With the promise of hot summer days just around the corner, talking about the health risks of swimming pool chemicals is just a buzz kill.
So bear with me for a moment while I mention that aside from red eyes, dry itchy skin, and green hair, swimming in chlorinated water has been linked to quite a list of serious ailments. According to Joseph Mercola:
Your body absorbs more chlorine, and more importantly disinfection byproducts (DBPs) [such as chloramine], by swimming in a chlorinated pool than you would by drinking tap water for one week. Disinfection byproducts are far more serious than chlorine. They form when the chlorine in your pool water reacts with organic matter such as skin and hair.
Growing up, we spent every summer day at the local pool from the time it opened til they rang the bell at sundown. We usually got out of the water only for snacks from the refreshment stand. By the time I was twelve, I was swimming competitively year round, spending anywhere from two to four hours doing laps in indoor pools. I distinctly remember days when my lungs ached from breathing chlorine fumes.
While swimming pool chemicals haven't killed me, I can certainly list numerous symptoms (acne, PMS, and a chronic tendency toward candida) that might have been better sans chlorine (and my crappy SAD diet growing up).
3 health problems linked to swimming pool chemicals:
- Hormone disruption – Swimming in indoor pools for as little as 30 minutes every two weeks may result in altered hormone levels in boys. (source)
- Asthma and allergies – This study showed that swimming in chlorinated pools increased the likelihood of asthma and allergies in kids. Pool workers may also have a 40% increased risk of respiratory disorders. (source)
- Gut flora imbalance – The chlorine in our drinking and bath water can destroy beneficial bacteria in our digestive tract leading to an array of complaints from tummy problems to psychological imbalances. (source)
My six year old recently decided he wants to play the sport “where you tread water and play soccer.” I convinced him he may want to refine his swimming skills before joining the water polo team, so he's joined the swim team instead.
Though it's only a hour or so per week in the pool, I've felt a little pang of guilt sending him off to to soak in chemicals. So I did some digging, and discovered there are a few cheap and cheerful methods to reduce the negative effects of chlorine and other swimming chemicals on my kids' health.
How to protect against swimming pool chemicals:
#1 – Swim outdoors
If you have the option, I would absolutely opt for swimming in outdoor pools as most of the issues with swimming pool chemicals seem to result from extended periods of indoor exposure where the chlorine hovers just above the water with nowhere to vent.
Indoor swimming can cause more respiratory and digestive distress than open air swimming pools, and nearly every study I found with adverse affects from chlorine were associated with indoor pools.
Better still, if you can find an outdoor pool that uses salt water, UV, or ionization. Far less chlorine and other chemicals are required to maintain the pool, resulting in less chemical exposure for swimmers.
NOTE: bromine is no safer than chlorine for water purification.
#2 – Rinse before swimming
Don't tell anyone, but I've always ignored those signs that say you have to rinse before entering the pool. Those were intended for other, dirtier folks than I – the ones drenched in nasty body products, and what-not.
Turns out, rinsing off before swimming, may actually help to protect against absorbing nasty pool chemicals. Some folks claim that our skin and hair are like a sponge, so saturating with clean water will prevent your body from absorbing the chlorinated stuff.
More importantly, a dangerous chemical compound called chloramine forms when chlorine reacts with ammonia from sweat. Showering before swimming can remove excess sweat that interacts with chlorine, reducing formation of chloramine on the skin.
(While you're in the locker room, you may want to pee too, since this toxic compound also forms when chlorine comes in contact with ammonia from urine – another good reason NOT to pee in the pool!) (source)
#3 – Slather on coconut oil
Healthy skin is covered in a very thin, slightly acidic film called the “acid mantle” that is secreted from the skin's sebaceous (oil) glands. The pH of bacteria, viruses, and other chemicals are primarily alkaline in nature, so the acid mantle acts as both a physical and chemical barrier to bacteria, viruses, and other potential contaminants from penetrating the skin.
When we bathe with soap or swim in chlorinated water, the acid mantle is stripped away. Even when conventional lotions are applied, the skin remains too alkaline – leaving the skin and body vulnerable to invasion from harmful chemicals and pathogens. (source)
By slathering coconut oil or another natural emollient on your skin and hair before swimming, your skin gets an extra layer of protection. Like your skin's acid mantle, the coconut oil is slightly acidic and oily.
Personally, I like to use my whipped body butter, which is a scrumptious combination of cocoa butter, coconut oil, and jojoba oils.
As an extra bonus, coconut oil acts as a safe and natural sunscreen, offering mild protection against the sun's rays that are magnified when in water. (source) You can read more about taking a balanced approach to sun exposure here.
#4 – Neutralize chlorine with topical vitamin C
This was a really cool new thing I learned: the chemical structure of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) neutralizes chlorine and chloramine. (source)
If the water in your home contains either of these harmful chemicals, you can purchase a fairly inexpensive vitamin C shower head that will remove up to 99% of both chlorine and chloramine. This is especially important because bathing in hot water exaggerates the chemicals' health risks, as they can be inhaled with steam.
When it comes to swimming, you can simply make a spray bottle with a 1 teaspoon of powdered vitamin C (like this one) dissolved in two cups filtered water. If you don't have the time or motivation to make your own vitamin C solution, you can buy a topical spray online that will do the same job.
After swimming, spray both hair and skin with the vitamin C solution, rub in, and rinse in the shower (preferably one without chlorinated water). Finally, apply some more coconut oil to help naturally replace the body's acid mantle, and you're good to go!
Now, there's no reason to ruin summer fun by steering clear of swimming pools! WOO HOO!
How do YOU combat swimming pool chemicals?
Thanks for the info! 🙂 I didn’t know that there was anything you could actually do to prevent it. Crazy that rinsing off beforehand actually helps protect!
As for bromine, I’ve actually found that I have a MUCH worse reaction to that than chlorine. My parents switched from chlorine to bromine in their hot tub and I can’t even go in anymore. If I’m in there longer than five minutes I can barely even breathe!
Read the book:” Iodine why we need it”. Bromine, cholorine, and fluoride all prevent us from getting enough iodine in our bodies which prevents some cancers, thyroid disorders, and mental abilities. Iodine will also help push these chemicals out of the body. Work with a naturopath if you are unsure how much to take.
