Bottled Water Found To Contain Over 24,000 Chemicals, Including Endocrine Disruptors
Things are changing. Widespread consumer demand for plastic products that are free of the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) has precipitated some significant positive changes in the way that food, beverage and water containers are manufactured. That’s the good news.
But a new study out of Germany has found that thousands of other potentially harmful chemicals are still leaching from plastic products into food and beverages, including an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) known as di(2-ethylhexyl) fumarate, or DEHF, that is completely unregulated.
Martin Wagner and colleague, Jorg Oehlmann, from the Goethe University Frankfurt, learned this after conducting tests on 18 different bottled water products to look for the presence of EDCs. The team identified some 24,520 different chemicals present in the tested water.
But the biggest concern, and what appears to be the foundation of the study’s findings, was DEHF, a plasticizer chemical that is used to make plastic bottles more flexible. According to reports, DEHF was clearly identified in the tested water as the most consistent and obvious culprit causing anti-estrogenic activity. Despite trace amounts of more than 24,000 other potentially damaging chemicals, DEHF stood out as the only possible EDC capable of inducing this particular observed activity, a highly concerning observation.
The study’s published abstract explains that 13 of the 18 bottled water products tested exhibited “significant” anti-estrogenic activity, while 16 of the 18 samples were found to inhibit the body’s androgen receptors by an astounding 90 percent. Additionally, the other 24,520 chemical traces besides DEHF were also identified as exhibiting antagonistic activity, which means that they, too, are detrimental to the body’s hormonal system.
The Mystery Nasty.
Apparently DEHF is not alone in causing significant damage to the endocrine system. The team was unable to identify this chemical as being specifically anti-androgenic. This suggests that there is some other chemical, or chemical combination, being leached into bottled water that is interfering with the body’s chemical signaling system, which is, of course, responsible for hormone production and use within the body.“We confirmed the identity and biological activity of DEHF and additional isomers of dioctyl fumarate and maleate using authentic standards,” report the researchers. “Since DEHF is anti-estrogenic but not anti-androgenic we conclude that additional, yet unidentified EDCs must contribute to the antagonistic effect of bottled water.”
So while these specific findings concerning DEHF are groundbreaking, the overall conclusion to be drawn from this research is that far more study is needed to determine the types of chemicals that are being leeched from plastic into our food and water, not to mention the extent of this leeching. And since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the rest of the three-letter government agencies will surely never get around to conducting this important research, independent science will simply have to take up the charge.
You can read the full study abstract here:
http://www.plosone.org
Water filters; Luxury? Necessity? What would YOU do if this was your drinking water and you didn’t own a water filter?
Several top officials in Crystal City, TX, were recently arrested by the FBI on corruption charges.
The circumstances have left local residents with little recourse amid a sudden tap water crisis that saw their tap water turn black and smelly.
“Not dark or murky water — black water,” Gawker reported.
Schools Superintendent Imelda Allen took matters into her own hands.
“She went ahead and did what she had to do: ordered hand sanitizer and bottled water for the district schools and trucked in huge five-gallon jugs to provide to cafeterias. No, she couldn’t get a water filter for everyone. her budget didn’t go that far.
“I wasn’t going to wait for anyone to call me from City Hall,” Allen said “I know that leadership is not present at the time.”
The spate of arrests was prompted by what is allegedly a deep level of corruption in the city.
“All but one top official in [the] city of 7,500, about 130 miles southwest of San Antonio, is facing some kind of criminal charge. The mayor, mayor pro tempore, a council member and the city manager were arrested this month on sweeping bribery and conspiracy charges. And another member of the city council is in a federal detention center after he admitted to smuggling undocumented Mexican immigrants across the border,” the Post reported.
“Mostly, [officials are] accused of taking bribes from a local gambling ringleader in exchange for allowing his illicit business to operate and snuffing out his competition. Then, the mayor was arrested again after allegedly scuffling with a local woman at a city council meeting,” Gawker reported.
The city has since weighed in on its black tap water, which locals are comparing to crude oil.
“The city said the problem occurred when the city’s elevated water tank was drained for the first time in decades and built-up sediment in the bottom of the tank got into the water,” CNN reported.
Ian: So.. what do you think?
What if this happened to you and you DIDN’T have a good water filter?
