So, are we really drinking enough? Many people will admit that they are not…and this is the reason why there are so many people with symptoms of dehydration. In a healthy body, even a slight dip in blood volume triggers the hypothalamus to send out a message that we are thirsty, making our mouths feel dry. Due to poor habits and aging, our trigger mechanisms become impaired and slow down, giving the false impression of adequate hydration, and this is more of a reason to drink water even if you aren’t thirsty. The old rule of thumb is that eight servings (8oz per serving) of good quality water per day is sufficient for normal body function, however, there is another more precise way to calculate the amount you need. Take your body weight in pounds and divide by two; this number in ounces is closest to what your body requires each day for optimal health. Ex. Michelle weighs 150 pounds; divide 150 by two, which equals 75. Michelle needs to consume approximately 75 ounces of water per day in order to meet the hydration needs of her body. Seventy-five ounces divided by 8 ounces equals approximately nine 8oz glasses instead of the recommended eight. (You may need more or less depending upon the time of year and your exercise habits; exercise is wonderful for us however we need to replenish what water is lost through perspiration). Another important thing to remember is that ice cold temperatures will shock the digestive system thus slowing down enzyme capability, so preferably drink your water at room temperature.

   Why be concerned about dehydration? Some annoying signs of this from early onset to later stages may appear as headaches, cramping, fatigue, anxiety, depression, heart burn, joint pain, back pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, constipation, angina, allergies, asthma, adult onset of diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disease, psoriasis and more. The worst part is that many people think they are getting enough quality water out of the many other types of drinks they consume throughout the day. With a society consuming so much coffee, beer, wine, and carbonated soda containing chemicals, sugar and caffeine, I am afraid not! What most people do not realize is that these type drinks cancel out the little bit of pure water that they do consume! Caffeine and alcoholic drinks are diuretics, which mean they contribute to a debit of hydration by increasing urine flow, not to mention other ill health effects due to some of their ingredients. Carbonated drinks usually contain high amounts of refined sugar or worse, artificial sweeteners. Your best bet is to cut back on products containing these ingredients or better yet stop using them altogether and reach only for the pure, good quality water!

Ceramic filters can extract inorganic chemicals, bacteria, and have a long life. They also keep cryptosporidium from entering your water due to the size of the screens straining down to 0.8 microns.

KDF is a patented copper zinc alloy that uses a filtration process called reduction- oxidation (changes composition of charged particles). KDF eliminates chlorine, reduces heavy metals, kills bacteria and alters nature of lime scale transforming it into powder. (A good KDF filter lasts through 10,000 gallons and is equal to about a year of showers /baths).

Distillation is the process of boiling water into steam, cooling it and condensing into a chamber where collected and becomes liquid again. Distillation removes all bacteria and microorganisms including viruses as well as soluble inorganic salts, organic chemicals, radionuclides and heavy metals. It is no wonder scientists use this for their experiments; there is nothing contained in it that which would interfere with their various test results.

Reverse Osmosis is a process by which water diffuses through a semi-permeable membrane that removes organic chemicals, dissolved minerals, salts, cryptosporidium, giardia, heavy metals and asbestos. However it cannot eliminate toxic gases, chloroform, phenol, THMs, viruses, bacteria or certain pesticides. (Requires pre and post carbon filters and membrane replacement is expensive)

Ozone destroys pathogens that are difficult to kill, removes odors and tastes as well as colors, oxidizes THMs, helps precipitate heavy metals, and benefits aquatic life by reverting back to oxygen. Unlike chlorine, ozone does produce harmful THMs, prove corrosive, and doesn’t irritate our eyes, skin or mucous membranes. One major disadvantage is that it is costly. (For maximum purification it should be combine with a carbon pre-filter.

Ultraviolet Light lamps produce beams of light that destroy bacteria, viruses and microorganisms. Some say that cryptosporidium cysts need long exposure to the light in order to be effective at killing the eggs.

Bottled water is mostly classified by where it comes from (spring, spa, geyser, public water, mineral content etc.) Approx. 25% bottled water comes from the same water supply as many household taps! It’s an awful truth. If antimicrobial agents are added, companies must state this on their labels. Most States however, lack efficient rules for appropriate labeling, so there may be bottled water claims that are misleading the public.

Artesian, bottled, deionized/demineralized, ground, mineral, natural spring, sparkling and steam-distilled are the various types you can choose from. Artesian water is derived from well water which is brought forth to the surface through natural pressure. Ground water is simply underground water that does not come in contact with surface water. Mineral water contains not less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids (TDS) and comes from a protected underground source that has been tapped at the spring opening. It is important to know which minerals you are deficient in or have in abundance of before taking in large quantities of mineral water because you can do more harm than good by not being aware.

Natural Spring water on a label does not mean the water was filtered or treated. As long as the water uses a natural source to bring it forth to the surface, a company has met the requirements of the FDA in order to use the word ‘spring’. They do however have to state from what location they retrieved the water.

Sparkling water is alright unless it is loaded with fructose or artificial sweeteners. Soda, seltzer and tonic water do not fall under bottled water classification and are regulated separately as soft drinks.