Hello. My name is Donna Pepperdine Evans! Thank you for subscribing to my e- newsletter in which I strive to offer practical ideas for enhancing quality living and creating a house of health!
My qualifications include Master Herbalist and Massage Therapist certification, the co-authoring of Natural Remedies of Arabia and Herbal Explorations: A Journey of Discovery for the Young Herbalist, extensive overseas residency and travel, and twenty years of teaching in college/university/corporate settings. Yet my most treasured qualification is an inner voice encouraging me to share what has been interesting and helpful to me. I hope it will benefit you as well!
This newsletter focuses on considering the safety, purity, and health-promoting qualities of the water that you drink. Its purpose is to help you assess your current water supply and to evaluate any positive changes which you may choose to implement in your House of Health.
Your Drinking Water
The water you choose to drink can greatly impact your health. Realizing this, it seems natural to puzzle over the best drinking water solutions to have in a house of health because well-respected health experts differ in their approaches and opinions. While some doctors and natural healers recommend water purified through Reverse Osmosis (RO), others teach that distilled water is still a good option or that drinking natural spring water will be most beneficial.
This article briefly summarizes the recommendations of various researchers or health practitioners. Its purpose is to encourage readers to re-assess the purity of their drinking water and, if necessary, to act to improve their situation. An easy-to-start checklist at the end of this article can help you move forward in building your house of health.
A Few Definitions:
Charcoal Water Filters use carbon ash to treat drinking water. They effectively remove organic compounds, gases, odors, and tastes from water but not inorganic mineral salts, such as sodium, fluoride, or nitrates. The filters provide a breeding ground for bacteria and must be monitored and replaced in a timely manner.
Distilled water has been boiled, evaporated and the vapor condensed. It is free of dissolved minerals and has the capacity to draw toxic substances from the body to eliminate them. Distillers are known to make the purest water, eliminating bacteria and microorganisms, including viruses, as well as soluble inorganic salts (fluoride, sodium, nitrates), organic chemicals (pesticides, PCBs, THMs), heavy metals (mercury, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, etc.). Opponents of distilled water state that it is dead, or empty, water and dangerous to drink long-term.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) water has been forced through a semi-permeable membrane by moving it from more concentrated to less concentrated solutions. Pure water can permeate the membrane but most of its elements and impurities cannot. According to Steve Meyerowitz who wrote Water the Ultimate Cure, RO units “reduce pollutants in every major contaminant category except viruses and bacteria.” Mr. Meyerowitz further explains that when an RO unit is combined with activated carbon filtration systems (pre-and post-filters), most impurities that the RO system did not remove can be taken care of.
Spring water flows up naturally from an underground spring and is greatly valued by natural health proponents. Spring waters may be high in minerals, such as sodium, arsenic, or cobalt. People who desire to drink spring water may locate the nearest source by visiting http://www.findaspring.com.
The Water Debate – Varied Perspectives
Dr. David G. Williams, M.D., is aware of the criticisms against distilled water but he still thinks “it is the very best way to go when it comes to all-around water purification.”
Dr. Joseph Mercola, D.O., strongly recommends avoiding distilled water because “it has the wrong ionization, pH, polarization and oxidation potentials, and can drain your body of necessary minerals.” He offers physical proof that distilled water is inferior by explaining the research of Dr. Masaru Emoto, a researcher of the crystallization process of water.
Dr. Masaru Emoto teaches that water in the frozen crystal form shows us its true nature. Water from natural springs, when frozen, forms beautiful and complex crystalline structures – like snowflakes. Distilled water as well as water that has been polluted has lost its “inner order,” or the ability to form beautiful crystals.
While Dr. Mercola definitely states that drinking distilled water is unhealthy in the long term, he notes that it has a value in the short term during a detoxification regimen and that distilled water can be re-structured “by putting it in a clear glass container, adding a few minerals and leaving it out in the sunshine for a day. This will help to restore the normal beneficial structure that water should have to promote health.”
Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MD, explains that RO systems are a good way to get pure water. Also, distilled water is pure, though he notes the disadvantage of it being “dead, unstructured water.” In his book, Spiritual Nutrition, he tells how to revive distilled water, and in his book “There is a Cure for Diabetes” he states that “the water distiller is the safest way to approach the water toxicity problem…” (p. 66)
The HealthQuarters Ministries, co-founded by David Frahm and located in Colorado Springs, CO, does not recommend drinking distilled water. Reverse Osmosis is taught to be the best option. The August 2009 Health Quarters Monthly Newsletter includes a “did you know?” tidbit which states: “The only water that tests as keeping the body’s bio-electric energy strong is Reverse Osmosis (RO). Staff suggested that a Reverse Osmosis system could be purchased at Home Depot, Lowe’s or Sam’s Club.
Hallelujia Acres, based in Shelby, North Carolina, recommends distilled water with a product they sell, WaterMax, added back into the water to add minerals and alkalize the water. The minerals in Watermax are from the Great Salt Lake and include magnesium, chloride, sodium, and sulfur.
Olin Idol, N.D., C.N.C., speaking in a webinar for Hallelujia Acres (www.hacres.com/video/webinar.asp) states that people should use different sources of water. He suggests fruits and vegetables as an excellent source of water. Foods such as tomatoes, lettuce, and carrots are made of 90% water. Vegetable juices are a good source of nutrient-rich water. He also teaches:
• Stay away from water chlorinated with fluoride and chlorine, i.e. city water. Avoid calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide often found in spring water. These minerals are not used very efficiently by the body and if not eliminated can be stored in tissue and contribute to arthritis and formation of kidney stones.