Luxury or necessity?
Why Drinking bottled Alkaline Water is.. er.. DUMB.
It’s pretty simple really. Most water supplies are already alkaline.
So why are you paying premium dollars for bottled alkaline water – in plastic?
Yes, we’ve all accepted that drinking alkaline water was good for us and the metastudy we have on our website proves it.. but no-one asked about the water they already drink from their home tap and whether drinking $5 worth of bottled water (sent from Italy to Australia or America) a day will actually restore our alkaline balance.
So here’s the truth. It won’t! The best way to restore the alkaline minerals used up by our bodies in counteracting our acid overload is simple. Replace them in quantities sufficient to restore balance.
Sounds so simple, and it is. Yes, alkaline water will help, as will alkalizing foods, but for my money, taking the actual minerals in their original form is the obvious answer. That’s why every morning I take a glass of UltraStream water, and add a teaspoon of Alkaline Booster. That way I have my molecular hydrogen and my alkaline minerals aplenty.
Take a look at this video as I explain in full.
A Simple Guide to Drinking water Contaminants
Common contaminants found in our drinking water
Arsenic
This toxic element is found naturally in soil and bedrock. Ingestion in high amounts can lead to serious health problems.
Chlorides
Small amounts of salt are natural. Higher levels are unnatural and may indicate a faulty water softener, road salt, septic waste or fertilizer contamination.
Coliform Bacteria
A natural part of the microbiology of soils, insects, and warm-blooded animals, coliform bacteria is the primary indicator for the presence of disease-causing organisms in water.
Fluoride
Found naturally in water, but now artificially added. While low levels of fluoride are desirable, excessive amounts may stain teeth.
Hardness
Interferes with cleaning tasks from laundering and dishwashing to bathing and personal grooming. Clothes laundered in hard water may look dingy and feel harsh and scratchy. Dishes and glasses may be spotted when dry. Hard water may leave film on glass shower doors, shower walls, bathtubs, sinks, faucets, etc. Hair washed in hard water may feel sticky and look dull. These deposits also collect in household plumbing lines, water heaters and appliances, reducing their efficiency.
Hydrogen Sulfide
A gas dissolved in water. It is easily detected by its rotten egg odor.
Iron
Not considered hazardous to health, but when the level of iron exceeds 0.3 mg/l water may leave behind red, brown, or yellow stains on laundry, glassware, dishes and fixtures. The water may have a metallic taste and an offensive odor, or even restrict or clog piping and fixtures.
Lead
Houses built before 1985 may contain lead pipes or lead-based solder. Lead can cause serious health problems in young children.
Manganese
A metal found in rock, which does not occur naturally in its pure form. It is often accompanied by iron and hydrogen sulfide and causes black stains. Evidence of manganese staining is typically found in the dishwasher.
Nitrates
Elevated levels can be an indication of farm chemical or lawn fertilizer contamination, or even septic saturation. Nitrates can pose a serious health risk to infants.
Sulfates
High levels of sulfates can cause odors, leave spots, taste bitter and have a temporary laxative effect.
Ian: There are many, many more now in our water beyond this list. The US EPA tells us that there are 600 identified toxins for which they ahev insufficient data on danger levels.
Then, of course, there are the toxins added by water supplies, including chlorine, chloramines and (see list) fluoride. Chlorine can combine with organics to create even more toxins.
Fracking and the manipulation of our water supply.
Visit any supermarket. You see them stacked, row after row, brand name upon brand name.
We are spoiled for choices … but we are fast learning that the ‘plastic habit’ can indeed be quite costly when added up.
And then there’s the plastic question. Naturally, it’s better to choose glass rather than cheap plastic which leaches toxic chemicals such as Bisphenol-A which could affect health when taken frequently and long term.
We are, of course, talking about bottled water. So why should we have to buy bottled drinking water? Why is this massive industry, totally dependent upon plastic, transport costs and robbing local areas of their good water?
Remember the sixties? The idea of someone charging for water in bottles would have been laughable. I still have a somewhat sinister regard for the fact that we’re being charged for water, and not without reasoning: There just could be something covertly sinister and devious going on.
There are indeed a number of people who have educated themselves enough to realize that they don’t want to choose drinking tap water with fluoride and other chemicals.
