Water. What is it good for?

What is the most important element to health?

Oxygen. Without it, we would die within minutes.

The second most important element in our health is water. You cannot live more than about 10 days without water. Your body can only lose about 10% of its water and still survive. Water is an essential component of all living matter. It is the largest single component of the body. Our brains are 76% water, our lungs are 90% water, our blood is 84% water, and blood plasma is 98% water. Critical processes such as digestion, circulation, and excretion cannot occur without it.

How do you get dehydrated? You can lose on the average of 2.5 liters of water through daily activities which is usually replaced by the fluid we drink and the food we eat. Exercise, sweating, diarrhea, temperature, or altitude can significantly increase the amount of fluid required. The effects of even mild dehydration are decreased coordination, impairment of judgment and fatigue. The sources of fluid loss are respiration, perspiration, urination and defecation.

How much water should you drink? You should drink half your body weight in ounces minimum daily. Your water consumption should be spread out through the day and not in 1 or 2 drinking sessions due to causing an imbalance in electrolytes. Example, you weigh 200 pounds then you should drink 100 ounces. Ideally, you should never go more than 15 or 20 minutes without sipping water. You should start drinking water in the morning upon rising. This is when you are most toxic and dehydrated. You should always drink water prior to eating to support the digestive process, but drink very little water during your meal. Drinking a lot of fluids during your meal can dilute stomach acids needed for digestion.

How do you know if you’re dehydrated? If you are thirsty then that is a sign that you need water and could already be dehydrated. A somewhat dehydrated body produces yellow urine. Severely dehydrated body produces orange or dark colored urine. When you’re properly hydrated your urine should be almost colorless. Warning! A dry mouth is the last sign of dehydration.

Little known facts:

•  Drinking alcohol halts the process of reverse osmosis which allows water to enter the cells.
•  Caffeine inhibits the enzymes that support memory function.
•  Caffeine also stimulates the kidneys to secrete more water out of the body than what is in the drink that contains caffeine.
•  An unhealthy statistic shows that the average American consumes 581 cans of soda a year. Are you one of those?

So now you ask what water should I drink?

Reverse osmosis is the best filtering medium. The containers are a different situation. Glass is always best but plastic is where it gets complicated. Here is a list of the good and bad plastic bottles:

Good:

• #2 HDPE –   High density polyethylene, used in opaque plastic milk and water jugs, bleach, detergent and shampoo bottles and some plastic bags. It is considered safe and easy to recycle.
• #4 LDPE –  Low density polyethylene, used in grocery store bags, most plastic wraps in some models. It is considered safe but hard to recycle.
• #5 PP –  Polypropylene, used in most Rubbermaid, Deli soup, syrup and yogurt containers, straws and other clouded plastic containers, including baby bottles. It is considered safe but hard to recycle.

Bad:

• #1 PETE –  Polyethylene terephthalate ethylene used for soft drink, juice, water, detergents, cleaner and peanut butter containers. It was considered the safest and is the most common plastic and easy to recycle. However, a recent study found traces of DEHP in bottled water stored in a PET bottle for more than nine months.
• #3 PVC or V or DEHA –   Polyvinyl Chloride used for clean rap, some plastic squeeze bottles, cooking oil and peanut butter jars, detergent and window cleaner bottles. PVC is well known to be associated with liver cancer. DEHA is linked to negative effects on the liver, kidney, spleen, bone formation and body weight. It is the least recyclable.
• #6 PS –  Polystyrene, used in Styrofoam food trays, egg cartons, disposable cups and bowls, carryout containers and opaque plastic cutlery. Styrene can leach from polystyrene and is toxic to the brain and nervous system. It also has been found to affect red blood cells, liver, kidneys and stomach in animal studies. It is hard to recycle.
• #7 Other –  Usually polycarbonate, used in most plastic baby bottles, 5 gallon water bottles,” sport” water bottles, metal food can liners, clear plastic ” sippy ” cups and some clear plastic cutlery. The new bio-based plastics may also be labeled #7. Poly carbonate can leach bisphenol A, a chemical that mimics the action of the human hormone estrogen. It was found to stimulate prostate cancer, produce ovarian dysfunction, genetic damage,etc.

