How Safe Is Your Drinking Water?
Know the water you are drinking
Travel the world and you'll taste the difference in drinking water. Visit your friends in another district and you may also find drinking water quality different to your own.
In an ideal world, all drinking water would be safe and pure and able to provide the full range of health benefits. To be realistic, however, we must all accept that drinking water can be contaminated with a range of hazards, even in cities in western countries.
By understanding the role of water in keeping your body healthy, it becomes clear that the benefits are worth the effort of eliminating the hazards.
So what are the benefits of drinking water, and how can you best access them?
Benefits of Drinking Water
According to information published by Loma Linda University in California, in each 24 hour period the human body circulates approximately 40,000 glasses of water (if you calculate each glass of water at 250cc or 8 ounces). Most of that water is recycled, but because we lose water through a variety of body functions, the supply of additional water must be maintained.
You'll have about 10,000 litres (2,500 gallons) of water being circulated through your body between now and the same time tomorrow. Do yourself a favor and make sure you drink fresh, clean water between now and then. Without it, your body will be struggling to fully function in the way our bodies were designed.
I'll wait while you grab a glass of water. No doubt your brain will soon be sending you thirst messages. Have some water on hand while you learn more about the benefits of drinking water.
Water Filter worth considering
How often do you drink water?
Don't count tea or coffee or other drinks, just water.
Drinking water for pain relief
When you have a headache or other pain, do you grab a couple of pills and wash them down with a glass of water?
Sometimes pain, particularly headaches, can be a symptom of dehydration.
Next time you have a headache, try drinking the water without the pills. Wait for about half an hour and see if you still need the tablets.
Have a large glass of fresh, clean water and drink it. Don't guzzle it or sip it, just drink it.
Drinking water for weight loss
Yes, drinking water can help you lose weight. But how?
Here's one way drinking water helps with weight loss ...
When your brain needs energy, it alerts your body. Your body responds with the sensations of both thirst and hunger simultaneously. Many people simply choose to eat. Or, if they drink, they don't drink water.
Drink pure water (with nothing added) the next time you feel 'hungry'. Then wait 30 minutes. If you still think you feel hungry, eat.
Cutting down the number of times you eat (or snack) during the day will obviously reduce your calorie intake. And replacing those sugar-laden soda drinks (or coffee with its dehydrating effect) with pure water will also help you lose weight. You also have the added bonus of the water you are drinking being used to help break down your existing fat.
If you make the effort to get some exercise (like walking) in the morning and evening, you'll feel even better and lose even more weight.
Drinking fresh water helps digestion
Water Breaks Down Fat
If you are carrying extra fat, here is a most important lesson. All your exercising and sweating in a steam room attempting to rid yourself of pounds (or kilos) is wasted without one important factor. Water.
One unit of water is required to separate one unit of fatty acid from the chains that form triglycerides (chunks of fat). If you are not drinking water, you'll be hard pressed losing weight.
Now before you start complaining that you need to eat to keep up your energy levels, and that drinking water couldn't help you keep functioning throughout the day and that's why you are continually snacking on sugary foods, here's another gem of information ....
The energy formed from one molecule of fat is much greater than the energy formed from one molecule of sugar. If you can access the energy you currently have stored on your hips, your waist and your thighs, you won't need any sugar hits.
Drink water to lose weight.
Benefits of drinking Lemon with Water
Benefits of drinking water in the morning when you wake up
Drink two glasses of water in the morning when you first wake and climb from your bed. Before the cup of coffee or cigarette or whatever else traditionally features in your early morning routine.
If the idea of drinking water is completely alien to you, start with one glass. But if you want to experience the full benefits of drinking water in the morning when you wake up, you'll be happy to double your morning intake.
For up to two hours after drinking water, your body will secrete motilin, one of the gut's dominant hormones, plus adrenaline and noradenaline.
Here's what will happen in the average person if you regularly drink two glasses of water first thing in the morning.
- The contents of your intestines will be encouraged on their journey, as though gifted with a lubricating laxative.
- Your metabolism will begin breaking down fat, and toxic wastes will begin being flushed from your system.
Scientific evidence about the dangers of fluoridation
- Robert Gammal – Scientific Facts About Fluoride | FLUORIDE, LEAD, ARSENIC, AND MORE IN OUR
Scientific Facts about Fluoride. Includes references to studies, but also gives an interesting overview for anyone with an interest in the hazards of fluoride added to drinking water.
