By Guest Blogger Sandrine Hahn, of Nourishing Our Children and Nourishing Ourselves, educational initiatives that have evolved out of the San Francisco chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Another topic to explore as we head into the summer season is chlorinated pools.
Chlorine is popular because it handles the three main jobs in keeping a swimming pool clean: It sanitizes (kills bacteria and germs), oxidizes (controls organic debris from perspiration and body oils), and deters algae. The chemical is unpopular, however, because it has a strong odor, reddens eyes, causes allergic reactions in some swimmers, and is a known carcinogen – meaning it has been linked to cancer!
Chlorine absorbs into your skin. Too much exposure to chlorine has been linked to major health problems including reproductive disorders and even birth defects. It can cause your skin and hair to dry out and over time too much exposure can even cause wrinkles.
Editor’s Note: Have you ever wondered why Olympic swimmers seem to have so many wrinkles at such young ages and most of the men start losing their hair so quickly? Could it in fact be caused by overexposure to chlorine for so many years and so many hours every day? Perhaps so.
When chlorinated pools are indoors, toxic gases such as nitrogen trichloride are released, which can be very dangerous. When we breathe in this gas it can cause severe damage to the lining of the lungs which could lead to respiratory problems or asthma. This toxic gas can be harmful at any age yet it poses the most risk to elderly people and small children.
So while chlorine used to disinfect swimming pools is widely recognized as a health hazard, not everyone has access to the ocean or a lake, or pools treated with ozone, ionizers, bromine, silver-cooper, or other alternatives which can frequently be much more expensive.
If you or your family members do choose to swim in chlorinated pools, some recommendations I’ve read are to:
1. Swim in an outdoor chlorinated pool. It is much safer due to the fact that the majority of the toxic gases are eliminated in the air.
2. Swim in chlorinated pools on occasion only.
3. Shower immediately before and after with a natural soap.
4. Drink plenty of non-chlorinated, filtered water beforehand so that you are well hydrated.
5. Consider wearing a mask and snorkel to shield your eyes – and even a wetsuit, if you are willing to go that far!
6. Get fresh air afterward so you don’t continue to inhale the fumes, and can clear your lungs.
Why shower immediately before swimming in a chlorinated pool?
Julie Deardorff explains in her article published in the Chicago Tribute, “Another important reason to shower is that our bodies generally contain residue from consumer products, including perfume, make-up, body lotion, shampoo and sunscreen.
When the chemicals used to disinfect the pool mix with organic matter (sweat, hair, urine) or nitrogen-rich substances (commonly found in consumer products) it can create a more toxic agent, said Michael Plewa, a professor of genetics at the University of Illinois whose new research has linked pool chemicals to health problems, including asthma and bladder cancer.”
Red, burning, itchy eyes and skin?
What I’ve read is that the presence of chloramines can cause reactions such as red, burning, irritated eyes: Chloramines form when chlorine reacts with ammonia. Ammonia enters the pool through sweat and urine. It is important to teach children not to urinate in pool water [even though it is chlorinated].
Also, showering before swimming can remove excess sweat that interacts with chlorine. My understanding is that if the sweat is on your skin, and hasn’t been rinsed off first in the shower, the chlorine will interact with the sweat on your skin as you enter the pool, and may result in some folks getting itchy skin.
Some additional articles on this topic
Chlorinated Swimming Pools Can Cause Asthma In Swimmers
Chlorinated Pools May Increase Cancer Risk
The Hidden Danger of Swimming Pools
Discover How To Protect Yourself from Chlorine Found in Swimming Pools
Swimming Pool Alternatives to Chlorine
So, what do you think – do the benefits and joy of swimming and playing in a pool out weigh the risks of chlorine?
About The Author
Sandrine Hahn previously worked as a family therapist, art therapist, teacher, and as an educational therapist in private practice before she established Nourishing Our Children in 2005. Convinced that the children she worked with were well-fed but malnourished, Sandrine closed her private practice to devote herself to the cause of educating and inspiring parents to return to the whole, natural foods that have produced generation after generation of healthy children.
