Distilled Water is Natural Water

Today's family encounters a wide variety of products in the supermarket. Housewives who are concerned about better health and nutrition for their families usually select "natural" products versus those which have "artificial" flavors, coloring or "synthetic" fibers, nutrients, and so forth.


On the other hand, shoppers looking for a bargain, usually select the "synthetic" or "artificial" brands, without too much concern regarding qualitative or quantitative nutrient characteristics.

Because naturally-occurring ingredients are more difficult to obtain, and many times more expensive because of their scarcity, store shelves tend to be dominated by the "artificial" and "synthetic" varieties---thus catering to the bargain shopper, rather than the shopper intent on better nutrition.

Turning down the supermarket aisle where bottled water is stacked in neat rows, we see a similar situation. In the bottled water section we see all types of "additives" in small bottled water containers, so-called "nutrient" waters, de-ionized waters, reverse osmosis-treated waters, filtered waters, spring water and steam distilled water.

Only the last two types of waters---spring and steam distilled are natural products. Spring water is bottled as it occurs naturally in nature---usually directly from a ground source, and un-touched by other human, synthetic processes.

Steam distilled water is produced by a completely natural process, simple heating and cooling, exactly like earth's natural rain process, resulting in a product with completely natural qualities.

Tap water is being shunned by nearly half of California's population---either because of poor taste or because of fears of chemical contamination of various sorts. The rush to alternatives, namely the supermarket, vending machines, delivered water and water stores has produced much confusion regarding the benefits one may or may not obtain from these various alternatives to tap water.

The public is unaware that even well-known organizations such as the American Medical Association have correctly pointed out that "...the body's need for minerals is largely met through food, not drinking water".

Even the National Water Quality Association, not usually known for it's excursions into areas concerned with nutrition, has stated "...the amounts of minerals found in water are insignificant when compared to those found in the foods we eat".

Since we see from these two internationally-known sources that water is essentially a cleansing agent, while food is the nutrient, we find it difficult to calculate the enormous amount of money being wasted on "synthetic" or "artificial" drinking waters.

True, these artificial waters might taste better than tap water when spiked with carbon dioxide, salts, sugars and other additives, but there is no proof whatsoever that any of these synthetic or artificial waters provide any nutrient benefits other than making one increasingly thirsty because of the sugar and salt additives.

We harp on our children because of their near-continual consumption of various types of sugary colas---while we grownups fill our own shopping carts with "designer" waters, simply an adult version of sugary colas.

The smart alternative in purchasing pure drinking water is simply to obtain pure, unadulterated H2O, uncontaminated with salts, metals, chemicals and additives that our body cannot use and most certainly must expel because of their undigestibility.

This alternative reduces to either steam distilled water or a top-quality spring water.

It is not uncommon to find warning signs in industrial and manufacturing environments which warn against the use of de-ionized water for drinking.


Even though millions of gallons of this clean, synthetic, artificial water are readily available in the workplace, bottled spring or distilled water will be found in those manufacturing and industrial workplaces for employee drinking needs.

To be more specific, there are no processes in nature which duplicate either reverse osmosis or de-ionization. In fact, reverse osmosis is the exact opposite(or reverse) of a natural process, osmosis. In attempting to create pure, industrial-grade water many years ago, scientists found that by reversing a natural process(osmosis) they were able to produce a fairly good quality of water. It was not a natural product, but it did meet their industrial requirements.

Today, this inexpensive industrial process has spilled over into the drinking water business where some bottlers, water stores and vending machines use the reverse osmosis technology to produce an inexpensive, moderately clean grade of artificial or synthetic drinking water.

On the other hand, steam distilled water is used in virtually every pharmaceutical where pure, natural absorption of nutrients or medication is required, in all naval vessels where pure, uncontaminated drinking water is produced from incredibly impure seawater and hundreds of other applications where pure, natural water is necessary.

Because of it's natural structure, the taste of distilled water is also much cleaner and smoother than de-ionized or reverse osmosis water.

