A Foundation For Good Health

Most of us know drinking pure water is essential to life – so what is in our water that is potentially harmful to our health?

Chlorine and lead is in everybody’s water, but there are also traces of pesticides, herbicides, industrial solvents and bacteria. Almost every chemical we use in our society works its way into our water supplies.

What people are not aware of is that municipal water treatment does not take those contaminants out. The treatment only kills certain bacteria and removes the visible particles, it does not take out synthetic organic chemicals, this needs to be done in our own homes.

What can these chemicals do to our bodies?

Synthetic organic chemicals increase the risk of degenerative disease and cancer. Almost all types of cancer are linked to increased exposure to synthetic organic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, chlorine and trihalomethanes, which are added when chlorine is put in to our water. Colon cancer, bladder cancer and breast cancer have all been directly linked to an increased consumption of synthetic chemicals.

What to do…

Bottled water?

Bottled water does not necessarily mean that you are getting chemical free water and the common misconception is that bottled water is purer than tap water. There are fewer regulations governing bottled water than tap water and most studies show that bottled water contains most of the chemicals that tap water does. Furthermore, any liquid that is stored in a plastic bottle is going to contain some of the chemicals from the plastic that leach into the water, which some studies have shown contain carcinogenic properties.

The environmental consequences of bottled water are tragic and statistics show that 60 million plastic bottle are thrown into landfills every day in America alone, where it takes thousands of years for the plastic to decompose.  Filtering your water in your own home and decanting it into environmentally friendly glass or stainless steel reusable bottles can not only save you money, but will go a long way to reducing the devastating impact that plastic is having on our environment.

The only way to get chemical free water is to filter it in your own home…

The benefits:

•    Less expensive
•    More convenient
•    Better quality
•    Environmentally friendly

You can fill your own reusable bottles right at your kitchen sink with a good quality home water filter, giving you pure, healthy filtered water at a tenth of the price.

What about the water we bathe and shower in?

Recent studies published in the American Journal of Public Health and reports published by the World Health Organization show that we take in three times more chemicals when we shower than we do from drinking water.

The steam from the shower opens the pores of the skin, making it extremely porous and prone to absorbing all the chemicals that exists in the water. Futhermore we inhale these chemicals into our lungs, so at the very least it is important to make sure that the water we are bathing and showing in is filtered and chemical free.

A standard water testing kit available from any pool supply shop will allow you to test the chlorine levels in your water at home. When we conducted our own tests on tap water, the results showed the water to be on the borderline of what is considered safe to swim in, so anyone can see the potential harm of drinking and bathing in unfiltered tap water.

What should we do in our homes?

Filter your water…

There’s many ways to filter your water at home:

Point of use water filtration - a water filter can be installed in the kitchen, either on the kitchen bench attached to your existing tap, or under the benchtop with a separate tap, providing you with fresh, pure water for drinking and cooking.

Shower filtration - a shower filter can be easily installed in your bathroom to ensure you are bathing in clean, chemical free water, reducing the amount of toxins absorbed through the skin. These filters can also reduce the flow of water, saving you money on your water bills.

Central filtration - a whole house water filter can be installed very easily and economically, ensuring that all the water entering your entire household, which is used in the bathroom, kitchen and laundry, is clean and chemical free.

Aquasana has a superb range of extremely effective and affordable water filtration products, available here at Vitality 4 Life.

Aquasana Countertop Water Filter
Aquasana Shower Water Filter
Aquasana Whole House Water Filter
Aquasana Glass Water Bottles

Which water is right for you?

There are many different types of water filtration available to consumers nowadays which raises the question, how do you know which water is right for you? Below is a brief description on each type of filtration we offer, to help make this complex decision a little easier for you...

Health and Water

The importance of “healthy water” and where to get it may very well be the most beneficial health information any of us can learn. Home water filtration is no longer a luxury… it’s a necessity!

Why I Drink Distilled Water

As one of the greatest solvents known, water helps prepare substances for transport across cell membranes and/or distribution through our bodies by way of blood and lymph. Find out how Distilled Water helps this even more.

Distillation Systems Remove Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which may be present in tap water normally boil off and vaporize during the warm-up cycle and are vented into the air. If any VOCs carry over with the distillate, they can be effectively removed with an optional carbon post filter.

Carbon enhances taste and purity by adsorption, aeration and degasification. Many ordinary tap waters contain virtually no or extremely low levels of VOCs. Most VOCs are measured in parts per billion and are virtually undetectable when vented during the distillation cycle. Far more VOCs may be discharged into the air from running hot tap water or from a hot shower. If airborne volatiles are still a concern, use of a carbon prefilter will significantly reduce VOCs prior to distillation. The distiller could also be used in a remote location (i.e., garage, laundry or a water proof outdoor area).