She founded the San Francisco Chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation in 2004 and served as the volunteer chapter leader for more than a year. She has also taught Nourishing Traditions and Moroccan cooking classes. Beyond her own visual communication business, she currently serves our cause as the executive and creative director. Sandrine creates educational materials that individuals use for their own self education and/or to present to an audience. In 2012, she established Nourishing Ourselves as an extension of her original educational initiative. Sandrine received an activist award from the Weston A. Price Foundation in 2006 for her leadership role.
Click here to learn more about how to nourish rather than merely feed your family
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{ 97 comments… read them below or add one }
My chiropractor told me that chlorine can also cause thyroid problems because the body treats it like iodine.
Thanks for that piece of information, Lisa. I had not come across it when researching this topic.
Chlorine is a destructive halogen element. Fluorine, chlorine, and bromine are halogens that have an affinity for iodine receptors – they essentially deplete your body of iodine. Iodine is absolutely critical for thyroid health and an iodine deficiency will inhibit thyroid hormone production resulting in a low thyroid state.
Thyroid expert Dr. David Brownstein found that more than 96% of his 5000+ patients tested were iodine deficient. As a public nutritionist I saw huge numbers of people (especially women in their late 30′s, early 40′s) who were suffering from low energy due to hypothyroidism due to low iodine. I wrote quite a bit about the chlorine and fluoride problem in my recent book entitled, “How to Heal your Pineal Gland to facilitate Enlightenment optimize Melatonin and Live Longer (The Enlightenment App).” In addition to the halogen-avoiding strategies I talk about in the book I take 225mcg of supplemental potassium iodide every day.
Thanks you so much for this information, Joel! This is of great interest to me and I will incorporate it in updates of this topic in the future!
Potassium is toxic. Iodine is a halogen (also toxic). Zinc will kill you. Guess what? Without them you also die. Might want to explore the consumption of potassium iodide a little closer, it is not necessarily safe.
You’re very welcome Sandrine!
Everything can kill you in the wrong doses poolswami, even water. Stay out of the deep end.
Everything in moderation.
But sometimes it seems as though we should all just live a bubble because “everything” can kill us.
I grew up swimming at an outdoor pool every summer, almost every day. At 24 I have no side effects of which is claimed in this article.
I’m just saying. At what point do we stop fearing everything around us and just live the best we can? I like this site and follow other sites like this, but sometimes its more of a “fear factor”. A will kill, B will kill you and C will keep you safe. So stay away from A and B and choose C.
/rant.
or better yet we can strive to live in a world where we find something to be harmful and look for a non-toxic alternative. everyone has these moments of dissonance where we feel bad about our past choices and try to defend them even though we know they weren’t the healthiest. the truth is we live in a filthy world of toxic chemicals, yes, and we are all exposed at some level whether we actively avoid them or not.
A person can’t better any situation without first acknowledging the fact that there is something to improve upon : )
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i can take decades for cancer to develop so don’t get ahead of yourself saying you have no side effects. not cursing you to have cancer, i am just saying that it is not a good argument. if we know things are toxic, we should not be using them. period.
it*
Spreading information is important. It’s your choice what you do with that information.
With as many interactions with toxins as an American has each day, it would be wise to cut some of them out. Now you know about pools and you can decide whether that’s going to be on your nix list or not.
We’re not talking about throwing a clean and healthy hunter-gatherer into a chlorinated pool. We’re talking about us, who breath polluted air, play with plastic toys, eat chemicals, wear synthetic clothes, eat refined foods, were once probably vaccinated, and on and on and on. Modern people have some cleaning up to do.