Which is why I have a thyroid problem now. (Hashimoto’s). I was drinking fresh juice I made in my juicer which included Kale most everyday, coupled by swimming in a chlorinated pool. Now I have this issue and nodules. So much for trying to do the right thing for my health (swimming instead of running to help my back, and juicing to get rid of toxins.) It had the opposite effect. I gained weight and now have this thyroid disorder.
And be careful about supplementing iodine or Bladderwreck tabs. You could end up with worse problems and goiters.
My daughter had the nodules and went through problems for about ten years. She finally found a dr. that dealt with the issue, plus, no more needle aspirations of the nodules. All the different treatments over the years were useless, and all the drs. basically misdiagnosed the problem, some just wanted to remove the thyroid and end it.
The last dr. did the radiated Iodine therapy. Only, instead of killing the thyroid like they did for my sisters graves, he administered a tiny amount, and it only killed the nodes, not the thyroid itself. The thyroid is now functioning like it is supposed to, the nodes are dead. They had taken over the thyroid and luckily it woke up and worked again. Good luck with yours lainer.
I was just diagnosed with a nodule a little larger than the medical normal on my thyroid that I had a needle aspiration biopsy done which came back “inconclusive”. So I am having another biopsy done in 3 months, and if that comes back the same result, they said I had to have my thyroid removed even though my thyroid blood results came back normal. I do swim 4 times a week for 30 minutes in an indoor pool – could this be the cause of my nodules? From what I’m reading, chlorine can cause this. We have a hot tub outside too that I use occassionally. Now I’m wondering if this is what caused this as I am very healthy in every other way? Thanks for your input.
lainer — why do you think juicing the kale contributed to Hashimoto’s?
Kale has goitrogens which cause some people to have trouble with their thyroid…
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/goitrogens/
Hi is this the case with spinach too. I juice kale and swim and funny enough after 3 we eeks i fel as if ive defintely put on weight!!
what’s wrong with drinking fresh homemade juice with kale?
It’s incredible that all of you are talking about the very things I am doing and reading now. I have a goiter, therefore Dr. David Brownstein’s book as well as his youtube video “The most misunderstood nutrient” were pivotal in helping me understand what I need to know to heal my Hyperthyroidism/Graves disease. I just took my first warm shower in almost 2 weeks, as I’ve been trying to avoid the Flouride in the shower water. My daughter purchased a flouride water filter system to take care of the drinking water, but can’t afford anything for the shower. Tonight I lathered up with coconut oil after pouring filtered hot water over my skin first. The ideas are no brainers but I just didn’t think about saturation with good water first. It makes total sense! I’d already considered covering my skin with an emollient and was researching confirmation when I came across this site. Thank you so much.
I ran my spa (hot tub) using a product called Instant Ions, which contains silver, zinc & copper ions. It is similar to an ionization system. Silver & zinc kills bacteria, copper kills algue. To eliminate body oils I found some spa enzymes. This was far far cheaper than running a spa with chlorine & far easier to maintain. It was completely natural & kept the water crystal clear.
Andy, thank you so much for your input here. I have a hot tub that used to be maintained with chlorine and I am doing my homework to make an affordable switch to a naturally clean hot tub. Someone further down on this blog suggested essential oils as a cheap and effective solution. If you get this I was hoping you would be willing to share with us the exact brand of spa enzymes you use as how much it costs. Oh and also how much you pay for the Instant Ions as well as the amounts contained per bottle. Cheers, Michael
Hey All (naturally cleaned) Hot Tub Lovers! Here’s how 3 different people treat their hot tubs with essential oils (copied and pasted from the Linked In conversation on keeping hot tubs clean with essential oils). Enjoy!
1) Gold Level Wellness Advocate at doTERRA:
“I have used oils in my 6 person tub for 7 years. I change the water twice a year. Upon filling the tub, I add 5 drops of Thieves. After each use, I add a drop of Lemon, Thieves and Geranium. I add 2 drops of Geranium every other week. My water is pristine, no mildew ever, even if I forget to add the oils for a week.”
2) Young Living Independent Distributor; Teacher:
“We have a 680 gallon hot tub that is almost 2 years old. We did tons of research about using non-chemical products in the hot tub. I found 30 pages of testimonials on the Pine Hill Group (yahoo groups). Here is what we do. When we fill the tub with fresh water we put in 5 drops of Geranium. That’s it. We change the water 2-3 times a year. About once every 8 weeks or so we add 1-2 drops. We have a large garbage can with lid that we fill with water plus 1 cap Thieves household cleaner. My husband hoses down the filter with a high pressure hose and then soaks it overnight in the thieves/water mix. Then he hoses it down again and puts it in. We alternate with 2 filters. That is it. Our tub is always crystal clear, no scum, no slime, nothing…..just beautiful smelling clear, clean water. Hope this helps.”
3) Platinum at Young Living Essential Oils:
“We have been using essential oils in our hot tub for 5 years. We began with geranium. We have tried numerous oils and found that all keep the hot tub crystal clean. We now clean it 3-4 times a year with Thieves household cleaner, fill it with water and add 15 drops of Thieves oil (small hot tub for 3 people). After each use we drop 3 drops of lemon or other less expensive oils per person sitting in tub. If only one person than we only use 3 drops. There is never more than 2 so the most is 6 drops. Never used bromine, ph balancer, sentry chemicals. This is the total care for out hot tub.
Prior to oils we had mildew build up on inside of lid. None since we began using oils.
3) Platinum at Young Living Essential Oils (This lady made two entries basically saying the same thing but in different words. There is more information if you read both entries)
We’ve used nothing in our hot tub except YL oils for over 5 years. no bromine or ph balancer or any other chemical. We have a 250 gal. small hot tub that seats 3. We drain it, clean with Thieves Household cleaner, fill it, add 15 drops of Thieves initially. We have tried numerous oils over the years, starting with geranium because we read the article. Our procedure is to add 3 drops of any oil per person using the hot tub. We usually add lemon because it’s the least expensive. We add it after getting out of the hot tub. If it has not been used in a few weeks we add Thieves again periodically. We live in Texas and do not use it most of the year!
We had mildew on the inside of the top of the lid every year at the end of summer when using chemicals. We’ve had no mildew since using oils.
Michael,
Thank you for taking the time to post that. We’re considering getting a 12′ diameter pool for summer use for the kids that has a filter and I was thinking there must be a better way to handle keeping the water safe and clean. Really appreciate it!
