You are what you drink. Don’t believe us? Consider the word water. It’s what you’re made of. This is why the water quality you drink matters.
Water: it pretty much makes up who you are on a physical level. It regulates body temperature, transports nutrients, flushes waste, and is vital to the functioning of every single cell. About 60 percent of the human body is water, but some parts are made of even more: 70 percent of your brain, 80 percent of your blood, 90 percent of your lungs! A human can survive for a month or more without eating, but you won’t last a week without drinking water.
A lot of focus is given to the food we eat, but what about the water we drink? Everyone knows that each day a certain amount of water is required to sustain life, that 8–10 glasses a day will keep all systems running- but what about quality? Is all water equal? The answer is no. Nearly everything can be dissolved in water; where you get yours matters.
Water has no calories, but there is still stuff in it!
In both tap and bottled water, traces of pesticides, industrial pollution, oils, and even pharmaceuticals have been found at levels that are commonly considered acceptable. You won’t get sick immediately from these allowed levels of contamination; however, over time, they could negatively impact your health.
The truth about bottled water, tap water, and what you should really be drinking.
Many people believe that bottled water is a cleaner, safer alternative to tap water. The truth is that more than half of bottled water is simply bottled tap water. Meaning, not only is it the same quality as tap, but the chemicals that are released into water from the plastic bottle make bottled water a far worse choice in most situations. Additionally, the bottled water industry is polluting earth’s natural water supply.
Ten reasons to ditch bottled water
- Bottled water costs 1,000 times more than tap water
- The bottle’s plastic leaches toxins into the water that have been linked to health problems such as birth defects, reproductive issues, and cancer
- 17 million barrels of oil are used in producing bottled water each year
- An estimated 3 liters of water is needed to produce just 1 liter of bottled water
- Out of the 50 billion bottles of water being bought each year, 80% are not recycled, polluting and poisoning the environment
- Plastic debris results in an estimated $13 billion a year in losses from damage to marine ecosystems
- Scientists’ estimate by 2050 there will be one ton of plastic per two tons of fish
- Plastic particles attract and concentrate toxic chemicals, which ascend the food chain and end up in our bodies
- The Environmental Working Group found arsenic and 37 other harmful pollutants hiding in bottled water
- The EPA standards for tap water do not apply to bottled water. Bottled water can be sourced near landfills and industrial facilities
In summary, bottled water is more expensive, pollutive, and generally more harmful to your health than tap water. But, neither bottled nor tap water are currently ideal. In order to get the best quality clean water, there are two crucial steps: purification & preservation.
Part 1 Purification
Things dissolve easily in water, but they can also be removed through filtration. Here’s a few ways you can filter water:
Carbon Filters
- Great for the price
- Comes in a faucet mount, pitcher or large dispenser
Distilled Water or Reverse Osmosis with Carbon Filter
- Removes more contaminates than a simple carbon filter but also removes minerals, so make sure you add essential minerals back in via tablet or liquid
Granular Carbon and Carbon Block Filters (countertop or under sink)
- Uses gravity and is the best at removing chemicals like herbicides, pesticides, and industrial chemicals, according to the EPA.
Multi-Stage Filter (under sink)
- Best for quality, quantity, and long-term effectiveness. Removes the most contaminants and replaces the essential minerals lost in the purification process.
How to Take Clean Water with You
Don’t pour your purified water into a regular toxic plastic bottle or cup! Pick up a few BPA-free reusable bottles and cups, or durable aluminum bottles. The Sunwarrior Ecovessel is awesome because it keeps cold water cold for thirty-six hours. Staying hydrated has never been so awesome.
Part 2. Preservation
Pay attention to the quality of your local water supply. You have an impact on your local water. Did you know that around forty percent of the rivers in the U.S. are too polluted for fishing and swimming?
We can improve the quality of our drinking water immediately through filtration, but we can improve the future quality of our water supply through our actions.
- Buy organic. Pesticides and herbicides contaminate the water supply on a local and national level. Supporting organic farming will reduce the amount of toxic substances polluting the water
- Use biodegradable cleaning products
- Dispose of motor oil, laundry detergents, cleaning agents, electronics, batteries, and pharmaceuticals properly
- Grow native plants in your garden (they require less water and fertilizer)
- Recycle, reduce, reuse
- Support and protect forests, grasslands, and wetlands since they are earth’s natural water filters. Each year the US loses about 32 million acres of forest - allowing even more pollution to contaminate the water supplies
The Important Role of Water in the Human Body
Every single cell in your body needs water to function. Here are just two ways your body is affected by the quality and quantity you consume.
It’s Electric
This is your brain on…bad water? The electronic signals that control body function and thought are transported in water - the purity of the water has a significant impact on your ability to think as well as your mood. If the water inside your brain contains traces of toxic metals or chemicals, the signals cannot move as efficiently, becoming slow or distorted.
In addition to affecting your capabilities, experts believe this poor connection is also linked to disorders like chronic fatigue, Alzheimer’s, and mood imbalance.
Chronic Dehydration
It is estimated that two-thirds of people suffer chronic dehydration, often reaching for fluid other than water to satiate thirst. Believe it or not, a 5% drop in water in the body can cause a 30% reduction in energy! Every time you take a breath, lift your finger, or have a heartbeat, water is being used.
To ensure you are getting enough, drink at least one-half your body weight in ounces (if you weigh 160lbs, drink at least 80 ounces of water per day)
Better tasting water
Drinking enough water every day doesn’t have to lull your taste buds to sleep. Test out some of these flavoring ideas, which just happen to be great sources of added nutrients as well:
Shredded ginger, lemon, orange slice, watermelon, cucumber, basil, mint, or lemongrass.
Water is our most valuable resource. Give yourself the gift of clean water.
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Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4207053/
http://www.waterinfo.org/resources/water-facts
http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/
http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2007/05/ask-ewg-i-am-looking-safer-chemical-free-option-plastic-water-bottles-are
http://www.ewg.org/news/news-releases/2008/11/19/fda-should-adopt-epa-tap-water-health-goals-bottled-water
http://www.ewg.org/news/news-releases/2011/01/05/what%E2%80%99s-your-bottled-water-%E2%80%93-besides-water
http://iatp.org/files/Bottled_Water_Pure_Drink_or_Pure_Hype.htm