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Sarah added the piece about olympic swimmers with wrinkles and hair loss after I submitted the article to her. I have no knowledge of that. I do know however that there are those who report that they do not tolerate chlorinated pools well. If I had a choice between a salt water pool or a chlorinated one, I would choose the salt water. The smell of chlorine alone is one I find offensive.
I reduce exposure to toxins when I can. There are chloramines in the water I bathe in in the city of San Francisco, however not in the water I drink because of the Radinat Life water filtration system I have installed. I live in a 12 unit building, and so a whole house water filtration system is prohibitive, and there aren’t filters i have found that elimate chloramines In the shower. There are filters that elimate chlorine however, and I would recommend those if one lives in a place where chlorine is in the municipal water.
My husband competed in water polo at the national level in Australia and it was a something the guys talked about and discussed among themselves – how men who swim competitively almost always lose their hair at a young age. I thought it was an interesting point to contemplate although I have not seen any supporting research on this, only anecdotal observation.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The Dangers of Chlorinated Pools and How To Protect Yourself
My husband swam competitively throughout his childhood into the first year of college. He is 42 now with a very full head of hair (enviously so). I think it was his diet and good hair genes, not the chlorinated pools that determined the hair growth. Maybe the tight swim caps have more to do with that. Many farmers are balding where they always wear their caps, as was the case for both of my husband’s grandfathers. I’m just glad we can avoid chlorinated water now as much as possible.
Thanks, Sarah!
Great article Sandrine, however we have learned so much about chloramines in the past few years, I would love to share it with you. First of all, the choice between salt water and chlorine is based only on smell – salt is actually more corrosive and harmful when it becomes chloride. Salt is just site generated chlorine, and produces more harmful disinfectant byproducts than chlorine.
Chloramines are the issue – trichloramines specifically. They off-gas and become airborne. For indoor pools, they are the cause of the “pool smell”, and yes they are harmful and corrosive. I am a competitive swimmer and had an asthma attack in a chlorine pool–I understand how harmful they are. But there is a system that is changing all of that, and it’s called the Paddock Evacuator. It captures and removes chloramines from indoor pools and works amazingly well. It brings a pristine environment indoors, where you cannot even smell the pool. Google it.
I asked our naturopath this very question a few years ago. His response, which I thought made a lot of sense, was the exercise and sunshine are so good for you and outweigh a lot of the risks. He said, “no” to indoor swimming which we have avoided since then. He also recommended that I wet my boys’ hair with spring water before they get in. Thus, their hair is already wet and won’t absorb as much. Secondly, he recommended we “lube up” with cocoa butter to give skin lots of moisture and an oily barrier. I think it has really helped, especially my browner skinned boy who tends to be dry anyhow. Not to mention, both boys smell edible like hershey chocolate bars. I thought that this was excellent advice and have followed it ever since. We swim approximately 2-3 times each week over the summer and follow this protocol to good success. Of course, showers as soon as we get home. Hope this is helpful to someone else as well.
I have a question. I’ve learned that I should wet down the kids and myself before getting into the pool. What about sunscreen? Do you put it on before the showering that you do before getting into the pool? Is this a dumb question (it’s late).
I don’t think it is a dumb question at all! The truth is, that according to the information I gathered, the whole point of taking a shower before the pool is to rinse off all of the lotions and potions from our bodies – so that we enter the pool clean.
“Another important reason to shower is that our bodies generally contain residue from consumer products, including perfume, make-up, body lotion, shampoo and sunscreen.
When the chemicals used to disinfect the pool mix with organic matter (sweat, hair, urine) or nitrogen-rich substances (commonly found in consumer products) it can create a more toxic agent, said Michael Plewa, a professor of genetics at the University of Illinois whose new research has linked pool chemicals to health problems, including asthma and bladder cancer.”
So I think sunscreen at any point would not serve based on what I read above. I suggest that kids swim for a limited time in the pool without sunscreen if the pool is outdoors and chlorinated.
