Water is the most important nutrient for your body second only to air. The water you drink becomes your blood. It reduces inflammation, improves your skin tone, lubricates your joints, helps keep you flexible and gives you energy. Water not only hydrates your tissues and organs but it also assists in the absorption of nutrients to your cells. It satiates your appetite and helps you lose excess weight. Proper hydration with good quality water keeps you young and healthy! But, what is the best kind of water to drink and where to find it?
Plants
Plants are on average 75% water. That is, as long as they are consumed in their natural, uncooked and unprocessed form. The water in plants has been organized in such a way as to make the water molecules more linear and structured in such a way that it is more easily absorbable and better hydrating. The water starts in the ground and works its way up the plant through the xylem in their root structure. On its long journey up the plant the water is filtered and prepared for human consumption. This movement makes the water come alive. However, cooking food prior to eating it dehydrates the plant and de-structures the water making it less beneficial to the human body. Raw plant foods are best.
Wild Springs
After plants, the best water to drink is collected directly at the source from a good quality, deep, cold, free-flowing wild spring. The best springs are typically found high in the mountains such as the in Appalachians or the Rocky Mountain range. On its long journey to the surface the water rubs itself against many miles of rocks and crystals. This movement against dissimilar materials charges the water, restructures the water and gives the water energy and life. This process is similar to the journey water makes inside of living, growing plants.
It is best to travel to the source and collect your own water in glass bottles and drink it fresh. Not all springs are created equal. Some springs are better than others. If you find a spring there are a few simple and inexpensive tests you can perform to evaluate the quality of the water. Or, you can have the water tested professionally. I will discuss the specifics of these tests and how to find a good spring in another article.
Healing Springs at God’s Acre, South Carolina
Bottled Water
Since not everyone is in a position to collect their own spring water at the source, bottled water is the next best option. The first criterion for selecting the best bottled water is the type of material from which the container is made. Choose glass whenever possible. Plastic, especially soft plastic can leach into the water and create a plastic tea. This happens particularly if the bottle is exposed to high heat or cold temperatures. The body sees plastic as a xenoestrogen which can act as an endocrine disruptor. This upsets your hormonal balance and ultimately weakens your immune system.
Not all bottled water is created equal. Bottled drinking water is not regulated by the USDA or the EPA so there are now laws governing the industry and there is no oversight. As a result the industry is rife with abuse. In fact, 50% of all bottled drinking water tested is nothing more than just plain old tap water filled with chlorine, fluoride and potentially, a whole host of other contaminants.
Starkey is my favorite brand of bottled water. It is collected from a cold spring over two miles deep and very high in the mountains of Idaho. The water is over 11,000 years old! It is naturally alkaline with a pH of 9.6. You will find Starkey exclusively at Whole Foods. Be sure to buy it in glass as it is also available in plastic. On a scale of 1 to 10 when it comes to bottled water I would give Starkey a score of 10! Other bottled water I like includes Mountain Valley Spring - in glass (score: 9) and Voss - in glass (score: 8.)
Always choose still water (not sparkling.) While bottled water is an environmental disaster it is a reality because of the lifestyle we have created. Please reuse and recycle your bottles.
Whole House Water Filtration Systems
I recommend that you consider getting a really high quality whole house water filtration system and have it professionally installed. This way every time you shower, bath, brush your teeth, wash your clothes, wash your dishes, water your plants, or drink from any faucet in the house you are using clean water. Again, some whole house water filtration systems simply perform better than others. Typically, these systems are multi-staged since it takes different kinds of filter media to remove different kinds of contaminants.
Here is what to look for in a high quality whole house filtration system:
Produces water with a low total dissolved solids (TDS) - less than 50ppm
Removes chlorine
Removes fluoride
Removes heavy metals
Removes pharmaceuticals
One of the systems I like is called Greentreat by Clean Water Revival (cwrenviro.com.) This is what I have in my house. Tell them that I sent you.
You may notice a slight drop in water pressure after you install your whole house water filtration system. This is because water filters have to slow the water down in order to be effective. A drop in water pressure can be minimized with a properly sized system. It you find this objectionable, you may want to consider installing a booster pump to maintain your normal water pressure.
Portable Water Filters
If you do not own your home or are not ready to install a whole house water filtration system you can use portable water filters. The best in terms of removing contaminants is steam distillation followed by reverse osmosis. Clean Water Revival and Berkey make an excellent gravity filter for the countertop that is made from surgical stainless steel. If you are on a tight budget the ZeroWater system is the best of the portable gravity water filter pitchers.
I would recommend that you install shower head filters on all your showers in the house. You can also get an RV inline hose water filter for watering your outdoor plants. While none of these solutions are perfect it is a good start.
cwrenviro.com
Water Enhancement
Once we have cleaned the drinking water with a filter, the next step is restructuring. This process is intended to re-create similar conditions in which nature delivers the purest water to us - freely flowing water from natural wild springs. This movement is nature’s way of energizing and enhancing the water and preparing it for consumption.
Fresh spring water collected directly from the source is already highly structured by nature. Apart from that you can restructure your own filtered water at home simply with two one quart Mason jars. Fill one of them with filtered water and pour the water back and forth between the two jars seven times. The idea is to mimic the movement of water in nature as it flows from the earth. Pause and be grateful for this life-giving elixir. Give thanks before drinking much in the same way some people say a prayer before a meal. This will prepare the water for your cells making it healthier, better hydrating, and better tasting.
Conclusion
Of all the things you can do for your optimal health the two acts of simply consuming only the best cleanest and enhanced water and breathing only the purest, freshest air are by far the two most important things you can do for your body.
I will be teaching a class on Water Wisdom at the Foundation of Life Retreat in Evergreen, Colorado, August 9-16, 2022. You are invited to join me there. This will be an unforgettable week for detox and rejuvenation at the top of the world in a magical sanctuary that is literally “Above the Clouds” For details click here. I hope to see you there!:)