Hello Andy, thank you for sharing your thoughts on how to keep a hot tub free of hazardous chemicals, yet just as clean… We just moved to a home that already has a chlorinated hot tub and would like to revert to more natural and healthier ways to keep it clean. When you get a chance would you mind sharing where you purchase Instant Ions and spa enzymes and the direction you use to add it to your hot tib… Your response is much appreciated… Thank you, Beata
What if you are allergic to coconut, like me? Then what can you use?
My children’s skin is very sensitive to chlorine. Our local pool is outdoors, so yay for that. I will be trying the other steps to see if this helps improve their skin sensitivity. I am also going to see if I can make that body butter. Thanks for the tips.
I think when she said to swim outdoors, she meant in fresh water like a like, or the ocean
Kelcey, if you read #1 again, she talked of outdoor swimming pools because the clorine doesn’t hover about the water and you don’t breath it in as you do swimming in an indoor pool.
such great tips, thank you, I was always wondering how I can protect from chlorine in pools! my kids love to swim and even though we swim in lakes in the summer, in the winter we spend about 2 hours in the pool each week. Will get vitamin C spray for sure, and i need to put coconut oil in a small jar to bring to the pool.
Could you mix vitamin c powder in the coconut oil you use after?
You know, I actually considered that, but I’m concerned that it would not dissolve (perhaps melt the oil to address this?). Also it may be a skin irritant if left on too long. If you try it, please check back and let us know how it works!
Since vitamin C is not fat soluble (it is water soluble) I wouldn’t think it would be very effective mixed into oil…. Maybe in lotion, since that is an emulsion of water and oil. But it sounds like the function is to neutralize the chlorine that is left on the skin, the spray seems to make more sense. I don’t think you could apply enough to protect you from all the chlorine in the pool, it’s just a way to deal with what is left when you get out… I think.
This is awesome. Thanks for sharing this. I’ve been wanting to take my son swimming, but we only have access to chlorinated pools! I’m glad to have the tips. 🙂
What great tips! Like other readers I didn’t think there was much you could do to prevent it and was concerned for my children, esp my oldest who is currently taking swimming lessons indoors. THANKS for sharing!
I stopped taking water aerobic classes because I just could not take the chlorine. I think I will try again using your tips. Thank you much!
You’re welcome, mom. xo
How about making sure you have gotten plenty of iodine before getting in the pool?
I knew about the vitamin C but I had never heard of the spray! I used to crush up some tablets and add them to the bath before I had a chlorine filter. Now I want to make some spray!
I think you need to take iodine any way. There are plenty of other chimicals in the food that we eat every day that porhibit iodine obsorption. check the iodine. Here a is a website for a book.http://www.drbrownstein.com/Iodine-Why-You-Need-It-p/iodine.htm I red it and started to take Iodine every day. I feel better.
Very interesting about the Vitamin C neutralizing chlorine! That is great to know for swimming in pools! Unfortunately our home water contains chloramine, which I didn’t see any evidence that vitamin C neutralizes… do you have any? Or know of any other way to get rid of chloramine?
Hi Kim. I do actually: Vitamin C also neutralizes chloramines: http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/content/14/11/2579.full.
Thanks! That is really helpful to know. I’m pregnant and our water filter doesn’t get rid of it (it seems a good bit harder to get rid of than chlorine), and I’ve been drinking a lot of water, plus taking long salt baths so knowing something that will help neutralize it is really useful!
I had heard that taking an epsom salt bath after swimming helps get rid of the chlorine. Did you come across any info on that during your research?
So, would you recommend rinsing off, then drying off and applying the coconut oil, or just doing one or the other?
Emily, if I wanted to add the vitamin C to my child’s bath to neutralize chlorine, how much would I add?
According to this site, you only need 1/2 tsp in your bath. I add it to my 2yo’s bath time and it smells quite pleasant 🙂
http://reluctanthealthwife.com/2013/05/chlorine-neutralizing-bath-salts/
Thanks for the helpful info. I do have one question. We live in Colorado where the sun is very intense. Should I put on the coconut oil first, then a natural sunscreen? I just think the SPF of coconut oil is not going to be enough coverage in an outdoor pool for us. Thanks in advance!
Kristin,
Red raspberry seed oil is actually a great natural sunscreen for face/neck/shoulders and there’s a link to a DIY sunscreen lotion in this post: http://bodyunburdened.com/red-raspberry-seed-oil-natures-sunscreen/
I heard that mixing powder vitamin C with Bee’s wax, helps when swimming in chlorinated water.
I recently discovered that my city water uses chloramines in addition to chlorine for disinfection. Chloramines are really hard to remove and RO filters are one of the only methods for safe drinking water. I’ve researched the vitamin C route and one note to make is to make sure that it is GMO free vitamin C because many vitamin C brands are made with GMO corn. Thanks for the great article!!
I put in a whole water system in my house to address the chlorine issue when I shower or use water to launder my clothing. Then I added and R/O water system to my kitchen sink to get rid of more toxins. Then I use a Britta Filter pitcher to filter more. I can drink the R O water no problem, but I do filter it more for for my dog. Arizona has the hardest water in the country and it’s loaded with chlorine, fluoride and other garbage. Although I did not have any of these water filtration systems when I rented an apartment, which is why I have issues now with my thyroid. Between bathing in chlorine, swimming in the pool daily in chlorine and drinking my kale juice daily for over a year, I taxed the heck out of my thyroid. I had no idea about such things until I researched after I got Hashimoto’s.
And I started swimming in the pool because of back problems. My Spine Doctor highly recommended it for my sole exercise regime. What he didn’t tell me was that it would be a toxic mistake.
This is so awesome – thank you for sharing!!
We do epsom salt baths, but I am TOTALLY going to use these this summer and see how it helps, especially my older one who swims like crazy and has some seasonal allergy issues.
Are you a mind reader? I was just thinking about going to our community and pool and wondering how to prevent the harmful effects of chlorine when I opened my e-mail and saw your post. Thanks for all the great tips!
Hugs,
Robin
I am with Robin! very timely – we are getting ready for vacation and as much as i love to swim i despise the chlorinated pools so much that i rarely go swimming!
so thank you for all this info!!!
Emily,
Thank you so much for the wisdom on chlorine, I learned alot. I make my own mineral sunscreen which contains coconut oil, butter and shea so I am glad that i’ve got the right stuff going into it.
