What is in Your Water?

Posted on Sep 5, 2014 | 0 comments

So strange to think that in this century, the 21st century, our water can be so contaminated. With everything we know.

But it is. With things we don’t know about.

Why is it important to drink water?

60% of our body is made up of water.

Our body needs water to function, it is the miracle elixir that can sustain us. We can go for weeks without food, but only mere days without water.

Through urination, sweating and breathing, each day we lose 2-3 quarts of water. That must be replaced or our bodies will begin to stop functioning properly.

It is recommended that we drink a minimum of 8 glasses of FRESH water a day.

What can be in tap water?

Over 300 pollutants and chemicals can be found in tap water!

The worst ones being:

Heavy Metals such as lead and mercury. These can leak from older pipes right into your water stream. They have been linked to many illnesses.

The CDC considers lead to be the country’s # 1 preventable pediatric health problem. Check your water! http://t.co/JSniyuzKSd #familyforward

— Malibu Mama Loves (@MalibuMamaLoves) September 5, 2014

Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) like pesticides, herbicides and drug by-products. When it rains, all of the chemicals that have been sprayed onto our plants, as well as the feces of the livestock, runs-off into our lakes and rivers. Similarly, when you urinate after taking any kind of pill, the by-product of the pill is released and it will eventually find its way back into our water system (GAG!!). So far scientists have found no way to filter out these drug by-products. VOCs have been shown in studies to damage the reproductive system, liver, and kidneys among other things. Not to mention the Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. These gender-bending bad boys interfere with our normal hormones and reproductive system (many researchers are now finding that fish who live in rivers near farms have crossed over into a category called intersex, an organism with two genders). These chemicals are being found in increasing amounts in our water supply. Interesting that our birth rates and pregnancy rates are all down… SCARRY!!

Fluoride is a hugely controversial issue right now. There is a lot of talk pro and con fluoride in the water. It is currently added to all tap water so you ARE drinking it if you drink from the tap. Here is what I think: yes, fluoride is good for your teeth, but too much of it can cause fluorosis – making them a permanent nasty brown color. Fluoride has also been linked to thyroid problems and other disorders when consumed. I think it enough to brush with it a couple of times a week as opposed to ingesting it especially given that is proven to cause health issues and there are NO studies to show that adding fluoride to our water actually does help our oral health.

Bacteria! There is any amount of potentially nasty bacteria sneeking around in our water.

So what should we do to find out about our water?

Please have it tested! Target has some great kits you can do on your own or you can try this one: Watts Premier 173006 All-In-One Water Test Kit. Try involving the kids and treating this as a science project and learning opportunity! There are also several companies who will come out and do it for you.

You can also call your local water utility company to find out contamination levels at your water source. The Environmental Protection Agency tests for 84 different contaminants, including the carcinogenic trihalomethane chlorine by-products. Compare your local contamination levels to national standards by calling the U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Please share your results with us! I will be sharing my favorite water filters soon! What are yours?

Cheers and Clean Drinking!
Malibu Mama Loves Xx

For more reading:

Duke University Research

Global Healing Center

Women’s Health Magazine

The Daily Mail

Wellness Mama

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