The importance of clean filtered water

Just as it is on earth, water is the most important and  abundant substance in the body. roughly 2/3 of the earth’s surface is covered in water and approximately 65% of the body’s content is water. When we look at individual organs and tissues in the body we can see the water content is even higher in certain areas. For example, the brain, the heart and the muscles are all about 75% water, the lungs are 86%, the kidneys are 82%, the liver 96% and our blood is 83%. The skin is about 64% and even our bones are 31% water. These numbers might vary from source to source but the bottom line is  we have a significant amount of water in the human body.  The importance of water cannot be overstated when we consider the multiple tasks it helps us to perform:

  • it regulates body temperature
  • it lubricates our joints
  • it dissolves food into useable vitamins, minerals and other nutrients
  • it flushes waste from the body
  • it keeps mucus membranes moist
  • it helps deliver oxygen and other needed nutrients to all the cells of the body
  • it acts as a shock absorber to protect our organs
  • and much, much more

The amount of water you should drink on a daily basis depends on a number of things; age, gender,activity, weight, weather and the foods you eat all have a bearing on how much water you should be drinking. Making a calculation based on all of these things can be rather confusing and lead people to abandon the effort. Using the old standby of 8 10 oz. glasses of water per day is a good place to start but that may not work for everyone. The 110 pound female school teacher may not have the same requirements as the 220 pound man working outside in construction.  A simple formula that I like to use is based on an individual’s weight and it works for everyone. If we take a person’s total number of pounds and divide that in half, that number becomes the ounces of clean filtered water that a person needs to consume each day. That number can change, however, relative to the weather, your activity, the foods you eat, etc.

The source of the water you drink can have an impact on your health as well. Drinking ordinary tap water that has been treated with chlorine will pose potential health problems. The act of chlorinating water is used in an effort to kill germs and other bacteria that may be present in the water, however, depending on what other chemicals or organic matter that find their way into the water source, chlorination could be producing harmful THM’s (trihalomethanes). Studies in human populations using chlorinated drinking water which had the presence of THM’s, consistently showed small increases in the incidence of colon, rectal and bladder cancers. THM’s have also been known to cause plaque buildup in the blood which can lead to arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Avoiding chlorine as much as possible is the best solution when considering water for drinking, bathing or cooking. One of the best methods of purifying water economically is through a carbon filter. This type of filter can reduce bad tastes, odor, chlorine, organic chemicals and pesticides. There are many good quality carbon filters on the market today and it is well worth your health to invest in one. Just be sure it has the ability to remove chlorine from your water.  Also be sure to purchase a replacement filter for when your original filter has served its life cycle.