We just got a hot tub with our new house but we haven’t filled it up. My husband plans on using bromine in it. Any (cheap) better solutions? I found one company that has a natural cleaner but it is $1000’s more than bromine over the course of a couple years (hubby’s calculations)
Hi Amanda – Thanks so much for your question. Unfortunately I’m not an expert in pool chemicals, but if you do find a better solution, please check back and let us know! I’m sure we would all like to know what the alternatives are to this.
Don’t know if you can retrofit a hot tub for it but Ozone systems tend to irritate the skin less, but I believe they are only effective in indoor areas.
In our outdoor pool we use a Floatron which uses solar power to put copper ions in the pool, reducing or eliminating the need for chemicals. I think it can be used for a hot tub (as long as sunlight can reach it). The unit is about $300 and only needs a new copper core every few years (probably would last much longer in a small hot tub). The new core is like $50. It’s a huge savings, does a great job, and the water is pretty nearly drinkable. Available on Amazon, or their main website for more info.
Laurel,
Could you tell me more about the Floatron? I’d love to hear how it is working for you?
Thanks, Lisa
You can use essential oils in a hot tub. This is a conversation about it on Linked In, or just google “essential oils in hot tub” and you can find all kinds of testimonials, etc. on using the oils instead of chemicals. A little bottle of essential oil will go a long way and isn’t that costly compared to chemical maintenance.
Thank you for researching this Emily. We avoid chlorine pools as much as possible but sometimes the kids do swim in such water. My other concern is how much water they swallow in this pools. Don’t suppose there’s anything I can do to counter act that? lol
-Libby
Eat some oranges? 😉
We do post-swim baths with epsom salts and baking soda. I will definitely be trying these tips!
Thanks so much for this article! I have recently completly cut out all things toxic in my bathroom, kitchen, medicane cabinet and so on!!! Me and my family build and take care of swimming pools and I have been thinking a lot about the chemicals we use to put in pools, so thank you again for the great information! We have been doing salt water pools for some time now and I love them and I esp love them more now that I am trying to live a chemical free life!
The salt water pools actually ARE chlorine pools. I know everyone thinks they’re “natural” & they really aren’t. Salt is sodium chloride. The filtration system takes the salt & removes the sodium molecule, leaving behind CHLORIDE, which is chlorine. They both are toxic.
We use a Nature2 cartridge which attaches to our pool’s filtration line somehow — we change the filter yearly (it’s $50 approx.) & it does use copper ions I believe (need to double check — it’s a mineral purifier) — it allows us to use chlorine & chlorine shock in our pool but just minimally. Instead of keeping our chlorine levels at 10 where most public pools are/have to be – – ours runs around 0.5 ppm which is MINIMAL & it really cuts down on the toxicity of the pool.
We have a hot tub too & use another mineral purifier in there – -also Nature2, I believe… we change it yearly as well. I’m gonna check into the essential oils for the hot tub though! Beings that it’s a smaller quantity of water, I really want to use something more natural. There are natural hot tub products, but I don’t think they get good reviews… mildew still forms. So… the essential oils sounds promising! THANKS!!!
I don’t know about the NOW brand, but several vitamin C powders are sourced from genetically modified corn, so make sure to buy one that says non-GMO on the label.
Customer’s give high marks for the Nutribiotics brand of non-GMO non-gluten vitamin C powder carried by iHerb: http://www.iherb.com/search?kw=nutribiotic+vitamin+c&gclid=ck-i9il04rocfsjo7aodqywahg&gclsrc=aw.ds#p=1
Thank you for the information! I have always reacted badly to pool chemicals, so I will try getting wet with clean water first. I use coconut as a body oil so that should help too.
Great info. ! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
My husband daughter and I live in a super small town with a population of about 80 people. The town’s water supply has been extremely high in disinfection biproducts (Particularly TTHM and HAA5 ) for the last 20+ years. I’ve been fighting the city for the last year and a half and even went so far as to contact the DEP about this. Essentially, while the water plant is violating code after code, there’s not enough money in the town to bring it up to code without raising our water bill from the minimum $20/month to $200/month. As most of the people living in this town are retired or generally poor, it’s not something that can necessarily be afforded. The Mayor and town clerk defend our water saying it’s 100% safe to bathe in and safe to drink despite the fact that we get letters from them every month with our water bill saying that they’re out of compliance and that these chemicals over time can cause cancer, neurological damage, birth defects, miscarriages and learning disabilities and that you absorb more from bathing or swimming in the water than drinking it. We recently had a town meeting about the water with some engineers (we’re attempting to connect to a neighboring town’s water supply, but our bill will be raised hundreds of dollars each month if we do that) and the town clerk’s husband went nuts when someone asked if the water was safe to drink/bathe in and caused a big fight. After the fight was over the engineers said that they wouldn’t drink it or bathe in it and would advise that everyone else do the same.
any ideas besides bathe in bottled water? I looked at the shower head you linked to and read some complaints that it breaks easily and that the cartridges only last a few weeks. We can’t really afford to do that….
*by “extremely high in DBP’s, I mean way way way out of compliance. Like in some moths triple the allowed limit.
If you have your own pool, make it a saltwater pool with a chlorine generator. You have to dump a 40-lb. bag of pool salt in once or twice a month (in Florida, it’s twice a month April-Oct, once a month otherwise). It’s a little device that costs maybe $1500, including associated timers and controllers that’ll let you control the amount of chlorine in your pool. I believe it is a filter containing other minerals including copper, which turn the salt into chlorine. And the water is just vaguely salty and very soft, it actually makes my skin nicer and softer. And Ceciley, would well water be any better? What is your water source? Down here you can get a decent well down into the aquifer for about $6000, but once you pay for that, as long as you have electricity to run the well pump, it’s your water. Or there is the under-the-sink and/or in-the-garage reverse osmosis unit for $2000 or so. Look into this, as well as water-generator technology on sailboats that people use to make seawater into safe, drinkable/bathable freshwater.
Nora
We don’t have our own pool so that isn’t really an issue for us. We’ve tried to do a well. many times. But it’s not technically legal in our area. Neighborhood says you can’t use a well. We’ve had the worst luck trying to get the well going anyway. It worked for a few months, then lost its seat or something (husband explained it to me). The water also still needs a filter because it’s very high in iron and turns everything orange and has a taste to it. So at the moment, the well is out of commission.
From what I understand they’re (the town) getting the water from a well somewhere nearby. They supposedly have started looking for other places to put a well but cant find decent water. “allegedly.”
