Water and Water Filters: How Much Do You Know?

Water is a vitally important component of any valuable and useful nutrition plan.This statement is hardly earth shattering or groundbreaking and few (if any) jawswill drop at the sight of it. It is common knowledge that water is essential to oursurvival as living beings. Most people are very well aware of this fact, but do theyreally know why water is so essential? What does water do in our bodies and whydoes it make a difference what kind of water we drink? Is a water filter trulynecessary and worth its price? Read on to learn the answers to these questions andfind out how much you know (or don't know) about that magical, life-giving fluid:water.

Some Water Basics
Depending upon whom you ask, water makes up anywhere from 60% to 90% of ourbody's matter. Not only is water essential for ensuring our survival as humanbeings, it is also essential for the survival of the earth and all living organisms on it.In its simplest, most pure form, water is a molecular compound composed of twohydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Although water contains no calories, it isabsolutely essential for maintaining energy levels, regulating body temperature,controlling cravings, and cushioning sensitive organs, tissues, and joints within thebody. Water is the substance that ensures that our bodies continue to run; wateralso ensures that they run efficiently.

Once water enters the body, it quickly travels through the esophagus into thestomach where it is digested and sent to the appropriate locations within the body.Water then becomes the major constituent of blood, ensuring the transfer of allother nutrients to the organs and tissues of the body. After all organs and tissueshave received their needed amount of water and accompanying nutrients in order toensure proper cell functioning, the body then sends excess water to aid in thetransfer of wastes out of the body through the kidneys, bladder, and rectum. Inessence, water is the major means of transport for all substances in and out of thebody.

It is necessary to continuously replace water in the body as such a large amount ofwater is expelled from the body each day through simple respiration. While aperson may live for four weeks or more without food, he or she will only live forapproximately one week without water. The exact amount of water one needs todrink each day to replace water in the body depends upon a number of factors andcannot easily be calculated. However, most nutritionists agree that eight glasses(two liters) of water each day is an appropriate amount for most people. Thisnumber may change when a person's level of physical activity and environmentalclimate are taken into consideration.

Benefits of Drinking Enough Water
Besides the maintenance of normal bodily functions and the regulation of bodytemperature and general energy levels, drinking adequate amounts of water canresult in some significant health and cosmetic benefits. First of all, water has longbeen known and recognized as a valuable diet aid. Many cravings for food are oftenmisdirected cravings for water. Once the body is satiated with the needed drinkingwater, cravings are greatly reduced. Water also ensures a general level of healthand fitness by quickly transferring toxins and other harmful substances out of thebody. Water naturally moisturizes the skin and hair, as well, giving them a healthy,glowing appearance. Water can also serve as a natural protection against severaltypes of cancer.

When a person becomes dehydrated (meaning he does not have adequate amountsof water in his system to ensure proper body functioning), the symptoms ofdehydration quickly appear. These symptoms include, but are not limited to:fatigue, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and constipation.

How Important is Clean Drinking Water?
Water is something of an interesting substance. It is a natural solvent; therefore,wherever water travels, it dissolves and carries along other substances. For thisreason, there really is no "pure" water available in the world. Water always carriesother substances, whether these substances are useful minerals or dangerouschemicals and biological contaminants. One would be absolutely amazed at theamount of contaminants a simple water filter removes from "treated" tap water.

While the natural solvency of water is one of its most valuable characteristics (due tothe usefulness of this characteristic in allowing water to carry and dissolve foodnutrients for use in the body), it can also be one of its most volatile and dangerouscharacteristics. It is certainly vital to maintain an adequate amount of water in thebody, but to be truly beneficial and effective, that water needs to be as clean andpure as possible. When water carries such contaminants as chlorine or lead into ourbodies, it can actually become more harmful than beneficial. Water, laced with suchcontaminants, can become a cancer-causing agent or a purveyor of brain damageand learning disabilities.

We cannot simply cut water out of our diet, despite its penchant for carryingcontaminants with it; water is far too essential to our survival. Thus, it becomes ourresponsibility as wise and conscientious individuals to clean that water and knowwhat it contains before we take it into our bodies. We will likely never receive pure,clean water directly from the tap, but a home water filter can remove several of themost dangerous contaminants from that water before we drink it. A water filter canhelp to ensure that we receive all of the benefits of drinking adequate amounts ofwater and none of the adverse health consequences of drinking contaminated water.

Vanessa Lausch is a technical writer for http://www.allaboutwater.org/, an onlineguide to drinking water.

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