Water is the most important nutrient for our body. Every system in our body is dependent on water. Without water, we could not survive for long because our body will stop working. With the help of pure drinking water, our body can host chemical reactions, keeping our joints moving, control our body temperature and remove waste. Clearly water is not solely for washing your hands or quenching thirst.
Our body consists of roughly 70% of water. We are required to drink almost 11 000 gallons of water in a lifetime to sustain our water levels in our body. So how do you know how much you should drink a day? Many Americans don’t even know that they are chronically dehydrated because they don’t drink enough water a day. A rule of thumb is to divide your body weight by two. You now divide the number of ounces by 8 to know how many glasses a day you should drink.
Drinking pure water, i.e., without any polluted materials or chemicals in it, becomes more and more important, as our world gets more polluted by the day.
Pollution
Many people don’t know that much of our drinking water comes from sources that are polluted. There are hundreds of examples and here are cited a few:
- According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), 10 billion pounds of chemicals are released legally in waters in the US;
- The Carcinogen Nitrate showed up in almost half of the wells tested across the country;
- More than seventy different types of pesticides have been found in US waters across 38 states;
- Of the most hazardous waste dumps in the US, almost 80% dumps toxins in our ground water;
- There are many underground gasoline storage tanks in the US (over 2.5 million), and one-quarter of them are leaking into our groundwater (according to the EPA);
- A big city like NYC releases raw sewage into the Hudson River of 1 million gallons a day;
Chlorine
Because our drinking water is so polluted, we have to purify it before drinking it. The irony is that to do that, we have to add chemicals like chlorine and fluoride.
Adding Chlorine to our drinking water supplies goes back to early 1900 when it was used to control diseases like cholera and typhoid. The ironic part is that chlorine itself is a potential health hazard. It can react with organic materials in the water like decaying vegetation and leaves and the chemicals produces in this process are called triphalomethanes (THM). These chemicals are suspected to cause cancer and birth defects when consumed in large quantities.
Fluoride
Fluoride is another chemical that decreases the quality of our pure drinking water. It is suspected to cause certain cancers and causes it faster than other chemicals. The problem is that it not only hardens our teeth but also has an effect on our arteries and brain. There are many bad effects that fluoride has on our health, and therefore, it is not advised to put it into our drinking water. The hard part is that there is no scientific proof yet that it is hazardous. Although there are some sources that claim that it might cause certain cancers and hip fractures in older people.
Other chemicals
Next to the chemicals we add to our drinking water, there are also other sources that pollute our drinking water. Because water travels long distances through lead pipes, drinking fountains, sinks, and other transport methods, lead contaminates the water we drink. Small doses of lead will not make you sick instantly, but in large proportions, it is likely to make you sick.
Ensure Pure drinking water
To avoid to drink these substances that are polluting your drinking water, you should drink purified drinking water. You could off course check your drinking water on quality and see what is added into it. You could look op a testing laboratories in your area and see if they want to test it.
The best way, however, is to drink bottled water. There are many different types of bottled water, so it is important to choose the right one. To do this, you should read some consumer reports that covers this subject. Be sure you are buying purified water and not normal drinking water.
Water Purifiers
Another option would be buying a water purifier for your home. To purchase the best purifier, you need to have the results of the laboratory test. If this is not available to you, then get the one that has your confidence.
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