Written By Jasmine Northfield, CNP
I bet you’ve never considered yourself to be a creature of the sea. No, we don’t live in the ocean and we still haven’t managed to figure out how to breathe on our own under water, but our amazing bodies are composed of 75 percent water. That brings us pretty close to being positively aquatic! This is why it’s so important to know what’s in your water and what filtration options you have.
High quality water has a perfect crystalline shape. When the water we drink is not filtered properly, this shape can be deformed. Toxic water does not transmit or receive signals in the same way throughout the body and we can feel the difference.
There are 4 major impurities found in unfiltered water that you want to make sure are removed:
- Known chemical additives (chlorine, fluorine)
- Unknown chemical compounds (prescription drug residue, pesticides, herbicides)
- Potentially harmful organisms (bacteria, parasites, viruses)
- Heavy metals (lead, mercury, aluminum, cadmium, chromium and copper)
There are 4 ways that are commonly used to go from our municipal tap or well water to clean delicious pure aqua. Not all are created equal, so let’s break it down to see what some of the best options are on the market today.
1. Brita Filter
The Good
- Inexpensive
- Removes chlorine and heavy metals like lead from the water
- Removes bacteria
The Bad
- Traces of chlorine and heavy metals are still found in the water after being filtered
- Used mostly for taste and odour
- Susceptible to mold
- Not considered to be water purifier
2. Berkey Filter
The Good
- Low maintenance
- Filters out almost all of the aforementioned contaminants, including fluoride with an additional filter available for purchase
- Minerals are left in
- Portable: especially the smaller models and can be brought with you when traveling or vacationing (especially great for Canadians who spend a lot of time up north and need a way to convert lake water into drinking water)
The Bad
- A second filter must be purchased and attached in order to filter out fluoride.
- Takes up counter space
3. Dual Carbon Filter
The Good
- Easy to install
- Affordable to purchase and to replace filters
- Keeps minerals intact, while removing almost all other contaminants (except fluoride)
- Installed under the counter so does not take up counter space
- Removes chlorine and therefore leaves better tasting water
The Bad
- Does not remove fluoride or nitrates
- Must say on the label that it removes lead and heavy metals or it does not
- Filters need to be replaced often as carbon absorbs most of the contaminants
4. Reverse Osmosis
The Good
- Filters out all possible contaminants
- Improves water taste
- Installed under the counter so does not take up any existing counter space
- Can alkalinize water if trace minerals are added
The Bad
- Water is so purified that it also removes minerals that are essential for health
- Filters must be replaced and can become very expensive
- Must be installed under the counter and can be difficult to install yourself
- Can waste a decent amount of water
When choosing a filtration system weigh the pros and cons for your own family. You want to find what works best for you no matter what other people’s thoughts are. Embrace your aquatic side!
Jasmine Northfield is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner at Village Juicery. In the past, she had struggled with her own personal health and began seeking out answers to her problems. Through her research she became interested in learning more about the inner workings of the body and their connection to nutrition, supplementation, and the mind/body/ spirit connection. Today she strives to help clients find easy but small changes in their lifestyle that can majorly affect their overall health.