After a traffic accident and the following rehab I started as well with swimming. Swimming helped my physical and mental recovery. However since the days (and water) get colder I swim more often in indoor pools, which appear to be heavy chlorinated. The pool area air I am breathing in feels heavy on chlorine as well. Q: Is daily exposure to this level of chlorine “counter productive” for my mental well being, or even a risk to health?
Better Together
Swimming and Chlorine
Updated on December 9, 2019 in
Healthy Living
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Great question! Swimming is a bit of a catch-22 because it offers so much benefit for low-impact cardiovascular and muscular health, but chlorine-rich pools are less than ideal for our health, especially indoors where we are breathing the chlorine as well as absorbing it through our skin.
If possible, try swimming in a saltwater pool, which will have some chlorine, but at much lower levels than a traditional pool. If this isn’t available, swim outside in warmer months, and vary your activities with other types and be sure to wash off immediately after swimming. It is very important to support detoxification pathways for chlorine, as it can compete with other nutrients, especially iodine, which is particularly important for thyroid health.
Foundational supports for detoxification include: 1) sweating regularly with exercise and sauna use, 2) eat many dark leafy greens, 3) drink adequate filtered water, and 4) avoid toxicants that inhibit liver function (excess caffeine, alcohol, fatty foods, processed foods, too much sugar) and 5) eat high fiber to support bowel elimination regularly.
Best!
Zoe
Thank you Zoe, I started to alternate swimming outdoors (I am in the process to acclimate my body. It’s a crisp 6-7 degree Celsius in the Pacific up here.I already mange up to 10 minutes swimming). Food wise I am a 100% believer of Dr. Amen’s Brain Fit 50 Ways to Grow your Brain.
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