Today I want to talk about a topic that plays a profoundly important role in our human experience: our drinking water. It seems that in the wellness world we can go on and on about which specific diet is superior to the rest, or which new superfood can change our life, but ignore the effect the quality of water has on our health.
Perhaps this is because our relationship to water has fundamentally changed in modern society. When humans lived in nomadic communities, they had no permanent water source. Instead they would travel from spring to spring, gathering water as they moved. In those days identifying and harvesting spring water was a fundamental part of survival, whereas now it is a sparse practice used only by those of us privileged enough to live close to a spring, and with the resources to use it. Instead, most of the population relies on local utilities for their water source, putting the process in the hands of the government and distancing themselves from the process all together. It may be because of this that water as a wellness practice has become something we never have to think about. Something we take for granted. However it is important to remember that not all drinking water is created equal...
Why is the quality of the water we drink important?
Daniel Vitalis (founder of findaspring.com, the supplement line SurThrival, and host of the Rewild Yourself Podcast) says it best. When it comes to explaining why the quality of our source water matters, he uses the analogy of a fish in a fish tank. You can feed that fish the most high quality organic fish flakes, but if the water he's swimming around in is cloudy, polluted, or full of chemicals, the health of the fish is going to suffer (1). The same is true for us. Our body is made up of about 60% water after all.
The chronic dehydration epidemic
Although clean drinking water is more accessible to us than ever before, people are drinking water less and less. With so many addictive soft drinks on the market, I hear many people say they don't drink a lot of water because they don't enjoy the taste. When we come to associate hydrating ourselves with sweet sugary flavors, not only do we drink less water, but the soft drinks are further dehydrating us.
Dehydration can manifest differently for everyone. With so many symptoms to list, it is easy to misplace a symptom of dehydration for something else. Many times the most simple solution to an issue you're having is to just drink a glass of water.
Some signs you may be dehydrated are:
Brain Fog
Light headedness
Fatigue
Headache
Constipation
Muscle cramps
Moodiness (3)
Always try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Be observant for how dehydration affects you specifically, observing your symptoms throughout the day and taking action. Becoming more aware of how your body reacts to dehydration is a great preventative tool, so next time you're feeling a bit off, you can turn to the quickest solution first.
The quality of our drinking water
Now that we have explored the importance of drinking water consistently, let's talk about the quality. The quality of your water is going to come down to one thing: the source.
There are two different sources of water available to us:
Surface Water and Ground Water.
Ground water is water that is stored beneath the earth's surface within the soil and in between rock formations. When enough water is stored in one place that it can be used as a water source, it is called an aquifer. There are two ways humans source ground water for drinking: wells and natural springs. Think of ground water as you do organic produce. It is whole and unprocessed, containing all the minerals your body needs to thrive.
The other way humans source water is by using surface water. Lakes, rivers, man made reservoirs, and rain water are all examples of water sourced from surface water. Think of surface water as processed water. That is because it is filtered and treated with a variety of chemicals. Although these chemicals kill off harmful bacteria that make it safe to drink, it also removes many beneficial minerals our bodies need to feel properly hydrated. Ever drink cheap bottled water and still feel thirsty afterwards? or do certain sources of tap water leave a nasty taste in your mouth? Every city or town sources their water differently, and the quality of the source will usually determine how clean and nourishing the tap water is.
With so many ways to source our water supply, and the quality of our water having such a huge impact on our health, which source is the best for you and your family? Let's break down the different water sources and the pros and cons of each.
Spring Water
Spring water is the water that shoots out of the earth from underground aquifers. If the aquifer is consistently taking in new water, then the spring will always be flowing 24/7. Naturally harvested spring water from a wild spring is the best water you can drink. That is because you are drinking it directly from the earth, without any chemicals added to filter it. The earth's rock sediment naturally filters the water. You need to gather it directly at the source however, to ensure it has not come into contact with any harmful bacteria found on the earth's surface.
Many people still practice gathering water from wild springs. You can find springs in your area by visiting www.findaspring.com, a community run website where users list information on local springs. Other ways to find springs are to simply ask people in your area. Ask those who's family's have lived in the rural areas of your town for generations, or people who practice a more natural lifestyle. If you consistently see people gathering water on the side of the road in a certain spot, stop and ask them about the water and whether it's safe to drink. Many springs by the road will come from man made pipes people have installed to make the spring more accessible and protected. To assure the water is safe to drink, you can send it away for lab testing to test for any harmful bacteria. I am fortunate enough to have a spring down the road from where I live, and I fill a 5 gallon water dispenser once a week to provide drinking water for me and my family. Others who own property containing a spring, will build infrastructure that pumps the water directly into their tap.
