(Naturalhealth365) Breaking new research, in an extensive report released on behalf of the Society of Toxicology, reveals how toxic elements are affecting our gut microbiome.  One of the toxic contaminant findings was particularly disturbing, and it’s in our tap water.

Over 286 million Americans access their tap water from a community “health” system and this should be a major public health concern. (as you’ll soon see!)

Research in the microbial bacteria field has skyrocketed over the past 10 years. We now understand more about the microorganisms in our body that outnumber our human cells by 10 to 1. This breaking research reveals the bacteria that we overproduce when drinking tap water, and what we can do to stop it from happening to us.

The toxic contaminant creating the bacteria causing cardiovascular disease

The dangers of long-term exposure to arsenic and their connection to cancer are well-researched. This comprehensive study reveals more concerning evidence being the dangers of arsenic.

The 2019 study revealed that there is a significant association with exposure to arsenic in drinking water and genus Citrobacter and IMT.  Genus Citrobacter was overproduced in tap-water drinkers.  This bacteria is a known contributor to a range of health issues.

To be clear: citrobacter can increase urinary tract infections, respiratory diseases, sepsis in immunocompromised patients, and inflamed gastrointestinal tracts.

Alongside the overproduction of this harmful bacteria, IMT (vascular intima-media thickness) also increased. High IMT can lead to cardiovascular issues, the top offender being atherosclerosis. In simple terms, that’s clogged arteries from built-up plaque. With heart disease accounting of 1 in 4 American deaths, we can not afford to increase our chances of cardiovascular problems.

We have trillions of microorganisms in our gut, ingesting the right things to encourage a biodiverse culture must become a priority. Our gut bacteria are capable of altering our moods, behaviors, and food-cravings.

It’s a topic that has experienced a boom of new research in recent years.  Yet, there is still much more to learn about our gut microbiome and its impact on our health.

How much exposure is too much?

These studies were undertaken in Bangladesh, where there the permissible level of arsenic in drinking water is five times higher than the acceptable level in the US.  However, research has not yet discovered the cut-off point to where our gut microbiome is not affected by arsenic levels in tap water.

With arsenic even infiltrating our “safe” bottled water, when will enough be enough?

What’s more shocking is that tap water is banned in California Central Valley because of its high arsenic levels. Those living in the south-west or close to the Rockies will also likely have arsenic levels teetering on the edge of unsafe.

With only 92% of America’s drinking water deemed “safe,” how many cancer, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases will it take to discover how much arsenic exposure affects us as a nation?

It has become normal to become complacent with our tap water. Generations have been telling us that our water is “good for us.”

Most of us who are well-versed in the natural health fields will likely already be vigilant with their purification methods. But what about our friends and family who fail to make the shift because of what we’ve been conditioned to believe about our water?

Our water standards must be held higher than they currently are by the organizations that can make a significant (positive) change for our society.

Rebuild your gut microbiome: Take action now

We cannot immediately control the minimum acceptable water standards here in the USA. But we can control our own actions with some simple steps.

Invest in a water purification system that removes arsenic. Not all water systems are created equally.  In fact, many may only focus on the removal of chlorine and fluoride. Activated carbon filtration will remove arsenic up to 70%, and reverse osmosis will remove arsenic up to 90%. Either of these options will reduce the level of arsenic enormously.

Limit rice-based products. Arsenic levels in its most toxic (inorganic) form are highest in rice-based products. If rice has become somewhat of a staple in your household, you must wash your rice with purified water. Studies have proven that this will reduce arsenic levels by up to 57%. However, cooking your rice in water with high levels of arsenic will have the opposite effect!

There is much more research that we need to be made aware of in the realm of gut health. Luckily, we are now aware of the additional risk factors of arsenic consumption. Invest in your health today by limiting the unwanted effects of long-term arsenic exposure on your gut health.

Sources for this article include:

Academic.oup.com
Healthline.com
Cancer.org
NYTimes.com
Livescience.com
WHO.int
CDC.gov
NIH.gov