Three Effective Things to Do Today to Protect Our Families From PFAS in Our Tap Water and Our Lives
Let’s start with a quick summary of the PFAS issue to get on the same page.
Then I’ll cover effective options to relieve our bodies of PFAS’s toxic accumulation, and also sharply reduce our continued exposure asap.
A study recently released by the U.S. Geological Survey is getting a lot of attention because it was the first study to compare PFAS in tap water from both private and government-regulated public water supplies throughout the country on a broad scale. (More on PFAS in a moment). The study’s findings were staggering – at least 45% of the nation’s tap water is now estimated to contain at least one of these “forever chemicals”. But the scale of this issue is exponentially even greater; the USGS study only tested for 32 types of these highly toxic substances, and there are more than 12,000 types of PFAS!
Parents are often unaware that they are also exposing their families daily to heavy doses of PFAS’s through a large portion of everyday products that PFAS are used in/on. These include cosmetics, non-stick cookware, stain-resistant carpeting, grease-resistant food packaging, water-resistant clothing, and personal care products. ALONG with tap water! Unfortunately, manufacturers have proven their profits-regardless-of-harm priority, as it’s been revealed that they’ve known for decades that their product was highly toxic to people of all ages, especially those of reproductive age and children. Literally no dose is safe, the EPA just updated their guidelines to reset risk exposure from 70 parts per trillion to nearly zero for PFOA and PFOS!
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others have connected PFAS exposure to a range of severe health problems:
Developmental delays in children
Infant and childhood immunosuppression
Reproductive and fertility issues
Higher-than-average rates of miscarriage and stillbirth
Pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia
Abnormal cholesterol levels
Hormone suppression
Liver Damage, obesity, testicular & kidney cancers, and all kinds of heart disease.
Understanding PFAS a little better will help make the solutions also make more sense. PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of synthetic compounds that break down slowly; their half-life in the body without treatment is 21 years, and they are very disruptive. The ‘F’ stands for fluoride, which industry has essentially ‘welded’ to a carbon molecule to create a bond that will not break naturally through bacteria, which is part of what makes them ‘forever’ chemicals. In layman’s terms according to Dr. Olree, author of Minerals for the Genetic Code, the chemistry involved essentially results in the destruction of all the oils in the body, turning the good (Omega-3’s) into rancid (bad Omega-6’s). This could help explain PFAS’s link to heart disease, obesity and fatty liver disease.
In order for the body’s accumulation to be released, this bond must be broken, and the excess industrial fluoride moved out of the body. Dr. Olree strongly urges supplemental selenium, boron and iodine to address the contamination through molecular affinity. He explains, “The iodine helps to push (the bio-burden of) fluoride out, and the selenium and boron absorb and secret it.” Excess fluoride has been found to be a neurotoxin that damages the parathyroid gland, bringing thyroid disfunction, acne, neurological problems that may lead to ADHD, and so much more. It’s no surprise that the list largely mirrors the PFAS health damage list. Suggested dosages will be summarized at the end, luckily much of it can be met through your grocery budget.
So, specific mineral supplementation is believed to help shift the bio-burden of PFAS out of the body. Clearly it’s also essential to attempt to minimize exposure as much as possible in order for our health to gain ground in a polluted world. This involves two major categories:
Reducing exposure in your home and on your body.
Reducing exposure in your water.
To reduce constant exposure:
Use pans of iron, glass or stainless steel. Discard chipped non-stick ‘teflon’ pans.
Skip popcorn in microwavable bags.
Eat at home? Most take-out containers are coated in PFAS, do not reheat in them!
Water-resistant outdoor wear is coated, shop carefully for PFAS-free clothing. Gore-tex is said to have PFAS out in ‘23.
Avoid long-lasting & water-proof make-up.
Avoid stain-resistant treatment on furniture and carpets.
Reducing exposure through filtering your water supply is perhaps among the most important actions you can take. Well water included, unfortunately there is plenty of ground water contamination also.
Here’s why water matters so very much. The human adult body is ~ 60% water, and a 1-year-old infant is ~ 75% water. Each bodily function relies on water to work. Water transports nutrients, regulates body temperature, lubricates joints and internal organs, provides structure to cells and tissues, and can help preserve cardiovascular function, for a few. Even mild dehydration can impair cognitive performance such as an individual’s attentiveness, critical thinking skills, and memory.
The consumption of water directly affects energy levels - expect a 30% drop in energy from just a 5% drop in body fluids! The quality of water we drink dramatically influences our health. Search here to find out some of the specific ones in your own city's water. Just two of the other most concerning contaminants of over 2,100 known toxins in the U.S. tap water are:
Pharmaceuticals. 70% of the American public are taking at least one prescription drug, and some portion of ALL of them are peed out in their urine. Eww is right. Municipal water treatment facilities are generally not built for this degree of expensive filtering; a concerning amount returns through our drinking water. This includes antibiotics, birth control pills, painkillers (YES!), antidepressants and other psychiatric medications. And then the amount is compounded as everyone pees them out again!
Chlorine. Used as a water disinfectant, it kills microorganisms in the water, which is great. Except that in the human body, it's also toxic. Chlorine notably damages our gut biome, known as our 'second brain' and the foundation of our immune system. Chlorine is also the leading cause of bladder cancer, associated with rectal and breast cancers, asthma, birth defects, premature aging of the skin and more.
Thinking bottled water?
Besides the astoundingly catastrophic effect micro plastic is having on oceanic life, the earth, and in humans, the water quality IN the bottles is often worse than tap.
