Do we really need a home water filter? Can't we just assume the water that flows from our kitchen and bathroom tap is sufficiently treated for contaminants by our municipal water facility? In order to answer these questions, we need to obtain a little more background information.
Next to air, water is the most important element for our survival.
Water is an integral part of our life and we use it for many household tasks throughout the day, such as: drinking and brushing our teeth, steaming fish and vegetables, washing salad greens, face and hand washing, showering and bathing, feeding the pets and watering our plants.
Most of us take it for granted that our tap water is safe to drink and use for common household tasks. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), however, estimates that 45,000,000 people drink tap water that is polluted with chemicals, lead, germs, parasites and other impurities.
A large majority of the major U.S. cities still employ the same basic water treatment technologies that have been used since before World War I. In cities such as Atlanta, Boston and Washington, D.C. consumers are relying on pipes that are, on average, over a century old. Many people don't realize that our municipal water treatment plants are not designed to remove synthetic chemicals and as a result we find traces of health threatening contaminants in most of our public water supplies.
Situations arise when our tap water is polluted with more than the usual amount of contaminants. Municipal treatment plants have breakdowns that take time to repair. Lead leaches into our drinking water from old pipes and private wells. Smaller water-supply sources can become contaminated from agricultural and other environmental pollutants.
It is difficult to be sure of the exact amount of toxins in our water supply. The EPA has estimated that, in our modern society, we use in excess of 75,000 toxic chemicals and more than 1000 new chemicals are developed each year. The Ralph Nader Research Group? after reviewing thousands of pages of EPA documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act? concluded that to date more than 2100 toxic chemicals have already been detected in U.S. water supplies.
Our planet earth reuses the same water over and over again, which means there is no "new water". Every single chemical used in our society, eventually winds up in our water supplies. As the use of synthetic organic chemicals increases, so does the toxicity of our water. The earth's natural filtration process is not effective at removing these toxic synthetic organic chemicals.
The human body is made up of over 70% water. The proper function of each organ system, as well as every healing process that happens inside our body, takes place with water. Optimal functioning is only possible when water, our body's transport medium is clean. Wastes form during the body's metabolism and if these wastes are allowed to accumulate through insufficient water intake, fatigue and even illness results.
If we drink water that contains chlorine or other organic and inorganic chemicals, we force our liver and kidneys to act as a filter for these contaminants. The liver purifies and detoxifies the blood of waste products and toxins. In addition to regulating the body's water balance and maintaining optimal pH, the kidney also removes metabolic waste products from the bloodstream.
By providing the liver and kidneys with water, a universal solvent and transport medium, they are assisted in their role as a natural body filter. Bombarding these organs with water that contains traces of additional toxins only hinders the body detoxification process and delays waste removal.
Water may not cure every ailment, but it is a primary ingredient that allows our body to dilute and eliminate toxins that have accumulated over time.
What Can We Do To Provide Healthy Water For Our Family?
The simplest, most effective and also the most economical way to treat municipal tap water is a home water filter. Multi-media water filters that combine activated carbon with iron exchange media such as KDF are an excellent choice.
Carbon and KDF work together to remove or reduce traces of contaminants such as chlorine, lead, Cryptosporidium and Giardia cysts, synthetic chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), MTBE, pesticides (lindane, atrazine), chemicals linked to cancer (benzene, TTHMs, toxaphene) and hundreds of other chemical contaminants that may be present causing bad taste and odors in your drinking water.
The result is healthy, great-tasting water that still contains natural trace minerals that are beneficial to optimal wellbeing and health.
? Copyright 2005 Andie Klein
Article courtesy of home-water-filter-guide.com, where you can get the answers you need about comparing home water filter systems and filtration methods, drinking water contamination, the health benefits of drinking water and more.
Related articles from Home-Water-Filter-Guide:
home-water-filter-guide.com
Understanding how traces of contaminants in your drinking water can affect your health.
home-water-filter-guide.com
Compare the pros and cons of home water filtration systems.
Nutrition is extremely important for any young person, especially an... Read More
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a dangerous condition that can... Read More
Nuts are readily available and provide a highly nutritious food.... Read More
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More
Endurance Sports are like music concerts. They start at a... Read More
The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams,... Read More
The debate regarding Fluoride continues to rage, is it good... Read More
My name is Mildred Shears. I'm retired and I live... Read More
The subject of health care itself often seems plagued with... Read More
Cholesterol is present in our bodies by one of two... Read More
The importance of protein in a healthy diet is well... Read More
The latest tallies show that over three million people in... Read More
Many people experience unpleasant reactions to foods they have eaten... Read More
Dr. Barry Sears revolutionized nutritional thinking around the world with... Read More
The research in support of dietary omega-3 fatty acids (such... Read More
When it comes to the topic of sports nutrition there... Read More
Heart Disease remains the number one cause of death in... Read More
Eating grain products - breads, cakes, cereals - have long... Read More
With all the news about Splenda of late and the... Read More
The topic of food additives is not quickly addressed in... Read More
Are Your Cells Talking To Each Other?Communication! It permeates our... Read More
When Helen Boardman was still a girlish 99, she fell... Read More
Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively "stuck" with their... Read More
Do you know anyone who can't consume milk or milk-based... Read More
What is health? Everyone wants this thing called health, and... Read More
licensed cleaning services Lake Forest ..Fiber is the part of the plant that is resistant... Read More
An American culture that is marked by a chronic lack... Read More
Scandinavian fishermen are a healthy bunch. It had long been... Read More
If you are like most people, you've tried dieting before.... Read More
Images of "protein powder" containers with accomplished bodybuilders on their... Read More
Nutrition usually only comes up when people are finally deciding... Read More
DIETARY SOURCES OF GLUTATHIONE: Glutathione (GSH) is an antioxidant and... Read More
The latest tallies show that over three million people in... Read More
Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you... Read More
The importance of protein in diet has been clearly established... Read More
What is nutrition? We hear so many reports today on... Read More
I want to tell you about the most healthful and... Read More
The Food Pyramid, first introduced to the US in 1992,... Read More
Fad diets have been around for more than 50 years... Read More
Calcium helps reduce constipationUsing calcium and magnesium in the right... Read More
To many people, this may seem a simplistic answer to... Read More
Cholesterol. What images come to mind when you see this... Read More
You say you don't know what glyconutrients are? You are... Read More
Factory FarmingThe big names in American agriculture would like you... Read More
America's focus on nutritious eating began to receive national attention... Read More
With so many people concerned about natural and organic foods... Read More
LIFESTYLE WELLNESS = An Adventure of Health + Vitality!Not a... Read More
It is always amazing to me when I find a... Read More
The Health and Nutrition Industry has come about as peoples... Read More
Food nutrition factsFinding food nutrition facts and dietary nutrition used... Read More
Nutrition |