Dehydration : Is your body thirsty? (Part 4)

How much water do you drink each day? Do you often feel thirsty? How about your skin and lips? How is your bowel movement? Do you feel constipated most of the time? Do you have regular headaches? All these questions, are related to your body telling you how much water you need, or if you are dehydrated. 

Now that you may be convinced that water is perhaps the best and most natural beverage for your body, the next challenge is to find a source of water that doesn't make you sick. There are tons of harmful substances which make you sick and bad for your body, and yes, it's in your water. Chlorine in your water, can certainly make you sick, apart from dry skin and hair. 

According to a huge Finnish study, the researchers were able to determine that women who were exposed to chlorinated water had a 48% increased risk of bladder cancer, 38% increased risk of rectal cancer, and 90% increased risk of esophageal cancer, as well as 11% increased risk of breast cancer. However, men were not affected as much as women. Adding chlorine to drinking water causes a chemical reaction that results in the formation of a cocktail of carcinogens.

Some of nature's most valuable and essential anti-cancer and disease prevention phytochemical nutrients, which are commonly found in natural foods, have been discovered to form deadly cancer-causing substances when consumed or combined with chlorinated tap water. Just think of how many people eat their meals but also drink chlorinated tap water, or even so called 'plain water' from restaurants and food outlets. The main concern is that once eliminated from the body, large amounts of these poisons are infiltrating our wastewater treatment and water recycling systems.

It is very disheartening that especially the fresh plant foods we wash with chlorinated water generate these toxins. The deadly cancer causing agents this combination produces are extremely toxic. Thus, only very little amount of chlorine is required to bring about a powerful destructive effect. 

I'm sure some of you must be asking, "Which type of water filtration system is ideal to install at home?". Well, there are many simple filtration system that don't  cost you a bomb but can make a huge difference to your health. U can look for dual ionization and oxygen electrodes filtration system, activated alumina with bone charcoal for fluoride removal, good RO system, and other high quality filtration system preferably the ones which can remove fluoride and other similar poisons and toxic substances from the water supply. 

The most common ones are filtration and reverse osmosis systems, but these can also be a quite pricey but still an affordable option if you consider the cost of suffering through a bout of cancer. To help replenish some of its lost minerals, you may add in a pinch of sea or rock salt to the water. Both these salts are sold and available in most organic outlets and some supermarkets too.

As for distilled water, which is produced when water is boiled, evaporated and the vapor condensed, is the closest to natural rainwater. It is excellent in hydrating the body cells, but unlike rainwater, it is lifeless. As in the case of reverse osmosis water, adding a few grains of basmati rice or couple pinches of sea/rock salt in the water, gives back most of its minerals. 

Distilled water is free of dissolved minerals and therefore, has the special property  of actively absorbing and removing toxic substances from the body. Studies validate the benefits of drinking distilled water when one is seeking to cleanse and detoxify the system for a short period of time. But, despite the potential benefits, distilled water could be harmful if taken for prolong periods. Distilled water can lead to the loss of electrolytes and trace minerals such as magnesium, which can cause heart beat irregularities and high blood pressure. Also, please take note that cooking with distilled water may pull the minerals out of the foods, thus, lowering nutritional values.

When exposed to the air, distilled water actively absorbed carbon dioxide and become more acidic. Drinking distilled water regularly, therefore, may increase the overall acidity in the body. This was confirmed by USA EPA.

Now, regular consumption of cola and other soft drink beverages are harmful to the body because of their high content of sugar, artificial sweeteners, coloring, and other acidic chemicals. Studies have shown that heavy consumers of soft drinks discharge high amount of calcium, magnesium and other trace minerals into the urine. However, one major ingredient of these beverages, distilled water, may be another major factor involved in the loss of minerals in human body.

Although distilled water draws poisons out of the body, it is best to use it only about 7-10 days at a time. Discontinue its use, when you feel weak or otherwise unwell. It is best to avoid using distilled water as your general drinking water.

Finally, another inexpensive way to get rid of most chlorine in water is to use Vitamin C. One gram of vitamin C, will neutralize 1ppm of chlorine in 100 gallons of water. This is particularly useful if you want to lie in the bathtub without suffering the irritating effects of chlorine on your skin and in your lungs.

Meanwhile, before I sign off, I would like to propose to all of you to try stay away from water or other beverages contained in plastic bottles, especially the soft types. Many people now have large numbers of phthalates, and bisphenol A is another critical concern. But when you travel, it may be unavoidable but try not to consume water from plastic bottles on daily basis. In a nutshell, try your best to consume as much clean high quality water as you possibly could, and avoid caffeinated and sweetened beverages the best you can.