Plastic recommendations:

•  Avoid using plastic in the microwave. Any plastic can leach harmful chemicals when heated (for example leaving your water bottle in the heat of the car). Avoid heating food even if the plastic is labeled as ” microwave-safe “. ” Microwave safe”  does not mean that there is no leaching of chemicals.
•  Buy food in glass containers. However, pay attention that phtalates were found in the lives of glass jars.
•  Do not reuse bottles or food containers made for single using.
•  Get rid of all plastic from your kitchen.
•  Avoid plastic cutlery and dinnerware.
•  Use stainless steel or glass to store your food.
•  Use alternatives for baby bottles and bottles made from polycarbonate. Use glass bottles or other made from safer plastic.

Chemicals in your water can be harmful. Most municipal (city) water contains high amounts of chlorine and possible fluoride and aluminum. Fluoride is actually a byproduct of refineries.

• As of 2012, more than two-thirds of Americans receive fluoridated water
  There is not one single metabolic process in your body that requires fluoride. On the contrary, fluoride is a cumulative poison that has been linked to reductions in IQ and an array of health problems
• Christopher Bryson, author of the book The Fluoride Deception, reveals the political and industrial backdrop that led to fluoridating water as a dental prophylactic

Watch these Videos to learn more:

Fluoride References:

Chlorine can actually be absorbed in higher quantities through the skin than by drinking it. That means pools, chlorine hot-tubs and showers are causing you to absorb bad chemicals.

Here are some Chlorine related references for your enjoyment:

To filter out harmful chemicals in your drinking water I would suggest this RO unit.

Watts Premier (531417) VOC 4 Stage System RO Pure Plus, Top-Mount Twist Faucet

$478.65
from: IsoPure Water

Health Benefits:
With the realization that more than double the levels of chlorine and other synthetic chemicals (SOCs/VOCs) enter our body through skin absorption and inhalation of steam while showering than from drinking water, the need and benefits of shower filtration have become very obvious. Shower filtration is one of the best and easiest ways to reduce our harmful exposure to chlorine and other tap water contaminants.

The American Journal of Public Health links chlorine to “significant increases in certain types of cancer, asthma and skin irritations…” and stated that “up to two-thirds of the harmful exposure was due to skin absorption and inhalation of chlorine in shower water”.

The U.S. EPA recently stated that “Due to chlorine and showering, virtually every home in America has a detectable level of chloroform gas in the air.” When chlorine vaporizes in steam, and combines with other organic compounds in the air, it converts to chloroform. Chloroform is a strong respiratory irritant and causes fatigue.

Rutgers University researchers confirm that we take in the same levels of chloroform in a ten-minute shower as we would get from drinking 2 liters of tap water. Chloroform is a toxic byproduct of chlorine.

Most people don’t realize that tap water typically contains at or above the level of chlorine recommended for swimming pools, 1 to 1.5 ppm. A warm shower opens up the pores of the skin and allows a high rate of absorption of chlorine and other chemicals. The steam we inhale while showering can contain up to 20 times the concentration of chlorine and other synthetic chemicals as tap water, due to the fact that these chemicals vaporize at a much lower temperature and at a much faster rate than water. While over 98% of the water coming from the showerhead goes down the drain, 70% to 90% of the chemicals in the water vaporize before the water hits the shower floor.

EVERYONE should filter their water before they ingest it or come into contact with it. Here is a shower filter that I would recommend.

Sprite Slim Line Shower Filter

$46.80

Inhalation of chlorine and chemical vapors is a suspected cause of asthma and bronchitis. When chemicals are inhaled into our lungs they enter directly into our bloodstream and can have magnified effects compared with ingested chemicals that are partially filtered by digestion. A recent study showed that over one-fourth of the United States Olympic swim team members suffer from some degree of asthma due to prolonged chlorine inhalation.

Removing chlorine and other volatile chemicals with a quality shower filter offers great health benefits.

Cosmetic Benefits:
Chlorine also strips the natural protective oils from skin and hair, causing excess drying and aging. In addition to the obvious health benefits of showering in chemical-free water, the cosmetic benefits are even more noticeable. Anyone who has ever gone swimming in a chlorinated pool can relate to the harsh drying effect that chlorine has on your skin and hair. Without the negative effects of chlorine and other chemicals found in tap water, your skin and hair retain moisture more effectively for a younger, healthier look and feel. Chemical-free water also extends the life of hair colorings and highlights.

“It’s like showering in natural spring water!”
Jonathan Antin/Jonathan Products/QVC

“Filtering the water you shower in is as important or more so than filtering drinking water…”
Dr. Julian Whitaker