After the pool, we are instructed to shower to rinse off the chlorine. Perhaps at that point, if they remain pool side, that would be the time to put on sunscreen, or just cover up.
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
Well, your answer was what I mostly expected. That is we should not use sunscreen because it is a lotion, which must be one of the nitrogen-rich substances you described.
Unfortunately, my children and I are pretty pale and will burn in about 20-30 minutes of mid-day (pool hour) summer sun.
For me, the knowledge about the dangers of chlorination creates one of those situations where you have to weigh the costs and benefits. Summer pool time holds lots of great childhood memories for me, and my children really love it. We usually go to the city pool for about an hour, about three times per week. This is one of the highlights of summer for my kids. We aren’t afraid of lakes, but the nearest one is about half an hour away, and I don’t feel comfortable taking so many little ones by myself when my partner is working.
Anyway, for me, this topic will remain on the back burner, and perhaps one day I will change my mind or think of a better solution.
Thank you for the information. I wonder also if you have any source information that you could share?
I am in a pool every day. Lap swim at least a mile every day in an indoor pool. I don’t like the chlorine exposure. That said, I feel that the benefit that I get from being physically fit and not tearing up my joints and bones in the process FAR, FAR outweighs any detriment I get from the chlorine. I do shower immediately with Dr. Bronners upon getting out of the pool. I don’t wait until I get home. And I drink raw milk kefir every day to repopulate any gut flora that may get killed off from the chlorine. Once again, as with everything in life, you have to figure out what’s best for you. I know that for me personally, I would not be in as good a shape as I am now without the swimming. I am 55 years old, fit and healthy. Swimming is a wonderful sport and fitness activity that can be enjoyed and engaged in literally from cradle to grave!
I wholeheartedly concur – I love to swim! I grew up in Laguna Beach from the age of 12 and the community I lived in had an outdoor pool and the beach. I didn’t know anything about the dangers of chlorine but, I preferred the ocean over the pool.
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
I’d have to agree-swimming is an amazingly good sport for you. It’s actually the 2nd best sport you can do…even above cross country skiing. Love it!
Just a side note, I used to work at a swimming school in as part of the training we learned the dangers of accidental drownings. Children can drown in as little as 2 inches of water–buckets, puddles, toilets, bath tubs, pools, lakes/rivers. It is SO important to teach your kids how to swim (and how to climb out of a pool), more important (in my opinion) than subjecting them to chlorine for an hour a week. Where I live, there are not very many options for swimming other than chlorinated pools. By all means search out natural bodies of water, but whatever you do teach your kids how to swim. A 5 year old has a lung capacity of a 20 oz bottle of soda and when empty can fill with water in seconds. (Experiment at home by holding a bottle upright under water without the cap…scary.)
Our family went on a mini vacation in March and my daughter, Kyra, was the only child who has problems with swimming in the indoor pool. It ruined her hair. After we arrived home from our vacation, I did some research on how to protect her hair next time. Make sure she showers before swimming in the pool. This simple thing makes the hair pores close up. Because the pores are closed, it won’t drink aany of the pool water. I am going to assume it does the same thing with our skin. Then they need to wash down real good after swimming. Thank you for the article.
Several years ago I developed hypothyroidism, after doing water aerobics twice a week, in an indoor pool!!
Sarah: Thanks for sharing this very informative post. I’ve shared it with my Facebook readers (https://www.facebook.com/LivingWellDesignedByAmy). Amy
Thanks, Amy!
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
Thanks Sarah,
We just bought our “farm” and it has a pool. Some good info. I wonder if the shower before should be cold. If the warm/hot water would open up pores and take more chlorine in?
Hi Rick,
Sarah is on vacation and solicited me to write 2 posts in her absence and to answer related questions. My understanding is that the shower before is intended to remove sweat and consumer products such a lotions and shampoos. “When the chemicals used to disinfect the pool mix with organic matter (sweat, hair, urine) or nitrogen-rich substances (commonly found in consumer products) it can create a more toxic agent.” The shower after is intended to wash off the chlorine.