But why should we even have a need to choose the more expensive bottled water option and put up with the chemically-treated tap water?
Surely, it’s up to us to do something about this?
Fracking and our water supply
As a water lover I have to ask: why has the dangerous process of fracking technology been allowed to carry on without due study of the effects on our water supply?
Fracking uses hydraulic pressure blasts (some 40,000 plus gallons of water containing over 600 toxic chemicals) to fracture shale rock to get at its contents of gas and oil to be extracted. Much of this toxic chemical water contains methane, formaldehyde, mercury, uranium, lead and carcinogens – and is is never recovered. It inevitably finds its way into our groundwater. It can pollute wells, thus polluting our water supplies.
As well as environmental damage, the reckless insanity of fracking has now been linked to earthquakes and ill health with people and animals living in nearby areas.
It’s pretty obvious that fracking corporations are buying off the politicians and people connected.
So am I right? Is there something devious going on. Let’s look at the link between tap water to fracking.
Water, one of the most essential of life’s commodities is deliberately becoming more and more precious to obtain.
When you control the water supplies you can control the people.
It’s a crazy thought but.. perhaps the reason for fracking with its water-polluting deadly toxic chemicals going by unchecked is that it puts the people in a situation whereby their local water supplies in wells and taps is not longer usable so they have no other choice than to go to the stores and buy the corporation’s water supplies.
Think of the astronomical amounts of money the manipulators of all this could make from the quantities of water needed from folks all over the world in their everyday lives!
Is your water filter / water bottle / water jug BPA free
I can clearly remember when polycarbonate water bottles were the best bottle to buy. It wasn’t so long ago! And now we are seeing results coming in on the effects.
PA in mothers’ urine linked to low birth weights in China
It appears that a pregnant woman’s exposure to BPA can increase the risk of delivering babies with low birth weights,
During the course of the Chinese study from 2012 to 2014, 452 mother-infant pairs were selected from Wuhan, the most populous city in Central China.
Urine samples were collected from the mothers at delivery and measured for bisphenol-A . Using birth weight data obtained from medical records, the researchers then evaluated the relationship between urinary BPA levels and low birth weight.
They found that mothers of newborns with lower birth weights had significantly higher BPA levels in their urine than the control mothers, according to the study published this month in Environment International.
They also found that the relationship between low birth weight and higher BPA levels was stronger among the female babies, suggesting female babies might be more susceptible to BPA than males.
The study was the first of its kind in China, and it certainly adds to growing evidence that fetal exposure to BPA might cause developmental problems.
BPA is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that can act like estrogen in the body. Human and animal studies have linked the chemical to reproductive, behavioral and endocrine effects.
Even the most diligent mothers-to-be may find it challenging to avoid contact with BPA. It is ubiquitous—used to make polycarbonate plastics and commonly found in food and drink packaging, and in thermal cash register receipts.
The study doesn’t prove BPA caused the low birth weights. Low birth weight can happen for a number of different reasons.
Bu… it is concerning as babies with low birth weights may be more at risk for other health problems, such as increased susceptibility to disease and infection, or longer-term problems such as learning disabilities or delayed motor and social development.
And it isn’t the first study to link prenatal BPA exposure to impaired development. In 2013, findings from a Dutch study suggest that BPA exposure at levels commonly found in people may slow fetal growth.
In addition, a 2014 study linked high BPA levels in the placenta to lower birth weights.
As you are probably aware, we have a no-BPA policy at alkaway. We are in the front line, delivering water bottles and filters that are using every day, year in, year out. That’s why we spent the money on the most stringent testing in the world for the UltraStream; the EU safety certification tests. To our knowledge we are the ONLY water ionizer in the world to have this certification. Given that you may be spending thousands on a water ionizer, I strongly recommend that you ask for independent test proof of the product’s BPA status.
Do you know the BEST ways to drink water?
I’m working on a downloadable document that attempts to collect and refine all the ways we can drink water to optimise health. Boy, there’s a lotta theories out there but not a lot of science. Stick around.
The hidden carcinogen in Soda
We all know that soda packs lots of addictive sugar. Few of us know that soda has another ingredient that’s worth knowing about.
Some caramel-colored sodas could contain a potential carcinogen, suggests a new study from Johns Hopkins University.