Most quality countertop, batch type distillers have coconut shell carbon post filtration to effectively remove VOCs. Another option to consider would be a direct line hookup, fully automatic distiller with an in-line carbon prefilter.NOTE: Carbon filtration before distillation is highly recommended if there are known or suspected high concentrations of VOCs where you live.

Water Distillers

A water distiller is an easy and cost effective solution to the problems with our drinking water. We all know that we’re supposed to drink at least 2 litres of water per day. If we have to buy bottled water for the sake of purity this becomes quite a costly enterprise.

Water Terms Glossary

Adsorption: Adsorption is a chemical process in which an ionic filter media is use. The filter attracts water contaminants and encourages these contaminants to break their bond with the water molecules.

Alachlor: Alachlor is an odorless, colorless solid, used as an herbicide for grasses and other broadleaf plants. Ingestion of Alachlor in drinking water can increase risk of cancer and cause liver and/or kidney damage.

Atrizine: Atrizine is a white, solid crystalline compound. It is currently the most widely used pesticide chemical. Ingestion of Atrizine can cause cancer and damage the cardiovascular system.

Benzene: Benzene is a colorless, aromatic liquid that is widely used in producing rubber, plastics, and other synthetic materials. Ingestion of Benzene can lead to cancer and/or chromosome aberrations.

Chlorine: Chlorine is a yellowish, poisonous gas with a pungent odor, widely used as a disinfectant in drinking water. Ingestion of chlorine can lead to bladder, rectal, and/or breast cancer.

Cryptosporidium: Cryptosporidium is a protozoan microbiological contaminant that is resistant to the disinfecting capabilities of chlorine. Ingestion of cryptosporidium generally leads to gastrointestinal illness.

Cysts: Cysts are chlorine-resistant microorganisms. When ingested in drinking water, they most commonly cause gastrointestinal illness, accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps.

Lead: Lead is a metal contaminant that occurs in drinking water as a result of the corrosion of pipes in a plumbing system. Ingestion of lead can cause severe developmental delays in children and kidney failure and/or stroke in adults.

Lindane: Lindane is a white, crystalline powder that is commonly used as a chemical in pesticides. Ingestion of Lindane can result in liver and/or kidney damage.

MCLG: MCLG stands for the maximum contaminant level goal, as set by the EPA. The MCLG is the amount of a particular contaminant that may be present in drinking water before any adverse health effects will occur.

MTBE: MTBE is a chemical compound, typically used as a fuel oxygenate or additive to unleaded gasoline. The specific health risks of MTBE are currently pending EPA investigation.

pH: pH is the measure of the general acidity or alkalinity of a substance. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with a pH of 7 being neutral.

Phthalate: Phthalate is a chemical typically used in the production of plastic materials. When ingested in water, phthalate can lead to cancer, miscarriage, premature birth, and asthma.

Redox: Redox, or reduction-oxidation, is a process in which an exchange of electrons occurs between two chemical elements. Reduction refers to the loss of an electron while oxidation is the acquisition of an electron.

SOCs: Synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs) are man-made chemicals that can make their way into drinking water. Ingestion of SOCs in drinking water has been linked to at least four types of cancer.

TCE: TCE is a liquid chemical, similar to chloroform, that is often used as a degreasing agent. Ingestion of TCE in drinking water can lead to problems with the liver and increased risk of cancer.

THMs: THMs are chemicals that occur in drinking water as a byproduct of water chlorination. They are highly carcinogenic and can affect nervous system, kidney, and liver functioning.

VOCs: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) refer to a large number of chemicals that can occur in drinking water as a result of human industry. These chemicals can cause cancer and affect liver and kidney functioning when ingested in drinking water.

Water Products Knowledge Base

Water Products FAQ

What is the different between Aquasana and Distilled Water?

There are many choices available to consumers nowadays and the question is how do you know which water is right for you?

Water Filters use mediums such as carbon, ceramic and felt to mechanically filter out contaminants in the water. They may also employ ion-exchange processes or contain nano-silver to destroy biological contaminants such as bacteria and viruses. The efficiency of a water filter depends largely on the pore size of the filter media. This is measured in microns (µm). If the contaminant is larger in size than the filters micron level, it will be trapped by the filter. A filter in the range of 0.1 - 0.5 µm will remove virtually all contaminants from a regular water supply.

