Water - Health Safety
Water is something most of us take for granted. It comes out of a faucet; it’s free and abundant. Without it we can’t survive. But did you know that it might be the quickest and cheapest way to boost energy, loose weight and might even help to fight off cancer.
Cancer- Studies conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer research center concluded that women to who drank 4 glasses of water had nearly half the odds of getting colon cancer than women who drank 2 glasses/day. The chief investigators feel that the reason water works so well is that it can speed up the transit time so those potential carcinogens can’t hang around and take hold.
In another study researchers found that water drinkers >80-oz day, had a lower incidence of bladder cancer than those who drank less did. Breast cancer is still another entity that might be warded off by H20.
Weight Control- Water can take the edge of hunger. If you drink water with your meal you more likely to feel full and be able to stop eating. It doesn’t have to be water per say, according to some investigators. One study found that soup before each meal helps to quench thirst and hunger and people end up eating fewer calories.
Fatigue- This one is specific- mitral valve prolapse- if you have it you need no explanation. It’s a heart abnormality caused by a snag in the nervous system that’s caused by a failure of the mitral valve to close. It can cause heart murmurs and in some cases fatigue. The fatigue might be caused by dehydration- people with this problem don’t get thirsty. What helps- drinking more water, upping sodium intake and cutting out caffeine.
Headaches- Studies show that headaches are one of the most frequently reported side effects of mild and more severe dehydration. The reasons – dehydration upsets the balance between sodium and potassium. Dehydration can also cause headaches for any number of reasons.
NOTE: Caffeinated beverages like coffee and sodas are not substitutes for water and can actually cause dehydration
What are the alternatives to tap water and why would you need them?
Some of the unwelcome contaminants of drinking water that might give you reason to beware and why. Total trihalomethanes (TTHms) should be below 80 ppb. These are the most common disinfection byproducts (DBPs). They are the cause of bladder and colon cancer. In a 19998 study pregnant women who lived where tap water contained more than 75 ppb of DBPs were nearly twice as likely to miscarry as those who lived where the tap water contained less than 75ppb.
Turbidity should be below 0.5NTU (nephelometric turbidity units). Outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness have happened at levels as low as 0.2NTU, at this level the water doesn’t even look cloudy. Disease causing microorganisms can cling to the particles and escape destruction by chlorination and other disinfection methods. Spikes in turbidity are frequently the cause of gastrointestinal illness- induced hospital admissions.
Lead should be below 15 ppb. Since lead can come from the pipes inside your home the report from your local water utility means little if anything at all. To see the whole picture you have to test it as it comes out from your tap. Lead builds up in he body and over many years can cause damage to the brain, kidneys and red blood cells.
Arsenic below should be 10ppb.Can cause cancer, heart disease and perhaps diabetes.
Parasites. Water utilities and labs seldom routinely test for cryptosporidium, giardia and other parasites because the analysis takes days to complete and can’t distinguish live from dead parasites.
How to protect yourself and your family
Picking the Right Filters. Pour- through carafes- A pour through carafe filters out chlorine, lead and other contaminants like copper and mercury that give water bad taste and smell. Not protective against bacteria or parasites. $$15-35
Faucet Mounts- these systems hook right up to your sink. - Three models one under the sink, a countertop model and one that screws onto the faucet.
To protect against cryptosporidium and giardia make sure the label reads "NSF Standard 53". NSF means that it has been tested and certified by NSF International, a non- profit independent testing organization. $25.00 and up
NSF Standard 42 covers aesthetic effects like removing sulfate, zinc and other substances that affect the water’s taste odor or color, but are not considered harmful.
Reverse Osmosis – This effectively removes viruses and everything else. Water travels through a series of membranes and a special faucet to pull out contaminants. $ 250 and up
Distillation- This system boils water and collects the condensed vapor. For drinking- also removes minerals and fluoride. $2,000 and up.
Bottled Waters Spring water- flows naturally to the earth’s surface from underground sources, Springs are supposed to be protected from pollution and cryptosporidium (animal feces)
Mineral water- is spring water that contains at least 250mgs of dissolved minerals (like magnesium and calcium) per liter.
Sparkling water- is spring water that contains carbon dioxide.
Drinking water- is water that is probably drawn from municipal water supplies. The label must disclose the municipality. But if the water receives any additional treatment no disclosure is necessary. Tip; both Aquafina and Dasani originate from city water supplies.
Purified Water- has been treated with distillation, ion exchange, reverse osmosis or another similar process.
Short of testing yourself there is no guarantee that your bottled water is free of contaminants. But you improve your chances if you stick to brands bottled by companies that are members of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA). Their plants are open to unannounced inspections by NSF International.
For more information:
- NSF International
P.O. BOX 130140
Ann Arbor, Mich. 48113-3435
Phone 877/857-3435
Web http://www.nsf.org
-
International Bottled Water Association
(IBWA)
1700 Diagonal Road- Suite 650
Alexandria. Va. 22314
Phone 703/683-5213
Web: http://www.bottledwater.org
Still more you can do to protect your water supply.
To protect yourself from lead use only cold water from the tap for drinking, cooking and making baby formula. Hot water is more likely to contain more lead and other metals. If the tap has not been on for over 6 hours- let it run until it gets as cold as it can get.
Boil water for at least one minute in an open pot and let it cool down. This will vaporize trihalomethanes and kill cryptosporidium.
If you are HIV positive boil your water or use a filter that is labeled NSF 53 to ensure that cryptosporidium are removed. Boil your water for one minute. You can also drink bottled water that have been distilled or run though a reverse osmosis filter.
I you drink only bottled water your teeth may not be getting enough fluoride even if you use fluoridated toothpaste. Tell your dentist, who may prescribe fluoride supplements especially for children.
Donna Tinnerello MS, RD, CD/N June 2000
Donna Tinnerello MS, RD, CD/N is registered dietician with more than 10 years experience in HIV and nutrition. She works at Cabrini Medical Center in lower Manhattan,in private practice and the community.Her subspecialties are cardiovascular, renal, and gastrointestinal disease, diabetes and weight loss. Donna is available for private consultation by referral only.