Right now, my husband and I are both between jobs so not a whole lot of money to spend. But we’ll look into the reverse osmosis units. Thank you.
Hi Ceciley – your story is truly shocking and can’t imagine having these obstacles to face just to have safe water! If I were in your situation though, I would seriously consider installing a high quality water filter for your whole house. I know that it would be pricey, but this really seems as though it would be the only safe choice.
I suggest getting a Berkey Water filter for drinking water and some kind of shower head for your bath or invest in a whole house filter. I don’t know about these specific chemicals with the berkey, but I know that it’s the best out there that gets out a lot of bad stuff and it’s the one I have. It’s like a water cooler, where you put in your tap water on the top and it filters it and you can dispense the clean water from the spout on the bottom.
If I were you I would install the best whole-house water filter system that I could afford. Your health is worth it. The ideal scenario is to clean up the town’s water supply, but in lieu of that work on your own water. The main contaminant I have been concerned with is fluoride, which is difficult to remove. It seems the best way to remove fluoride for the whole house (other than using RO) is with bone char filters. The activated alumina filters actually do a very poor job.
http://www.promolife.com/cart/air-water-purifiers/water-purifiers/fluoride-removal-filters
Here is another one: http://www.equinox-products.com/FluorideMaster.htm
And another; USWaterSystems fluoride filter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXx7RPLp6jw
And here is a less costly water pitcher with a filter that claims to remove at least 90% of the fluoride:
http://www.clearlyfiltered.com/products/filtered-water-pitcher
Here is an expensive yet very thorough water system based on RO and UV; also remineralizes and restructures:
http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/radiant-life-14-stage-water-purification-system/drinking-water-systems
The gravity fed Berkey systems are also a great way to clean water for drinking and cooking.
Also, have you considered capturing rain water? That could be a part of the solution. Get some more interesting discussion about water in this interview with Joseph Bender:
http://oneradionetwork.com/environment/joseph-bender-all-the-mysteries-of-the-life-process-are-contained-in-water-september-5-2013/
So do you do coconut oil before rinsing off or rinse off, dry off, coconut oil? I am guessing before?
This is what I was wondering, too. 🙂
Hi Sandy – thanks for your question. You’d actually do both for the best results.
in what order? which first?
Hi Emily,
Thanks for the wonderful information shared. This is truly going to help my kids as I was looking for some natural ways to protect against harmful pool chemicals.
My quick question here is – Should the coconut oil be applied on the wet skin right after shower or pat the skin dry after the shower and then apply the coconut oil and then enter the pool?
Thanks in advance !
Hi Nisha, thanks for the question. You can pat the skin dry gently and then apply the coconut oil. Hope this helps!
Great post–this is wonderful information! Thank you:) Another option – soaking with calcium bentonite clay (and epsom salts if you want) in your bath after pool exposure. The clay has absorption and adsorption properties and can essentially pull toxins from the body (as I understand it). The clay can also be taken internally. My family takes it internally and bathes in it—a warning if caution—if bathing in it, start with smaller quantities and short bath times, as it can be a potent detoxifier! (A lot of people use it to rid the body of heavy metals). For those worried about the water they are drinking, very small amounts can be added to the water to bind with these toxins—making the water much safer to drink.
Several years ago I made a drink with Bentonite clay for a gastro problem.
Soaking in it after pool exposure is something I would like to try. I have stayed away from my aerobics class due to the chlorine toxins.
One question I have….can the clay draw out neutriants and medication?
This is so helpful and I would like to disseminate this info to my students and their families. Can I get some sources from you for the scientific stuff? Joseph Mercola is not credible. I am sure there are more reliable sources that you may know of? Thanks.
Hi Carrie – There are several other sources linked throughout the post where it says ‘source’. Thanks.
I would also like to mention that there are indoor pools (if you search hard enough) which use salt instead of chlorine, to disinfect the water.
One of the post on this blog mention that the salt is sodium chloride.
The pool filtration system removes the the sodium and then you are left with chlorine. I remember reading about that on Dr Weil’s website a few years ago….such a disappointment.
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Wouldn’t the coconut oil make you burn?
Great info! My family has owned a pool store for years. Salt is the way to go:) it’s still chlorine, but it’s made naturally with a generating cell. It’s more upfront costs to buy the system, install, and add salt, but MUCH cheaper in long run. I maintain my pool for about $50-60 a year now. With chlorine it was $300-500 a year. And much easier on the skin. There are non-chlorine alternatives, but they are even more toxic. Btw- Copper is the reason blonde hair turns green. If you rinse hair before getting in pool it’s less likely to absorb the copper & turn green ( look for algaecides without copper)
Are you referring to using the same coconut oil used for cooking, like unrefined extra virgin? Just put it right on the skin?
Hi Sara,
Thanks for your question. Yes, it is the same coconut oil one would use for cooking and you put it directly on your skin and rub it in like any other oil.
My daughters have been taking swimming lessons and I’m grateful they’re learning to swim, but feel horrible about them being in the pool chemicals! The pools are saltwater/chlorine, but the chlorine is so strong that I can smell it in their hair for a week after washing it.
I have some questions about the rinsing and coconut oil as their dad takes them swimming and he doesn’t share my concern about the chlorine. Is it ok to rub them down with coconut oil before sending them to the pool (where I would ask him to rinse them off) or should they rinse off first? Is there any suggestion of how soon before going in the pool they need to be rinsed – and do they need to get in the pool dripping wet from clean water or could I rinse them at home, dry them off, slather with coconut oil, and send them to the pool?
Thanks much!!
Hi Kenyon, thanks for the question. The real issue is sweat mixing with chlorine, so the sooner you rinse them before getting in the water on a hot day is better. The best order would be to rinse, use coconut oil and then let them swim.
Thanks for the info…We live in Texas should I put on the coconut oil 1st and then sunscreen? My little girls and I have very pale skin so we have to wear rash guards and natural sunscreen. I’m worried that the coconut oil won’t give us the coverage we need. Do I use refined or unrefined coconut oil?
Thanks
Hi Stefani, thanks for the question. I think if you’re using an all natural sunscreen like Badger, you can skip the coconut oil. Just rinse before the sunblock, though. Hope this helps!
Ceciley, what a difficult situation you are in. I’m truly sorry about it. Safe water is one of the most important things for human health. Maybe if you can – try to move? Or get a whole house carbon filtration system and reverse osmosis for your drinking water. It’s expensive one-time cost, but your health and that of your children is very dependent upon clean safe water. Wishing you all the best!
