You and your kids have been swimming all summer. What do you do about the chemicals in the pool water? The first step is to swim in an outdoor pool so at least you are not inhaling the chlorine fumes.

Yet, pool chemicals also enter the body through the skin. They are known to alter hormone levels, increase respiratory disorders like asthma and allergies, and create gut flora imbalance.

There are some steps you can take before you enter the pool to help reduce how much chlorine (and other pool chemicals) get absorbed into the skin.

• Rinse before swimming which saturates your skin with cleaner water so it is less likely to absorb chemical pool water. Showering also removes access sweat – the ammonia in sweat reacts with the chlorine in a pool to create a more dangerous chemical called chloramine.
• Slather coconut oil all over your skin to help keep the acid mantle intact. This natural acidic film found on the skin protects us from absorbing bacteria, viruses, and other potential contaminates.
• Spray hair and skin with vitamin C after getting out of the pool to neutralize the chlorine. Rub the spray in and rinse in a shower.

You may need some additional support, especially if your child is more sensitive to chemicals and other toxins. And, if your child is anything like mine, they may also be drinking some of the water.

In my office, I carry two great products to help the body eliminate pool chemicals. One is a homeopathic remedy that helps the body to recognize and eliminate the chemicals at the cellular level. The other product is a herbal combination that specifically supports the liver, which is one of your main detoxifying organs.

In our house, we use the homeopathic before and after every swim, whether it is a chlorinated, saline, or salt water pool, since even saline and salt water pools may contain some chemicals. We also take extra probiotics on swimming days.  If you are interested, contact me and I can help you determine which product is best for you or your child.

This article was written by Sharon Harmon, founder of Life Design for Health. She has a passion for helping people find their way back to optimum health. Please contact her if you would like to know more. There is a great deal of health-related information in her blog articles and on her website.