Bill:
You are absolutely correct about the water and the joints/disc theory.
A couple of years ago while researching water filters for my first business venture, I was reading an article that supports this theory. The discs in the spine are the first area to lose water during strenuous exercise or work. If the individual who works in extreeme heat is not lifting properly, I.E. with the legs, then damage will occur to the overworked disc that is dehydrated the most.
But one thing stated in this article bothered me. The proper hydration of the joints and discs can only occur from PURE WATER. Any water that contains chlorine or pesticides or lead will not be allowed by the liver to rehydrate these areas until the liver has filtered out the contaminants. This process most often expells all or most of the consumed water before enough can be sent to the joints and discs. Only by drinking spring water, or filtered municipally treated water which contains NO CHLORINE, will there be enough water to rehydrate these areas.
If a person drinks municipally treated TAP WATER with a chlorine level that is slightly lower than can be recorded as efficient for a pool, (most munincipal water is at this level) they would have to consume at least 48 eight ounce glasses of water a day to get the equvilent of 8 eight ounce glasses of pure water into the discs and joints.
I always have an aching back in the fall and winter months when I do not drink enough pure water, mosty when I awake when I am dehydrated the most. In the Spring and Summer, I carry a "filter" water bottle with me for those occasions where I am on a ball field or in some gym or dojo, where there is only a public water supply. This bottle has a two stage filter inside and a "straw like" stem sticks up from the top. The water is drawn through the filter and up into the straw while drinking. These water bottles hold 16 ounces and are good for 200 gallons of water before the inside filter need replacement. I can easily make one last for a whole summer of everyday use. They are sold by an Equinox International Independent Agent. They are between $20-30, and when you consider that bottled water is about $1 per bottle, the payback can be attained in about a week of use. They are made of a very high grade, soft plastic, and can be taken to any dojo or ball field that has plumbed water.
If you do not have one of these filters, you must purchase bottled water to rehydrate these areas properly.
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Moderator: Available
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Another option is to have a tap water filter at your home and bring your own water supply with you.
One very inexpensive store-brand sipper bottle has lasted me over a year. (Something on the order of $0.39.) When it breaks, I'll buy another. I taped one of my business cards over it to identify it as mine, and it goes with me to my workouts.
student
One very inexpensive store-brand sipper bottle has lasted me over a year. (Something on the order of $0.39.) When it breaks, I'll buy another. I taped one of my business cards over it to identify it as mine, and it goes with me to my workouts.
student
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Unusual problem - Simple solution
A researcher like myself lives for identifying patterns. One such one I have noted over the years is a tendency for some people to get teondonitis and/or occasional joint inflammation over the summer months.
Yes, some people work out more during the summer. Yes, there are other factors involved. But I stumbled on one that - in retrostpect - explains a lot of annoying injuries that crop up in myself and students. It is improper hydration.
How does meniscal and articular cartilage work? This is the teflon-like substance that is on the ends of bones and in disc shapes in the knees. Well they are a lattice of molecules with lots of space inbetween. And what makes the thing slippery? It works best when there is a lot of fluid (water) in the lattice. In fact modern magnetic resonance imaging techniques can look at the discs in your back and assess water content. This gives the radiologist a clue as to the functional capability of the disc at that point in time. A wet disc is a cushy and slippery disc. A dry one works like a squeaky hinge.
The synovial fluid in the joints and other places in the body is also largely water. This is the lubrication that makes joints work better.
Actually my epiphany for this whole thing happened in the last week. The weather has been miserable here, and I have been doing lots of yard work. On two straight occasions of working outdoors and sweating my @$$ off, I noted considerable joint pain and crepitus after working out later that evening on the weights. One evening in particular, I swear that half the tendons in my body were screaming. And yet several days later I did the same workouts, but this time hydrated myself well. No more squeaky joints, and no more inflammatory pain. Coincidence? Maybe. Was I dehydrated on the bad days? Definitely. Is there a reason for dehydration to lead to joint and tendon problems after significant exercise? Certainly.
There are other things to consider as well. Caffeine, alchohol, and drinks with high sugar or electrolyte content can dehydrate the body. Intense heat is not the time to load up on the coffee or drink more beer. The best thing to do at that after-workout get-together is FIRST drink lots of cool water. The beers can come a little later.