I think your point about a cold shower before a chorinated pool is valid!
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
You’re right about it should be as cold has your body can stand.
When I was a small child (40 years ago) all the public pools had a cold shower that you had to go through before getting into the pool (which I hated btw). Nowadays they don’t seem to have those.
Momtojq – Excellent advice and I thank you for posting it.
Just in time…I want to do swimming lessons…
LOL – we need an article to tell us chlorine smells bad and gives us red, irritated eyes? If people don’t know that it’s unlikely they have access to a pool! Guess this may be helpful to the competitive swimmers (who likely also already know this) but how many are reading this blog? Please.
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Why do we keep doing it then?
And a lot of my own family don’t know the dangers of doing this . Maybe this will help someone that dont know.
Wow! Let’s use our manners in replying here! This info is helpful to some and maybe common knowledge to others. That chlorine is stinky and irritates our eyes was obviously not the only information given in this post.
And in response to some of the earlier replies, just because you or someone you know swam for years and suffered no ill effects does not negate the fact that chlorine is bad for you. It is simply good to be aware and take precautionary measures when and where you can.
Hi Melinda,
We are having a concurrent Facebook discussion on our Nourishing Our Children page and there are those who are not aware of this information. In fact, we routinely have people who are discovering information I present for the first time that is very well known to others. So, I don’t take any information for granted.
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
In order for the shower before swimming to be effective wouldn’t it have to be in unchlorinated water? I would venture to guess that most pool showers don’t have chlorine filters on them.
Yes – I concur. I think it wise to shower at home, if you have a chlorine filter there!
No. The idea is to remove nitrogen bearing compounds from your flesh and swimsuit.
Hi Sandrine,
Thank you for your post. Once again a hard dilemma for a parent! It’s almost impossible to keep my kids completely out of the pool this time of the year, though… Can you suggest a good shower filter? I believe our water has chlorine and it would be good to at least shower the kids with non chlorinated water after the pool.
Thanks,
Paula
Radiant Life offers water filters for the sink, shower and whole house. I have the 14 stage water filtration system and have recommended it for years. Radiant Life is offering a promotion to those in the Nourishing Our Children community: Please use code NRC at “My Shopping Cart” to have Radiant Life make a donation of 10% of your total order to Nourishing Our Children. You will automatically be entered into our quarterly giveaway of a $25 gift certificate.
These are the shower filters: http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/SHOWER-FILTER-CHLORINE/water-filtration-systems
http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/NEW-CENTURY-SHOWER-FILTER-CHLORINE/water-filtration-systems
For the bath: http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/CRYSTAL-BATH-BALL-DECHLORINATOR/water-filtration-systems
Ensure that your water has chlorine in it – some cities, like San Francisco, use chloramine and the filters are intended for chlorine. http://www.acwd.org/water_quality_docs/waterquality-chloramine-factsheet.pdf
Paula,
Since I supplied several links, my reply awaits moderation. Sarah may not have access to the internet in order to approve in a timely manner. You may write to me directly for my response! blog at nourishingourchildren dot org.
I have known about these dangers for many years now and will not swim in a chlorinated pool. However as I am writing this my 10 year old grandson is at swim lessons at our high school . I can’t go to watch any swim meets or anything because being in that closed environment makes me really very sick. But there is nothing we can do about it .:(
I have also heard from my chiropractor and other sources that chlorinated water kills some of your beneficial gut bacteria. We swim in the river whenever possible but when my kids occasionally go to a pool party I give them some extra probiotics that day.
Good point, Tracey – I wish I had added that to the post!