Other options are to use lower amount of chlorine by using a Ozone generator for the water.Oxygen is a great source for dissinfection. Hydrogen peroxide is a good example. The wholesale price for 35 % hydrogen peroxide is 500 dollars a ton. DO NOT USE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE WITH BLEACH.
Use essential oils about 1/2 hour before swimming. Essential oils will go directly into the cells and prevent the cells from adsorbing any harmful chemicals.
Young Living Essential Oils has a massage oil called Cell-Lite-Magic. It is made up from a blend of essential oils along with coconut oil. It not only protects the skin but also protects the cells and body organs. You can purchase it at http://www.youngliving.com/karen
I’m new to the holistic mindframe, after battling chronic migraines for years using prescription medications with no long-term results, and we just bought a new house with a pool, ourdoor luckily. I’m definitely going to use some of these tips, but I am wondering about natural and healthier ways to treat my pool… I know there are treatments other than chlorine, like bromine, but I just don’t know if they’re any better for you. Does anyone know of an effective natural pool treatment? I live in the coastal climate of Southeastern NC, if that makes a difference…
Emily, You have some excellent suggestions in this post that I never thought about doing. I will try them this summer. Have a great week!
I don’t think anyone answered the question about which goes on first, sunscreen or coconut oil. BTW. I have been using coconut oil not only for cooking but as a moisturizer for face, body and hair. It’s terrific and inexpensive.
Sunscreen is always the last thing to go on the skin. However, leave it on for at least 15 minutes before getting in or it will just wash off right away and defeat the purpose.
Hi! Thanks for this great info! Quick question about the vitamin c spray…We don’t have a pool at home so it’s always have to drive back home. Should I spray the vitiamin C on before we drive home or right before the bath ?
Thanks!
I have a powdered kids multi-vitamin that is high in vit C. Could I use that to make my spray? Would there be any contra-indications to spraying the kids down with a multi-vit vs. just the vit C?
Thanks.
Hi Laura, thanks for the question. I don’t think there would be any contra-indications as such. It would probably not be as effective since it is not just vitamin C, though.
Thanks for the great article. I love the idea about the vitamin c. Thanks!
Thanks! Great info. I used to work as a swimming teacher- spending 30+ hours per week in the chlorine pool! I suffered from severe depression, acne and I was 10 kilo’s heavier than what I am now. I am sure those chemicals were messing up my body. Oh, not to mention that I had NO hair on my arms or legs (I’m assuming that the chlorine had burnt them off!) YUK!
Thanks for this! Really useful information here at your blog. Nice to know you’re part Filipino 🙂
In the high school where I attended, they used bromine. I would cough from the moment I walked into the pool locker room. That stuff is much worse than chlorine. Also, when you order water to drink ask for lemon or lime in it to neutralize the chlorine and chloramides. We have been using a vitamin C chlorine filter in the shower for about a month now. My scalp has stopped itching most of the time now. I just wish one was available for the hot water in the kitchen sink. Every kitchen faucet filter says it won’t work on hot water. Bummer, dishwashing kills my hands and the electric dishwasher broke! I use gloves, but still get a rash on my hands. I’m going to put a pinch of vitamin C powder in the dish water to see if it helps this situation. Also, when I was waiting to get the shower filter, I took a whole 1000 mg capsule crushed into my sink to neutralize the chlorine for face washing. Well, it was way too much, I actually ended up with a minor burn on my face, so go easy on the vitamin C powder for neutralizing the chlorine. What I used was probably enough for a bathtub full!!!!!
THANK YOU!! I refuse to let my kids swim in indoor pools. Lord, they smell like bleach bottles. I was feeling so mean too because I HATED them swimming in any pool. With these tips I’ll let them now.
~Honey of HoneysLife.com
how to protect skin/face from fluoride water during daily bath. my face became black colour and my skin is effected with dark spots. could i know what are the remedies to keep my face bright against fluoride water. can i wash my face with distilled water will it cause any problem.please give me some solution.
I’ve ALWAYS wondered about this. You shared some good tips, thank you!
Hi Meagan – Thanks for your comment! I’m glad you found it helpful. 🙂
I am SUPER excited to try this! 3 of my 4 kids are on year-round swim teams and my oldest has skin that always burns after swimming, especially at our indoor YMCA pool. I actually have some Vitamin C crystals that are expired so I’m wondering how important that expiration date is? I haven’t found much information on that.
We found vitamin E is also really good to use for chlorine burn. We spray the area with vitamin C spray and then put on the vitamin E.
I think that putting on coconut oil after you rinse off woukd defeat the purpose of rinsing in the first place, to keep oils out of the pool…the coconut oil would just rinse off and mix with the chlorine in the pool and create more chlorimides. You could spray your skin and hair with vitamin c and pure water after you get out of pool and rinse. They sell this stuff called swim spray for that purpose, but the ingedients
are just vit. C and h2o…also there is a way to remove chlorine from hair using kool aid. Also there are soaps made with activated charcoal that remove toxins fron skin.
I think that putting on coconut oil after you rinse off woukd defeat the purpose of rinsing in the first place, to keep oils out of the pool…the coconut oil would just rinse off an mix with the chlorine in the pool and create more chlirimides. You could spray your skin and hair with vitamin c and pure water after you get out of pool and rinse. They sell this stuff called swim spray for that purpose, but the ingedients
are just vit. C and h2o…also there is a way to remove chlorine from hair using kool aid. Also there are soaps made with activated charcoal that remove toxins fron skin.
Seriously, if you get the choice go and swim in the sea instead – no man-made chemicals there. I hate all the chemicals we have to endure in modern day life.
I would only recommend ocean swimming on the east coast. If you live on the west coast, you are in for a radiation bath courtesy of Japan.
Thank you for this! I was a fan of Dermaswim but since I am trying to be more natural, I wanted a healthier alternative. Will definitely try the vitamin C & Coconut oil. Thank you!
DermaSwim improved their formula and it is now 97% natural. I had a chance to try it and I love it.
So by spraying the vitamin C solution on your skin and rinsing after swimming you don’t need to shower with shampoo and soap?
Hi Cristi – Thanks for your comment. A good rinse is enough, but you can use soap and shampoo if you like. 🙂
Thank you so much for this post! I have always wondered about chlorine in pools. I also have seen studies that link swimming in chlorinated pools to increased rates of miscarriage and stillbirth. I don’t know why this isn’t more widely spoken about.
