My recommendations of the best water filters
So by now you know I’m the crazy water lady - I’m so passionate about educating you on the importance of drinking good quality drinking water to support you health. You can start by reading here and join our popular eCourse - Water for Life, for free here!
“Water is THE most important nutrient for health!”
We need water to survive; it helps our body absorb the nutrients from our food and get it into the cells, helps remove toxins from the cell, keeps your poo moving along nicely and supports metabolic health, to name a few.
With that comes a big question… where do you start with good quality water filters?! I have a few different recommendations to match your health needs, family home/office space and different budgets.
You might be thinking do I really need a water filter?
Is it a luxury or a health necessity?
No, it’s not a luxury, friends. It’s an absolute must-have when it comes to creating good foundations of health. It’s for this reason I talk so much about Water as the number key pillar of health.
Let’s be honest - over time we’ve considered a lot of things safe until proven otherwise (at the cost of public health). You’ve got cigarette smoking, which in the 1920s and 1930s was questioned and the response was phenomenal. You’ve got typical ads, like this one which stated “20,679 physicians ‘approved’ - ‘Luckies are less irritating,” The company claimed that its toasting process made its cigarettes a smoother smoke and was backed by thousands of physicians!
We are currently questioning the addition of fluoride added to our tap water - in fact, there’s a groundbreaking court case currently in the US Federal Court against the Environmental Protection Agency seeking to prohibit fluoride being added to public water systems because of the research that fluoride is a neurotoxin! (Neurotoxins alter the functioning of the nervous system).
I truly believe it’s only a matter of time until fluoride is no longer added to public drinking water. The studies and data is backing up too quickly and heavily for it to be ignored!
There’s pros and cons to all filters, and you’re best to pick one that matches your wants, needs as well as your budget!
The common contaminants you find in tap water include:
Fluoride - linked to thyroid issues, immune dysfunction, mood swings, sleep disturbances, lower IQ, skeletal issues and more!
A 14-year study at Harvard University linked too much fluoride with bone cancer in boys (source here)
Fluoride accumulates in the pineal gland which has been shown in studies to decrease melatonin, a key sleep hormone!
Over 23 human studies that link fluoride with brain cancer
65 human studies (involving over 23,000 children) have found that elevated fluoride exposure is associated with reduced IQ in humans
Chlorine - added as a disinfectant to our water, however chlorine can produces a byproduct called THM, which is proven carcinogen, and chlorine is linked with increased risk of cancer.
According to the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality “The cancer risk to people who drink chlorinated water is 93 percent higher than those who don’t”.
There is a higher incidence of cancer of the esophagus, rectum, breast, and larynx and a higher incidence of Hodgkin’s disease among those drinking chlorinated water.
The use of chlorine for water treatment to reduce the risk of infectious disease may account for a substantial portion of the cancer risk associated with drinking water.
The by-products of chlorination are associated with increased risk of bladder and rectal cancer, possibly accounting for over 5000 cases of bladder cancer and 8000 cases of rectal cancer per year in the United States (source here)
Chlorine alongside fluoride and bromine all interfere with the absorption of iodine by the thyroid gland, which can contribute to thyroid dysfunction.
Chlorine is a known gastric irritant and can drive inflammatory bowel conditions
Copper and other heavy metals including aluminum and mercury
Asbestos
Antibiotics
Pesticides and Herbicides
There was recently a letter published in the Paediatric Research by the co-authors of the JAMA Pediatrics regarding fluoride, IQ and pregnancy…
"Over the past 75 years, health authorities have declared that community water fluoridation-a practice that reaches over 400 million worldwide-is safe. Yet, studies conducted in North America examining the safety of fluoride exposure in pregnancy were nonexistent.
When a Canadian study reported that higher fluoride exposure in pregnant women was associated with lower IQ scores in young children, critics attacked the methodology of the study and discounted the significance of the results.
Health authorities continued to conclude that fluoride is unequivocally safe, despite four well-conducted studies over the last 3 years consistently linking fluoride exposure in pregnancy with adverse neurodevelopmental effects in offspring …
The tendency to ignore new evidence that does not conform to widespread beliefs impedes the response to early warnings about fluoride as a potential developmental neurotoxin. Evolving evidence should inspire scientists and health authorities to re-evaluate claims about the safety of fluoride, especially for the fetus and infant for whom there is no benefit." Read more here
There’s no better time to take action with your health and in your home. Here’s some water filter options to match your health needs and budget.
My Top 3 Water Filter Recommendations:
1. Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System:
From The Water Shop (RRP: $995 - receive a 20% discount by calling the Water Shop on 02 9458 1111 - chat to Jenny and tell her ‘Olivia - water program’ to activate your discount)
My best recommendation is a reverse osmosis water filtration system; a 4-stage or 5-stage filtration system, which can sit on the bench or under the sink. It’s the bees knees when it comes to water filters! It removes all common contaminants, including fluoride, mercury, aluminium and chlorine, and is conveniently installed under your sink. It holds up to 10L of pure water at any one time.
Here’s what’s involved with the 4-stage and 5-stage filter systems:
Stage 1: Sediment filter to remove dirt and rust
Stage 2: Carbon filter removes chlorine, tastes and odours
Stage 3: Removes 98% of impurities, including fluoride
Stage 4: Carbon post filter - removes taste or odour that may have been picked up while the water was sitting in the tank
Stage 5: - re-mineralises water
Note: For every litre of pure water it produces, it sends one litre of water water to drain.
Effectively removes:
Aluminium
Barium
Cadmium
Chlorine
Chromium
Copper
Cryptosporidium & Giardia
Cysts
e. Coli Bacteria
Heavy Metals
Hydrocarbons
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Mercury
Nitrate
PCB’S
Potassium
Radium
Sediment, Dirt & Rust
Selenium
Sodium
Taste
Odour
2. Ceramic Filter
From Southern Cross Pottery (RRP: $319 - receive a 10% discount when you call Southern Cross directly on 1800 761 144 and refer to ‘Olivia - Water Program’)
Unlike distilled water and reverse osmosis systems, these filters use a carbon filter, naturally retains energy vibrations: some minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium are not removed, as these are healthy minerals. It is conveniently placed on the bench and can be taken with you on holidays, to the office, etc. It holds up to 10-12 L.
You’re best to get the SCP Fluoride Plus filter, to remove fluoride, which will last for approximately 12 months (or 2000 litres).
Note: This is the filter I currently have - I do recommend you empty out the water and add fresh tap water to the filter every few days (you can save the previous filtered water for watering plants, washing dishes, etc.) as you want to avoid stagnant water that’s not been used.
Click here for more information
3. Water Jug
AcePot Bio+ from Nourished Life (RRP: $209)
You water jugs are a good place to start but they may not serve a family or those that are using it as the primary water filter, as it only holds 1.5-2L. However, some of them like this one, can remove heavy metals and some minerals like flouride.
Does this help? Let me know if you have any specific questions or can’t find answers!
There’s more tips on how to support your water intake and reduce common toxins, such as fluoride and chlorine - read here