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
Hi, I just wanted to share my experience. We inherited an above ground pool when we moved to our new home. Last year I bought the USA-made Floatron (available on their website or Amazon) for less than $300. It is solar powered copper ionizer and it works fantastic!! We balance the pool in the spring with chemicals, but then the Floatron is perfectly capable (even in cloudy Michigan!) of keeping the pool crystal clear all summer long with only the barest minimum of chlorine tablets used occasionally. It feels like swimming in rain water, with no nasty smells or irritation of my skin or that of my young children. I highly recommend this product.
Thanks, Heidi – I will refer folks to this recommendation. We are discussing this on our Facebook page!
I spent years training at an indoor pool. I am now allergic to chlorine, and I was sick most of the year, back then.
Yes! Thank you for this!!
Including what we can do when we do swim in clorinated pools is VERY helpful! We don’t all have access to a salt water pool : )
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Just wanted to add that chlorine, like bromine, gets absorbed by iodine receptors, thereby blocking full absorption of iodine. So if you swim in pools a lot, you will need to greatly up your iodine intake.
Also, if you are already getting adequate amounts of iodine, less chlorine will be absorbed.
Excellent point, April – I will pass it along!
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
as a holistic hairdresser and real food advocate I liken swimming in chlorine pools (for exercise) to jogging along a major highway. However a refreshing summer swim is part of the summer season for many children and adults. Chlorine is very alkaline and so are soaps and detergents – which is why you can still smell like chlorine after soaping up. What changes this is a dilute vinegar rinse (which has acidicPH and healing). You can mix 1/2 good apple cider vinegar to 1/2 water. Pour this mixture thru your hair and over your skin. You can also put it in a spray bottle (don’t let the solution sit in plastic though). Or a cup of vinegar in the bath. Let sit on the skin for a few minutes then rinse off. This can be done after a thorough soaping if you wish. Vinegar also heals sunburn overnight. Good organic vinegars like Braggs work better than cheap supermarket vinegars.
Candice, I really like these recommendations and will incorporate them in any future iterations of this post!
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
what a great post! i had no idea!
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What about adding baking soda to the water, would that work to help with the algae and bacteria?
Sher, I am not sure about baking soda? I didn’t know it was indicated for algae? Do you have a pool where you might check it out?
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
In Ct. the drinking water is like sipping from a chlorinated swimming pool…also a simple shampoo with this water is so damaging to skin and hair…be sure to use pre conditioner pre swimming product before getting into the water or before washing hair with bad tap water….
Makes you long for the days when we swam out back in the pond in the woods and got sunburned lying at the waters edge drying off.
Very interesting article. I swam competitively for 13 years, year round, and in the summer spent hours and hours in the pool even outside of practice. I never really understood the shower before you get in the pool thing–that is, unless you visably have dirt/grime on you. In my experience, you sweat a TON in the pool if you’re swimming hard enough (pulse 160 for 2 hours). You just don’t feel it as much because you’re wet. I’ve been known to loose up to 2 pounds during a swim practice. Definitely shower afterwards!
After so many years in the pool, I haven’t experienced any of the above side effects. Both of my kids were easily conceived and are perfectly healthy. I guess something to look out for as I get older?
Shortly after I graduated high school, I learned they switched to a bromine pool. Just one word on that: ICK! Created an almost visible grease slick on all of the swimmers. They all had really terrible acne, it clogged the filters, and it stunk. They’ve since switched back. The YMCA near us has just switched to a saline type of pool…the verdict is still out on that one. We only go there once a month or so. I guess I’m a big fan of chlorine pools.
I remember once we went to Florida for a training trip in college around Christmas time. It was very welcome since it was -35 degrees in Iowa when we left. We had an outdoor pool to practice in and the 65 degree weather was awesome to swim in.
I just read about using Vitamin C to help after swimming in chlorinated water. Here is the link: http://drdebmckay.com/vitamin-c-for-chlorine-removal/87/
Due to my thyroid issues, chlorine, bromine, and fluoride are serious issues for me- which all tend to be in the water. I am glad that I have now found something to help counter act our swimming in pools!
Interesting tip – thanks, Laura!
