Chlorine Dangers - Swimming Pools

Health risks from Chlorine exposure are being documented more and more every year.

Asthma in Children Associated w/ Chlorine Exposure

A new study published in the Journal Pediatrics found that children who spend a lot of time at indoor swimming pools during their early years are more prone to developing asthma, recurrent bronchitis, and other breathing problems as they grow older, compared to others who do not frequent indoor pools.The researchers believe that harmful gases trapped indoors from the chlorinated pools are to blame for the airway damage. The main culprit: trichloramine, or nitrogen trichloride, is created when chlorine reacts with ammonia, which can be found in the sweat and urine from swimmers.Pediatrics 2007 Jun;119(6):1095-103

A European Study

Methods: We have examined the relationships between the prevalences of wheezing by written or video questionnaire, of ever asthma, hay fever, rhinitis and atopic eczema as reported by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) and the number of indoor chlorinated swimming pools per inhabitant in the studied centres. Associations with geoclimatic variables, the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and several other lifestyle indicators were also evaluated.

Results: Among children aged 13 to 14 years, the prevalence of wheezing by written questionnaire, of wheezing by video questionnaire and of ever asthma across Europe increased respectively by 3.39% (95% CI 1.96-4.81), 0.96% (95% CI 0.28 to 1.64) and 2.73% (95% CI 1.94-3.52) with an increase of one indoor chlorinated pool per 100,000 inhabitants. Similar increases were found when analyzing separately centres in Western or Northern Europe and for ever asthma in Southern Europe. In children aged 6 to 7 years (33 centres), the prevalence of ever asthma also increased with swimming pool availability (1.47%; 95% CI 0.21-2.74). These consistent associations were not found with other atopic diseases and were independent of the influence of altitude, climate and GDP per capita.

Conclusions: The prevalence of childhood asthma and availability of indoor swimming pools in Europe are linked through associations that are consistent with the hypothesis implicating pool chlorine in the rise of childhood asthma in industrialized countries.

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Multiple Sclerosis: Chronic Mycotoxicosis Mold?

As time goes on and the study of mycology advances we are seeing more and more evidence of "mold" related afflictions. We see humans, animals and insects all suffer from the diabolical nature of "mold". Given my vocation, I often wonder on how my 20+ years of exposure to mold with affect my future health. You are what you eat. Treat your body well, give it clean vibrant foods as often as you can. Stop drinking alcohol and eating processed foods and foods with sugar. MS Definition (as defined by the national ms society) - Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. So, does the definition of MS coincide with the scientific research involving mycotoxins? "Future research should be directed at treating the disease as if it were caused by fungi and their devastating myco...

Biofilms - Health Ramifications

This post is third in a series of biofilm posts in this blog. If you read either of the last two biofilm posts, you will have a better understanding of biofilms, below are the links if you would like to read them first. Biofilms Infecting our Drinking Water - https://bostonmoldblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/biofilms-infecting-our-drinking-water.html Biofilms and Dental Health - https://bostonmoldblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/biofilm-and-health-dental.html Biofilms form all around us and are attributed to illnesses and deaths every year. Here are a few stats from Montana State Anniversary. 13,000 - Deaths a year JUST from urinary catheters. 108,000 - Amputations due to diabetic ulcers caused by biofilms. These stats do not account for the other associated impact biofilms have on our health. I cannot overstate the importance of good dental hygiene as it relates to overall health. This oral hygiene is also important in the health of our pets. Consider this. Poor oral hygi...

Lung Infections Caused by Fungi in Soil

A recent study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found certain fungi in soil can cause a significant number of serious lung infections in 48 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, including many areas long thought to be free of deadly environmental fungi. Histoplasma is one of the three main species of soil fungi that cause lung infections in the U.S. Historically, Histoplasma was found in the Midwest and parts of the East, Coccidioides in the Southwest, and Blastomyces in the Midwest and the South. But a growing number of case reports and anecdotes suggest that all three have expanded out of their traditional ranges in recent decades. People develop fungal lung infections after breathing in spores from fungi in the soil. The spores become airborne when the ground is disturbed by farming, landscaping, construction, or even just by people walking around in fungi-rich environ...

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