"Now that is some high quality H2O" - Bobby Boucher, The Waterboy
Many chemicals and additives are put into
our water supply, and quantities vary from town to town, state to state and
country to country. We’re told that these are a necessity to prevent bacteria,
micro-organisms, and viruses. But what we’re not told is that these chemicals
are either directly or indirectly causing us damage. Everything from irritable
bowel and gastrointestinal distress, to headaches, to asthma, and cancers.
FLUORIDE
Fluoridation (the process of adding
fluoride to a town’s water supply) began in the 1940’s, in a bid to reduce
tooth decay and cavities in a society that was drastically increasing its sugar
and processed foods consumption.
I
think it’s important to note here that you can also prevent cavities and tooth
decay by not drinking and eating sugar infused chemically laden poisonous
products (think soft drink, and anything else swimming in sugars). Just saying…
Any research that suggests positive results
from fluoride in regards to dental health is speaking specifically of topical
applications. As in, when fluoride is applied to your teeth then removed
without being ingested (swallowed), there is a reduction is tooth decay. The
MASSIVE problem is, when you drink your 2L of water a day, where that fluoride
is going and what it is doing to your body.
So let us break this down…
Firstly, adequate and acceptable amounts of
fluoridation are listed as between 0.5 – 1.0mg/L (milligrams per litre),
although measurements can vary greatly and accuracy and consistency are not
guaranteed.
These
are statistics given to us by the same people who fluoridate our water, so is
any level of ingested fluoride acceptable??
At the very basics, fluoride causes
fluorosis, a condition causing discolouration of the teeth from white spots to
very dark smudges. It also causes an increased porosity of the enamel (larger
pores), and in advance conditions can result in chipping, pitting, fracturing, and
decay. Seems strange, no?
I
thought this stuff was supposed to help our teeth? Oohh I get it – topical
fluoride can help your teeth, ingested fluoride can harm your teeth from the
inside.
Fluorosis occurs in more than 30% of
American children now, with statistics getting higher as time goes on. As
noted by Dr. Hardy Limeback, Head of
Preventive Dentistry at the University of Toronto, "it is illogical to
assume that tooth enamel is the only tissue affected by low daily doses of
fluoride ingestion." Meaning, if it’s affecting the teeth, what else is it
affecting??
According to the Physicians Desk Reference, 1% of
the population (that’s around 220, 000 Australians) have a hypersensitivity to
fluoride, an allergy. Reactions include skin rashes, mouth lesions, gastric
distress, headaches, joint pain, weakness, visual disturbances, and lethargy.
Any of these symptoms ring a bell?? Probably… The symptoms vary from person to
person, that’s why it’s so hard to diagnose things like this and other dietary
issues.
CHLORINE
Chlorine. It’s added as a disinfectant. So
bacteria, micro-organisms, viruses, and anything else is destroyed. Simple?
Except the by-product of this process produces trihalomethanes (THM’s), which
are carcinogenic. So the solution is to change to Chloramine (part of the
Hydrogen component of Ammonia (NH3) is changed to Chlorine) as a disinfectant,
because it is much more stable and “does not dissipate from the water before it
reaches consumers.” The tendency to convert organic matter into carcinogens (as
in chlorination) is much lower with this process, but is less effective as a
sanitiser, and more irritating to swimmers’ eyes when used in swimming pools.
Hang
on, the cancer causing stuff is much lower with this process?! So, what’s wrong
with Chloramine then?
I’m glad you asked! Wiki says in regards to
Chloramine: “These methods of disinfection decrease the
formation of regulated byproducts such as alkyl chloroforms, which has led to
their widespread adoption. However, they can increase the formation of a number
of less regulated cytotoxic and genotoxic byproducts, some of which pose
greater health risks than the regulated chemicals, causing such diseases as
cancer, kidney disease, thyroid damage, miscarriage, and birth defects.”
Sooooo, some toxins are more regulated than others. The less regulated ones go
through unchecked and are often more dangerous than the regulated chemicals!