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
We use a mineral additive that allows us to keep our chlorine levels extremely low for an outdoor pool. We’ve had zero problems since we started using this and much less dry skin problems and irritations. I think it’s called Pool Rx.
FYI, summer solstice was yesterday, the 20th this year!
The good Chlorine does in pools definitely outweighs the bad. Can you imagine what toxins and germs would accumulate in swimming pools if not for Chlorine? What must be learned here is to swim in moderation and rinse off before and after swimming (Let’s face it, most of us don’t!). Many people can’t afford the more expensive alternatives. As with any thing else, too much can be harmful so you must use common sense when putting yourself in contact with substances that can irritate.
Thanks for the helpful info.
I read that food grade hydrogen peroxide can be used as an alternative to clean/ SHOCK your pool, not sure about how affective that may be but if anyone has tried it I would appreciate their input. My concern is the effect of the peroxide on my hair.
Eeek! my cousin has an indoor pool…..
It’s sad they still use chlorine, there is a better, safer, cost effective alternative like an Iodiser
It’s sad they still use chlorine, there is a better, safer, cost effective alternative like an Iodiser
Sandra,
Did you mean ionizer? Ionizers typically use one or more heavy metals such as copper, silver, or zinc any of which are toxic to marine life if let into waterways. Chlorine is highly reactive and bonds rapidly to nearly anything in the environment rendering it harmless.
Ultraviolet and ozone are two processes that hold much greater promise.
So sorry……….Sonja
I’ve read that a soaking bath in epsom salts after swimming in a chlorinated pool is a good idea. It has a detox effect.
When we built a pool we chose Superior Aqua’s system which uses cooper to sanitize the pool. It does a great job.
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Thanks for this tip, Anna!
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
grape seed extract too:)
Most swimming pools are not correctly maintained. The important thing is longer filtering which means less use of chemicals. Ph is vital too, most itchy skin and stinging eyes are from incorrect ph.
http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/toxic-public-pool-sends-kids-hospital-parents-want-212300789.html Just saw this on yahoo news: Toxic Public Pool Sends Kids to Hospital. Parents Want Answers.
We live in Australia and my son has swimming lessons in a MagnaPool. It is mineral rich water and we love it as we don’t experience any of the chorine issues such a stinky skin/hair or red sore eyes. My only worry is that we are moving area’s in September and I don’t like our chances of finding another swim school that uses this system!
Shara, I’d love to learn more about a MagnaPool!
Sandrine Hahn\’s last post: Got Goat’s Milk?
As a 30 yr. swimming pool professional, let me reassure that despite inherent danger, there is no safer place for your family to swim than in a man made pool. No rip currents, hidden obstructions, sewage intrusion, you get the picture. If the chlorine smells, causes rash, or red eyes, that is an indication of trouble. A pool free of contamination and with a balanced pH will have no odor, will not irritate eyes or skin, and normally contains no more chlorine than what you will find in your home tap water that is suitable for drinking and showering in. Dry skin is however, is a result of over chlorination and there are many strategies available to mitigate or eliminate dry skin associated with swimming in pools.
Our own families experience with chlorinated pools:
My youngest daughter used to vomit after swimming in chlorinated pools inside or out, public or private.
My son gets diarrhea. Probably from swallowing too much.
My other daughter gets candida infections externally.
I get massive headaches from swimming in chlorinated pools. When we go on trips, of course the kids want to hit up the hotel pool, so I always try to find a salt-water (or saline) pool. They are hard to find but so worth it if you can. I don’t get headaches from these pools.
