Does Tap Water Affect Eczema?

If you are one of the lucky people who has access to clean running tap water then you probably wouldn’t dream of questioning where it came from, how it is cleaned or heaven forbid, query the ingredient list! We pay our taxes and take it for granted that the powers-that-be are taking care of business for us, which is what we pay them for, after all.

But after doing some research, it doesn’t take long to start seeing the trends and frightening information on what is introduced or mistakenly added to the tap water supply, so it is no wonder people have trust issues with their councils. There will obviously be variations for tap water regulations between different towns, cities and countries so ensure you do your homework for the place you live and I do thoroughly encourage anyone reading this article to do their own research.

Everything we put into our body will in some way affect our body and this also applies to anything we put onto our skin. So for people wanting treatments for eczema or dermatitis, understanding the impact that tap water has on their health is of utmost importance. Bathing or drinking, knowing the water we surround ourselves with is as relevant as our diet, so in the name of your health and the health of the people you care about, explore carefully before blindly putting your faith in the water coming from your taps.

What I will do in this article is answer some frequently asked questions, then perform a breakdown of the most common types of substances found in tap water as well as their effects on the body internally and externally as well as their impact on eczema and the methods to eliminate the burden of these issues. If new research shows other potentially unwanted materials discovered in town water, then I will add them to this list.

What is water?

Pure water is also known as H2O. Consisting of one part hydrogen and two parts oxygen, this very critical substance is required to support all life on earth.

Why is water important to humans?

The human body contains around 60%-80% water. This means that water is one of the most important things we need to survive with all of our natural cleansing and healing structures dependent on this resource.

The body uses water for many functions including proper digestion of food and nutrient absorption, regulating temperature, helping the body remove waste and toxins (the liver is 96% water!), hydrating and protecting the cells and all tissues in the body including brain, spinal cord, joints and nervous system.

An inadequate intake of water can result in a lack of energy, premature aging, weight gain, high cholesterol, blood pressure issues and cause excess heavy metal buildup in our nervous system which many professionals now believe leads to neurological and degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, ADHD and chronic fatigue. Add to this the already deficient hydration constitution of someone with eczema and you will see an accumulation of further health issues.

Because we lose water constantly through perspiration, digestion and breathing, we need to ensure a perpetual supply of clean water is maintained. This is achieved by drinking and through eating certain foods, also the porous aspect of the skin means that while it can discard water, it can also absorb water.

Where does pure water come from?

Pure water is basically just water without any nasties. Basically, the opposite of tap water. Rain water as it begins to fall is totally pure, however on its way down it can collect dust and other atmospheric impurities. The end result is for the most part, very clean water which is good for you and in most cases much better for you than town supplied tap water. The only exception to this is if your rain catchment is near an area of high pollution such as busy cities, industrial areas or nuclear power plants.

Another source of pure water is through human means of purification including reverse osmosis, ion exchange, ozonation with the process of distillation providing the purest water possible by human methods. I will go into further detail about the most effective approaches a little further on.

Why is PURE water important to us?

The quality of the water is just as important as the quantity. When we drink tap water which includes other components such as bacteria's and chemicals, the detoxifying capacity of the body diminishes and the filtration systems of the body become overloaded. Depending on the chemical ingested, the other negative results may vary.

Pure water is important because it delivers exactly what the body needs directly to every cell without having to burden the gut, blood and organs with the process of cleaning each and every mouthful. This will only allow the body more opportunity to deal with the causes behind the actual eczema.

What is lurking in your tap water?

As I have mentioned, tap water varies depending on the place you live. Generally however, tap water contains minerals picked up from rocks and soil as well as from rusted pipes along its journey, pesticides from farm water runoff, heavy metals, bacteria and also an array of potentially skin damaging elements which are added at the treatment area to prevent bacteria and also to medicate its population.

There is an argument against pure water, crazy as it sounds, but the common reason is due to the mineral content of tap water and the need for minerals in the diet. Unfortunately any beneficial minerals coming out of your tap also comes with a high price tag; heavy metals and harmful chemicals which can worsen your eczema. I like to use the analogy of asking someone if they would drink straight pesticide which has vitamin C added. Even if I watered it down I’m confident the answer would still be no, which is the case with this argument.

When looking for treatments for eczema or dermatitis, there is already an element of overloaded toxicity due to the barrier of the skin allowing in all it comes into contact with. So when this already damaged skin is exposed to pathogens or chemicals on a daily basis, the body is going to have an even harder time processing these from its system. This is why it is important to understand what is lurking in your tap water.