Food (or water) for thought.
- Bill
Yes, some people work out more during the summer. Yes, there are other factors involved. But I stumbled on one that - in retrostpect - explains a lot of annoying injuries that crop up in myself and students. It is improper hydration.
How does meniscal and articular cartilage work? This is the teflon-like substance that is on the ends of bones and in disc shapes in the knees. Well they are a lattice of molecules with lots of space inbetween. And what makes the thing slippery? It works best when there is a lot of fluid (water) in the lattice. In fact modern magnetic resonance imaging techniques can look at the discs in your back and assess water content. This gives the radiologist a clue as to the functional capability of the disc at that point in time. A wet disc is a cushy and slippery disc. A dry one works like a squeaky hinge.
The synovial fluid in the joints and other places in the body is also largely water. This is the lubrication that makes joints work better.
Actually my epiphany for this whole thing happened in the last week. The weather has been miserable here, and I have been doing lots of yard work. On two straight occasions of working outdoors and sweating my @$$ off, I noted considerable joint pain and crepitus after working out later that evening on the weights. One evening in particular, I swear that half the tendons in my body were screaming. And yet several days later I did the same workouts, but this time hydrated myself well. No more squeaky joints, and no more inflammatory pain. Coincidence? Maybe. Was I dehydrated on the bad days? Definitely. Is there a reason for dehydration to lead to joint and tendon problems after significant exercise? Certainly.
There are other things to consider as well. Caffeine, alchohol, and drinks with high sugar or electrolyte content can dehydrate the body. Intense heat is not the time to load up on the coffee or drink more beer. The best thing to do at that after-workout get-together is FIRST drink lots of cool water. The beers can come a little later.
Food (or water) for thought.
- Bill
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Be careful which tap filter you purchase.
Most have only charcoal as the filter media, which does not completely eliminate the chlorine. Also if you live in an area where there are many farms, there will be pesticides in the water which will remain if the filter is only charcoal. Be sure to purchase a water filter with at least two types of media. Most of these filters range in the price area of $100 to $200 and last for 1 to 3 years. I have a filter in my dojo which sits on the floor and is connected to the cold water supply. This filter can last for three years before replacing at the price of $.02 per gallon. It sure beats lugging 5 gallon containers of "spring water" which probably is filtered water anyway.
BTW...Aquafina(TM) is filtered water.
Most have only charcoal as the filter media, which does not completely eliminate the chlorine. Also if you live in an area where there are many farms, there will be pesticides in the water which will remain if the filter is only charcoal. Be sure to purchase a water filter with at least two types of media. Most of these filters range in the price area of $100 to $200 and last for 1 to 3 years. I have a filter in my dojo which sits on the floor and is connected to the cold water supply. This filter can last for three years before replacing at the price of $.02 per gallon. It sure beats lugging 5 gallon containers of "spring water" which probably is filtered water anyway.
BTW...Aquafina(TM) is filtered water.
-
Allen M.
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Oh, God! What is this world coming to if you can't drink a foamy brew to cool an overheated body?
I will run some experiments with back pain vs. pure water. But I thought the organs of the body filtered-out the toxicants in the water? Len, is it ONLY chlorine which is the offending chemical?
------------------
Allen, Home: http://www.ury2k.com/pulse mirror: http://home.ici.net/~uechi/
I will run some experiments with back pain vs. pure water. But I thought the organs of the body filtered-out the toxicants in the water? Len, is it ONLY chlorine which is the offending chemical?
------------------
Allen, Home: http://www.ury2k.com/pulse mirror: http://home.ici.net/~uechi/
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Allen
The actual issue here is hydration during exercise. Nobody's going to fault you for imbibing after you hang up the gi and shower. Just remember - for the sake of your optimal health - to hydrate youself before the first round. On a positive note, that cold one or two after workout will lower your risk for a heart attack.
I'm not sure if I buy all the bit about the chlorine. It may be the propaganda of the water filter companies. I'd have to see the original research. The chlorine in tap water is actually a dissloved gas, and will bubble out in your stomach with a little bit of body heat (Henry's law).
I personally believe the real issue with filtering out the chlorine is taste. I can't stand drinking tap water. No matter how beneficial the chow, it won't do any good if the dogs won't eat the stuff.
