Water
What’s the difference between the water we drink, and that which our ancestors drank?
Lots, actually.
Read on to see why your modern water supply needs scrutinising as much as your modern food supply does.
From spring to tap
Our ancestors drank water from pristine sources — like underground springs.
In modern, rich, ‘developed’ nations, most of us drink water from the tap/faucet.
In slightly less rich nations, the tap water quality is noticeably objectionable, so bulk-buying water (typically in plastic) is the norm.
Ironically, a lot of these bottled varieties—while tasting ‘cleaner’ and more palatable—are no better in terms of quality than your average municipal tap water.
Contaminants in tap and bottled water
These contaminants have been documented in tap water from around the world, levels of which often far exceed the ‘safely-defined limits’ set by authorities.
Plastics
Pesticides, herbicides and rodenticides
Chemicals, like chlorine and fluoride
Heavy metals, like lead and cadmium
Pharmaceutical drugs, like birth control
Recreational drugs, like methamphetamine and cocaine
Cheap bottled water is no better—much of this water also comes from a tap.
Expensive spring water varieties may be slightly better, but are not entirely devoid of these contaminants—yes, even spring water—that’s how much we have polluted our own ecosystem.
If you’re not taking measures to filter your water, imagine what all of these things might be doing to your biology.
Water storage complications
If you can, keep your water in glass or ceramic vessels.
Water stored in plastic will absorb particles of plastic.
If you do buy more expensive, ‘fancy’ water, like San Pellegrino, and you go for the glass option, you’re likely to be seen by your friends or colleagues as having too much money than you know what to do with.
That’s just because they probably don’t know any of the above, thus cannot see the value in doing so.
Glass-bottled water seems expensive and bourgeois.
But it’s also of much higher quality, and is less destructive on the environment, so if we think about it, probably deserves a much higher price tag.
If we go with plastic, we are playing the short game, saving ourselves a few pennies this week.
Pick your poison
Exposure to environmental pollutants is a primary cause of chronic disease.
Modern chemicals, even in ‘inconsequential’ part-per-million/billion amounts, absolutely impact our ancient biological systems.
Plastics, for example, are a very new concern for our biology.
What we know (thus far) is that plastics impair our endocrine and reproductive systems.
That’s rather telling—our ability to reproduce is sort of important.
And that’s only one example of the consequences of consuming plastics.
And that’s only one contaminant from our list.
Drinking tap, or plastic-bottled water might be cheaper and more convenient, but again, what are the long-term implications?
Recap
Water is a solvent—many things dissolve into it.
Thus, we must be careful to understand what they might be, and how we might avoid them.
It is not possible to keep blissfully ignorant of these matters and yet remain healthy, robust and free from preventable diseases.
As with cigarettes and rancid vegetable/seed oils, our choices catch up with us eventually.
Find ways to source high-quality water, and/or filter your tap water.
Carve out a slice of your weekly budget for mineral-rich spring water, and see how it makes you feel.
When it comes to building robust health and vitality, this is some of the lowest-hanging fruit.
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References
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Danopoulos, E, Twiddy, M & Rotchell, JM 2020, ‘Microplastic contamination of drinking water: A systematic review’, in A Mukherjee (ed.), PLOS ONE, vol. 15, no. 7, p. e0236838.
Font-Ribera, L, Cotta, JC, Gómez-Gutiérrez, A & Villanueva, CM 2017, ‘Trihalomethane concentrations in tap water as determinant of bottled water use in the city of Barcelona’, Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 58, pp. 77–82.
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Järup, L n.d., ‘Hazards of heavy metal contamination’, British Medical Bulletin, p. 16.
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