The production of distilled water is with stainless-steel components while various types of synthetic rubber and plastic components are used to produce reverse osmosis water. It is therefore easy to understand why steam distilled water has no aftertaste while one with a sensitive palate can still taste the residue of the plastics and rubber components in the reverse osmosis water.

The only thing that reverse osmosis water seems to have going for it is it's lower cost---and that again is because of it's lesser purity than steam distilled water.

Remember, there are two pump at every gas station---one with regular gas, the other premium. These two pumps provide widely different qualities of gas---at two quite different prices.

I guess the most interesting thing about observing these pumps at a station is that the "premium" pump fits every gas tank---while the "regular" or leaded pump fits only a smaller portion of gas tanks.

The same can be said about naturally pure water such as distilled water. While it might costs a few cents more per gallon, it will meet everyone's needs because of it's higher purity.

Reverse osmosis water(although it is still "water") fits a much smaller percentage of needs because of it still contains small amounts of a wide variety of impurities and is not a natural water product.

Water usually makes up 55% to 78% of the human body

Water (H2O) is the most abundant compound on Earth's surface, constituting about 70% of the planet's surface. In nature it exists in liquid, solid, and gaseous states. It is in dynamic equilibrium between the liquid and gas states at standard temperature and pressure. At room temperature, it is a nearly colorless with a hint of blue, tasteless, and odorless liquid. Many substances dissolve in water and it is commonly referred to as the universal solvent. Because of this, water in nature and in use is rarely pure and some of its properties may vary slightly from those of the pure substance. However, there are many compounds that are essentially, if not completely, insoluble in water. Water is the only common substance found naturally in all three common states of matter and it is essential for life on Earth. Water usually makes up 55% to 78% of the human body.

Forms of water

Like many substances, water can take numerous forms that are broadly categorized by phase of matter. The liquid phase is the most common among water's phases and is the form that's generally denoted by the word "water." The solid phase of water is known as ice and commonly takes the structure of hard, amalgamated crystals, such as ice cubes, or loosely accumulated granular crystals, like snow. For a list of the many different crystalline and amorphous forms of solid H2O, see the article ice. The gaseous phase of water is known as water vapor (or steam), and is characterized by water assuming the configuration of a transparent cloud. The fourth state of water, that of a supercritical fluid, is much less common than the other three and only rarely occurs in nature. When water achieves a specific critical temperature and a specific critical pressure (647 K and 22.064 MPa), liquid and gas phase merge to one homogeneous fluid phase, with properties of both gas and liquid. Since water only becomes supercritical under extreme temperatures or pressures, it almost never occurs naturally. One example of naturally occurring supercritical water is in the hottest parts of deep water hydrothermal vents, in which water is heated to the critical temperature by scalding volcanic plumes and achieves the critical pressure because of the crushing weight of the ocean at the extreme depths at which the vents are located.

In natural water (see Standard Mean Ocean Water), almost all of the hydrogen atoms are of the isotope protium, 1H. Heavy water is water in which the hydrogen is replaced by its heavier isotope, deuterium,2H. It is chemically similar to normal water, but not identical. This is because the nucleus of deuterium is twice as heavy as protium, and thus causes noticeable differences in bonding energies and hydrogen bonding. Heavy water is used in the nuclear reactor industry to moderate (slow down) neutrons. By contrast, the term light water designates water containing the protium isotope, in contexts when such distinction is needed. An example is the term light water reactor to emphasize that the reactor type uses light water.