My favorite way to hydrate is these sugar-free flavored waters with bubbly in them. They come in lemon, lime, raspberry, and orange. When I go to my favorite watering hole, the bartender automatically makes a soda water and puts a slice of lime in it. A touch of any kind of citrus fruit makes most any kind of water a lot more "interesting" to the palate.
- Bill
The actual issue here is hydration during exercise. Nobody's going to fault you for imbibing after you hang up the gi and shower. Just remember - for the sake of your optimal health - to hydrate youself before the first round. On a positive note, that cold one or two after workout will lower your risk for a heart attack.
I'm not sure if I buy all the bit about the chlorine. It may be the propaganda of the water filter companies. I'd have to see the original research. The chlorine in tap water is actually a dissloved gas, and will bubble out in your stomach with a little bit of body heat (Henry's law).
I personally believe the real issue with filtering out the chlorine is taste. I can't stand drinking tap water. No matter how beneficial the chow, it won't do any good if the dogs won't eat the stuff.
My favorite way to hydrate is these sugar-free flavored waters with bubbly in them. They come in lemon, lime, raspberry, and orange. When I go to my favorite watering hole, the bartender automatically makes a soda water and puts a slice of lime in it. A touch of any kind of citrus fruit makes most any kind of water a lot more "interesting" to the palate.
- Bill
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Allen:
No chlorine is not the only chemical.
The more chemicals in your water the less pure water is processed by the liver to hydrate the joints and discs.
You can tell where water has been because it contains a little bit of whatever it has touched. The minerals, chemicals and bacteria water picks up from both nature and man give it its taste and color. Some of the things that find their way into our drinking water are beneficial to our health. Others are dangerous and can lead to serious illnesses. The US goverment has set a minimum standard of pesticides that we are allowed to drink (isn't that nice of them).
So, what do you do if one day you turn on the tap and don't like the way your water tastes, looks, or smells?
A clean bill of health at the treatment plant may not tell the whole story. Water can pick up contaminants as it travels from the utility, and can even become tainted while sitting in your pipes. And, if you're one of the 40 million people who get water from private wells, it's your job alone to monitor and control water quality.
Your water can be checked for presence of lead, bacteria or other contaminants by an independent, state-certified testing lab.
The general complaint at these labs is staining due to iron or low ph levels, which makes the water acidic, and causes copper to leach out of pipes, and the taste. A lot of the minerals will cause a taste problem.
A basic potable test costs $55 plus a $15
collection fee at Analytical Balance Corp, of Middleboro Mass.
Testing for homeowners makes up about.
20-25 percent of its business.
They also provide a kit to collect the samples and save the collection fee, or if you want to do it yourself, you need a sterilized container for the bacteria test and any plastic container for the chemicals test. People can expect a full written report with 7-10 business days.
Lead is a dangerous mineral.
To test for lead, the water has to sit undisturbed for six hours. You can't run the water or flush a toilet. Houses built before 1930 used lead pipes in plumbing and houses built before 1988, before lead laws were implemented, may have lead solder in their pipes. If there's a question about lead, never use hot water to cook with and let the cold water run before using it.
There are two ways to treat water in your home: Where the water enters your house (point of entry) and at the tap (point of use). Some of the commonly used systems include sediment filters which remove particles and partially dissolved solids. They're often used in conjunction with a larger system (point of entry) to remove particles before they reach the point of use filters. The most effective filters are the multi stage varieties that have multiple filter media to eliminate a wider variety of chemicals and minerals. The filters that I have in my home and in my dojo have a three stage filtering process. Stage one: a blend of inorganic minerals reduces chlorine; Stage two: a highly advanced ceramic coated sorbent media attracts and permanently bonds dissolved lead within a matrix pore structure; and Stage three: reduces some primary health related organic contaminants.
These filters were purchased through Equinox International which is no longer doing business. I have three of these filters I have not sold yet. Two are countertop units and the third is an undercounter unit exactly like the one in my dojo. They last for three years of normal use. If you or anyone else is interested please e-mail me at BrocktonUKA@aol.com, I will let them go for my cost.
