Enjoy A Healthier Swimming Pool This Summer- Chlorine Alternatives

Some families have the swanky perk of having a swimming pool in their backyard – and there are indeed alternatives to chlorine, which can be healthy and supportive to the body instead of damaging. “The eyes and skin are the organs that are more directly affected than the lungs by the irritants in chlorinated water,” says PLoS One.

Swimming pools are loaded with toxic chemicals, which contain a dilemma for families worldwide. “I do not recommend swimming in chlorinated swimming pools at all. It is a very toxic experience regardless of showering or not showering afterwards. I recommend swimming in natural waters of lakes, rivers and sea. Alternatively, look for a swimming pool which is sterilized by using ozone or some other natural alternative,” says Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. 

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PLoS One performed a swim study using 24 rats, with both a test group and a control group, swimming in the chlorinated water for one hour a day for 12 weeks. The study used 1.4–1.6 mg of chlorine per liter of water, the ideal recommended level for public pools by the World Health Organization. Their findings were nothing short of shocking. The rats had a screw nut attached to their upper tail, weighing 13.7 grams, roughly 3% of their body weight, and were put in the 60 cm deep water until they were fatigued to the point where they went under water for a total of five seconds, twice. They were then immediately removed from the pool. In addition to other test points, chloroform and chloramine levels were tested through urine and autopsies studying the heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys.

They found, “Chlorinated pool water did induce some disease symptoms, an impairment of training effects and a significant change in the metabolic profiles, significant signs of hair loss, hair removal, respiratory tracts and eyes were severely affected, development of bloody noses and bloody eyes.”

They concluded, “The eyes and skin might be the organs that require greater attention for permanent damage.”

Other options exist. 

Iodine. Dr. Guy Abraham found, “Disaffection of water for human consumption and in swimming pools is far superior, safer, and less expensive with the use of iodine at 1 to 2 ppm, than with the use of chlorine and its derivatives at the same concentrations. When different groups of competitive swimmers were asked about their preference between chlorine and iodine as a disinfectant of swimming pools, they overwhelmingly chose iodine. None preferred chlorine.” 

Interestingly enough, they found, “Seventeen of the 20 freshmen and varsity swimming members expressed a preference for the iodine-treated pool in respect to eye irritation. None preferred the chlorine treatment. In only one student was a mild conjunctivitis found on medical examination. This student wears contact lenses and stated that his eye irritation had improved in a miraculous way since the pool had been treated with iodine.”

Ultra-violet Rays.  ResearchGate showed a study which found, “In ultra-violet (UV) ray dispenser specific to water treatment, some microbial strains are exposed to different UV doses with different exposure times. The total microbial killing (about 100%) was obtained.” They favored, “Flexibility of the system, easy plant management, the short time and total microbial killing, the low cost of management and the reduced use of chemical disinfectants, are the main factors to support the use of UV as one of the best treatments of swimming pool water.” This method may still need other support products.

H2O2. Chemical distributors can provide you with drums of 35% hydrogen peroxide for pool use, allowing for 3 to 4 gallons of H2O2 for every 20,000 gallons of water. So that the pool liner doesn’t get bleached by dumping in the hydrogen peroxide straight into the pool, a quart of hydrogen peroxide should be diluted into a gallon of water and sprinkled throughout the pool water until the full number of gallons is interspersed. Be aware it can bleach your clothes if splashed. 

Ozone. Using ozone to “chlorinate” your home swimming pool is becoming more and more popular. Pool Center says, “It is one of the most effective, complete bactericides of all earth’s measurable elements. It will kill E. coli, giardia and other lesser bacteria strains. In the quantities needed for water purification, it has no noticeable odor, taste or color. It is not irritating to humans or equipment. Ozone purifies water and air very quickly and efficiently, 3,000 times faster than chlorine. Ozone leaves no by-products except pure oxygen.”

Each one of these topics are not described in full. Further research on any user’s part is required to find out information such as deleterious damage to silver components inside filtration systems. There is no way to cover all the appropriate information needed to carry out this task in a single post, even through there are great alternatives to chlorinated swimming pools. 

*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, CGP, D.PSc. who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. She is a Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor, through The American Naturopathic Medical Association and works as a Certified GAPS Practitioner who sees clients in her office, Skype and phone. She has been published in Wise Traditions, spoken at two Weston A. Price Conferences, Certified GAPS Practitioner Trainings, has been on many radio shows, television shows and writes for Nourishing Plot. She serves on the GAPS Board of Directors and has recently been named “The GAPS Expert” by Dr. Natasha and will serve teaching other Certified GAPS Practitioners proper use of the GAPS protocol. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia, through food, she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. She is a Chapter Leader for The Weston A. Price Foundation. becky.nourishingplot@hotmail.com

“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.