 

 

Physics and chemistry

 

Water is the chemical substance with chemical formula H2O: one molecule of water has two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to a single oxygen atom.[5] Water is a tasteless, odorless liquid at ambient temperature and pressure, and appears colorless in small quantities, although it has its own intrinsic very light blue hue. Ice also appears colorless, and water vapor is essentially invisible as a gas. Water is primarily a liquid under standard conditions, which is not predicted from its relationship to other analogous hydrides of the oxygen family in the periodic table, which are gases such as hydrogen sulfide. Also the elements surrounding oxygen in the periodic table, nitrogen, fluorine, phosphorus, sulfur and chlorine, all combine with hydrogen to produce gases under standard conditions. The reason that water forms a liquid is that oxygen is more electronegative than all of these elements with the exception of fluorine. Oxygen attracts electrons much more strongly than hydrogen, resulting in a net positive charge on the hydrogen atoms, and a net negative charge on the oxygen atom. The presence of a charge on each of these atoms gives each water molecule a net dipole moment. Electrical attraction between water molecules due to this dipole pulls individual molecules closer together, making it more difficult to separate the molecules and therefore raising the boiling point. This attraction is known as hydrogen bonding. The molecules of water are constantly moving in relation to each other, and the hydrogen bonds are continually breaking and reforming at timescales faster than 200 femtoseconds. However, this bond is strong enough to create many of the peculiar properties of water described in this article, such as the those that make it integral to life. Water can be described as a polar liquid that slightly dissociates disproportionately into the hydronium ion (H3O+(aq)) and an associated hydroxide ion (OH−(aq)).

2 H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + OH− (aq)

The dissociation constant for this dissociation is commonly symbolized as Kw and has a value of about 10−14 at 25 °C; see "Water (data page)" and "Self-ionization of water" for more information

Water is essential for life

Water is essential for life. The amount of fresh water on earth is limited, and its quality is under constant pressure. Preserving the quality of fresh water is important for the drinking-water supply, food production and recreational water use. Water quality can be compromised by the presence of infectious agents, toxic chemicals, and radiological hazards.

The body can store water

Water is a major component of the tissues and cells of the body. Without water the human body will survive only a few days. No other nutrient deficiency has such profound effects.

A prolonged absence of water:

• lowers blood pressure

• weakens the heart and

• shuts down the kidneys

Water is the major component of blood and urine and is also found in gastrointestinal juices, perspiration, and even the joints of the body.

The body can store water, but only on a very limited basis. For the body to function optimally, water losses from urine, stool, perspiration, and respiration need to be replenished daily.

The average person should consume 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water each day. Although water is the best "thirst-quencher," other liquids (such as juices, milk, sodas, and teas) can help meet fluid needs. High sugar and high caffeine beverages are not the best choices because they can lead to increased urination.

The elderly and young children are at the highest risk for a water deficiency. Any individual who is experiencing prolonged diarrhea, vomiting, or perspiration is also at risk for water deficiency or dehydration.

People in hot climates, particularly extremely dry or humid climates, can deplete their water reserves. If you experience muscle cramping, nausea, headache, or dizziness, you may be dehydrated.

Be water smart. Drink plenty of fluids each and every day!

How To Maintain Good Water Conditions

The ideal water for guppies has low nitrite and ammonia levels. This condition gives good oxygenation for growth and a friendly environment for healthy fish. Many times when disease hits our tanks, it is due more to tank conditions that have declined which make the fish susceptible to disease already present in our tanks rather than an airborne disease suddenly entering our fish room. This is apart from the situation when fish that are returned from a fish show or fish that come from a place that may carry a disease or parasites. The common diseases like Ich, Velvet and Fin Rot are always present in our tanks and are just waiting to take hold when the guppy’s heath drops due to water conditions.

Guppy breeders often try to feed their fish with the maximum amount of food to get the maximum potential growth. If a guppy breeder feeds too much, the food that is not eaten rots and produces nitrite in the water which causes a decrease in available oxygen for the guppy. Also the more food a guppy is fed more fish waste will result causing a higher ammonia level causing more deterioration of the water quality. Fish waste is also increased when a tank has too many guppies inhabiting it. More fish means more food put into the tanks which produce more fish waste.

The nitrite and ammonia are countered with biological filtration. The key is how effectively and quickly can the filtration breakdown the harmful compounds to keep the water quality to a level that is beneficial to guppies? The following summarizes some of my experiences with different filters.

