About Water

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Water Facts

Water, being the most abundant component of our body, is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Water comprises between 50-70% of an adult’s body (up to 90lbs in a 130lb adult!). When water is taken out of our diet our survival time is 2-3 days at best so we have to make sure we are always well hydrated!

Water is a great cleanser because of its ability to dissolve compounds. Water is called the “universal solvent” because it dissolves more substances than any other liquid. This means that wherever water goes, either through the ground or through our bodies, it takes along valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients but also washes off toxins and dangerous byproducts of metabolism from our bodies. Water is essential to cleansing and detoxification

Water Pollution

Our water system is polluted by microorganisms (virus and bacteria), chemicals and heavy metals from agriculture, and industrial factory discharges. Chlorine and bromide (used in some States only) are used for disinfection to remove microorganisms but the by-products of disinfection are also toxic and add to the other toxic chemicals. Water pollution is a serious health threat. We invite you to visit the EPA website to appreciate the long list of water contaminants, their source and health consequences. Here is a short preview.

Five Hidden Dangers of Your Morning Shower

  • Chlorine: Added to most municipal water supplies, this disinfectant hardens arteries, destroys proteins in the body, irritates skin and sinus conditions, and aggravates asthma, allergies, and respiratory problems.
  • Chloroform: This powerful by-product of chlorination causes excessive free- radical formation (accelerated aging!), normal cells to mutate, and cholesterol to oxidize. It’s a known carcinogen!
  • DCA (Dichloroacetic acid): This chlorine by-product alters cholesterol metabolism and has been shown to cause liver cancer in lab animals.
  • MX (another chlorinated acid): Another by-product of chlorination, MX is known to cause genetic mutations that can lead to cancer growth and has been found in all chlorinated water for which it was tested.
  • Possible cause of bladder and rectal cancer: Research has indicated that drinking chlorinated water may increase the risks for bladder and rectal cancers in the US.

http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/contaminants/index.html#listmcl

Water disinfection is not sufficient! Drinking water must be filtered!

Chlorinated drinking water is considered safe for use, however the presence of multiple dangerous chemicals make it unsafe for consumption in our standards. Therefore, it is imperative to equip houses with filters to remove heavy metals and chemicals. There are many types and brands of filters under the general categories of reverse osmosis and carbon filters. If you have fluorine in your water you will need a reverse osmosis filter to remove it. You will need a filter for your kitchen and your shower as chlorine trapped in the water evaporates easily and transforms into a gas that will enter your body through your lungs.

http://www.multipureco.com/

Water pH

Pure water has a neutral pH of 7, which is neither acidic nor basic. Distilled water has a pH of 7 and sea water has an average pH of 8.3 (slightly alkaline).

Poor health is synonymous with acidic pH. Also, the metabolic processes tend to acidify the body as well as eating meat, grains and processed foods. Therefore, it will be important to drink alkaline water in particular during cleanses, to keep the body alkaline as much as possible. At Hawaii Naturopathic Retreat Center we have a general filter for the entire house that removes water pollutants and an alkaline filter for the kitchen sink. The filter separates water into alkaline and acidic. We use alkaline water for drinking and food preparation and acidic water for washing the skin, vegetables and dishes.

So What is Alkaline Water and Why Make Our Water Alkaline?

Acid wastes (from the lifestyles we lead – not only from food and drink, but also from stress and other pollutants) are dumped into the bloodstream and lymph, and then are transported to the liver and kidneys for detoxification, processing and elimination. The pH level of our internal fluids affects every living cell in our bodies and the effect that over-acidification can have upon the health of our bodies is immense, with a chronically over acidic pH creating an extremely negative environment which affects all cellular functions from the beatings of the heart to the neural workings of the brain.

In order to hydrate your body optimally, you need to drink water that is alkaline and mineral rich. Alkaline water helps to neutralize acids and remove toxins from the body. Alkaline water also acts as a conductor of electrochemical activity from cell to cell. Ideally, water should have a ph between 9 and 10, and you should be drinking 3-4 liters of it daily. As you hydrate your body properly, you’ll develop more of a thirst for water. The process of making water alkaline increases the purity of the water by filtering out toxins and impurities

For those who are not so skeptical about the benefits of the alkaline lifestyle, alkaline water helps to neutralize acids and remove toxins from the body – it is a great cleanser and helps to detoxify our system.

