Advanced Alternative
Medicine Center


320 Robinson Ave Newburgh, NY 12550

Serving All Your Heath Care Needs ... Naturally!

(845)561-BACK
 (2225)
Dr. Richard A. Huntoon

Newburgh Chiropractor

 

What's In Your Water?

What's In Your Water?

I originally asked that question after I observed what was being made available at a cycling event I participated in this past Spring.  The water that was being offered was purified water, which made me a little leery, as I knew what my body needs when it is going to compete, and purified water doesn't have what my body needs to maintain a high level of efficiency when exercising continuously for the better part of 3 hours straight.  Being that it was the only water being offered, I had no choice, but was then inspired to write this newsletter for you, the reader.  My intention is to help you appreciate the difference between all the different types of water that are out there, and then help you to make better choices for your health.

Having seen the various types of water that are available on the market, we have the following: Artesian, Mineral, Purified, Spring, Well, Filtered, Distilled, Reverse Osmosis, Ozonation, and UV Light treated or irradiated water.  And let us not forget the flavored and vitamin waters either.  So which one(s) are helpful, and which are not in your best interest to drink?  I'll just go right in the order they are written.

Artesian water:  comes from an artesian well, which draws water from a confined aquifer (an underground, porous rock or sand formation that bears water and is under pressure from a layer of rock or clay above it).  The pressure from the confining layer forces the water from the aquifer upward.  The level of the water supply the artesian well is drawing from must sit above the uppermost layer of the aquifer.

Mineral water: is spring water that has at least 250 parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids (TDS) in it.  These "dissolved solids" are minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium, and they must be present in the water at the source, not added later.  By contrast, regular spring water typically has about 50 ppm of TDS.

Naturally sparkling water: comes from a spring or artesian well and has natural carbonation in it.  The carbonation may be removed during processing and then replaced, but the carbonation levels after the replacement must be the same as the level of carbonation at the source.

Purified water: comes from either a protected underground source or from a municipal drinking-water supply (public tap water).  It has been "demineralized" -- treated by one or more of several processes to remove dissolved solids.  If the water comes from a municipal water source that uses chlorine as a disinfectant, the manufacturer may further treat the water to remove the chlorine, or they may not want to incur the expense and leave it in.

Spring water: comes from a protected, underground water source from which the water flows to the surface on its own.  It may be collected either at the source of the spring or through a sanitary, protected hole drilled directly into the source feeding the spring.  If the water is collected through the hole drilled at the source, it has to have exactly the same composition as the water in the surface spring.

Well water: is drawn from a protected well that taps directly into an unconfined aquifer.  Ideally, this is a great source to drink.  Unfortunately, many of the local waters can become contaminated due to building on property that has been a land fill area at some point in the last 100 years prior to building a housing community.  The residues from the land fill may make the water unsafe. 

Of the basic types of bottled water, the only one required by definition to undergo further treatment once it's drawn from the source (or purchased from a municipal water supply) is purified water.  The most common treatment processes for purified water include:

Filtration: the water is sent through filters or membranes whose holes will only let through extremely small particles, typically those smaller than 1 micron.  Contaminants larger than 1 micron, including many germs and inorganic solids, can't make it through the filter and the water that results is free of those larger contaminants.  This will usually filter out the necessary minerals needed by the body.

Distillation: The water is vaporized.  Since minerals don't vaporize, all that is left after the vapor recondenses is demineralized water.  This water is really only oxygen and hydrogen, as all the minerals necessary for the body have been removed.

Reverse Osmosis: the water is forced through semipermeable membranes not porous enough to let minerals or other molecules through.  Therefore, the water, like distilled water is mineral deficient.

Ozonation: ozone gas typically created by subjecting oxygen to electrical current, is an antimicrobial agent -- it kills microorganisms.  The water is infused with ozone (O3) molecules as a disinfecting process, and the molecules naturally break down and leave the water fairly quickly.  As an additional benefit, when the ozone molecules degrade to O2 and molecules, this leaves free oxygen ions to bond with the other contaminants like iron and sulfur.  When the oxygen bonds to these molecules, it turns them into oxides, which are insoluble.  These now-insoluble contaminants are now filtered out.

