If you read last week’s post about the importance of staying well hydrated, you’re ready to drink plenty of water every day. But there are so many options for drinking water, and many of them are not what we’d call excellent for your health. I know, we just went on and on about how you need to drink plenty of water, and now we’re telling you a lot of it is bad for you. It’s okay, though, because a lot of it is great for you, and after you’ve read this edition, you’ll have a better idea of which is which. First of all, what might you find in the water you propose to consume? Lots of stuff, and here’s a fun list for you:
- Bacteria – killed by chlorine or chloramines in public water. Present in wells near septic systems
- Viruses – Harder to kill and test for
- Parasites – Harder to kill and can be life threatening. There are fewer parasites in well sealed wells than in public water (I know, right?!?). Live pathogens excrete exotoxins and dead ones excrete endotoxins – either way, no bueno.
- Plastics
- Agricultural runoff from herbicides, etc.
- Paints and dyes
- Fuels
- Pharmaceuticals
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are absorbed through skin, especially in hot showers
- Chlorine and chloramines (I know, we just said they’re good because they kill bacteria, but when they come into contact with organic material, they become highly toxic)
- Radioactive minerals
- Radon gas
- Fluoride
- Flocculants (added to make particles clump together for easier removal, but they’re known to cause genetic mutations and are probable carcinogens)
That’s the short list. You can read the report of the state of your own municipality’s tap water here.
Around here, we understand that you can either use a filter, or be a filter. Even when we start talking filters, though, the options can seem overwhelming. Here is an in-depth article listing all the types of filters and purifiers from which you can choose, with details about how each one works and what they will remove from water. Once you know what’s in your water, you can better determine how best to filter it for safe consumption. Here at Lotus of Life Chiropractic, we love our Nikken PiMag Waterfall. The PiMag water is living water, meaning after all the unwanted particulates and toxins have been filtered out, important minerals are replenished. The water from this system is slightly alkaline to off-set what tends to be an acidic diet for most Americans. It’s also ionized, which helps decrease the oxidizing effects of many of the elements in our diets and environment – that can actually slow down cellular destruction. It’s also relatively inexpensive and environmentally friendly; decreasing the need for plastic bottles. It’s always our pick for drinking and bathing water (and you can order one here if you’d like, or talk to the front desk at your next appointment!), but we’re well versed in other types of filters and always happy to discuss them with you at the office if you have questions about water filtration!