I think it’s safe to say that the average person realizes to some degree that drinking water is good for you.

But the appreciation that water is health-supporting is where it ends…because most people don’t drink nearly the amount of water that they should.

Although the standard recommendation for water consumption is eight- 8oz. glasses a day (64 total ounces, and that’s a bare bones minimum), we’re falling desperately short.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average adult in the US drinks a mere 44 oz. of water daily, and kids and adolescents only 23 oz.

Compounding this problem is the fact that our water is becoming increasingly contaminated, so even if you are diligent about drinking enough water to support good health, you just might be undermining your health instead!

Let’s look at what our water needs are, how the supply is becoming increasingly toxic, and what you can do about getting the water your body requires.

It becomes you

Your body is about 75% water, so it makes sense that taking enough in every day helps to make a healthier you.

Water is the primary component of all your body’s fluids, including blood, lymph, digestive enzymes, urine, tears and sweat.

Plus, it’s involved in virtually every major bodily function—circulation, digestion, absorption and elimination of wastes, to name a few.

Even your ability to heal from physical injuries depends on water! When you get injured, your bloodstream carries its repair substances to the injury site, and that bloodstream is about 81% water.

When toxins enter your body from the environment, they’re usually escorted back out by your urine (95% water) or your sweat (99% water).

And of course, your skin needs water—it’s the best anti-aging skin tonic there is!

How much?

As I mentioned above, you should be drinking at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day, and even more under the following circumstances:

• If you are engaging in exercise

• If you are working outdoors in hot weather

• If you are over age 65

• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding

• If you are prone to heavy menstrual periods 

Another barometer that takes variations of adult body sizes into account is to look at how many pounds you weigh and drink at least half that number in ounces of water.

For example, a person weighing 150 pounds should drink at least 75 ounces of water a day.

It’s becoming increasingly TOXIC

Our water supply is in crisis—and that’s no exaggeration.

Depending on where you live, your municipal tap water may contain any or all of the following toxic substances:

• Bacteria, viruses and parasites

• Chlorine and chloramines

• Heavy metals, asbestos, nitrates and nitrites

• Solvents, pesticides, plastics and resins

• Radio nucleotides such as radium and uranium

• Fluoride—Although it’s been hailed for reducing cavities when applied to children’s teeth, ingesting it into your body is a whole different story. Research links fluoridated water consumption to thyroid dysfunction, ADHD, reduced IQ in babies, bone fluorosis, increased bone fracture rates and endocrine disruption. (FYI--I’m very pleased that my current home state of Florida recently banned fluoride from our drinking water!)  

• Medication residue--Yes, this is real. When Nature calls for people taking medications, their urine and/or feces frequently contain medication residue, which eventually can make its way into tap water supplies. This happened in the Hudson River in New York.

Other sources of water

Note that there are other sources of water besides the tap, but they too have their drawbacks:

Well water comes primarily from groundwater supplies and can be very high in beneficial minerals such as iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium or calcium. But it can also contain heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides and hydrocarbons (gasoline by-products). If you have a well, be sure to get your water tested regularly.

Spring water is the water found in surface or underground springs. Other than maybe having some chlorine added as a disinfectant, spring water is minimally processed and therefore has a vastly different taste from tap. Similar to well water, it can be a source of minerals, but also contaminants. If you have a natural spring nearby you can grab a sample of the water to test.

Bottled water can be derived from protected underground springs, wells or municipal supplies. Then it’s filtered through multi-barrier sources which could include reverse osmosis, ultraviolet light, distillation, micron filtration and ozonation. Water bottlers may also use chlorine for purification. Although it’s sometimes “cleaner” than tap water, you run the risk of plastic toxin contamination from the bottle which worsens with sun exposure.

Filtered water (or purified water) involves the removal of harmful components of water in your home by carbon filtration, reverse osmosis or distillation. Below is a chart showing the differences between the three and the types of components they filter out:

Content	Solid carbon filter	Reverse Osmosis	Distillation
Chlorine	Removes	Not removed	Removes
Fluoride	Not removed	Removes	Removes
Bacteria	Removes	Removes	Removes
Parasites	Removes	Removes	Removes
Pesticides	Removes	Removes	Removes
Solvents	Removes	Not removed	Not removed
Heavy metals	Possibly removed	Removes	Removes
Basic minerals	Not removed	Removes	Removes

 

So what kind of water should you drink?

Clearly, it’s preferable to drink water that you either know is pure (through having it tested—such as with well or spring water) or water with some kind of filtration, whether that’s bottled or through home filtration.

Reverse osmosis can be costly, but it’s truly worth it. Even a simple carbon Brita filter is somewhat helpful (except with fluoride), and they’re pretty economical.

You can also purchase a “Primo” or similar water dispenser and refillable 5-gallon bottles. Many water stores provide options for refilling bottles with purified water at a very reasonable price. This is currently what I do for my drinking water, and I pay just $1.25 for 5 gallons. 

That being said, in addition to drinking your water, you can also…

Eat your water!

Fresh fruits and vegetables not only give your body much-needed nutrients, but they’re a great natural source of water (and fiber too, a plus for those of you who get constipated!).

At least half of what’s on your plate should be fresh fruits and vegetables.

Also, commit to eating one tossed salad each day. But note that “salad” means an assortment of greens and other vegetables—not a lettuce leaf or two buried under mounds of potato and macaroni salad, cheese, croutons and bacon bits. 

Help your body recover from tap water 

Dangerous substances you take in with contaminated water (especially heavy metals) can remain in your body and impact your health, so it’s wise to help your body counteract those toxins and support their elimination.

Natural ways to help your body detox include:

• Engage in regular exercise to induce sweating 

• Support the liver (your main organ of detox) and ease inflammation throughout your body with turmeric (as found in our own Optimal Turmeric Blend!)

• Incorporate garlic, cilantro and green tea into your diet

Get tested too!

If you feel that your body is suffering ill effects from water contaminants, see your doctor and get tested for heavy metals and other toxins. This is typically done via urine testing.

Note that chelation therapy is extremely helpful in clearing heavy metals and other toxins from your body. It can be done via an IV solution or with oral chelators.

On a personal note, in the past I had high mercury levels because of the amalgam fillings I used to have in my teeth, but IV chelation therapy turned that around.

If your doctor has not heard of chelation therapy or refuses to test you, find another who will.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

PS: We are still on track with this batch of Super Shield that is currently in production. We have moved on to the bottling and labeling portion of things and are looking forward to learning of our pick-up time next week! After pick-up, once the batch has arrived safely in our warehouse we will send out and email, adjust all announcement channels, and enable orders on the website. We thank you for your continued patience during this final stretch of production.