Caramel color is a dark brown food additive. It helps give drinks such as cola their special hue. The one you think as ‘natural’ (ha ha!) It’s made by heating and caramelizing sugars. Sounds simple, right?
The problem is this: some types of caramel color are made using chemicals such as ammonium hydroxide to push along the caramelization process. During the chemical reactions, something called 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) can form.
Researchers tested 12 sodas purchased in California and New York for 4-MEI content. They found a wide range, from 9.5 micrograms per liter to up to 915 micrograms per liter. The sodas with the highest 4-MEI levels were Malta Goya and the New York samples of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Pepsi One.
Researchers estimated that consumption of the studied drinks could contribute to anywhere from 78 to 5,011 extra cancer cases in the U.S.
In some cases, drinks sold in California had lower levels of 4-MEI. California’s Proposition 65 law lists 4-MEI as a carcinogen and requires manufacturers to include a warning label on products with more than 29 micrograms of the chemical. It seems that the manufacturers used a different formula for products sold in California in order to comply with the state’s regulations, says study author Keeve Nachman, Ph.D., MHS.
So is there good news? Both PepsiCo and Goya have released statements saying that they’ve reduced levels of 4-MEI in their products since these researchers took their samples. They say that all products now meet the California standards.
Still, it’s possible that there’s no truly safe level of intake of 4-MEI, says Nachman. If you’re concerned about exposure to the potential carcinogen, it’s smart to read labels and choose products that don’t contain caramel color.
Ideally, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will step in and regulate this chemical. “What we think makes the most sense is for the FDA to set a tolerance level for the formation of 4-MEI for the caramel color that’s used in beverages,” says Nachman.
Possible risks of caramel color don’t come with much benefit. “One other dimension to this whole thing is it’s not like the caramel color itself really serves an important function,” says Nachman. “Caramel color is just for changing the color of the beverage. It doesn’t play a role in flavor or preservation.”
Dehydration and Heart Attack; The Link. And ‘Sludgy Blood’!
From HCPLive
About half of a group is ischemic stroke patients were found to be dehydrated when they arrived at the hospital, a Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Stroke Center team reported—and they did poorly compared to the patients who arrived hydrated.
Presenting a study at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference in Nashville, Tenn., Mona Bahouth, MD, a Johns Hopkins Hospital stroke fellow, said that the report suggests all stroke patients should get fluids.
The problem is that rehydration poses a risk of hypervolemia, which can put stress on the heart and cause fluid to back up in the lungs.
In the study, Bahouth and colleagues followed 168 patients admitted with ischemic stroke. They found that stroke condition worsened or did not improve in 42% of the dehydrated group, but that only 17% of the hydrated group worsened or did not improve.
The patients’ progress, or lack of it, was tracked with MRI scans, and NIHSS scores.
Discussing the results, Bahouth said it is already known that about 60% of stroke patients are dehydrated, and that the condition may in itself cause strokes. “When patients don’t drink enough water, their blood gets sludgy,” she said. That could mean that as it travels through the brain, this thicker blood flows slowly and can back up in narrowed or blocked blood vessels.
“The beauty here lies in the simplicity of this potential treatment,” she said, “Rehydration is cheap and can be given to people even in the most remote locations.” But that does not mean these patients should be told to immediately drink water after the onset of a stroke. That could lead to choking.
The research also did not resolve the question of whether the patients’ dehydration signaled other medical conditions that could have contributed to their tendency to have poorstroke outcomes.
Still, Bahouth added, in general, “as people get older they tend to avoid drinking enough water, partly because they don’t want to have to use the bathroom as often—particularly if they have a disability.” That reluctance to drink water could be contributing to stroke risk, she said.
The study found that dehydration in the group of patients followed was not linked to race, gender, ethnicity or diabetes status. Patients with kidney disease were not included in the study.
Ian: Hmmm. I relate to the bit about getting older and not wanting to pee so often.. but I made the choice. Pee more and drink enough. And yet the underlying question is whether consistent hydration supports stroke immunity.
From all we read.. especially the comment about sludgy blood – means to me that hydration is incredibly important!
We could take this question much farther. Your salt ratio relates to your ability to hold water. And then we can look at the effect of changed pH on the effect of water. I had the experience for most of my life of bloating with tap water or bottled water, but as soon as I began drinking high hydrogen alkaline water this all changed.