UV-light treatment: Ultraviolet light is a disinfecting agent -- it kills microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses, although some microorganisms are less affected by it than others.  The process uses no chemicals.  Instead, the water is subjected to intense UV light inside a chamber.  The UV light damages microorganisms at the cellular level, either killing them or causing them to lose their ability to replicate.  A virus that can't replicate is harmless.  So what is left in the water are organisms that can't harm you.

Vitamin water: synthetic vitamins (non-natural) are added to filtered water in an attempt to create a nutrient based water.  Unfortunately, the synthetic vitamins are incomplete and will not be absorbed.  Essentially, they have no benefit to the consumer, but can lead to deficiencies as your body will need to give up any of the missing ingredients in a vitamin complex in an effort to process the less than whole, synthetic ones being offered within the water. 

Flavored water: artificial flavors are added to the filtered water in an effort to give it some taste.  This is simply adding some synthetic flavoring which will respond the same way as the vitamin water.  Since you are starting with filtered water to begin with, you'll be missing the necessary minerals required by the body to be healthy.  The added flavoring, especially if it is a sugar based flavoring, will inhibit you from absorbing any of the "vitamins" they put in the water.  Don't be fooled by the advertisements, or the flavoring and drink this type of water. 

So Which Water Is Best? 

The best water you could drink will always be local bottled spring water.  You can enhance this by also drinking local bottled mineral water about 1 liter a week (perhaps more if you really exercise a lot and sweat a lot).  And if you have access, Artesian water is good, if you can find a local source.  Again, about 1 liter a week.  The reason why these are best is because, believe it or not, you help build strong immunity by drinking local spring water.  This occurs because within the local spring water will naturally be all the microbes (viruses and bacteria) that help to stimulate immune cell growth within the body.  And you want to be able to develop these immune cells to fight off any viruses or bacteria local to your area.  This was what the researchers found when they traveled around the world examining the water of local communities.  The Asians never developed any polio, for instance, because the local spring water contained the polio virus within it.  By drinking the hard water out of the ground, the people were able to develop a natural immunity to any of these viruses, without ever needing to be vaccinated. 

Another important component to enhance strong immunity within a person is the calcium content of the water.  Calcium necessary for building strong immunity comes naturally in mineral and spring water in the form of calcium bi-carbonate.  This form of calcium is what creates the hard water that causes the pipes in your house to deteriorate, or the white residue within your tea-kettle, when the calcium precipitates out.  This is why a water softener was created.  Unfortunately, the water softener removes the calcium bi-carbonate and this interferes with building strong immunity and healthy bones.  Appreciate that the higher the calcium bi-carbonate levels within the water, the better it is for being healthy.  Of course you want all the other naturally occurring minerals to be there as well.  Since the body needs all of them to naturally maintain normal function, this is why it is important to have all of them, and to consume them regularly.   

How Do I Know What Is In My Water?

By calling the spring water bottler and getting a breakdown of the mineral content within the water would be a good exercise for anyone to do.  Using the 800 number on the bottle will allow for you to do this, as the bottler has to keep this information on hand.  But this will only be true for Artesian, Mineral and Spring waters.  All others have been treated and purified and have had those trace mineral components removed.  So then it becomes pointless to drink any of the other waters available on the market.  Something to consider for your health and the health of your family. 


Dr. Huntoon has a single mission:

To support as many people as possible in their quest for health and enable them to improve and maintain their health to the highest level possible, while educating them about the benefits of Chiropractic, Natural Healthcare and Holistic Living, so they in turn can teach others to support us having a healthy community.

Your Choice

Health concerns are a major source of lost happiness and lost joy in all of our lives. Finding a solution that is agreeable and enables you to get back to your life is important. Please appreciate that you always have the more invasive surgery and prescription medication available to you as a last resort. What many Traditional Medical Doctors may not share is, many times, once you begin that journey into medication and/or surgery, it alters your original body from the one that you were born with. Unfortunately, at that time, more conservative and natural treatments may no longer be viable. I encourage you to consider that before making any decisions about treatment for your health. As always I am here to help. 
 
Your Choice:
 
  • Continue doing the same thing and nothing changes or it may get worse

OR

  • Try something different and get a different result that makes you happier and healthier.
 
The Choice is Yours
 
Please call Dr. Huntoon at 845-561-BACK (2225) to discuss your options or click on our E-Visit to do it via e-mail. 
 
Thank You for your consideration.

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