You can solve any drinking water problem if you have the right filter. But no water filter eliminates everything, so make sure that the one you buy handles your specific problem. A list of what the device is certified to remove should be on the package and/or product literature. Look for devices certified by NSF International (an independent, non-profit standards-setting and testing group). Some filters remove chlorine, copper, lead, odor, particulates, zinc. Others remove asbestos, atrazine, chlordane, cysts, lead, mercury, PCB's, toxaphene, turbidity and VOC's (Methanol, Toluene ETC).
Most water filters use activated carbon cartridges for purification. You, should know that water from filters comes out more slowly than water you'd get directly from the tap.
Filters range in price from $20 to several hundred dollars. Usually, the more expensive models require less maintenance and can be hidden under the sink. It's important that you regularly replace the carbon cartridge (per manufacturer's instructions).
Distillation units use a heating coil to turn water into vapor, leaving the impurities behind. A condensing coil returns the vapor to its liquid state. Disinfecting units use an ultraviolet light or chlorination or ozonation to kill bacteria.
Reverse osmosis systems use a membrane to screen contaminants. Water softeners don't improve the quality of drinking water, but they reduce the hard-water mineral film left on clothes and dishes, as well as scale deposits inside pipes.
You may need more than one technique to take care of your own drinking water problem. But whether you're hiring a professional installer or doing the job yourself with a system bought from a hardware store or home center or Independent Agent, be sure to check what each system is designed to do before buying.
Make sure you are drinking plenty of PURE WATER.
------------------
Len Testa
Brockton Uechi-Ryu Karate Academy
No chlorine is not the only chemical.
The more chemicals in your water the less pure water is processed by the liver to hydrate the joints and discs.
You can tell where water has been because it contains a little bit of whatever it has touched. The minerals, chemicals and bacteria water picks up from both nature and man give it its taste and color. Some of the things that find their way into our drinking water are beneficial to our health. Others are dangerous and can lead to serious illnesses. The US goverment has set a minimum standard of pesticides that we are allowed to drink (isn't that nice of them).
So, what do you do if one day you turn on the tap and don't like the way your water tastes, looks, or smells?
A clean bill of health at the treatment plant may not tell the whole story. Water can pick up contaminants as it travels from the utility, and can even become tainted while sitting in your pipes. And, if you're one of the 40 million people who get water from private wells, it's your job alone to monitor and control water quality.
Your water can be checked for presence of lead, bacteria or other contaminants by an independent, state-certified testing lab.
The general complaint at these labs is staining due to iron or low ph levels, which makes the water acidic, and causes copper to leach out of pipes, and the taste. A lot of the minerals will cause a taste problem.
A basic potable test costs $55 plus a $15
collection fee at Analytical Balance Corp, of Middleboro Mass.
Testing for homeowners makes up about.
20-25 percent of its business.
They also provide a kit to collect the samples and save the collection fee, or if you want to do it yourself, you need a sterilized container for the bacteria test and any plastic container for the chemicals test. People can expect a full written report with 7-10 business days.
Lead is a dangerous mineral.
To test for lead, the water has to sit undisturbed for six hours. You can't run the water or flush a toilet. Houses built before 1930 used lead pipes in plumbing and houses built before 1988, before lead laws were implemented, may have lead solder in their pipes. If there's a question about lead, never use hot water to cook with and let the cold water run before using it.
There are two ways to treat water in your home: Where the water enters your house (point of entry) and at the tap (point of use). Some of the commonly used systems include sediment filters which remove particles and partially dissolved solids. They're often used in conjunction with a larger system (point of entry) to remove particles before they reach the point of use filters. The most effective filters are the multi stage varieties that have multiple filter media to eliminate a wider variety of chemicals and minerals. The filters that I have in my home and in my dojo have a three stage filtering process. Stage one: a blend of inorganic minerals reduces chlorine; Stage two: a highly advanced ceramic coated sorbent media attracts and permanently bonds dissolved lead within a matrix pore structure; and Stage three: reduces some primary health related organic contaminants.
These filters were purchased through Equinox International which is no longer doing business. I have three of these filters I have not sold yet. Two are countertop units and the third is an undercounter unit exactly like the one in my dojo. They last for three years of normal use. If you or anyone else is interested please e-mail me at BrocktonUKA@aol.com, I will let them go for my cost.
