead-glazed ceramics
- Car batteries
- Radiators
- Some inks
In learning this information, I was able to cross every item off the list, minus drinking water. I am absolutely one of those individuals that drinks my eight glasses of water a day and figured my tap water was not contaminated. But it turns out lead does get into our water system, with one main contributor being from old pipes (typically dating back before 1975). These older pipes can leach lead into your water system, which then comes out of your faucet to drink.
Lead is certainly something that should be avoided at all costs. It can lead to anemia and cause nerve damage, irritability, and pregnancy miscarriages.
Other chemicals that you should watch out for in your water system are chlorine and bacteria. These will be more dependent upon where you are getting your water. These issues can be solved by letting the water sit for a few minutes, allowing the chlorine byproduct to evaporate, or in the case of bacteria, boiling your water first for about five minutes.
If you are concerned about your lead levels, it may be time for a visit with your doctor to have your levels checked. If you want to ensure you are drinking the healthiest water without hurting our environment with all the plastic bottled water out there, get yourself a filtration system and carry this clean water with you wherever you go. Brita is a good option and one that has been featured on Biggest Loser as well.
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