I am looking for a full dry swimsuit so i can swim in contaminated [chlorine/fluoride - as all are here] without being in it. either pools will change water additives or these swim suits will become popular & sell well. World Health Organization say 89% of world population are now hypothyroid & avoid peanuts, soya & CHLORIDE & FLUORIDE – HELP. where can I get such a swim suit????? water activities are good but not this & there are much better options. God does NOT put CHLORIDE/FLOURI(DE in her ocean! life IS important – Save US, not $$, power, ignorance absuse of those in chargei
a Nutropatic dr told me “remember chemistry, Iodine works against Chlorine, so use it if in chlorine. guess i am having a chlorine/iodine war inside me. breathing this in indoor pool also concerns me – thank God i am from South Africa where we learned to swim [life saving & physical activities improve school work. WWi Germans used Chloride/bleach to destroy Brits. Histler used floride/asbestus in his death camp drinking water to subdue them before he killed them, so why are we using it??? Chlorine/bleach only one higher on PH scale - toiled/sink unclogger & we are supposed to take used chlorine.bleach to special disposal places as toxic waste! what are we doing to world water when these pools dump their water load [as in cleaning] into our world water system [the only world we have] Don’t put anything you would not drink into our water system, like down your toiled – we have enough 2nd hand drugs in it now, [we recycle all our water - you could be drinking Washington urine. look at how we are affecting life [born without sex & more] in what we have done to our water
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Is it, maybe, a good idea to use the steam room at the end of a swimming session?! As the body tends to sweat immediately and therefore (?) eliminate the harmful chemicals that have just entered your pores?!
Not an expert, just wondering. Thanks!
Sitting in the steam room or sauna after swimming in a chlorinated pool, showering immediately getting out of both the pool and the steam room/sauna, really helps to eliminate most of the chlorine odor from my body. I sit in there until sweat is dripping, about 15 to 20 minutes.
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Hi Everyone – I have done a ton of research in this area. The issue with chlorine appears to be that it stays bonded to the hair and skin long after swimming. Then, the lingering chlorine continues to damage the hair and skin, leading to damage and irritation.
Above, someone mentioned vitamin C — I couldn’t agree more. We tested and determined that applying a vitamin C rinse after swimming completely eliminates chlorine. See http://www.SwimSpray.com for more information. Especially look at the News section (listing articles on this topic) and also our Blog. And, feel free to contact us. We literally have a whole library on this topic!
Best,
Andrew
Ah, Andrew your reply was like a drink of water in this desert of misinformation. I swim often and I recently started bringing a small spray bottle with water and powdered ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) to shower with after practice. No more stinkies, no more licking my arm 2 hours later and smelling chlorine, and my hair likes it much better now! I just rinse in the shower, then turn the water off, spray myself down and scrub it in, then shower like normal. As for skin appearance, since beginning juicing and eating one avocado daily, along with swimming, I actually have people tell me I look YOUNGER. 1.5% of your body weight is Chlorine. It is actually used by many processes in our bodies. GO SWIM (and take some C water with you) it will increase your lung capacity A LOT and I am sure you know what that is linked to…..
Valuable information. Lucky me I found your site accidentally, and I’m stunned why this twist of fate did not came about earlier! I bookmarked it.
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I appreciate this post and all the comments. I feel like an indoor pool is my best choice right now – I’m in Seattle and our summers are short and not very hot. I’d like to take my 4yo to a pool every other week for a couple months to acclimate him to more water than a bathtub. He’s a cautious, sometimes fearful kid and the short outdoor season isnt long enough. I’m glad for the ideas about vit c.
Very informative findings in your article, also might be worth mentioning that chlorine in pool waters was indicated also with positive results for sufferrers of eczema or hidradenitis suppurativa or acne inversa, which noticed an improvement in their skin condition after using the pools regularly.
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This scare mongering is coming from the most obese country in the world? The health and fitness benefits of a proper swimming session far outweigh the use of chlorine. Swimming is one of the best cardiovascular and aerobic activities. Millions of people have gone swimming over decades without a problem. You can now find pools that are sanitized by using ultraviolet light in the plumbing and don’t rely on chemicals.
Hey i want to know why we rinse our feet in blue colour soln (i think it iodine soln).? is there any benifit.
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