You can solve any drinking water problem if you have the right filter. But no water filter eliminates everything, so make sure that the one you buy handles your specific problem. A list of what the device is certified to remove should be on the package and/or product literature. Look for devices certified by NSF International (an independent, non-profit standards-setting and testing group). Some filters remove chlorine, copper, lead, odor, particulates, zinc. Others remove asbestos, atrazine, chlordane, cysts, lead, mercury, PCB's, toxaphene, turbidity and VOC's (Methanol, Toluene ETC).
Most water filters use activated carbon cartridges for purification. You, should know that water from filters comes out more slowly than water you'd get directly from the tap.
Filters range in price from $20 to several hundred dollars. Usually, the more expensive models require less maintenance and can be hidden under the sink. It's important that you regularly replace the carbon cartridge (per manufacturer's instructions).
Distillation units use a heating coil to turn water into vapor, leaving the impurities behind. A condensing coil returns the vapor to its liquid state. Disinfecting units use an ultraviolet light or chlorination or ozonation to kill bacteria.
Reverse osmosis systems use a membrane to screen contaminants. Water softeners don't improve the quality of drinking water, but they reduce the hard-water mineral film left on clothes and dishes, as well as scale deposits inside pipes.
You may need more than one technique to take care of your own drinking water problem. But whether you're hiring a professional installer or doing the job yourself with a system bought from a hardware store or home center or Independent Agent, be sure to check what each system is designed to do before buying.
Make sure you are drinking plenty of PURE WATER.
------------------
Len Testa
Brockton Uechi-Ryu Karate Academy
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Bill:
Yes, I believe you may be correct again about the filter companies and their claim about the chlorine in the water. Chlorine does not taste good and it should be removed before consumption. I am 100% sure that the chlorine is not good for the body although, it may not be as harmful as the filter companies may suggest.
What I have read about chemicals in water from a filter manufacturer was this:
Many areas of the country have been tested for PCB's and VOC's and pesticides and as you know, these are very harmful to the body. Drinking water contaminated by these will be filtered by the liver and water that is processed by the liver will be expelled until there are no more of these contaminants left. Only the pure processed water will be delivered to the joints.
Although I am in the Chemical Industry, I am not a Biologist. I can not corroborate this.
Yes again...most people filter their water to remove the bad taste. It can not hurt to remove some of the other things that water can pick up (see my last post).
Yes, I believe you may be correct again about the filter companies and their claim about the chlorine in the water. Chlorine does not taste good and it should be removed before consumption. I am 100% sure that the chlorine is not good for the body although, it may not be as harmful as the filter companies may suggest.
What I have read about chemicals in water from a filter manufacturer was this:
Many areas of the country have been tested for PCB's and VOC's and pesticides and as you know, these are very harmful to the body. Drinking water contaminated by these will be filtered by the liver and water that is processed by the liver will be expelled until there are no more of these contaminants left. Only the pure processed water will be delivered to the joints.
Although I am in the Chemical Industry, I am not a Biologist. I can not corroborate this.
Yes again...most people filter their water to remove the bad taste. It can not hurt to remove some of the other things that water can pick up (see my last post).
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Lenny
I read your posts and understand. I don't know what to believe - without good evidence - about the issue of contaminants vs. ability to absorb water into cartilage. But I will agree that in general impurities are to be avoided.
There is one caution here for folks with families. Just when we thought that cavities were a thing of the past, there has been a rash of kids with cavities in the dental offices located in affluent neighborhoods. The cause? It has been proposed that kids who only drink bottled water are missing out on the flouridation that is in most municipal water supplies. Without the flouride to strengthen the enamel - combined with poor dental hygiene - many of these kids are getting a rash of cavities. So if you are going to be "demineralizing" (as opposed to simply filtering) the water for your kids or giving them only bottled water, you may want to consider regular flouridation of your kids' teeth at your friendly dentist's office.
- Bill
I read your posts and understand. I don't know what to believe - without good evidence - about the issue of contaminants vs. ability to absorb water into cartilage. But I will agree that in general impurities are to be avoided.