Fluoride in water
Robert Carlton, Ph.D.,former U.S. EPA scientist is quoted as saying, “Fluoridation is the greatest case of scientific fraud of this century.”
And in 1992, senior EPA toxicologist William Marcus, Ph.D., warned, “Regarding fluorodation, the EPA should act immediately to protect the public, not just on the cancer data, but on the evidence of bone fractures, arthritis, mutagenicity and other effects.”
Unfortunately, fluoride is still added to much of the world's drinking water supply. Despite the widespread acceptance of fluoridation, there is sufficient scientific evidence about the negative health effects of fluoride to remove it from your drinking water.
Interesting observations about Fluoride in your drinking water
High lead results in Toronto's drinking water
- High lead levels found in some Toronto drinking water - Toronto - CBC News
Data released by the City of Toronto shows that 13 per cent of households that submitted test samples may be exposed to dangerous levels of lead in their drinking water.
News report about lead in Toronto water
Lead and other drinking water contaminants
The Residential Lead Testing Program in Toronto, Canada showed dangerous levels of lead in the city's drinking water, risking damage to the brain and nervous systems of unsuspecting residents. It is estimated 40,000 homes throughout the city still have lead pipe water service, according to Lou Di Gironimo, head of Toronto Water. .
Of the 15,000 water samples tested between 2008 and 2014, about 2,000 water samples showed lead levels higher than Health Canada’s recommended maximum limit of ten parts per billion.
The dangers associated with lead are greatest for children during their early developmental phases, fetuses and pregnant women.
A free water testing kit is available to Toronto residents, and home owners are encouraged to replace the plumbing within older homes.
However even if the plumbing within a home is modern and lead-free, contamination can be carried from lead pipes outside the boundary of your home so it is always wise to carry out testing before assuming your water is safe to drink.
Fracking and your water supply
Coal Seam Gas contaminating Water
With the increase of fracking to access coal seam gas, one has to wonder what is happening to artesian waters and the natural spring water we once considered fresh, clean and healthy.
I have been asking questions of suppliers of 'clean' spring water. When I ask if they regularly test their waters for the contaminants associated with fracking, their responses have ranged from denial of the possibility of a problem ('We don't have fracking in our area') to a look distinctly resembling panic. ('I never thought of that!')
Spring water bottled for drinking is generally tested for a specific range of possible contaminants, plus mineral levels etc.
But unless their monitoring is expanded to look for contamination caused by fracking, I will be avoiding drinking spring water in the future.
Fracking doesn't have to be located within the immediate location to potentially contaminate water beneath the ground. The size of rock formations and other geological features determine the actual catchment and storage area of an artesian basin, so the fracking issue needs to be appropriately addressed.
Do you have drinking water filters at your school?
Quality of Drinking Water in Schools
In the US, studies have shown that less than one-third of school-age children and teenagers drink the recommended daily amount of water.
According to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (April 9, 2014), most US schools meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture's rule in the National School Lunch Program for schools to provide free drinking water for students during lunchtime.
Researchers found that some students might avoid drinking water from water fountains at their schools because the kids were concerned about water fountain cleanliness and water quality. Apparently about 25% of middle school and high school students claimed they are at least "a little" concerned about the quality of their school's drinking water.
Good on those kids, I say. They have good reason to be concerned.
Any drinking water provided in schools should address the two following health issues: -
- Drinking water should be filtered to remove all contaminants from the water supply.
- Water should be made available in a manner that reduces the risk of contact (and therefore spreading germs) from other students.
The safest way for children to access clean drinking water in schools is to bring a fresh supply of filtered drinking water from home - and not share their water bottle with any other student.
Filter Kitchen Water
Drinking Water Filters
To best protect yourself and your family from the hazards associated with drinking impure water, take the time to filter water before you drink it.
There's a diverse range of water filters available; some extremely affordable, others more pricey.
Before purchasing a water filter, check whether or not you'll be required to buy replacement pats - or if the actual filter can be washed and reused.
If you cannot afford an effective water filter right now, look for a Reverse Osmosis water outlet in your town or city. In Australia they are accessible 24 hours a day.
All you need is your own water container and a handful of coins. The store that hosts the Reverse Osmosis filter in your region will probably also sell water containers of various sizes.
Drink clean, pure water
© 2014 Alex Finn