A study done by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that "about 1/3 of the bottles (tested) contained significant contamination with levels of chemical or bacterial contaminants exceeding those allowed under a state or industry standard or guideline in at least one test."
The process of melting the plastic into bottle form while simultaneously filling it with water, also leeches a very serious bio-contaminant, antimony, into every swig.
Brita? Brita is very proud of the 12-13 things that their counter top filter removes. Which is, of course, way better than nothing. But it is a simple filter unable to clear PFAS, hormones, or endocrine-altering pesticides such as atrazine.
R.O.? Reverse Osmosis.... Well, we did that for 5 years, but learned the hard way about how it imbalances minerals in the body. R.O. takes 4-20 gallons to produce each gallon of water through RO, which is not ideal for the environment. It was when our kids' baby teeth literally started crumbling out of their mouths that we researched deeper. While R.O. water is super clean, it’s a little ‘too clean’ for the body. It become very acidic and becomes mineral ‘hungry’, which leads to it leaching minerals from the body on its way through. Luckily our kids' permanent teeth arrived in better condition with the lavish use of remineralization elements, but our health still took a hit. The World Health Organization has released a report that demineralized water "has a definite adverse influence on the animal and human organism."
Choices range from individually designed whole house units, to a range of carbon filtered options. I personally have become a fan of Berkey Water Filters, and have used them for years. To my mind, they combine the best what what the average family needs - financially reachable (~$350-550), replacement filters pretty affordable (~$170/year), no plumber needed, usable with any water (gravity fed, from tap to pond, just not salt water.) Berkey filters leave in the healthy minerals, while removing 99%+ of the contaminants I’m especially concerned about - PFAS, atrazine, glyphosate and more. Their testing is extensive, read their labs results here. Otherwise, do your research for one that works for your family and setting.
It’s a good idea to also shower in filtered water when possible, as contaminants can vaporize in the steam, and the largest organ in our body, the skin, does a lot of absorbing. A whole house filtration system will do the most thorough job. But a small screw-on shower filter will help somewhat by reducing chlorine and a small amount of other elements.
Getting what you need - Supplementation
Boron is…
Needed for Vitamin D to process, and to help absorb & secret fluoride from PFAS.
High in apple cider vinegar (ACV), the seed of any fruit, and dandelion root
Displaced in the body by Aluminum exposure, which mean environmental exposures are increasing our need.
Protective of DNA, and helping to prevent and recover quickly from sunburn.
Found in in a daily dose of 1-2 organic plums or prunes/day or ~3 mg/day/adult.
Iodine
Without iodine, life itself is not possible. Dr. David Brownstein, M.D.
Research has shown that fluoride is much more toxic when there is an iodine deficiency present.
Serious deficiencies now exist in part because of the high level of exposure to halides-fluoride, bromide, and perchlorate which deplete/displace iodine levels in humans. Sources include brominated bakery goods, brominated flame retardants, fluoridation of the water supply, many medicines with bromine or fluorine as part of their chemical structure, and the use of pesticides and insecticides for lawn care which also include these toxic halides.
Iodine has many anticancer, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral and anticancer properties.
Its a potent antioxidant, is needed for proper immune function, and down-regulates several estrogen responsive (breast cancer) genes. But iodized salt is not the answer. (SEE the book!)
Iodine is responsible for the production of all hormones in the body, and is found in each of the trillions of cells in the body.
People have become phobic about taking it as a supplement. If this is you, get the best iodine book EVER for very assessable info, detailed answers and specific guidelines - Dr. Brownstein’s IODINE: Why you need it, Why you can’t live without it.
12-50 mg/day for adults is a general suggestion, see Brownstein’s book for guidance. See the best forms of iodine are in my Fullscript on-line natural pharmacy (*link below.)
Selenium
An essential trace element that our bodies cannot make, must be gotten through diet or supplement.
Adequate amounts are critical for iodine metabolism and for regulating thyroid function.
Plants are primary sources, but their amount of selenium depends on their soil.
Brazil nuts have by far the highest concentration of selenium; dose is 1-2 brazil nuts/day/adult.
Suggested general dosage if supplementing (Selenomethionine) is 25 mcg/day for little kids, 100 mcg/day/woman, 200 mcg/day/man. Mens’ dose is higher due to presumed larger size, and also because selenium is on the head of every sperm cell; men deplete their selenium faster.
So here are your 3 action items to protect the health of your family:
Filter all drinking water to protect your body’s ability to function and detox with a quality filter that has satisfactory lab documentation.
Limit exposure by making careful choices in household items, make-up, clothing, '-Resistant’ anything, and food wrappers.
Use selenium, boron and iodine to help relieve the body of accumulated exposure by of all family members. through daily food or supplementation.
Our financial budgets often pace our choices; but also be sensitive to your emotional bandwidth (emotional budget) and your family’s capacity for change. For instance, perhaps you’ll make different choices as you shop for the new school year, but can’t pull the carpet up just yet. No matter how urgent you feel about this big issue, staying calm and maintaining steady thoughtful change will provide the greatest protection longterm.
*Check with your trusted natural health practitioner or local health food for quality sources of these supplements. My Fullscript account has a PFAS protocol with a carefully curated selection. Fullscript is an on-line natural pharmacy for practitioners where your one-time email registration creates a private account with me for browsing in any category, a 15% discount on any/everything purchased, and free shipping over $50.
And as always, this is not medical advice but for educational purposes only! You are urged to seek professional assistance with any questions, use your common sense, and research what might be best for your family! Read this!