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One sunny day I received a letter in the mail from our public utility agency. It looked harmless enough, but as I opened the letter, clouds began to form and thunder began to roll. I realized in a moment how vulnerable we really are when it comes to drinking water. The letter said that for the past 60 days we had been drinking water that was not treated properly. Levels of certain microbes and chemicals were above acceptable ranges for the previous 60 days.

What was really “funny” about the letter was that we were informed not to worry because the issue had now been regulated and all the microbes and chemicals were normal again. Well that’s just great. I’m so glad that we never even knew of the problem until it had been corrected. It was frightening and it really got me to thinking about this issue so I decided to write a little article about it…

As consumers in modern culture we purchase all kinds of prepared foods, preserved foods, and hopefully some natural foods from local stores. The days of growing your own wheat, grinding the flour, and then baking the bread are gone for the majority of us. I think most of us have a certain level of comfort when we enter a grocery store. We rely on them and there seems to be an unspoken trust the in vendor’s capability to provide the right food and drinks for our health.

Making wise purchases has been made easier because of the legal requirement to include food labels on all packaged foods and most beverages. The labels inform us of the ingredients within what we buy and that gives us a certain level of control over what we’re putting in our bodies. In addition to food labels, it’s our job to educate ourselves by seeking out health & nutrition information on our own. Educating ourselves is the first step to making empowered decisions for better health.

Since we no longer grow our own food and most of us drink city water, we put our trust in the agencies that regulate food and water. The FDA and public utilities have regulations they must follow that should ensure the safe delivery of these items to consumers and citizens. But what exactly are the regulations? Are they really looking out for our best interest? Are they based on human health & the safe, humane treatment of animals or are they completely manipulated by money?

Each of us must take the responsibility of answering these questions. It’s so easy to just assume the agencies are doing thier job and all is well in the world: “well there it is in the store (or coming out of the tap), it must be alright.” I know I am guilty of thinking that way. By making a conscious choice to educate ourselves and understand the regulations we can make a better, healthier future for our children and ourselves.

We aren’t completely controlled by grocery store chains and the FDA. We do have some level of control because of food labels and the variety of products to choose from. When we go to the store, we can see the difference between a rotten apple and a ripe apple with our own eyes and make the choice to buy the ripe one. But each day most of us place total trust in the regulatory agencies that monitor the chemicals contained in one of the vital components to human health - water.

All water does is just flow out of the tap…there’s no label or warning that it might be contaminated with microbes, sewage, or too much chlorine. If it’s clear, most of us assume it’s safe. Is what we don’t know about our water hurting us?

Water
Water is now the popular drink of choice for health enthusiasts across the board. I personally drink lots of water each day and I feel it has a significant positive impact on my health. Water comprises about 65 percent of the human body, and it takes an average of eight to ten cups to replenish the water our bodies lose each day.

The fact that we have unrestricted access to clean water in this country is something to be truly thankful for, not to mention that fact that our water is immediately available hot or cold. It’s a luxury I think many of us overlook. But while the water in America is cleaner than many of the water supplies of others around the world, it is still recycled, purified, & enhanced using various chemicals that affect our body.

Today we’ll discuss the presence of fluoride in your water supply (if you use city water). While fluoride is not the only chemical added to city water supplies, it is one of the chemicals that could be totally unnecessary. Fluoride was first added to city water supplies in 1943 to strengthen teeth and preventing tooth decay. Since then, its’ popularity spread to include 2/3 of US cities who continue to add fluoride to their water supply today.

While strong, cavity free teeth are an important part of overall health, the necessity of fluoride being added to the water supply is now being questioned. The ADA has done studies that suggest fluoride is more effective in preventing tooth decay when it comes in direct contact with teeth (like in toothpaste) as apposed to being ingested in the body through drinking water.

In addition, fluoride has also been indicated in forms of cancer, the weakening of bones, and possibly a lower IQ in children. Groups who recommend against the use of fluoride simply don’t see the point of adding it to the water supply since it is now available in other more effective forms like toothpaste. They say it is unnecessary, and with the added possibility of health concerns it should be considered an antiquated form of strengthening teeth.

The information I’m sharing with you has not been completely substantiated by governing bodies in our country as of right now. This short blurb is based on articles I’ve read and some studies done by the American Dental Association (ADA) and National Research Council (NRC). I just want you to be aware of the presence of fluoride and other chemicals (such as chlorine) in the water you drink each day.

One way to improve the quality of your drinking water is to purchase a reverse osmosis water filter. An R-O filter will remove between 80-90% of fluoride from your water. It also removes additional chemicals that have not been discussed in this article.

Tomorrow we will discuss another popular American beverage: Milk.