• The best way to purify water and get rid of contaminants is distillation or RO. Distillation is most efficient. RO membrane must be replaced periodically. If the membrane gets contaminated with bacteria, the result could be worse than the water you are trying to purify.
• Long-term use of distilled water can leach inorganic minerals out of our bodies. Also, its pH is slightly acidic and our body/blood must maintain an alkaline pH for long-term use. Distilled water remineralized with Water Max – a product of Hallelujia Acres- is one of his recommended solution.
Michael Pedersen, founder of Aquaspace Water Systems, teaches that both distillation and reverse osmosis result in essential minerals being removed from the water and, therefore, are not the healthiest choices. He asks why one should removed minerals from water and then add them in again? Why not do it right the first time? The Aquaspace Compound, a patented part of his company’s filtration systems developed based on NASA technology, removes lead, chlorine, and toxic organic compounds such as chloroform, pesticides and herbicides, but leaves in essential minerals. Visit www.aquaspace.com for more information.
Points to Consider: After reviewing “the experts,” what changes do you feel are needed in your home to insure a consistent pure source of drinking water? For long-term use, would you consider an Aquaspace filtration system for the home or a Reverse Osmosis system? For short-term use, would you drink distilled water, especially during any type of short-term cleanse you may be undertaking? Will you enjoy fresh vegetable juices as a source of nutritious water?
Bottled Water
While you consider your alternatives to tap water, you may very well reach for the bottled water easily available to you. It is important also to be aware that there are problems with bottled waters. The bottled water industry is not well-regulated. Steve Meyerowitz, in his book Water the Ultimate Cure, cites the International Bottled Water Association as stating that there is a one in four chance that bottled water is simply drawn from city water taps. As consumers, we need to be alert.
Bottled water may be treated with reverse osmosis machines, ozone, de-ionization, carbon filtration and other methods to clean up the water. There are good choices available. When analyzing the containers the water is in, remember that plastic containers are not all created equal and some kinds of plastic impart pollutants from plastic into the water. A clear, strong plastic identified by a #1 in a triangle on the bottle is called PETE (or PET-polyethylene terephthalate). Gallon jugs are often bottled in opaque containers labeled HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and have a #2 in the triangle on the bottom of the bottle. These have potential to impart plastic taste and should be avoided. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is sturdier and has a #3 label on the bottle. Polycarbonate plastic is strong and often used for 5-gallon water jugs, baby bottles, and food storage containers. This type of plastic has a #7 triangle on the bottom of the bottle. In short, start looking at your water bottles. Look for a #1, the letters PETE, or the #7. Try to buy water in glass, polycarbonate, or PETE bottles. Make the best choice with what is available to you.
Points to Consider:
Consider having a trusted source of pure water delivered to your home in glass containers. Expense should not be the overriding consideration because clean, pure water is absolutely vital to your health. Start communicating with water providers in your local area to learn the source of their water, methods of purification, and modes of delivery. Be sure to locate a trusted source for your bottled water.
Filter your Shower Water
When you take a shower, the warm water opens the pores of your skin and contaminants and chlorine byproducts enter our bodies. Also, in the hot, steamy environment, we inhale into our lungs toxic fumes that are released from chlorine byproducts. Filtering the water in the shower can help to reduce these results. Shower filters may replace the shower head or simply attach directly to it. Remember that calculating the cost of a shower filter must include replacing the shower filter every 6 months to a year, depending on the model.
Vendors of shower filters include:
Hallelujia Acres 1-800-915-9355 for sales and 1-704-481-1700 for information.
Aquaspace Water Systems 1-301-568-0200
Health Quarters Ministries 719-593-8694
This article does not endorse any particular brand or behavior in formulating a house of health. It is the decision and responsibility of the reader to choose. There are many more water purification methods and systems which cannot all practically be mentioned. Stay alert and open to new developments and improvements which can help you as you continually reassess what will create your house of health.
ACTION CHECKLIST
• Consider the variety of ways to obtain clean and pure drinking water and if there is some action you need to take to insure consistent access to it.
• Start reading labels on your bottled water. Examine bottles to see if you can identify the grade of plastic.
• Consider the use of a shower filter. If you decide to try it, see if it makes a difference in the way your skin and hair feels.
• Store two weeks supply of water in your home, whether it be a house, apartment, condo, etc. Be prepared to always have an uninterrupted supply of water.
• In the event of an emergency, a Katadyn water filter is an excellent, portable tool to have on hand (see them at www.beprepared.com)
• Drink plenty of clean, pure water and be healthy!
• Try adding essential oils to your water for a peppermint or lemon flavor. Please ask me if you are interested in trying therapeutic-grade essential oils. I am a Young Living Distributor (YL#517938).
What am I doing?
Some readers are curious to my approach in my own “house of health.” I choose to use a water filtration system under the kitchen sink and shower filters in each bathroom. I also enjoy a portable water pitcher with filter, which I take on trips to purify the water accessed at hotels. I keep a two-week supply of high quality bottled water in storage and also keep it handy near my bed for easy access when I become thirsty at night. I occasionally enjoy a drop of peppermint or lemon oil in my water. When I add these therapeutic-grade essential oils, I use only glass containers so they do not draw toxins from the plastic into the drinking water.
I would be eager and happy to hear from you as to what you do to enjoy fresh, pure water. If there is a great idea I haven’t touched on, please let me know!
Disclaimer: The author is not responsible for the choices of her readers and is not advocating any particular approach to obtaining pure water. All decisions and responsibility remain in the hands of the readers!
May you enjoy each day as you strengthen your home and family while creating a house of health!
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