Food Cravings

Food cravings are often the body’s cry for water. You might already have more of a thirst than you even realize – and if you are going to quench it, make sure your water is alkaline!

Alkaline Water

The Akai “Ionizer Plus” water ionizer provides the highest quality alkaline water for multiple uses. Most people drink the alkaline water at a pH level of between 8 and 9. You will notice better flavor in juices, coffee and tea, as well as soups, when prepared with alkaline water. In addition, vegetables retain more of their color when boiled or steamed in Alkali water, if you wish to cook your vegetables! Most people notice an almost immediate increase in energy and decrease in acidity, especially eliminating the need for antacids, when drinking alkaline water. Usually diarrhea and constipation symptoms disappear as well.

Acidic Water

The Acidic water at its lowest pH, Level Four (Strong Electrolysis), is especially good for your skin and hair. Acidic water is great for athlete’s foot, acne, eczema and other skin irritations, including insect bites and burns. Acidic water can be used for all types of cleaning. In general, acidic water is to be used externally, and alkaline water, internally.

http://www.hightechhealth.com/html/ionizer_main.htm

Dehydration

Plain Water Can Halt an Allergy or Asthma Attack Almost Instantly

Your allergies or asthma may simply be your body’s way of telling you it’s thirsty!
When you’re dehydrated (you could be and not know it), your body tries to compensate by releasing histamines, which constrict blood flow and reduce your need for water.
But these same histamines also trigger asthma and allergies. And long-term dehydration makes your immune system react even more strongly.
So the next time you have an attack, instead of drugs, try 3 or 4 glasses of water. It could stop your reaction almost instantly.

According to Mayo Clinic, at the very least dehydration can cause:

  • Excessive thirst
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Dry mouth
  • Little or no urination
  • Muscle weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/DS00561/DSECTION=symptoms

Related Articles

Article 1:
How Your City Adds Chloramines to Your Tap Water

By Richard Mesquita, AquaMD

(AquaMD is the water testing division of the American Water Council, a nationally respected provider of water education and testing services. AquaMD has teamed with Dr. Mercola to provide you both the free home water evaluation and the Dr. Mercola water testing packages at http://www.aquamd.com/mercola/labtests.)

Recently, two unrelated children ages 2 and 4, living in Greenville, N.C., were found to have extremely high levels of lead in their blood. One child had lead levels in his blood that were 200 percent higher than the medical safety standard. And the other child’s lead level was about 150 percent higher than the so-called safe limit.
What were these children exposed to that caused them to absorb so much lead into their bodies? All signs point to the public water supply!
It turns out the water company’s water was leaching lead from lead solder used to connect water pipes in the homes’ plumbing systems.
In fact, the tap water tested at the home of one of these children contained lead levels of 400 parts per billion (ppb). To put that number in perspective, even the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says lead levels in water exceeding 15 ppb are very dangerous and must be acted upon.
The local water company’s own water tests also showed 25 percent of all samples collected at various homes in their coverage area were contaminated with lead at levels starting at 15 ppb, if not more. No doubt, many more water samples showed levels of lead that were also dangerous, but since they were below the EPA’s action level, the water utility did not have to report them.

How did Lead Leach Into the Water Supply?

The water company started treating the public water supply with chloramines. Combining chlorine and small amounts of ammonia forms chloramines. That combination yields three known varieties:

  • Monochloramine
  • Dichloramine
  • Trichloramine

Chloramines eat away at the lead contained in the solder used to connect pipes, as well as actual lead service lines, and deposits lead into the water supply. So why did this North Carolina water company start adding chloramines to the public water supply in the first place?

Believe it or not, they did it to reduce the levels of harmful trihalomethanes (TTHMs) they were finding in their water. As you may recall, TTHMs are types of disinfection byproducts that have been linked to liver, kidney and central nervous system damage as well as cancer. They are very widespread in public water supplies.

