Keeping Your Swimming Pool Clean without the Use of Toxins

A swimming pool full of crystal-clear, cool water is so inviting on a hot summer day. But if you’ve ever had a pool, you know that keeping the water clean is no small task. And it usually involves the use of “pool chemicals” such as chlorine. There are some non-toxic options out there today, however. Here are some ideas.

Ionization

Have you seen bottles of ionized water in your health food store? Water that is ionized has been purified by an electrical process, usually involving copper and silver. Copper and silver are ionized, or given a positive electrical charge, and then these copper-silver coils are placed in the pool. As the water circulates around the ionized metal, sanitizing water ions are released back into the pool.

Algae, bacteria and viruses are cleaned out by the ions. You will still need to use a very small amount of chlorine in your pool, however, if you choose ionization; but it will be far less than the saturation normally required for pool cleaning.

Ozone Generators

These are a viable option for small pools and hot tubs. Oxygen and electricity combine to produce ozone, which is then pumped into the pool water. For larger pools, however, you will need to add a small amount of chlorine or other sanitizer in addition to the ozone.

Saline

In this type of pool cleaning, you add a small amount of salt to the pool water once or twice a year. The slightly salty water is pumped to a cell chamber, where the salt is chemically separated into its individual components, sodium and chloride. This produces chlorine gas, which is mixed with the water in the chamber.

The chlorine gas cleans the water, which is then released back into the pool and the chloride and sodium go back together into salt once again. The system uses chlorine gas, not liquid chlorine, and none of the chlorine is released into the pool itself (the reaction takes place in the cell chamber).

Chlorine-Free Chemicals

Your local swimming pool supply store should have a stock of chlorine-free chemicals that will clean your pool. However, make sure you research the chemicals that are involved in these cleaners, and make sure that you are comfortable using them. In other words, chlorine-free can, but does not necessarily, mean non-toxic. Biguanides, which use hydrogen peroxide as a base, are a popular, chlorine-free, liquid pool cleaner.

Choose the Right Filter

What kind of filter your swimming pool has determines a great deal about the cleanliness of the water. Activated charcoal filters, such as are used to filter drinking water, are very effective but expensive. Filter cartridges, made from material that is something like paper, are less expensive and can last more than four years if properly maintained. Sand and diatomaceous earth are other natural filter options.

If you want to cut back on pool chemicals, make sure you choose the most effective filter for your pool size and type.

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Sunscreen Danger – What’s In Your Sunscreen

You put on sunscreen because it is important for your skin’s health, right? In this day and age of skin cancer, most of us have been taught to wear sunscreen daily, especially on our faces, in all weather and all seasons. Lately, however, some concerns have been raised regarding the safety of the sunscreen itself. Just what’s in that sunscreen, and is it safe?

Cancer

For years we have been told that exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause skin cancer. Ironically, though, moderate sun exposure may actually prevent the development of certain types of cancer, and the chemicals in sunscreens may increase your risk of skin cancer.

One of the concerns is that certain chemicals in sunscreens produce free radicals, and the formation of free radicals is strongly implicated in cancer. Free radicals cause cellular damage, and cancer is, essentially, the proliferation of damaged cells.

Chemicals of Concern

* Titanium oxide is a reflective substance that is not absorbed by the skin, which is why it has historically been used alongside zinc oxide as a sunscreen. However, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, titanium oxide may be a human carcinogen.

* Nanoparticles are extremely small versions of chemicals like titanium or zinc oxide, but they are manufactured, not naturally occurring. The use of nanoparticles (or nanoscale particles) is what makes clear sunscreen possible. The nanoscale is so small that it is measured in nanometers – one nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. Such a small scale raises concerns about increased absorbability through the skin.

* Oxybenzone, an endocrine hormone disruptor, is readily absorbed through the skin. It is, however, approved by the FDA for use in sunscreens. Thankfully, the sunscreen industry is moving away from including this chemical in their sunscreens. However, some manufacturers still use it and older sunscreens are more likely to have it. So check the ingredients in that years-old bottle of sunscreen in the back of your bathroom cabinet!

* Parabens and fragrances are common ingredients in sunscreens that have raised health concerns.

What You Can Do

Some sources note that human beings have been living and working out under the sun for millennia, and suggest the rise in skin cancer cases is due to the use of sunscreens rather than increased exposure to ultraviolet light. Regardless of your views on sun exposure, if you want to protect yourself from excessive sunlight, there are things you can do that do not involve chemicals.

1. Wear hats and loose, light-colored, cotton clothing that covers exposed skin while still keeping you cool.

2. Carry a small umbrella or parasol – remember the pale complexions so prized in Victorian times? Ladies of those days did not have sunscreens, but carried shade-making parasols. They are still available today, or you can use an umbrella.

3. Consider natural, mineral sunscreens that contain little more than zinc oxide for your family. There are organic sunscreens available that are biodegradable and do not contain synthetic materials. Your local health food store is a good place to start, and many online companies offer organic sunscreens.

Natural Ways to Stop a Sunburn From Peeling and Itching

A sunburn can be a nasty experience. A bad one can give you chills and a fever, not to mention terrible pain. A mild sunburn can still result in blistering, itching and peeling.

If you’ve accidentally stayed out in the sun too long, there are some things you can do that can help reduce itching and peeling. Most of these treatments are inexpensive and all of them are natural – you may even have some of them in your kitchen cabinets or pantry.

First, be careful with that burned skin – don’t use soap, washcloths, or do any scrubbing in the shower. Wash your hair upside-down under the bath faucet to avoid shampoo running over your sunburn. And when you get out of the shower or bath, pat your skin dry with a soft towel – don’t rub.

* Tea – Tea, green or black, has skin-soothing properties and has been known to stop relieve sunburn itch and prevent peeling. Black tea seems to work the best, or you could use a combination of green and black. Brew a quart or so of strong tea, pour it into a lukewarm bath, and soak.

* Baking Soda Bath – Baking soda can be very helpful in treating sunburn. Mix a cupful of baking soda into a lukewarm bath and let it soak your burned skin. Gently rinse the baking soda off with lukewarm water when you get out of the tub – baking soda residue can be itchy.

* Apple Cider Vinegar Bath – Smelly but effective, apple cider vinegar can work wonders for sunburned skin. You can soak in a lukewarm bath to which a cup or so of apple cider vinegar has been added. Or, you can mix vinegar and water into a spray bottle (1 part vinegar to 3 parts water) and spritz it onto your skin. Let your vinegar-treated skin air dry.

* Natural Oils: Coconut, Almond, Olive – When you get out of your bath, natural oils are a good choice for replacing your skin’s lost moisture. Pure coconut oil is solid at room temperature, but melts quickly in the hands and on the skin. Almond oil is said to be the closest to natural skin oil – sweet almond oil is considered the best. Olive oil is an ancient remedy against sun-dried skin, and is used extensively to moisten skin in the desert regions of the Middle East.

* Aloe Vera – Pure Aloe vera gel can be obtained directly from an Aloe plant. Simply slit a thick Aloe leaf lengthwise down the middle and scoop out the gel. You can use a knife to scrape the inside of the leaf in order to get all the gel out. Many stores sell Aloe vera gel, but make sure it’s pure gel – Aloe vera juice or lotions and skin products containing Aloe are not the same. Apply this ancient burn remedy liberally to sunburned skin that is clean and dry.

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