Make sure your drinking the right water

In the past few years, environmental factors have become very crucial when it comes to leaving an impact on the health. Be it the air pollution or the kind of water consumed, it has come out as a major concern for many.

Several epidemiological studies have shown the multiple health related risks associated with the consumption of the hardness of water.

Hard water could be understood as the water with higher concentration of magnesium ions and calcium.

While it affects everyone, it affects the most to new mothers and new born babies in multitude of ways.

Impact of hard water on mothers:

Women during their pregnancy and post pregnancy are in a fragile state, prone to many kinds of risks. Water, which is basic necessity, has to be pure and of the utmost quality when it comes to new mothers.

The hard water poses number of risks, having a high disease rate. If consumed hard water, they have to fight against:

♦ Cardiovascular diseases: There are many studies which have demonstrated the risks attached with the consumption of hard water. It has the potential to lead to various cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, smoking habits, lower mortality rate and low blood pressure.

♦ Cancer: A good number of studies have shown higher the levels of calcium and magnesium in water, higher will be the risk of gastric cancer. This fact is very dreadful knowing that there exists a number of areas which serve hard water to its residents. A few epidemiological studies have also shown the risk of rectal and pancreatic cancer on the consumption of hard water.

♦ Cerebrovascular Mortality: A significant relation has been shown in hard water drinking and risk of cerebrovascular disease. The risk of strokes and hypertension are huge when someone consumes hard water regularly.

♦ Diabetes: Hard water has been considered as a major source ofdiabetes. An improper level of magnesium in water can lead to multiple diseases and diabetes is one of the major ones.

Impact on new born babies:

The usage or consumption of hard water is even more hazardous for new born babies, for the very simple fact- the sensitivity of their skin.

New born babies come with highly sensitive skin and are vulnerable to diseases more than anyone else. While hard water impact mothers in various ways, it impacts baby's skin the most.

♦ It often considered to be a major cause of Atopic dermatitis, also called eczema among kids. It is an inflammatory, non-contagious and pruritic skin disorder.

♦ If you make your baby bathe with hard water, it is likely for them to develop changes from neutral pH to an acidic pH which can act as a barrier from protecting your baby's skin.

♦ Hard water has high content of calcium, magnesium and iron which causes dryness to skin leading to clog pores, flaking and itching.

♦ It could also lead to blemishes and acne on your baby's skin.

Steps you must take:

We are living in a world which is polluted. We have our houses in different areas and if the area has the supply of hard water, we certainly can not leave the area.

We have to look for alternate solutions. There are various methods that exist to soften the water and protect your baby's skin.

The first major solution that exists is the use of a water softener. Under this process, the hard water goes through a resin bed, calcium and magnesium are exchanged for anions like sodium.

Salt is used for better results and once the resin is generated, the water is been softened and is good to be used. One can also use the process of reverse osmosis to remove the hardness of water.

To avoid skin related problems on your baby's body, the first thing you should do is- replace soaps with gentle cleansers which are skin friendly.

Hard water has the tendency of reacting with soaps and forming salts which may remain on the skin and pose a threat. Secondly, moisturize your baby's skin well with natural, ayurvedic oils which can keep the pH level of your baby's skin balanced.

For the better hygiene, consider using eco-friendly, biodegradable, alcohol and paraben-free baby products like baby wipes which will help in lessening the scaling and itching and softening the cracks caused by the hard water.

-Rishu Gandhi, Founder & Head- Brand Strategy of Mother Sparsh