The water company could have selected another water treatment option that would have reduced TTHMs in the water supply and kept it bacteria-free, but adding chloramines to the water was the low-cost option.
Adding chloramines to the public water supply isn’t limited to this North Carolina water company either. More and more, water companies across the United States have switched to chloramines in an attempt to keep bacteria from growing in their water. In fact, 25 percent of water companies now use them as their primary disinfection chemical of choice.

Just so you know, reports of high lead levels in public water supplies aren’t limited to North Carolina. Within the past year, the water company serving the Washington, D.C. area switched to chloramines and soon found lead levels 3,200 times greater than the EPA’s action level. Things were so bad, according to the Washington Post, the water company withheld reporting some of their water test results and simply told their customers their water was fine.
That same newspaper reported, “Cities across the country are manipulating the results of tests used to detect lead in water, violating federal law, and putting millions of Americans at risk.”

Health Effects of Chloramines

The lead that is leached into the water supply by chloramines has been linked to kidney damage, miscarriages, nervous system damage, anemia, high blood pressure, brain damage and reproductive difficulties, as well as learning and behavioral problems in children. Plus, chloramines leach copper into public water supplies. And long-term exposure to high levels of copper can cause liver damage, kidney damage, headaches, stomach problems and dizziness, among others.

In addition, scientists have discovered chloramines can create their own disinfection byproducts, such as N-nitrosodimethylamine. And this specific disinfection byproduct is a human carcinogen.
Some research links chloramines to bladder cancer. It’s also believed the ammonia used to create chloramines in water can cause nitrate levels to rise and hurt young children.

Can Chloramines be Removed From the Water?

Chloramines are very difficult to remove from water by using reverse-osmosis systems or water softeners. Distilling water also won’t remove them. But they can typically be removed with the right granular-activated carbon filter.
The problem: Public water supplies typically also contain other toxic substances that may not be removed by granular-activated carbon. No water filter exists that treats all problems.
That’s why you should find out which toxins are in your water, then install the right treatment system to deal with your specific problem.
I also encourage you to meet with your health practitioner to reverse any damage these contaminants may have done to your health.

Article 2:
How Do We Make Alkaline Water?

There are three main methods to make alkaline water:

  • Using a distiller
  • Using a water ionizer
  • Adding alkaline ingredients to the water

Using a Distiller

Using a distiller is a very efficient and effective method of purifying and alkalizing your water. As noted by Dr. Weil:
The process of distillation kills and removes virtually all bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and other organic and inorganic contaminants. Once distilled, the water is as pure as water can reasonably be.
What a recommendation! He also does a great job here of dispelling the incredibly inaccurate myth about distilled water leaching minerals from the body (ridiculous I know).
Distilled water is water that has been turned to steam and then condensed back into water. This process, as noted above kills all impurities, removes acid toxins and makes the water pH neutral/slightly alkaline. In my opinion, this is the very best type of alkaline water filter.

Using a Water Ionizer

Water ionizers are, unsurprisingly, products that ionize water. The water is ionized (electrically enhanced) by running it over positive and negative electrodes. This separates the water into alkaline (70%) and acidic (30%). This is exceptionally beneficial as the alkaline water is then used for drinking, while the acidic water can be used on the outside of the body as it is proven to kill many types of bacteria.

Adding alkaline ingredients to the water

The third method is to add ingredients to the water to increase its alkalinity. I would only make these alkaline water additions to water that had already been put through an alkaline water filter, however they can be handy in an emergency when there is only mineral or tap water on hand.

Lemon Water: I have already blogged lemon water to death; however, I will mention it here, as it really is an alkalizing superstar. By squeezing lemon juice (or lime juice) into water you immediately give it a healthful kick. Lemon water is very alkaline and is great in helping to detoxify the liver and kidneys.

pH Drops: these are an excellent way to dramatically increase the alkalinity of the water. These drops offer intense alkalinity and only a few are needed for an incredible boost to the alkalinity of your drink. There are several types around but I would only really recommend Alkalive’s pH Booster or Innerlight’s Prime pH.