The Box Filter

Good basic filtration for most guppy breeders. I use ceramic tubes used for biological filtration on the bottom 2/3 with floss on top. The ceramic tubes are good media for the good bacteria grow to breakdown nitrite and ammonia. It also helps to weigh down the filter. Any other material that encourages good bacteria growth can be used, such as glass marbles or the other available biological media for filtration. The floss on top helps stop larger debris from entering the box. Also the fish can pick on the floss where live brine and other food may have been stopped by it. I usually change the floss every 3 weeks or sooner if it is heavy with debris. I also use a second box filter with just ceramic tubes in a tank that has more fish and require more biological filtration. I have to make a point to rinse out the filter without the floss once a week to get out the waste build up. The reason I don’t use floss in the second filter is to get maximum water flow to give maximum biological filtration. This is true for all filtration.

I have used charcoal but I found that using ceramic tubes was a better solution. Charcoal only absorbs toxins such as nitrite and ammonia for a short period of time. Also after the charcoal is maxed out, it can reverse itself and release the toxins back into the water. This can sometimes explain the sudden deterioration of water conditions and the fish are gasping for air at the top of tank. Charcoal also becomes a breeding ground for good bacteria, but is lost when you change it for fresh charcoal. Even if you use some of the old charcoal, the biological filtration has been reduced, until the good bacteria can grow and increase again. Ceramic tubes, just need to have the waste rinsed out and replaced back with its good bacteria still intact. It is important to note that you do not rinse out the material in hot water which will kill the good bacteria. Chlorine will also kill anything in the material, but sometimes necessary to eliminate harmful diseases that have entered into the tank. Be sure that the material is neutralized of chlorine after treatment and give it time to repopulate before putting too many fish in the tank. Adding biological material from a healthy establish tank will also speed up the good bacteria growth. A picture of the ceramic tubes is shown below.

Sponge Filters

This has good biological filtration but does need to be rinsed often to keep the water flow going well through the sponge material. I have also experienced that with time it tends to get more difficult to clean due the minute particles and algae that get stuck deep within the sponge material. Sponge filters that are larger give more area for good bacteria to grow and greater water flow through the filter creating better biological filtration. People often use two sponge filters per tank so if one needs to be thrown away the other one can continue the biological filtration. When this is done it must be kept in mind that the biological filtration has been cut in half until the new one can catch up. People also use this in combination with a box filter. Same rules apply to the sponge filter as the ceramic tubes for rinsing.

Outside Filters

Outside Filters can give good biological filtration, but its downfall is that it will take in uneaten food and the fish can not reach it causing more dissolve waste into the water. Baby brine (as well as baby guppies.) can also be quickly vacuumed up before the fish can get to it.

Diatom Filters

The purpose of this filtration is to eliminate any floating debris in the water with no significant amount of biological filtration. Not a practical or useful filtration for guppy breeders.

A good indicator that the amount of biological filtration in a tank is not enough is if the tank is cloudy or if the fish are less active (this doesn’t rule out the possibility that the fish maybe diseased instead). If the filtration cannot be increased to compensate then less food has to be fed to that tank. This can be done having less fish in the tank requiring less food.

Weekly water changes also help in reducing the unwanted debris in the tank. Depending on how polluted the tank is, water changes can range from 10% to 50% of the tank’s water. People who do water changes above 25% should take more attention to the temperature matching the tanks and that water treatment chemicals are reduced to a safe level. People who do water changes below 25% still need to do the same, but it is not as critical to be perfect since the amount is smaller and has less chance of shocking the fish. Water quality is different depending on its source and how the water treatment plant purifies the water so it is advised to adjust your water treatment procedure to best serve your guppies.

The basic concept to good water quality is to reduce the fish waste, nitrite, and ammonia level in the water. Fish waste is reduced by siphoning off waste when you are changing water, changing the filter floss, and rinsing out waste from the filter’s biological material. Nitrite and ammonia are reduced by good biological filtration. If your biological filtration and water changes can not keep up, then the fish population and food input to the tank must be reduced. The illustration below demonstrates the balance between the different factors.

