To Filter or Not to Filter, that is the Question

Water is water, right? Wrong! Even with modern technologies that are supposed to keep our water safe for consuming, there is more and more evidence revealing that the water which comes out of your faucet can be one of the most toxic substances you put into your body!

The Science Behind it

If you have ever had a glass of unfiltered tap water or had a sip from a public water fountain, you are exposing yourself to numerous contaminants, inducing heavy metal toxins, carcinogens, bacteria, viruses, pesticides, and even cancer-causing agents!

This has been proven over and over again, even though public water treatment plants claim otherwise. Look at the definition a public water filtration programs to live up to:

“Water filtration is the process of removing or reducing the concentration of particulate matter, including suspended particles, parasites, bacteria, algae, viruses, and fungi, as well as other undesirable chemical and biological contaminants from contaminated water to produce safe and clean water for a specific purpose, such as drinking, medical, and pharmaceutical applications.”

As great as this sounds, this is not the end all-be all as we have found out. Remember the Erin Brockovich investigation back in 1993 in California? Groundwater contamination by a large gas company was allowing contaminates to enter the water after purification and then enter people’s homes.

Knowing that the usage of chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, and heavy metals has only increased in the three decades since, it should not be a surprise to you that your tap water may not be as safe to drink as you think!

(PS. Did you know Charlotte city water has the “Erin Brockovich Chemical” in it! – Hexavalent Chromium)

The Confusing World Of Water Filters

For consumers on the market like you and me, there are a few different types of filters to choose from but know they are not all created equal! The most common are activated charcoal, ion exchange (membranes), reverse osmosis, and ceramic.

Activated Charcoal/Carbon Filters
Activated charcoal is most often used in smaller filters (refrigerator or pitcher style filters) to remove chlorine and improve the taste of the water. This is not to get confused with activated carbon filters, which use a special type of carbon to trap not just chlorine but other contaminants that are attracted to the carbon – like heavy metals and pesticides.

Most filters are charcoal based because, while less effective, the filtration process if much faster than a carbon-based filter system. Britta = Charcoal. Berkey = Carbon.

Ionizing Filters (aka Kangen/Tyentt Water)
Ionization filtration utilizes electrical charges to alter the chemical structure of the water and all contaminants including pesticides and heavy metals. Further, this process splits the water into acid and alkaline, allowing only one to pass through, or for the charges to be negated so the water is pH neutral.

The disadvantage is the units cost between $3-7,000 – but your health is worth it right? (PS. The water filter over the water fountains in the office is this type of filter, + a carbon post filter!).

Reverse Osmosis Filters
Reverse Osmosis filtration uses pressure to reverse the flow of liquids of through a membrane that captures up to 99% of the dissolved solids in the water. While its good a removing a lot of contaminants, it also removes all the minerals, which makes this a less than desirable method to clean water! So, you have made the decision to filter your tap water – let’s look at the best and most cost-effective ways for you to do so.

Berkey Filters
Berkey water filters have become popular lately. They are a great choice! As long as you keep them clean internally and replace the filters as needed. They are a carbon-based filter that pull around 95% of all contaminants out of the water.

The one catch, independent research has proved that the fluoride filter add-on is not as effective as advertised. The filter loses its ability to filter fluoride quickly. Sadly, the fluoride filter also uses aluminum ions to trap the fluoride which means the aluminum can start to leach into your drinking water!

Brita Water Filters
Brita water filters are simple, activated charcoal filters. They have upgraded to certain membrane filters that are more effective at pulling out more contaminates, including lead and asbestos.

Carbon Structured, Harmonized Water Filters
There are numerous water ionizers and reverse osmosis machines but there’s also one challenge – they only filter your drinking water! What about bathing water? Whole house filtration is needed for that and we recommend you visit www.Greenfiledwater.com for a great carbon structuring system for your entire house – then you don’t even need the Berkey/Brita systems!

Greenfield’s systems are state of the art, centered around ultra-filtration of the tap water using both carbon, structuring and harmonizing water to remove all contaminants while also preserving and adding back in the necessary minerals to the water. Greenfield’s even have a Berkey replacement filter that is better and safer than the Berkey filters themselves! (PS. Mention “AskDrErnst” and get a discount)

The Implications Towards Your Health

Here is the down low about water: It has a shape to it. Yep, just like a snowflake. It’s called the waters ‘structure’. Utilizing filtration techniques like reverse osmosis change the structure of the water. When the structure is different (think of it like a deformed snowflake instead of a perfect one), your body cannot use the water in the same way.

You cannot absorb that water through your intestinal wall as efficiently, and therefore will affect both the water and mineral capacity of your body. So, you need to ensure that you drink structured water. Tap water is unstructured. Bottled water is unstructured, and reverse osmosis filtration leaves the water unstructured.

Remember: The water in your body is structured so make sure you drink structured water also i.e. Greenfield filtered water.