I recently discovered that fluoride is also a huge culprit when it comes to eczema. Little did I know bath time could be causing my son’s flare ups.
I was already aware of the harmful effects of fluoride.
I knew this toxic waste was lurking in our water and in our food…
My family even started drinking reverse osmosis water to help eliminate our fluoride exposure, but I never thought that bathing my kids in a tub full of fluoridated water could be bad for them.
It’s true we absorb up to 60% of what we put on our skin. Our skin is our largest organ. But I was only thinking in terms of lotions, soaps and other bath and body products. I never thought that was true with bath water!
I came across this article that tells us, according to the EPA, that “the average person can absorb more contaminants from bathing and showering than from drinking polluted water.
Great. That’s good to know…
It also warns us that “children are more susceptible to dermal absorption than adults.”
Double great.
Yiamouyiannis, John, Ph.D. explains, in his article, that fluoride can cause allergic reactions like eczema.
“Fluoride weakens the immune system and may cause allergic type reactions including dermatitis, eczema and hives. He explained. “As little as one-tenth of an ounce of fluoride will cause death. It is more poisonous than lead and just slightly less poisonous than arsenic. No one will die from drinking one glass of fluoridated water, but it is the long term chronic effects of drinking fluoridated water that affects health.”
On the bright side, there are things we can do to reduce the amount of harmful chemicals (fluoride, chlorine) in our children’s bath water. And hopefully, it will help eliminate eczema flare ups.
Here are a few things we can do to make sure we aren’t bathing our kids in a toxic tub.
4 Ways to Get the Chemicals Out of the Bath Water
Fortunately, there are ways to get the fluoride and other toxic chemicals out of the water. It does make for a longer bathing process, but in the end it’s worth it.
1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C actually neutralizes chlorine.
Add a teaspoon of Vitamin C Crystals or Sodium Ascorbate to the tub five minutes before your child gets in.
Doing this will help neutralize the chlorine or chloramine (chlorine + ammonia) in the bath water.
Share the healthy advice with your friends!
2. Bentonite Clay
After you’ve neutralized the chlorine, mix two tablespoons of Bentonite Clay powder with a couple teaspoons or more of water in a glass jar. Pour the mixture into the bathtub.
Bentonite Clay, which is made of aged volcanic ash, produces an electrical attraction when combined with water. Like a sponge, it binds to toxins – like fluoride, impurities and heavy metals while providing natural detoxification support.
Bentonite Clay is also rich in essential minerals that our bodies need. It can even help balance gut bacteria.
3. Himalayan Salt
Himalayan salt is not just for cooking. When used in a bath, it can help flush toxins from the body and balance your pH levels – among many other things.
You can add a few tablespoons of Himalayan salt (need to create an account to order) to your kids baths for detoxification benefits.
Himalayan salt has also been known to help a person feel relaxed and get more restful sleep.
4. Magnesium Bath Flakes
Magnesium is definitely an essential mineral most of us don’t get enough of.
- You can learn more about magnesium deficiency in this article/infographic.
Especially our kids. In addition to getting some much needed minerals, Magnesium Bath Flakes can help detoxify, reduce inflammation, relieve stress and tension and sooth irritated skin from eczema and other issues.
More Causes of Eczema & Ways to Help
More often than not eczema is a sign that there’s inflammation in your child’s body – typically in his gut.
It also is a signal that there may be a problem with his immune system.
My son Milo has been struggling with eczema, asthma and food allergies since he was born. It seems like those three always seem to go hand in hand. But early signs, like eczema, are so important for us to be aware of, because if we don’t nip it in the bud, it can lead to even worse issues like autism or ADHD behaviors.
Over the past few years, I’ve learned so much about the harmful effects of vaccines and antibiotics. It just so happens that when I was nine months pregnant with Milo, I was treated with a dose of antibiotics that I now realize completely wiped out all good bacteria in his gut and mine – right before he was born.
I just wish I knew then what I know now.
Like the fact that babies who are born with a limited amount of good bacteria in their intestines often develop eczema by 18 months.
Or that giving your baby antibiotics within the first year of life increase their chances of getting eczema by 40%.
In a world where antibiotics are being prescribed left and right, shouldn’t parents be more aware of things like that?
Personally, I think it’s a huge problem that we’re not. In my opinion, it’s one of the missing links in our health care system. Too much focus is placed on treating symptoms with drugs, rather than focusing on how our bodies function biologically.
Looking back, it makes me feel terrible that I took those antibiotics and that I had no clue that taking probiotics could have helped. If only I knew taking probiotics reduces the risk of eczema and allergies in children by 58% (Source).
Taking probiotics during pregnancy has many benefits for moms and their babies. That includes reducing symptoms of “colic” by 75%.
In addition to antibiotics, it turns out eczema, food allergies and asthma are a few of the typical side effects that come from vaccinations.
Milo’s first eczema outbreak happened just days after he was vaccinated for the first time – he was just one week old.
Believe me, there are even scarier risks of vaccinating your kids. The worst part is, if it’s not “SIDS” or instant brain damage, many of the health issues that come from vaccines can take years to surface.
I didn’t know this at the time, because I was still on the vaccination bandwagon. I was going along with the status quo. I never thought for a minute that I should challenge the norm or that I should have read the package insert that came with those needles of poison I let them shoot into my babies!
I had no clue they were made with toxic heavy metals or aborted fetal tissues that can actually alter their DNA!
So here I am today, always beating myself up about those antibiotics I took during my last trimester and the vaccinations they had in early life. I do blame them both for my son’s eczema, food allergies and asthma.
As far as the flare ups go, there are a plethora of culprits we can blame.
Other Eczema Culprits
- Food Allergies (Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Casein, Nuts, Soy, Corn)
- Vaccinations
- Candida, Parasites, Leaky Gut SyndromeFood Additives, Preservatives, Artificial Colors, Fast Food
- Nutrient Deficiencies (Especially Essential Fatty Acids, Vitamins & Minerals)
- Flame Retardants, Dust, Pollen, Mold, Pet Dander, Smoke, Pollution
- Contact With Harsh Chemicals in Conventionally Bought Soap (Laundry Detergents, Bubble Bath)
- Wool, Synthetic Fibers
- Low Humidity In The Air
- Genetics & Stress
Thankfully, there are safe and natural ways to conquer your child’s eczema battles!
It may take a bit of time and effort, but there’s hope for a healthier future.
- Read this mother’s testimony about healing her daughter’s eczema with a raw food diet
- Discover healthy alternatives for baby care and cleaning products
- Read 5 Natural Ways to Treat Eczema
- Read more about the Causes of Eczema & 4 Supplements That Can Help
Share your stories with us in the comments. Subscribe to our blog free on the top right and don’t forget to like Natural Healthy Concepts on Facebook!
Other Helpful Resources:
3 Ways to reduce chemicals in bath water – Wellness Mama
Using Vitamin C to Neutralize Chlorine in Water Systems
Featured Image Courtesy of Bath Time via Flickr.com
Bathtub drawing image credit courtesy of mbsdailydrawing.blogspot.com
Very useful information! Thank you for sharing your story as well.