PESTICIDES,
FERTILISERS, AND HERBICIDES
Chemical spray runoff from crops easily gets into
rivers, groundwater supplies, and dams. They last for years without breaking
down, not only damaging the soil but the water it infects. Filtration and
treatment processes in catchment areas often don’t treat for a lot of the
chemicals used in farming today.
Yet
another reason to support organics, you’re supporting those farmers choosing to
keep chemicals out of our grounds and water supplies. Logic, really.
RUST,
COPPER, AND LEAD
These contaminants will generally get into your
water when it’s on its way to your house. The galvanised pipes underground,
especially in older suburbs, are extremely prone to rusting, copper pipe
corrosion, and lead leaching. Increased levels of these metals in your system
result in developmental delays in children, liver issues, and brain
dysfunction.
Some useful info you might like to know…
“A 1993 study in
Canada discovered that users of reverse osmosis water filters suffered 30% less
gastrointestinal disorders for the year.”
“Following the Vietnam war, thousands of autopsies on young,
fit soldiers reveal high levels of cholesterol in coronary arteries, the cause
being linked to the high volumes of chlorine in the drinking water.”
“Conventional water treatment is
inadequate against chlorine resistant organisms such as Giardia and
Cryptosporidium, viruses and a variety of other parasites. Approximately 1/3 of
Australians suffer irritable bowel syndrome. The cause has not yet been
established, but waterborne viruses and parasites are high on the list of
suspects.”
(All quotes from www.watershop.com.au)
http://www.noblebeverages.com/net/water-and-you/
- This is an AMAZING article, with much more in depth analysis than what I have
written here, it’s quite shocking actually. Please, please, PLEASE take the
time out to read what is here!!
The water that comes out of your
tap is laden with a cocktail of disease causing toxins. And considering we’re
encouraged to drink so much of it each day, what should we do about it? Boil
your water, get a rainwater tank, or get a good quality filter. Let’s explore:
BOILING YOUR WATER
Boiling for at least 20 minutes
can get rid of harmful bacteria, as well as ammonia and chloramine. Let’s be
honest, if you can’t get a filter or a tank yet, it may be monotonous but it is
actually a good option. Get your soup pot out, fill it with water and bring it
to the boil. Let it cool and fridge it for the day. Seriously. Go back and read
about chlorine and chloramine if this sounds silly, because what it does to
your body is anything but. You’ve just got to make a decision, do you actually
want to feel good?
RAINWATER TANK
A superb idea. Free water, no
chemicals. If you live on a small suburban block, at least get a small one for
drinking water. You might empty it in summer and have to resort back to
boiling, but at least for half the year, you’ll have beautiful rainwater. Here
is some great general information in regards to your tank:
As far as I have researched, the
polyethylene used in the manufacture of fiberglass tanks is safe. If the
plastic is heated to over 120C you have problems, other than that it’s fine.
They are also UV protected. Concrete tanks are fantastic, although probably the
most expensive to install. You can install them underground if you like, which
is fabulous for keeping it at a cool temperature. Stainless steel tanks are
also expensive to start with, but if you want quality and durability, this is a
great option to go with. Google rainwater tanks in your nearest large town or
capital city, or if you need additional info, ask me! Prices vary immensely,
depending on the size, and what material you get.
WATER FILTERS
Get one. Even
if you have a tank. The thing is, there is still the possibility of
contamination in your tank… from bacteria, mosquito, runoff from your roof,
etc. Ideally, you’ll want a filter that does “reverse osmosis”, especially if
you decide not to get a tank. This is the only way to get chemicals and toxins
out of your water. Reverse Osmosis is the only way to get efficient filtering of fluoride and chlorine, as well as all the other nasties. According to consumer review websites, PSI Filters is the way to go. They have an impressive track record and the least amount of complaints regarding durability etc.
In terms of going natural, holistic , and organic, effective water filtration is the first and most important step. Our bodies need water more than anything else to perform at it's peak, so if you're going to bother with only one thing, let it be a high quality water filter, for some high quality H2O!!
REFERENCES
Don't forget to read this really important article if you missed it up there:
