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Tap Water And Symptoms


whitepine

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whitepine Apprentice

I know there's no gluten in tap water :P But I was curious if anyone else found that tap water irritates their stomach? I've tried getting rid of that problem by putting it through a brita water filter but I still find problems. I often feel a little better with bottled water or properly filtered water. Is this just some kind of silly crazy thing or is it the chlorine in the water that is bothering me. I can smell a very strong chlorinated smell when I boil the water, like I'm standing beside a swimming pool.

 

 


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AlwaysLearning Collaborator

I just read another thread recently related to water, tap, filtered, etc. though I wouldn't be able to find it again if I tried.

The conversation delved into the dangers of fluoride and chlorine in water, the poor job that water filters do, and how we may be more sensitive than the general public to things that are bad for all of us.

My personal experiences tell me to avoid fluoride like the plague. If they didn't add it, the levels might be safe, but they do.

I also try to avoid tap water because of all of the chemicals that are added to it to kill off pathogens. My county's water is particularly bad for this and problems can be worse when water levels are low and temperatures are high due to the need for more of them.

But I've also had problems with filtered water, the activated charcoal seeming to be an issue for me. Considering that I'm already suffering from malabsorption problems, I certainly don't want to add a substance that absorbs anything from my system.

I feel the effects on my body if I drink tap or filtered water, so I am forced to buy bottled spring water. And though it also has issues of being packaged in plastic, is the only thing that doesn't seem to upset my system. So I take the precautions of making sure it is bottled in the least toxic of the grades of plastics, don't allow it to sit in my car where it could heat up and allow bacteria to grow in it, and don't store it for long in my house, only buying a few week's worth at a time.

I do hope to someday live someplace where I can rely on a clean source of well water, but until that day comes ...

IrishHeart Veteran

But I've also had problems with filtered water, the activated charcoal seeming to be an issue for me. Considering that I'm already suffering from malabsorption problems, I certainly don't want to add a substance that absorbs anything from my system.

 

 

 

 

Running water through a charcoal filter is not the same as taking activated charcoal tablets, if that is your worry. 

The activated carbon stays in the filter, it does not go into the water.

frieze Community Regular

...and some bottled water is simply tap water from some where else.....

Adalaide Mentor

I simply don't like the taste of city water. It tastes like a swimming pool. My husband has argued this with me incessantly but he grew up a city boy with city water, I grew up a farm girl with spring water. I smell it and taste it, it is what it is. I absolutely refuse to drink plain water from the tap. Filtering it home leaves it tasting less bad, but still bad. I cook with it but buy reverse osmosis filtered water to drink. (I know I could get a home reverse osmosis filter but just don't have the money right now, they're freaking expensive!.)

 

I don't have a problem with charcoal filtered water. As was pointed out, the charcoal doesn't get into the water, and it also doesn't change the flavor of the water. I just happen to be able to get reverse osmosis filtered water at a better price. If money weren't a factor, I would just buy spring water.

notme Experienced

...and some bottled water is simply tap water from some where else.....

yup.

LadyK Rookie

Yes! Tap water makes my stomach burn, as if I have severe indigestion. I think the chlorine irritates my stomach, but then, I'm also allergic to flouride.


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AlwaysLearning Collaborator

LadyK, you totally made me do more research into fluoride with your comment about the allergy. Thank you! I may finally understand why I've had to buy spring water for years and can't use fluoridated dental products!

Some online reading tonight tells me that 1% of the population is allergic to fluoride and hypersensitivities are seen more often in people who have other autoimmune or gastrointestinal problems.

Major symptoms of an allergy include skin rashes and ... gastrointestinal problems!
 

If you look into links between fluoride and gluten, you may stumble upon some information about how the use of fluoride in pesticides is causing bread and other wheat products to be high in fluoride, as well as nightshades and oats. There are other foods to avoid as well, grapes, lettuce. It seems to be able to affect the thyroid, cause headaches, cause brain fog, insomnia, rashes, weight loss, fatigue and more ... hmmmmm.

Is there a link between the overabundance of fluoride in our world and the uptick in gluten allergies, or does the damage caused by gluten make us susceptible to fluoride hypersensitivity?

I suppose we'll have to wait for the science to catch up on this one to get a better understanding of what is going on, but I'll continue to avoid fluoride and stick to organic foods.

LadyK Rookie

LadyK, you totally made me do more research into fluoride with your comment about the allergy. Thank you! I may finally understand why I've had to buy spring water for years and can't use fluoridated dental products!

Some online reading tonight tells me that 1% of the population is allergic to fluoride and hypersensitivities are seen more often in people who have other autoimmune or gastrointestinal problems.

Major symptoms of an allergy include skin rashes and ... gastrointestinal problems!

 

If you look into links between fluoride and gluten, you may stumble upon some information about how the use of fluoride in pesticides is causing bread and other wheat products to be high in fluoride, as well as nightshades and oats. There are other foods to avoid as well, grapes, lettuce. It seems to be able to affect the thyroid, cause headaches, cause brain fog, insomnia, rashes, weight loss, fatigue and more ... hmmmmm.

Is there a link between the overabundance of fluoride in our world and the uptick in gluten allergies, or does the damage caused by gluten make us susceptible to fluoride hypersensitivity?

I suppose we'll have to wait for the science to catch up on this one to get a better understanding of what is going on, but I'll continue to avoid fluoride and stick to organic foods.

Glad to help! What you learned makes sense. I learned of my flouride allergy the hard way... when I was in preschool, I found a flouride tablet on the floor in my classroom and thought it was candy. I ate it, and got anaphylaxis :blink: .

  • 2 years later...
mrobertson Newbie
On August 2, 2013 at 3:54 PM, whitepine said:

I know there's no gluten in tap water :P But I was curious if anyone else found that tap water irritates their stomach? I've tried getting rid of that problem by putting it through a brita water filter but I still find problems. I often feel a little better with bottled water or properly filtered water. Is this just some kind of silly crazy thing or is it the chlorine in the water that is bothering me. I can smell a very strong chlorinated smell when I boil the water, like I'm standing beside a swimming pool.

 

 

Hi, every single person in our family has been having stomach issues since drinking from the new Brita filter pitchers. Both of my children have celiac and other allergies, I am allergic to nuts, soy, milk, and eggs, and my husband has never had a stomach issue before in his life. 

 I was trying to figure out what was going on and the one common factor for us all was water. I started researching and many, many people are complaining about the same thing. Here is the link where I found the information: Open Original Shared Link

cyclinglady Grand Master
2 hours ago, mrobertson said:

Hi, every single person in our family has been having stomach issues since drinking from the new Brita filter pitchers. Both of my children have celiac and other allergies, I am allergic to nuts, soy, milk, and eggs, and my husband has never had a stomach issue before in his life. 

 I was trying to figure out what was going on and the one common factor for us all was water. I started researching and many, many people are complaining about the same thing. Here is the link where I found the information: Open Original Shared Link

It would be worth checking with your water company.  Per Consumer Reports, your water company might offer free test kits.  You could test the filter too using  the test kit.  

Open Original Shared Link

mrobertson Newbie

Thank you!

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