There is one caution here for folks with families. Just when we thought that cavities were a thing of the past, there has been a rash of kids with cavities in the dental offices located in affluent neighborhoods. The cause? It has been proposed that kids who only drink bottled water are missing out on the flouridation that is in most municipal water supplies. Without the flouride to strengthen the enamel - combined with poor dental hygiene - many of these kids are getting a rash of cavities. So if you are going to be "demineralizing" (as opposed to simply filtering) the water for your kids or giving them only bottled water, you may want to consider regular flouridation of your kids' teeth at your friendly dentist's office.
- Bill
Unusual problem - Simple solution
AHHH Fluoride.
I forgot about that one!
Yes it does hurt to remove Flouride as Bill has stated in the last post.
It does not hurt to remove all the others though.
I forgot about that one!
Yes it does hurt to remove Flouride as Bill has stated in the last post.
It does not hurt to remove all the others though.
-
Allen M.
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Britter is bittah!
No matter what one does, he/she is barraged by the chemical factories. In the shower alone, we are bombarded with all sorts of stuff. I wonder what kinds of carcinogens are in the toothpaste even?
The quality of city water leaves something to be desired in many places. What kinds of bacteria and molecular mysteries hide in the old lead and steel water systems? I remember that in New Orleans, the "Cancer Quarter" of the U.S. is NOT the place to drink tap water because of all the chemicals of the great Mississippi have leached into the water system.
Interesting that "pure," or filtered water tastes funny because it has an absence of taste. By the time one mentally finishes injecting the "good stuff" back into his hydration supplies, he is almost back to square one.
Good tip on consulting the dentist concerning flouridation.
------------------
Allen, Home: http://www.ury2k.com/pulse mirror: http://home.ici.net/~uechi/
No matter what one does, he/she is barraged by the chemical factories. In the shower alone, we are bombarded with all sorts of stuff. I wonder what kinds of carcinogens are in the toothpaste even?
The quality of city water leaves something to be desired in many places. What kinds of bacteria and molecular mysteries hide in the old lead and steel water systems? I remember that in New Orleans, the "Cancer Quarter" of the U.S. is NOT the place to drink tap water because of all the chemicals of the great Mississippi have leached into the water system.
Interesting that "pure," or filtered water tastes funny because it has an absence of taste. By the time one mentally finishes injecting the "good stuff" back into his hydration supplies, he is almost back to square one.
Good tip on consulting the dentist concerning flouridation.
------------------
Allen, Home: http://www.ury2k.com/pulse mirror: http://home.ici.net/~uechi/
Unusual problem - Simple solution
How do we know that when contaminated water is processed by the liver, it is all expelled and not delivered to the joints? Once water is in the body, it's H2O the same as any other water from any other source. Some PCB's (etc) may come along with it, and whatever these are broken down to (I don't have the faintest idea you would turn a polychlorinated Biphenyl--did i remember even that right?--into) would be excreted in one of a few ways: if volatile, through the breath, and otherwise primarily through the kidney in the urine, or the liver into the bile... and a small amount of excretion is done by the skin. They have to be dissolved in some water, but to be sure, the liver uses little of this and the kidney can control the concentration of the urine. So if I drink x PCB's, I can excrete them in the urine but i could also excrete 2x PCB's in the same volume by concentrating the breakdown products in the urine some more. And no, this does not mean your urine would have to be twice as concentrated, because the amount of PCB's consumed is vanishingly small compared to other urine solutes. There's simply no way that the tiny fraction of PCB's in tap water could obligate your body to use all the associated water to dilute the breakdown products for excretion.
In other words I doubt that municipal drinking water isn't seen by the body. If this were true we wouldn't be able to hydrate ourselves on tap water, and we know we can. Plus, we can all agree that the concentration of PCB's varies, certainly at least two-fold, in water supplies. That means if Bob is drinking water that is of no use to him because the PCB's ****** all the associated water out of him, somewhere Jane is drinking twice that many PCb's in her water, and for her to dilute the breakdown products equally, she'd have to LOSE water equal to what she drank plus take in nothing of what she drank. In other words she'd be a crystallized dried out husk in no time, and this of course does not happen.
I don't doubt "contaminated" water is worse for us than superfilted water, but I think the actual effect is extremely small, especially relative to the contaminants we consume in our diet. We americans wolf down all kinds of garbage from excess fat to artificial trans-fatty acids no enzyme in your body is designed to utilize to salt, simple sugars and calories to pesticides and preservatives.