Can you recommend a good Vitamin C product for dechlorinating bath water? I don’t like that my boys are taking baths in chlorinated water, but we rent a home and cannot install a whole house filter. We use a PUR water filter at our kitchen sink, do you think that is sufficient?
Hi Mama Songbird – Thanks for your comment. I would add a scoop of the powdered vitamin c listed above to bath water. For more information on water filters, you can check out this post: http://holisticsquid.com/drinking-water/
I tried to post the other day, but for some reason it didn’t work out. I am so grateful to you for taking up this issue. I have been trying for years to find out reliable information on the dangers of swimming in chlorinated pools. When you think that our skin is our largest organ – and we are just immersed in chlorine – it doesn’t make any sense that this WOULDN’T be dangerous. I’ve seen some information that suggests a possible link between pregnancy loss and stillbirth and swimming in chlorinated pools.
I am wondering your thoughts on the Vitamin C fizzy de-chlorination tablets for baths? We have a bathtub that doesn’t allow a fixture to fit over it, and we cannot install a whole-house filter where we live, because we are renters. I’ve seen now (through your post) that Vitamin C is a suitable dechlorinator, and Amazon sells the tablets. Do you think this would work? I’m concerned about bath-time now for my 2 and 4 year olds.
Thanks!
Hi Michelle – Thanks for your comment! I haven’t used the tablets myself, but you could add a scoop of the Vitamin C powder listed above to their bath as well.
Great advice! We just bought a house with a pool and are starting to get it ready for summer. We have been considering converting it to saltwater but I have read so many contradicting reviews. Some love it, some hate it. This definitely makes me feel like it’s the way to go. And until we can convert it I will use your other tips. Many of the comments were also very helpful and informative about different types of filters, pool systems, etc. Pinned this article for future use. Thanks again!
Our family takes an appropriate dose of taurine to help us process chlorine, per our naturopath’s directiom. We take the first dose 15 minutes prior to being exposed to the pool or the air around it (even outdoor pools). When we’re done, we take a dose for each 15 min. of exposure. Dose depends on age/size.
We have many clients that are sensitive to chlorine and by product chloramines. Copper ionization is a healthy alternative. The small solar units do nor produce enough power to ionize average or large swimming pools. With a properly size ionization system, one can go chlorine free. More information is available at http://www.Intec-America.com
I was just thinking… Wouldn’t the chlorine react to the coconut oil in the same way it reacts with body sweat?
Thanks for the great tips!
Can you please clarify whether I would rinse first, then apply coconut oil, before going in the pool or I would apply coconut oil after being in the pool & rinsing with the vitamin c solution?
Also, would it be more effective if I sprayed the vitamin c solution to my skin (rather than rinsing with plain water) prior to getting in the pool?
Hi Wendy – Thanks for your comment. I would rinse first and then apply coconut oil. After pool time, rinse with the vitamin c solution. Hope that helps!
This is such a great article. I always knew chlorine was bad but I didn’t know that there were so many ways to protect ourselves. People really need to know this and I will be sharing this with my FB page. Thanks.
I recently read a chemists comments on a different site saying vitamin C and chlorine can produce some kind of ammonia??!
Has anyone used, or considered using a chlorinator (Not chlorine, but salt in a little machine – Don’t know why they chose to call it a chlorinator), or an Ozonator?
I realise you can’t use this for the public pool situations, but for home and the hot tubs. 🙂
If I had $30K to plunk down to convert our pool into a natural swimming pool (where the water is continually filtered by plants in a pool adjacent to the swimming pool, using ZERO chemicals), that would def be my top pick. The salt option still require too many chemicals to suit me.
Very eager to try out a gadget that should arrive this week, supposed to be much better than the Floatron device. (similarly priced, approx $300) They claim we will be able to use only one chlorine tablet a week or so. which should be a negligible amt of chemicals in 27,000gal of water. We will see!
Ann, what is this product called? We use Nature2 cartridges which allows us to keep our chlorine levels very low but would be curious to hear more about what you’re trying! THANKS!!!
So I’m trying to figure out how to do this? Do you rinse off THEN apply coconut oil? Seems you’d have to rinse, dry, apply coconut oil (for it to stick) and doesn’t that defeat the whole rinsing off thing? Are these all different options or are you supposed to combine them? Confused! Also, should I be putting lotion on my toddler after baths (when soap is used) b/c of the same reasons mentioned in the article?
THanks so much!
Loads of functions on these steam showers, I really like the multimedia idea and the lighting
If you have chlorine in your tap water and you bathe your kid in the bath, could you put some vitamin c in the tub? About how much, assuming you fill a small, shallowish tub about half way?
Can i use Moroccan oil instead of coconut oil? Because I’m out of coconut oil.
Hi Alex – I haven’t tried it myself, but let us know if you test it out. 🙂
Hi, just wanted to add my 2cents….sorry if this is a repeat too.
I also used to swim, was a lifeguard and pool operators as well. If there are those out there who think coconut oil and vitamin C spray sound too “out there” I highly recommend following at least some this advice…also, avoid indoor pools for smaller children, especially if you walk in and smell a strong smell. When indoor pools are well balanced and don’t have as much chloramine it smells better. Technically we all smell and react to this chemical the most so this is a good thing to keep alert for. Perfect balance is impossible all the time so some days will be better than others at every pool. You might be able to talk to the lifeguard about the pool condition(they are required to test frequently, but only the pool operator might know the the correct interpretation of these results) to see if it has recently been “shocked or balanced” a few days after this will be the best days. Also pH of the pool affects eyes and skin significantly. If the pool is well taken care of it won’t burn your eyes and therefore be better for skin and hair.
So, back to the advice, sorry. Do at least two things….1) rinse off and soak your hair before swimming 2) You can also use a vinegar and water rinse for your hair and body to help neutralize the chloramines after swimming….use one in a cup or two of water. You can just guesstimate but try to use the smallest amount of vinegar necessary. Just a splash of vinegar in a big container to pour over you can work wonders! I used to have burning itching skin whenever I didn’t use the rinse, so much so that I could tell when I “missed a spot”!
Hi Emily, I found your wonderful site yesterday looking for help with chlorine smells. I slathered myself with coconut oil before leaving for the gym. Then I soaked my skin with water before doing laps. My skin felt great for most of the swim. It was only slightly itchy on the last 2 laps (I swim for about 45 minutes). I also made and used the Vitamin C spray. It really works! There was no chlorine smell. I followed up with coconut oil.