The Aquasana uses a complex ion-exchange process to remove a lot more contaminants than a standard carbon filter can remove. I think the Grander is a reverse osmosis unit?

Water distillers work by heating water to boiling point and collecting the steam. The steam is then condensed and collected in a separate container as pure water. Good water distillers combine steam distillation and carbon filtration. The condensed steam is virtually free of impurities, and the boiling process kills bacteria and viruses. Dr Norman Walker believed distilled water to be ideal for anyone undertaking a detox or a raw food diet: “Distilled water has the inherent ability to work much like a magnet. It can pick up rejected and discarded minerals and then with the assistance of the blood and lymphatic stream, transport them to the kidneys for elimination from the system. Inorganic minerals rejected by the cells and tissues of the body can, if not evacuated, cause arterial obstructions and even more serious damage. These are minerals which must be removed and which Distilled Water is able to collect.

The people who buy a water distiller usually want to remove all fluoride from the water.

The Aquasana reduces fluoride by 40-60 percent as it will only get two of the five isotopes of fluoride with activated carbon. This reduces the influent levels approx 0.5 ppm.

All research showing negative effects has shown it at levels above 1 ppm.

The Aquasana System will typically reduce fluoride to below 0.5 ppm or lower, however if you need a greater amount removed there are some specialty filters with activated alumina as a filter media.

Aquasana will only make an activated alumina cartridge when the health effects of consuming water high in alumina are known.

 

How do i remove fluoride from all water?

If you want to remove all the flouride from the water, I would suggest a water distiller.
 
We have 3 available, 2 from Water Wise - the Water Wizard $450 and the Pure Magic $690. We also have the OdeV water distiller at $279.
 
The Aquasana reduces fluoride by 40-60 percent as it will only get two of the five isotopes of fluoride with activated carbon.

This does get the influent levels down to around 0.5 ppm.

All research showing negative effects have shown it at levels above 1 ppm.

The Aquasana System will typically reduce fluoride to below 0.5 ppm or lower but if you need a greater amount removed there are some specialty filters with activated alumina as a filter media.

Aquasana will not make an activated alumina cartridge until it is known what the health effects of consuming water high in alumina are.

For more info on the isotopes that the Aquasana removes


To view our range of water distillers, please visit the Vitality 4 Life shop website

 

Which Water Is Right For Me?

There are many choices available to consumers nowadays and the question is how do you know which water is right for you?
 
Below is a brief description on each type of filtration system in our range, to help make this complex decision a little easier for you...

Water ionisers
Ionised water is electronically enhanced water that has been run over positive and negative electrodes to become ionised; by separating the water and the minerals and creating simultaneously, 70% alkaline water and 30% acid water.

Both waters have extraordinary properties and benefits, however, their respective uses could not be more different. Alkaline ionised water is used for drinking and demonstrates strong antioxidant effects on the body. Acidic ionised water is used on the outside of the body and is proven to kill many types of bacteria including E.coli. Many Naturopaths use and recommend Ionised Water for specific health complaints. Our Water Ionisers are priced from $690
 
The NEOS Vital Energy Water System is a specialised health care product which provides you with the opportunity to improve the quality of your health through the latest developments in 21st Century technology. The NEOS features 8 stages of energising filtration which begins with a magnetic filter and is followed by a powerful pre-filtering process to remove gross particles. The filter then focuses on minute filtration and vitalisation of the water by reducing the size of the water molecules. The vitalising properties of the NEOS Vital Energy System can help with anti-aging, free radical scavenging, removing active oxygen and improving metabolism thereby supporting the immune system and helping to combat illness and disease.

Water Distillers

Distilled water combines steam distillation and coconut shell carbon filtration, resulting in the removal of all fluoride and 99.8% of impurities from the water. Dr Norman Walker believed distilled water to be ideal for anyone undertaking a detox or a raw food diet:

“Distilled water has the inherent ability to work much like a magnet. It can pick up rejected and discarded minerals and then with the assistance of the blood and lymphatic stream, transport them to the kidneys for elimination from the system. Inorganic minerals rejected by the cells and tissues of the body can, if not evacuated, cause arterial obstructions and even more serious damage. These are minerals which must be removed and which Distilled Water is able to collect."

The Aquasana Water Filter produces pure drinking water for less than 4c per litre and is suitable for the whole family. Aquasana's exclusive dual filter system uses a combination of carbon filtration, ion exchange and sub-micron filtration to filter out chlorine, lead, VOC's MTBE and cysts (chlorine resistant parasites) retaining the natural trace minerals, leaving water the way it was meant to be - PURE.