Have you ever noticed that the simple things in life are often the most important?
Water is a prime example. Next to air, water is the second most vital element on earth and is necessary to life. Our bodies will begin to fail after just three days without it.
In an ordinary day (with low activity and heat) we can lose up to two litres of water through sweating, digestion and other normal bodily functions. Water is required for all these bodily activities, so it’s no wonder we’re so thirsty!
A lack of pure, natural water can leave you feeling tired, cause dry skin, poor digestion and muscle pain and cramps. We can be dehydrated without knowing it, and when we are, our store of water will be prioritized toward vital organs such as the brain, heart and lungs. Our less vital structures such as skin, joints, muscles and the digestive system will be by- passed. If this occurs over long periods of time, it is known as chronic dehydration. Chronic dehydration can cause long term damage to your body.
Here are the facts about water:
- The human body is made up of up to 70% water.
- Water is the main source of energy for your body.
- It generates the tension that keeps every cell of your body together and functioning correctly.
- It prevents damage to your DNA promoting a healthy genetic makeup.
- It is the method by which food, vitamins and minerals are transported around your body.
There is no substitute for water – soft drinks, sports drinks, bottled juices and especially tea, coffee and alcohol do not hydrate the body but
Are you drinking enough water?
TAP WATER
Water is essential for your health, but is all water the same?
The answer to this question is – no!
Whilst we live in a country that is blessed with water that is free from pollution and disease, the water that comes out of our tap does have impurities that can be harmful to our health. Some local government areas have recorded over 2,000 different chemicals in their tap water!
Why are there so many chemicals in our water?
Water has an amazing ability to pick up and transport substances it comes in contact with. Every day we contact pollution in the air and soil, chemicals from everyday cleaning, waste products and body lotions and products. These all accumulate and are readily absorbed by water. As water is always on a downward course, it will pick up everything on its journey through our taps and then into our bodies.
What chemicals can be found in our water?
- Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers which run off the land during rain and into our underground water. This water then becomes our drinking water.
- Waste from medications, soaps, hormones and beauty products are all found in tap water. Many of these substances are carcinogenic if ingested.
- Inorganic minerals that are helpful to plants, but are toxic to the human body.
- Living organisms – tap water can contain viruses, parasites and other microbes (the Giardia outbreak in Sydney in 1999 is an example).
- Chlorine – chlorine has been added to our water to kill bacteria. Although this is beneficial to community health, it is also important to recognize that chlorine can also have several negative health implications. These include:
- Micro-organisms that are killed by chlorine remain in the water.
- When chlorine combines with certain organic substances it produces a by- product that is carcinogenic.
- Chlorine cannot distinguish between good and harmful micro-organisms. Therefore, our good natural bodily micro-organisms are destroyed by drinking chlorinated water.
- Chlorine destroys the vital nutrients Vitamins A, B, C and E and fatty acids which are needed for good health.
- Chlorine has a bitter taste which can deter people from drinking it.
- Many European countries have abandoned chlorination of water in favour of oxidation.
- Fluoride – this chemical was added to our drinking water in response to concerns about dental health. Documentation exists to suggest that fluoride interferes with vitamin and mineral functions and is linked to calcium deposits and arthritis. Dr. Charles Gordon Heyd, past president of the American Medical Association stated that “Fluoride is a corrosive poison that will produce serious effects on a long range basis”.
FILTERED WATER
Water that contains toxins dumps its toxic matter into our bodies. When water is pure
however, it is able to extract many toxins from the body by transporting them out. That is why filtering our water is so important. By eliminating toxins, the body can function the way it was designed to.
Pure natural water is a fundamental part of the health of your body. Its health benefits include:
- body detoxification
- improved body hydration
- increased energy
- improved cellular health and repair
- improved digestion of food
- clearing of skin conditions
- reduction in the appearance of wrinkles and aging