While I am a huge fan of coconut oil, I think my skin needs something extra since I started swimming. I’ve also been getting a few small breakouts from the dry irritated skin. For the past year I’ve been mixing coconut oil with avocado oil or almond oil which worked great. From the chlorine I now wake up with a dry forehead. Can I use your Whipped Body Butter on my face or will it cause breakouts? Will the Body Butter also work as a barrier in the pool? How about the Tallow Butter? Both recipes sound really great!
Thank you for the great tips and recipes! I’m half- Filipina, too!
Hi Cynthia – Thanks for your comment! I don’t see why not, and you could even try using my Homemade Sunscreen as a moisturizer. It contains beeswax, which creates a barrier in the pool and will last longer on the skin. Hope that helps!
Homemade Sunscreen: http://holisticsquid.com/homemade-sunscreen/
I found this post, especially #4 about vitamin C. I work in the engineering department of a company that makes pool and spa chemical dispensers, so I am always surfing for information that is outside the “common knowledge” of the industry.
Vitamin C also has another pool use. It can be used to remove metal stains from the pool liner. If you check out YouTube you will find people actually rubbing pills on the stains, or crushing them up in a sock and letting it sit on a stain.
There are also a lot of grocery store items that are handy for pool maintenance and cost less than the same chemicals from a pool store.
Hi,
Is an indoor salt water pool still worse than an outdoor traditional chlorine pool? Thanks!
Hey Emily:
Fabulous info. I’ve tried your anti-chlorine lotion and it worked really well. I have a question: I thoroughly melt the ingredients and then use an immersion blender to mix thoroughly. After the mixture has a chance to cool down I get lumps in the lotion. I’m not sure what I can do to correct this problem? It’s kind of embarrassing to enter the pool area with little cream-colored spots on my body! Does anybody have any suggestons? Thanks, Karen
Hi Emily
Thank you so much for your post. Is the Vitamin C spray really safe on children? I want to use it on my daughters that are going often to an indoor swimming pool.
Thanks!
Hi, Thank you so much for all the info. Two questions: is the Vitamin C safe on children skin? And I am applying coconut oil to my daughters hair before going in the pool but the hair remains greasy even after after washing it…Is that fine on the long run? Thank you so much!
Stef
Hi Stef, thanks for the question. Vitamin C and coconut oil are both safe for kids. Unfortunately, the coconut oil will cause a little greasiness in the hair – it may require further washing or a change in hair care products. Hope this helps!
Hi there,
I am wondering where you obtained this image (girl swimming)? This is my daughter, and I did not give you permission to use this image.
Hi Sasha, this image was purchased as a stock photograph.
i think the solutions propossed here are good, but the method of application is bad because nothing you put in your skin WITH YOUR HANDS will be enough to fight agaisnt the damages caused by IMMERSING the WHOLE BODY in the water.. the correct way would be doing the same IMMERSING the whole body in a “lotion” but since we can not do that the most closer method for that is a shower… when you use the coconut oil… do you reach under your nails? in the deep deep private parts? within your ears? within your nasals? between feet fingers? most dont! so the best and more practical to apply the healing solution is something that we can use for showering us…
otherwise would be like protecting the roof of our car while the whole car is being under attack…
sorry for my bad english i hope you get the idea
for now i use cocoa butter solutions but just to keep the visible parts young (i am 29yo but my skin and face still look like 17 and i want to keep that the most possible, but that’s an esthetic solution…. i swim everyday 40 minutes of intense practice and i need a more practical solution than rubbing something in my skin
a gel for shower a soap something we use to cover the whole body is a better the coconut and jojoba oil solution you propose is the best of the best but how do i apply to the whole body? in a practical way?
Thanks for the article . I just want to share a few points. VitaC in practice is a huge hassle to work with and doesn’t fully neutralize the chlorine. Also having been a competitive swimmer and a lifeguard for years, there is no way a lifeguard will let you in the water all oiled up. As for specialty shampoos, I’ve tried everything!! I’ve become more sensitive to chlorine with age and even developed eczema, not sure why, it really irritates my skin and scalp. Since the eczema, I have now switched to use Swimmer Soap bar soap for hair, skin, and a bit on my suits. It definitely gets rid of the chlorine and it’s an all natural product. It didn’t do much for my eczema at first, but after a few months of using it (I’m a frequent swimmer), my eczema all went away. I hope this helps, and helps others who need to swim but want to stay healthy while doing so. I’d give this Swimmer Soap a try, especially for children, I suspect prolonged exposure will result in high sensitivities with age.
Creative Water Solutions uses Sphagnum moss leaves to treat swimming pool and spa water. Using it greatly reduces the amount of sanitizer needed to kill bacteria in the water. My skin feels great afterwards. I personally use it in our spa, which is indoors, and you can’t smell it at all in our home!
Any idea how long the spray lasts? I read one website which states that once the vit. C is mixed with water, it will only last about 4 hours. Any truth to that? Also can ingesting vit. C before and after swiming help combat the ill effects of chlorine?
I’ve never personally rinsed before entering a pool because I, too, felt that I wasn’t dirty to begin with. But I didn’t think about the fact that it may help with protecting against nasty pool chemicals. Rinsing before swimming makes sense though, especially if it’s a public area.
Please DO NOT apply any oils to your body or hair before swimming. Chloramines are formed when chlorine reacts with sweat, urine, oils (body oils or other natural oils) and other organic substances. If you slather oils on your body you will increase chloramine level greatly and completely defeat the purpose of pre-rinsing which is to reduce the amount of organic substance that will react with chlorine. Use oil or lotion AFTER swimming is highly recommended as it will protect the skin from the drying effects of swimming.
The vitamin C spray works wonders. I add a pre-measured amount of VC powder to an empty small spray bottle before leaving home and fill it up with water right before showering so the solution stays fresh. Extra solution is sprayed onto swimming suit while in the shower. I use up the whole bottle at once and create a new batch each time I swim. It’s quick and easy and very economical, and a small bottle is more portable in my shower kit than a full size sprayer.
Thank you, now I know yesterday I did not do all that, what if I take vitamin c supplements before swimming?
Hi, would a natural vitamix c powder work too (I’m thinking organic vit c) vs ascorbic acid?
Thanks!