One thing I say to all of my clients is NO TAP WATER (at least not unfiltered).  We really don’t know what is in our water. For most of us, we do know there is chlorine and a host of other chemicals. We can also be sure that some of us have traces of pharmaceutical drugs in our water.  Many of us also have fluoride in our water.

All of these toxic chemicals are in some way carcinogenic and must be avoided.  The best solution, in the perfect world, is to have a whole-house filter.  Always keep in mind that when you bathe, you inhale and absorb through the skin the chemicals in water.

But as the world is not perfect, at the very least, we should filter our drinking and cooking water.  

So, what are the options. Likely you have heard of Berkey systems.  This is a great option for those looking for reliable clean water.  The Big Berkey  system removes pathogenic bacteria, cysts, and parasites and reduces harmful chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, and VOCs without removing beneficial minerals. Berkey offers ceramic and black filters, the later also filters out fluoride and arsenic. There are only two problems with the Berkey systems. One is that these are expensive. The other is that they can be a nuisance to clean.

Another option is the ZeroWater pitcher (which is what I use). The filters filter out over 99% of contaminants, including fluoride and lead, and the water tastes great.  I was really amazed.  The pitchers come with a TDS indicator (total dissolved solids) so you know when to change the filter.  I had fun with this gadget, and tested our tap, Poland Springs, and Mountain Valley Spring.  Well, of course you know that the tap failed. The Poland Springs passed, as well as the Mountain Valley. While not a fan of the plastic used for the Poland Springs bottles (Mountain Valley comes in glass), at least there did not appear to be nasty things in the water. Of course, I am not thrilled that the Zero pitcher is plastic, but to get around that you can immediately put the water in a glass jug.  One note—if you are considering the stainless-steel pitcher to avoid the plastic, don’t bother.  The inside is plastic, so unless you just prefer the look, again, not worth the extra money.

While Brita makes a good line of inexpensive water pitchers, their filters do not remove fluoride, lead, and other toxins. According to their site, it reduces chlorine taste and odor, copper, mercury, and cadmium.

Another option is water distillation (reverse osmosis), which removes, fluoride, chlorine, lead, pesticides, etc. The price varies, but ranges from $200 to well over $1000.

Don’t want to filter your water?  Consider Mountain Valley Spring Water.  The water is delicious. The only drawback is that you have to stack the boxes someplace. Plus, even though we recycle the bottles, it still seems wasteful. Still, they are portable and great bedside, especially if you are like me and tend to knock over water glasses at night. One potential issue is that the water has a high alkaline ph. While this sounds like a good idea, drinking too much high alkaline water can disrupt the body’s natural ph. We need stomach acid to digest our food, so try not to drink high alkaline water before a meal or even all day long. Hence I drink their water and use the Zero system as well.

Elyn

~~If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any~~

Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor and holistic cancer strategist who helps people make better, healthier, non-toxic choices. She emphasizes the critical nature of addressing the root cause of cancer and not just its presenting symptoms (such as the tumor). Elyn specializes in understanding the role of estrogen in breast cancer and debunks the myths associated. She is a Contributing Editor for The Truth About Cancer and was creator and host of the Survive and Live Well Radio Show on the Cancer Support Network. Elyn is on the Medical Advisory Board for BeatCancer.Org and is on the Advisory Board to the Radical Remission Project. Elyn was the former Executive Director of the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. Contact Elyn via her website. Elyn offers consults via Skype, phone or in person.

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