Well Water
If you don't have access to spring water, well water is the next best option, because it is still being sourced from the ground. Well water is sourced by drilling into underground aquifers, and then uses a pump system to pump the water into your home. Depending on the area you live, well water will contain different amounts of minerals and sediment affecting the taste and quality. Minerals like calcium and magnesium will cause hard water, which can damage piping and create issues on your skin, hair, and clothes. Water softeners are used to help alleviate this problem. Some people dislike the taste of certain well water, but it is superior to tap water in my opinion, because it has not been treated with chlorine and other chemicals.
Tap Water
Tap water is treated surface water. Local water treatment plants add chemicals like chlorine to kill off harmful bacteria. The problem with tap water, although it is technically safe to drink, is that when chlorine is added, a host of other chemical compounds are created as byproducts that stay in the water when you drink it. Many of these compounds (called trihalomethanes) are proven to cause cancer, nerve and brain damage, hormone disruption, infertility, and developmental issues in children. Tap water also has the potential to be polluted with agricultural waste such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, nitrate, and animal manure (2).
The safest way to drink tap water is to get a water filter and filter it at home. There are many different kinds of water filters that serve different needs.
Carbon filters are the most affordable, but vary in effectiveness. Most are able to remove chlorine, while others can remove more specific chemical compounds. It's important to know what is in your tap water to know what your specific filter needs are.
Reverse osmosis is the most effective way to filter water. It works by passing the water through a semipermeable membrane, blocking particles larger than water from passing. The disadvantages to reverse osmosis is that it is expensive and wastes a lot of water.
Distillation uses heat to vaporize your water, then condenses the steam back into water. This process does remove many bacteria and chemicals, but it also remove minerals from water, creating a flat tasting water that can't provide the benefits natural spring water can.
To learn more about water filters and which to choose, check out the Environmental Working Group's free water filter guide here
Bottled Water
Bottled water in my opinion is the worst option for water, although many people are turning to it as an alternative to tap water. I think it's better to invest in a good water filter and filter your tap water, rather than buy bottled water on a regular basis. There are three main reasons I believe bottled water should not be your main water source:
1. Quality
Many people believe all bottled waters are sourced directly from some pristine spring high in the mountains, but this could not be further from the truth. Companies like Aquafina and Desani run tap water through a filter, and then bottle it (4). It then sits on a shelf under florescent lights for who knows how long, as the plastic leaches into your water. Bottled waters that use wells as their source (and many do) are filtered using ozone and UV technology. These techniques prevent the water from turning green as it sits on the shelves (1). Bottled water companies also have a much easier time hiding contaminants in their product than local municipalities do. It is much easier to find out which contaminants are in your tap water than it is to discover what's hiding in your go-to bottled water brand.
2. Cost
Bottled water will cost you 2000 times more than drinking your tap water (4). Investing in a good water filtration system will save you so much money in the long run, instead of buying a case of bottled water week to week.
3. Waste
According to the Environmental Working Group, less than 32% of plastic water bottles are recycled, causing massive trash to be sent to our landfills and oceans. It also takes 2000 times more energy to produce bottled water than it does tap water. From the actual bottling process, to the amount of transport it takes to get the bottles to your local store, buying bottled water leaves a much larger environmental footprint than tap water (1).
When considering which water source is the best and most realistic choice for your family, it is important to consider these questions:
Which water source listed above is the most accessible to me?
Which contaminants do I need to be aware of in my water?
Is there a way I can elevate my water source by filtering it safely?
Is the water source I am currently choosing having a positive or negative impact on my environment?
Although I wish everyone had the accessibility and means to gather wild spring water, I fully understand this is not an option for everyone. However becoming aware of what is in your water, and learning ways you can elevate it to better serve your health, are the first steps to take to ensure you are being properly hydrated every day.
The Environmental Working Group has compiled many wonderful resources included a tap water data base where you can research exactly which chemicals are found in your municipalities' water. Check out their many resources at https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/
Additional Sources:
1. http://www.danielvitalis.com/rewild-yourself-podcast/why-i-forage-wild-water-daniel-vitalis-80
2.https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/
3.https://draxe.com/dehydration-symptoms/
4.https://foodbabe.com/bottle-water-not-think/