little ones
BY SHERVON DE LEON,
Bermuda Environmental Laboratories Ltd.
What’s in Your
Water?
The signs are everywhere. Stores are full of
sanitizers and antibacterial soaps, detergents,
wipes... you name it. Western culture is on
a mission to wipe every single germ and
bug off the face of the earth. Truth be told,
antibacterial soaps are no more effective
than conventional soap and water. 1 Triclosan,
the most common bacteria-killing ingredient
(originally created for hospital use) has
been linked to eczema, asthma and allergic
reactions. It doesn’t kill viruses but it does kill
both good and bad bacteria.
ere at Bermuda Environmental Laboratories,
we think a few sample millilitres are just as im-
portant as the proverbial ounce of prevention.
After all, we check our computers for viruses,
our vehicles for maintenance issues (except for that
guy on the bike who passed me on the way to the
lab this morning,) our teeth for cavities, our roofs for
leaks and cleanliness, but how often, if at all, do most of
us check the quality of our drinking water. If you read
over the preceding list, you might agree -- the last check
should arguably be first.
Even if you drink bottled-in-Bermuda water, bot-
tled-at-a-sacred-source-in-some-secret-Swiss-grotto water,
distilled, flavoured or vitamin-ized water and even if you
have a state of the art under-counter water treatment
system: if you are pouring safe, potable water into cups,
glasses, pots and pans that have been washed or rinsed
in contaminated water... It’s not rocket science but it is
science and it’s what we do here at BELL.
Water is mission critical to children’s health.
•
•
28
It helps maintain their body temperature (unfortu-
nately the same can’t be said for their occassional
attitude.)
It is the wet part of sweat -- and kids sweating is
almost always a good thing.
Scanning electron
micrograph of
Escherichia coli
(grown in culture
and adhered to a
coverslip)
• It’s fundamental to the efficient movement
and distribution of nutrients and the removal
of waste from their bodies.
• Proper hydration is essential to maintaning
a healthy weight.
• It improves concentration (drinking water
and brain function have been integrally linked.)
• It reduces or eliminates common problems like
constipation and urinary tract infections.
• Developing a lifelong water “habit” reduces the risk
of chronic disease in later years.
• And it’s better for them than a soda or “drink” in
Every. Single. Way.
Courtesy Rocky Mountain
Laboratories, NIAID, NIH.
Although healthy adults may be more resilient and
may, over time, build up immunity to some of the bugs
in our water, those most at risk from exposure to con-
taminated water, in addition to children, are the elderly,
individuals with weakened immune systems and visitors
to the island who have no previous exposure to our
water and therefore have little or no natural defense.
Exposure to contaminated water happens more of-
ten than you might think -- most often quite innocently,
and it usually only results in minor, temporary, treat-
able, gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea as well as
eye, ear and sometimes skin irritations or infections.
Giardia and Cryptosporidium
Giardia and Cryptosporidium are microscopic parasites
found worldwide. Over the past twenty years, Giardia in-
fection has become recognized as one of the most com-
mon causes of waterborne disease in North America, in