Just one other point I picked up.. I had never heard of hypervolemia. Obviously it only applies when someone is dehydrated and attempts fast rehydration, but surely a better answer is a daily program or target of hydration?
We’re going to drink more water! Yes we are…. maybe.
Nearly three- quarters (72 percent) of Americans will be committing to “drinking enough water” in 2015, according to a new survey conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of the Council for Responsible Nutrition.
“Water is a must! It’s essential to many bodily functions for people of all ages. We’re encouraged to see that people recognize the importance of appropriate levels of hydration,” said Duffy MacKay, N.D., senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, CRN. “But water is only one of the healthy habits that this survey demonstrated people found most important. Let’s remember that the key to good health is a constellation of healthy habits, not just one habit in isolation.”
According to the survey, “drinking enough water” was the number one health and wellness habit American adults are committing to in 2015, with the following four options rounding up the top five:
- eating healthy/healthier in general (66 percent)
- getting more physically active (62 percent)
- getting more sleep (49 percent)
- taking vitamins (47 percent)
In the bottom five were starting the day off right with..
- a healthy breakfast (37 percent)
- spending more time with family and friends in real life, instead of online (34 percent)
- staying cool, calm and collected when stuck in traffic (30 percent)
- visiting the doctor before getting sick (23 percent)
- tracking meals/exercise via mobile app(s), online tool(s) or personal gadget(s) (17 percent)
Over one in five (22 percent) selected “other health and wellness habit(s)” and eight percent responded that they are not committing to any health and wellness habits in 2015.
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of CRN from Dec. 8 to 10, 2014, among 2,021 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
The Sign of a Market Stranglehold: Soda Company’s slush fund
Portable Hydrogen Rich Water bottles: a review of two
Can we have hydrogen rich water anywhere we go? Yes we can!
Ian compares an electronic portable hydrogen rich water product with our AlkaPod and comes up with some surprising results.
Both make fresh molecular hydrogen infused in water on the go.
Both alkalize the water using minerals.
Both give the water good ORP.
One is a visible process, the other isn’t.
One uses electricity, the other doesn’t.
One is renewable, the other works as long as it works.
One holds H2 far more efficiently that the other.
One may go ‘Bang’ if you don’t do it right.
Please let us know what YOU think of these products. We thrive on your feedback.
Compared: Bottled Water to UltraStream water
Bottled Water versus owning your own UltraStream Alkaline Water Ioniser
Author Diana Michaels is one of our many Alkaway distributors, way down in Busselton, Western Australia .
Ian: Diana, thank you so much for this!
The cost of 15 litres of bottled water delivered to your home is about $19.95. A commercial price could be as low as $13.00 per 15 litres. Note that the costs used in this comparison for the bottled water were actual costs quoted by one of the largest distributors in Australia for the supply of water to a medium size corporate business earlier this year, 2014.
The cost to a business who used 1 x 15 litre of spring water weekly at a cost of $13.00 per 15 litre with a fortnightly delivery would be:
At $13.00 per week for only one 15 litre bottle the annual cost would be $676.00 – (780 litres of water per annum) . The cost of the UltraStream replacement filter cartridge is $199.00 and it produces 3000 litres of alkaline and ionised water.
Both the chilled water dispenser and the UltraStream unit cost to initially purchase – the water dispenser is approximately $200 the UltraStream is $499 (and for a commercial application an undersink kit is recommended which is $175). If no power source is available that would need to be installed for the water dispenser but not required for the UltraStream. The UltraStream does not require a plumber to install the Unit it can he installed by anyone who is handy;
The cost in the first year of the chilled water dispenser (buying only 1 x 15 litre bottle delivered fortnightly) is $676 for the water; approximately $200 for the dispenser; an additional cost of $1.25 fuel levy per delivery ($1.25 x 26 fortnights) adds 32.50; and in some cases the cost of installing a powerpoin and some power consumption – amounts to an estimated $908.50;
The cost in the first year of the UltraStream plus the undersink kit and a replacement filter is $499 for the UltraStream; $175 for the undersink kit; and $199 for the replacement filter (this is for next years 3000 litres of water); – this amounts to $873.00;
The cost in the second year of the chilled water dispenser with exactly the same usage (assuming that there has not been a price rise) is $676 for (780 litres of water) plus $32.50 for the fuel levy and some power consumption – amounting to around $708.50;
The cost of the second year of the UltraStream is $199.00 for the replacement filter (which you already purchased in your UltraStream Startup Kit). If you buy a replacement filter in the second year you will always have one on hand;
Subsequent years (assuming no increase in price) the bottled water will cost at least $708.50 plus power and the UltraStream will cost $199.00 for the replacement filter, plus a small amount for shipping;
UltraSteam wins hands down!
