Water Woes

Joseph Carrera R.H.N.

www.triple3holisticnutrition.com

Welcome to the wonderful world of water, or should we call it the confusing world of water. Most people find eating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle confusing or overwhelming. Although people in the know, or people in the Nutrition Industry find the topic of diet quite interesting and easy to follow, most don’t, so why should water be any different?

The great thing about our world is the multitude of options we have, which as it seems can also be the worst part of our world. So, what’s wrong with having options? Well, as it turns out, sometimes having options can be as confusing and frustrating as having none at all. The topic of which water is best to drink is something I have found confusing for a very long time. So rather than give my opinion of which water is best, let’s talk about some of the different varieties of water available. First, let’s start off with the most common water types.

Spring water: Derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth. Spring water must be collected only at the spring, or through a borehole tapping the underground formation feeding the spring. Spring water collected with the use of an external force must be from the same underground region as the spring itself. It must have all the physical properties before treatment, and must be of the same composition and quality as the water that flows naturally to the surface of the earth.

Purified Water: Water that has been produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, or other suitable processes while meeting the definition of purified water standards. Other common and confusing product names for bottled water treated by one of the above processes include "distilled water", if it is produced by distillation, "deionized water" if it is produced by deionization, or "reverse osmosis water" if the process used is reverse osmosis.

The biggest difference between these two types is that spring water is naturally derived from the earth, containing all its minerals, while “purified” water is the most common type of water found in most homes with water filtration systems. Most of the in home processes include removal of contaminants, and in some cases reintroduction of essential minerals.

Depending on where you live, your city or municipal by-laws, you may be getting more or less contaminants in your water. Most municipalities use chlorine to purify their water. So let’s break that down. Chemicals are being used to kill contaminants????? I guess in the world of water, two wrongs make a right. If we are using this water as drinking water, there may be associated health risks down the road. Having a filtration system is great, because let’s face facts, drinking water that has been filtered is better than drinking chlorinated water.

As mentioned before, in a world filled with so many options, you owe it to yourself and to your family to make the best, educated choice you can.

So once we’ve made our decision as to what type of water to drink, what are we drinking it out of? Sounds like a ridiculous question, doesn’t it? What are the benefits of “clean” water, if we are drinking it out of a dirty vessel? Of course, I’m referring to plastic bottles.

Plastic bottles contain a wonderfully scary chemical called BPA (bisphenol A). In short, BPA has estrogen mimicking compounds that overtime can have adverse effects on people. Drinking spring water is a wonderful choice, drinking it out of a plastic bottle, not so much. Now, there are companies that sell their spring water in BPA free plastic bottles, which is a great option, but drinking out of a glass container might be ideal for the simple reason that glass is usually chemical free, and made of natural ingredients, much like the water itself should be. I understand it’s heavier, harder to lug around, blah blah blah, but we sacrifice too much of our health for convenience these days.

You’re probably asking yourself, why can’t I use an aluminum container? Aluminum can react to acidic liquids, prompting some manufacturers to line the inside of their aluminum bottles with resins or an epoxy that contain BPA, the exact chemical we are trying to avoid. If using aluminum, look out for bottles marked BPA Free.

Ready for some wisdom? Keep in mind, it is always the small choices we make that have the heaviest of consequences or benefits, so let’s start off by making better, smaller choices.

Here is a handy summary of common water practices and what we are consuming if you’re not paying attention:

-Tap water is municipal water that comes out of the faucets and has been treated, processed and disinfected. It is purified with chlorine and generally has added fluoride. But one of the byproducts from using chlorine in our drinking water is linked to cancer.

-Distilled water can be any kind of water that has been vaporized and collected, leaving behind any solid residues. Distilled water has no minerals in it at all.

-Reverse osmosis water has been forced through membranes that remove larger particles, pollutants and minerals. Reverse osmosis water is usually acidic

-Deionized water has had ionized impurities and minerals removed from it but not bacteria or pathogens.

All of the above waters lack essential minerals, that are necessary for good health. Mineral deficiency can lead to insulin resistance, migraines, high blood pressure, constipation and even heart beat irregularities!

The above information is not meant to be a complete or comprehensive guide to water, simply an outline of choices we have. Like any good article worth reading, it is not meant to sway you in any particular direction, but rather meant to make you ask questions that others may not have even considered asking at all.

The best ideas are the thought provoking ones, not the ones that give you a definitive answer. Is this article thought provoking or definitive? Well, I guess that’s up to you to consider after asking yourself a few questions.