IS YOUR WATER HELPING OR HURTING YOUR HEALTH 💧

One of the most important basic health principles that I live by is: Whenever my body is having a symptom or sends me an SOS, I pause and ask: What am I inviting into my body right now?

We have to consume food, breathe in air and drink water to SURVIVE, but it’s the quality of these substances that allow us to THRIVE. 

This month, I want to focus on one of our most essential life sources: clean water. 🚰

Who Knew?!

August is National Water Quality Month 💧💧💧

For eons, we’ve known hydration is critical for metabolism, nutrient delivery, toxin removal, and lubrication. But newer research from scientists like Dr. Gerald Pollack shows that the water inside our bodies has health benefits that were previously unknown. This new “4th phase” of water (water that forms into a crystalline lattice type gel) can create, absorb and store electromagnetic energy much like how a battery is an energy source. Water can also form an “exclusion zone” in the body that keeps toxins out of that tissue. Read more on this fascinating water research here.

While this science is still developing, one thing is clear: water plays an integral role in your health.

What’s Really in Your Water? ❓

Water is life… but it can also be a source of harm.
Because the Earth’s water supply is constantly recycled, it’s increasingly hard to find water free from chemicals, heavy metals, drugs, bacteria, viruses, or other toxins.

I don’t think it’s hard to imagine why contaminated water would be detrimental to your health but this is a great article if you want to learn more. Suffice it to say–you can’t just assume your water source is healthy. Given that you will consume and bathe in water throughout your lifetime: LEARNING HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR WATER QUALITY WILL BE TIME WELL SPENT. ⏱️

For a quick reality check, visit the EWG Tap Water Database and see what’s in your local water. It might surprise you — it certainly did me!

Water can be contaminated from many sources such as:

• Industrial waste
• Automobile exhaust
• Agricultural runoff
• Landfills
• Acid rain
• Things natural to your environment such as heavy metals, bacteria, viruses and human/animal waste. 

Case in point: one of my daughters lives in South Dakota, where naturally higher arsenic levels in the soil and rocks end up in the water supply—so, of course, Momma got her a water purifier as a housewarming gift 🎁.

Practical Tips for Better Water

Like we touched on above, if you’re like most Americans, your tap water is far from pristine. So I like to start with the water that I drink since I’m inviting large amounts directly into my body. Here’s how I think about upgrades:

Optimize Your Home Water Supply

If you can, I encourage investing in your home water supply first, since this is where you will obtain the majority of your water. 

Note: I know organizations like FIND A SPRING promote sourcing local spring water and its health benefits, but that’s not an option I’m willing to explore. I wouldn’t trust the water, and I’m not about to haul it from a spring every time I need it. Even bottled spring water isn’t truly “straight from the source”—it’s filtered to remove debris and sediment (not chemicals), then treated with ozone or UV light to reduce pathogens. The quality of the water varies greatly depending on the source. While spring water contains natural minerals and is minimally processed (which can preserve some physical properties), the benefits don’t outweigh the disadvantages for me.

Instead, I recommend:

• Whole House Filters – I love the ease of placing a filter where the water main enters the house. To avoid reducing water pressure, these filters have larger pore sizes, so they’re not great at removing smaller contaminants. They do, however, filter out most chlorine and other disinfectant byproducts— which improves both drinking and bathing water. The downsides: they often require professional installation, periodic filter changes, and may not be an option if you rent.
  
• Point-of-Service Filters – A great option if you don’t have a whole house filter. Like whole house filters, these filters must maintain enough water flow for showers and baths, so they only reduce some contaminants. I recommend the AquaTrue shower filter for shower heads (use this link for a discount) and the Crystal Quest bath filter for tubs.

• Drinking Water Filters – If you can only do one thing, start with filtering your drinking water! In your home these are usually placed at your kitchen sink water spigot or refrigerator water spigot but there are some countertop models and water pitchers also available. 

Since there are many types of drinking water filters I can’t cover them all. I am going to concentrate on what I believe to be the most effective filter for removing contaminants – reverse osmosis (RO). 

RO filters have a very small pore size – which essentially only allows small water molecules to pass through the filter. In fact the pore size is so small that pressure has to be applied to force the water through the filter. Larger molecules (which include most contaminants, chemicals and drugs) cannot pass through the filter. Pushing the water past the filter takes time and the water slowly builds up in a holding tank while the contaminated water that can’t go through the filter ends up discarded. 

💡 Pro Tip: Unfortunately, minerals are also too large to pass through the filter and they end up getting discarded — so either choose a system that remineralizes  (AquaTrue has this) or add drops like Trace Minerals ConcenTrace.

📣FYI: most reverse osmosis filters are actually units that have several filters including a carbon filter, VOC (volatile organic compounds) filter along with the reverse osmosis filter to ensure that the water is filtered optimally. Options include:

• Installed RO Units – These units can be installed as a separate spigot at your sink or they can be installed so that they dispense water and ice from your refrigerator. There are many national companies that sell and install these units such as Culligan or if you’re in the KC area – JF Denney is a good option. I will admit that purifying your water this way is more expensive and can’t be done if you’re renting. You can reduce the cost by purchasing your own reverse osmosis unit such as this one from AquaTrue (this link gives you a discount) and then installing it yourself or hiring a plumber to install it.  
  
• Countertop RO Units – This can be a great option if you don’t own a home, move frequently or just want a lower cost option. These units do however require that you manually fill them with tap water fairly frequently, they take up counter space, they require an electrical outlet and the holding tank or pitcher holds a smaller amount of water. Despite these drawbacks, I was so excited when AquaTrue became the first company to offer a countertop reverse osmosis unit. The no installation and relatively low cost of a countertop unit allowed more people access to the benefits of reverse osmosis water. AquaTrue has two countertop versions – their classic larger version and a new smaller carafe version. Use this link for a discount.
  
• Filtered Water Pitchers – This is an easy and low cost option most people are familiar with. The water is poured into a pitcher where it has to run through a filter. These pitchers use simple filters such as activated carbon and/or an ion exchange media. Depending on the pitcher – different contaminants are filtered out. I like the Clearly Filtered Pitcher.
  

A Note About Bottled Water
I almost never buy bottled water. I try to leave home with my favorite glass water bottle that I have filled with my reverse osmosis water but….buying bottled water is sometimes the only option available when I’m out and about.

It’s getting harder and harder to find quality bottled water. When I do buy bottled water I try to buy water in glass containers such as Voss or Icelandic.  If I do have to buy water in plastic I like Icelandic Glacial water.

I use the Oasis app to stay up to date on water testing. Recently I found out my beloved Mountain Valley Spring water (which in the past had a good rating) does not test well. It turns out the company has changed hands.

P.S. I don’t like aluminum water cans. The aluminum can leach into the water and the aluminum can also change the charge of the water.

Final Thoughts

That concludes my BASIC advice on sourcing quality water. Should you alkalinize your water? Should you structure your water? Should you vortex your water? Should you create hydrogen water? All of that is for another discussion and is actually minutia compared to the importance of reducing toxins in your water.

❤ ✨
HEALTH YOURSELF ACTION: Learn what’s in your water and upgrade its quality to the best of your ability. Your health is worth it.

Your midlife health expert and advocate,
Dr. Brenda Smith

Dr. Brenda Smith, M.D. newsletter & website provides general health information for educational purposes only. The information on this website is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, It can not diagnose or treat any health condition, and does not substitute for care from your own in person physician. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own primary care physician or other healthcare provider .