If you want to improve your health, start with that diet and other major factors in your health (smoking, exercise, modifiable medical problems like high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes) before you worry about your water. The sanitation system in place probably is the single largest contributor in history to long modern lifetimes.
Also keep in mind that no one will advertise a health system based on broccoli and brown rice, because there's no money in it. The health products we hear about are the ones we hear about because they;re going to make the most bucks for the investors, not because they're the best for us. Doubt any research that comes from someone whose car payment depends on a sale of the product the research discusses.
In other words I doubt that municipal drinking water isn't seen by the body. If this were true we wouldn't be able to hydrate ourselves on tap water, and we know we can. Plus, we can all agree that the concentration of PCB's varies, certainly at least two-fold, in water supplies. That means if Bob is drinking water that is of no use to him because the PCB's ****** all the associated water out of him, somewhere Jane is drinking twice that many PCb's in her water, and for her to dilute the breakdown products equally, she'd have to LOSE water equal to what she drank plus take in nothing of what she drank. In other words she'd be a crystallized dried out husk in no time, and this of course does not happen.
I don't doubt "contaminated" water is worse for us than superfilted water, but I think the actual effect is extremely small, especially relative to the contaminants we consume in our diet. We americans wolf down all kinds of garbage from excess fat to artificial trans-fatty acids no enzyme in your body is designed to utilize to salt, simple sugars and calories to pesticides and preservatives.
If you want to improve your health, start with that diet and other major factors in your health (smoking, exercise, modifiable medical problems like high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes) before you worry about your water. The sanitation system in place probably is the single largest contributor in history to long modern lifetimes.
Also keep in mind that no one will advertise a health system based on broccoli and brown rice, because there's no money in it. The health products we hear about are the ones we hear about because they;re going to make the most bucks for the investors, not because they're the best for us. Doubt any research that comes from someone whose car payment depends on a sale of the product the research discusses.
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Allen M.
Unusual problem - Simple solution
I for one feel that filtering of heavy metal [Metallica?] such as lead and iron deposits, plus getting rid of bacteria from drinking water should be a priority, plus whatever other gunk is oozing off the water molecules is a good thing. I lived on a farm once in Upstate New York where the problem was quite visible -- Little white flakes in the frinking water. Seattle has (had anyway) the purest drinking water in the country; New Orleans the worst; and most everything else inbetween just plain *****.
I'm going to give it up and stick to Valpolicella (sp) and let my liver do the filtering.
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Allen, Home: http://www.ury2k.com/pulse mirror: http://home.ici.net/~uechi/
I'm going to give it up and stick to Valpolicella (sp) and let my liver do the filtering.
------------------
Allen, Home: http://www.ury2k.com/pulse mirror: http://home.ici.net/~uechi/
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Ian
Well stated. It looks like you have all the priorities straight. However I'm with Allen on the water supply in the Mississippi area. Some water is better-used for putting out fires (assuming it won't make the fire burn hotter).
I do stand by my statement about taste. The taste of tap water makes me want to vomit. If my only supply of fluid was from the water faucet, I think I'd be walking around permanently dehydrated.
Allen
There's nothing wrong with "hard water" per se. A little extra iron and calcium actually will just add to your diet - even if it leaves unsightly rings in the sink and tastes nasty. This isn't the most assimilatable kind of iron (the right oxidation state), but your body will still use some of it.
Lenny
I checked out the brand of "water" I drink. I believe it is Poland's Spring. Ever heard of it? It's supposed to be from Maine. Ingredients are spring water, natural flavor, and CO2. NO SUGAR! They come in 4 or so flavors, and you can get a really satisfying belch from drinking it.
- Bill
Well stated. It looks like you have all the priorities straight. However I'm with Allen on the water supply in the Mississippi area. Some water is better-used for putting out fires (assuming it won't make the fire burn hotter).
I do stand by my statement about taste. The taste of tap water makes me want to vomit. If my only supply of fluid was from the water faucet, I think I'd be walking around permanently dehydrated.
Allen
There's nothing wrong with "hard water" per se. A little extra iron and calcium actually will just add to your diet - even if it leaves unsightly rings in the sink and tastes nasty. This isn't the most assimilatable kind of iron (the right oxidation state), but your body will still use some of it.
