Archive for category Water
The Health Benefits Of Drinking Water – Is Bottled Drinking Water Healthier Than Filtered Tap Water?
Posted by in Water on August 3, 2011
Water is a key ingredient in a healthy diet and lifestyle. There are many health benefits of drinking water. It helps flush impurities and toxins out of our systems. It aids in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients. In fact, nearly every system in our bodies relies on water for proper functioning. But what if your water is unhealthy?
In past decades, concerns about tap water and its impact on overall health led some people to turn to bottled drinking water instead. In those days, there were few choices. You could pay to have a company deliver large bulky plastic bottles of water for the water cooler. Or you could purchase gallon jugs of distilled or “drinking water” at the grocery store.
In recent years, there has been an explosion in the number of different bottled waters available, with big distributors such as Coke and Pepsi jumping on the bandwagon. But are bottled drinking waters like Coke’s Dasani brand, Pepsi’s Aquafina, or Wal-Mart’s store brand really any healthier than your tap water? Or would you be better off with a drinking water filtration system?
As we’ve learned more about the water we drink, the technology behind drinking water filters and purification systems has improved dramatically. There are filters to remove impurities, chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria and most every contaminant you can think of. With the right size and filter combination for your specific home, your water can be exceptionally pure and healthy.
Cost Comparison
Drinking water filtration systems have also become more affordable and easy to use. Although the initial cost of a whole house system usually runs several hundred dollars, that cost is often less than $100 each year if spread out over the life of the system.
There may be additional expenses to replace carbon filters, membranes in reverse osmosis drinking water filtration system, or lamps in an ultraviolet light water treatment device. These expenses can add another $100 or so to the annual costs of operating drinking water filters and purification systems.
While some people may hesitate to spend two or three hundred dollars each year for clean, safe drinking water, they are probably paying more for bottled drinking water. Calculations show that at a price of $1 to $4 per gallon, bottled or delivered water costs an average of $400 each year, especially if you purchase individual bottles. And that doesn’t take into consideration the gas needed to drive to the store or the environmental impact of all the empty plastic bottles. Read the rest of this entry »
Importance of Water
Posted by in Water on August 3, 2011
Water is the most abundant substance in the human body. It is a component of virtually everything, except tooth enamel and bone. We are about 70% WATER, 25% PROTEIN and 5% MINERALS.
You can regard the body as being water, thickened with protein, which prevents us from “running away”. This gelatinous mass is then hung on a skeleton made up of minerals. Not a very flattering analogue. But it does put things in perspective.
Water performs many functions.
A few of the more important ones follow:
1. Most reactions in our bodies (of which there are millions every second) will not take place unless the reactants are dissolved. For example, the water component of our blood dissolves oxygen from our lungs and in this way it can be transported to our cells. Carbon Dioxide is removed in the same way.
2. Almost every cell in our body is bathed in interstitial fluid which is almost entirely water.
3. Most of the molecules in our body are suspended in water and are thus able to come into contact with other molecules. Indeed, water is often a part of these chemical reactions.
4. Water is a great stabiliser of body temperature. It absorbs and releases heat very slowly.
5. We have seen that the digestive tract utilises some 2 gallons of water per day. Much of this is reabsorbed, however, a certain amount needs to be replenished daily.
6. Water also acts as a lubricating medium. It is the major part of mucous and other lubricating fluids. Lubrication is especially necessary in the chest and abdomen, where internal organs touch and slide over each other.
7. Finally, water is the flushing medium which is used to clean the kidneys. These vital organs filter our entire volume of blood about every five minutes! Sufficient clean water must be passing through the kidneys to collect the wastes from this process. If these toxins are not removed, they will remain in the tissues. Read the rest of this entry »