Drinking water is so important for good health.

Drinking water is so important for good health. When you were a kid in school, you learned that each molecule of water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. You may also have learned that it was great fun to fill up your squirt guns with water, at least until the principal caught you. What you may not have learned, however, was how much water you needed in order to be a healthy human being. 

 

Why You Need to Drink Water

Your body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.

 Signs of Dehydration

You lose water through urination, respiration, and by sweating. If you are very active, you lose more water than if you are sedentary. Diuretics such as caffeine pills and alcohol result in the need to drink more water because they trick your body into thinking you have more water than we need.

Symptoms of mild dehydration include chronic pains in joints and muscles,lower back pain, headaches and constipation. A strong odor to your urine, along with a yellow or amber color indicates that you may not be getting enough water. Note that riboflavin, a B Vitamin, will make your urine bright yellow. Thirst is an obvious sign of dehydration and in fact, you need water long before you feel thirsty.

 

How Much Water do You Need to Drink?

A good estimate is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. That gives you the number of ounces of water per day that you need to drink. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. If you exercise you should drink another eight ounce glass of water for every 20 minutes you are active. If you drink alcohol, you should drink at least an equal amount of water. When you are traveling on an airplane, it is good to drink eight ounces of water for every hour you are on board the plane. If you live in an arid climate, you should add another two servings per day. As you can see, your daily need for water can add up to quite a lot.

Twenty percent of your water need will come from the foods you eat. The rest of your water need should come from the beverages you drink. Water is the best choice. Sodas have a lot of sugar in them, so if you drink sodas, you may take in more calories than you need. Herbal teas that aren't diuretic are fine. Sports drinks contain electrolytes and may be beneficial, just look out for added sugar and calories that you don't need. Juices are good because they have vitamins and nutrients.

Caffeinated beverages will also add to your daily water need. Even though caffeine is a diuretic, if you regularly consume caffeine, your body will regulate itself to that diuretic effect.

 

Drink Enough Water

It may be difficult to drink enough water on a busy day. Be sure you have water handy at all times by keeping a bottle for water with you when you are working, traveling, or exercising. If you get bored with plain water, add a bit of lemon or lime for a touch of flavor. There are some brands of flavored water available, but watch for extra calories.

he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be developing a new set of strategies with the aim to "strengthen public health protection" from contaminants in drinking water

WASHINGTON, US, March 23, 2010 -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be developing a new set of strategies with the aim to "strengthen public health protection" from contaminants in drinking water.

EPA administrator Lisa Jackson announced this week that the agency will be revising existing drinking water standards to introduce stricter regulations for four contaminants that it said can cause cancer.

In the review of existing drinking water standards, EPA determined that scientific advances allow for stricter regulations for the carcinogenic compounds tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, acrylamide and epichlorohydrin.

Tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene are used in industrial and/or textile processing and can be introduced into drinking water from contaminated ground or surface water sources. Acrylamide and epichlorohydrin are impurities that can be introduced into drinking water during the water treatment process.

Within the next year, EPA will initiate rulemaking efforts to revise the tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene standards using the strategy’s framework. Revision of epichlorohydrin and acrylamide standards will follow later.

Jackson said: "To confront emerging health threats, strained budgets and increased needs - today's and tomorrow's drinking water challenges - we must use the law more effectively and promote new technologies. That means fostering innovation that can increase cost-effective protection. It means finding win-win-win solutions for our health our environment and our economy. And it means broad collaboration. To make our drinking water systems work harder, we have to work smarter."

Four key principles have been put forward by the EPA behind the shift in drinking water strategy, including: to address contaminants as a group rather than one at a time so that enhancement of drinking water protection can be achieved cost-effectively; foster development of new drinking water treatment technologies to address health risks posed by a broad array of contaminants; use the authority of multiple statutes to help protect drinking water and partner with states to share more complete data from monitoring at public water systems.