Lenny
I checked out the brand of "water" I drink. I believe it is Poland's Spring. Ever heard of it? It's supposed to be from Maine. Ingredients are spring water, natural flavor, and CO2. NO SUGAR! They come in 4 or so flavors, and you can get a really satisfying belch from drinking it.
- Bill
Unusual problem - Simple solution
Ian:
Thanks for the explanation. You seem to be very knowledgeable in this subject.
I was referring to a brochure that was written by a filter manufacturer. This brochure was
referring to the water that was consumed as opposed to water used to shower.
The city water that comes into my house (Brockton Ma) contains a lot of chlorine. Bill was referring to this as bad tasting water. I tested the chlorine level with a pool test kit (hydrochloric acid drops) and the water turned a pale yellow. They state that water absorbed through the pores while showering went to the blood
stream with the contaminates (chlorine), unlike water that was consumed which had contaminates filtered out by the kidneys and liver before hydrating the body (calling this “pure water”). It is from this statement that they conclude that pure water was needed to hydrate the body and that contaminated water would not be as beneficial. I am repeating these statements from memory and I may not be entirely accurate with the body parts.
When considering what path water takes before entering your body, it makes sense to have point of use filtration systems. Some contaminates are carcinogenic (cause cancer, I.E. Mecl2, Benzene) and others are chronic (remain in the body and accumulate over time I.E. Lead and Mercury), and these should be filtered out before consumption or showering. Some are chronic and carcinogenic.
Shower filters are beneficial in areas such as mine that have highly chlorinated water. When you get out of a swimming pool, (commercial or homeowner) how does your skin feel? It is slippery and smells like bleach. When you get out of a pond or lake with fresh water how does your skin feel? It feels fresh and rejuvenated. It makes no sense (in my area) to shower with water that has a chlorine level slightly lower than a homeowners swimming pool.
Answer this please Ian:
Will the contaminates of this water (steaming water which opens the pores) that we shower in, which contains Lead and Mercury or PCB’s or VOC’s (volatile organic compounds, I.E. Toluene, Benzene etc.) and chlorine, be directly inserted to the blood stream through the pores? And how much of these contaminates will be filtered out by the kidneys or liver before the liver and kidneys start retaining the contaminates in water we consume?
When in doubt…err on the side of safety…No?
Thanks for the explanation. You seem to be very knowledgeable in this subject.
I was referring to a brochure that was written by a filter manufacturer. This brochure was
referring to the water that was consumed as opposed to water used to shower.
The city water that comes into my house (Brockton Ma) contains a lot of chlorine. Bill was referring to this as bad tasting water. I tested the chlorine level with a pool test kit (hydrochloric acid drops) and the water turned a pale yellow. They state that water absorbed through the pores while showering went to the blood
stream with the contaminates (chlorine), unlike water that was consumed which had contaminates filtered out by the kidneys and liver before hydrating the body (calling this “pure water”). It is from this statement that they conclude that pure water was needed to hydrate the body and that contaminated water would not be as beneficial. I am repeating these statements from memory and I may not be entirely accurate with the body parts.
When considering what path water takes before entering your body, it makes sense to have point of use filtration systems. Some contaminates are carcinogenic (cause cancer, I.E. Mecl2, Benzene) and others are chronic (remain in the body and accumulate over time I.E. Lead and Mercury), and these should be filtered out before consumption or showering. Some are chronic and carcinogenic.
Shower filters are beneficial in areas such as mine that have highly chlorinated water. When you get out of a swimming pool, (commercial or homeowner) how does your skin feel? It is slippery and smells like bleach. When you get out of a pond or lake with fresh water how does your skin feel? It feels fresh and rejuvenated. It makes no sense (in my area) to shower with water that has a chlorine level slightly lower than a homeowners swimming pool.
Answer this please Ian:
Will the contaminates of this water (steaming water which opens the pores) that we shower in, which contains Lead and Mercury or PCB’s or VOC’s (volatile organic compounds, I.E. Toluene, Benzene etc.) and chlorine, be directly inserted to the blood stream through the pores? And how much of these contaminates will be filtered out by the kidneys or liver before the liver and kidneys start retaining the contaminates in water we consume?
When in doubt…err on the side of safety…No?