To read more click on this link …… In my capacity as a Occupational Health and Safety Advisor
Diana Michaels – Starlight Wellness Centre July 2014
The Future of Alkaline water is here and now.
It’s almost a week since we arrived in Tokyo on our mission to investigate the molecular hydrogen phenomena.
Those of you who have been following this blog would already be aware that we have developed the UltraStream, the world’s first validated non electric water filter and hydrogen producer, and that it has tested better than the most expensive electric system on the market. We knew that there was more to learn and we knew that japan was the place H2 was ‘happening’.
Along the way, we also wanted to check out some of the sales supporting stories we have all heard over the years and see if they were true.
Firstly, we wanted to see if,a s we have been told, alkaline ionized water was available ‘everywhere’.
We looked in the many 7-11’s. We looked in supermarkets, drugstores and in the myriad slot machine drink dispensers and the closest we came to alkaline water was a bottle called ‘Pocari Sweat’. Assured by Western colleagues that this was indeed the ionized water that was Kirin Brewery’s success story, we dropped some yen in the slot and took a bottle back to the hotel. The first swig revealed the awful truth. It was sugar laden; a real ‘kiddy drink’, yet this is supposed to be the most popular water based drink in Japan. A quick Google search revealed that although it has alkaline electrolytes of sodium potassium magnesium and calcium it is NOT ionized.
Our second commonly held assumption was that there are ionized water machines in many supermarkets. When I posted on my Facebook page that we couldn’t find one anywhere, an indignant respondent from Enagic sent an image of one somewhere in Japan, accusing me of malicious intent, whatever that means. Well, our truth is that we couldn’t find one dispenser.
We also believed that if, as is so often quoted, one home in 5 in Japan has a water ionizer, (and there are 18 companies selling them) there should be evidence of them in large department or whitegoods stores. Surely if one in 5 homes have one, they have gotten to the realm of mass merchandising, which would mean normal retail?
Again, nothing. Even stores selling water filters had no ionizers (unlike Taiwan which has stacks of them in stores) so in the absence of actually knocking on doors of private residences, I have no supportive evidence of the 1 in 5 claim.
We had some great discussions with industry leaders, one of whom gave us some good data on actual sales. They sold 100 units per day. That’s 36500 per year. They have 60% of the market, so this in my reckoning equals around 600,000 per year. Now at around 128,000,000, and an average family size (let’s be generous and say 4 people per home) that equals 32 million homes. If there is an ionizer in every 5th home, that means there are 6,400,000 ionizers installed in Japan. At present sales rates, this would take ten years to fill the demand. So.. is it true? I don’t know.
We are committing AlkaWay to finding, testing, developing and offering any way that allows our customers to access molecular hydrogen, and we’ve brought home not just a lot of knowledge but also some interesting technologies we’ll be testing out immediately. Times have changed and we are changing with them.
24,500 Contaminants in bottled water? Yep. It’s true.
More Than 24,500 Chemicals Found in Bottled Water
by Dr. Jennifer Landa
Bottled water has become a fashion trend – specific brands with unique shapes that tell the world a little something about you. While your bottle of water might make you appear to be a purveyor of optimal hydration, it’s also a sign you may be exposing your body to an onslaught of chemicals.
Recently, a study by German researchers, found nearly 25,000 chemicals lurking in a single bottle of water. Many of these chemicals mimic the effects of potent pharmaceuticals inside your body, according to the study published in the journal PLoS One.
The study was broken into two parts.
For the initial portion, the researchers tested 18 samples of various commercially sold water bottles from around the globe. Through chemical analyses, they tested the water to determine if it interfered with the body’s estrogen and androgen receptors. Tap water was tested as well, for comparison. The researchers were shocked to learn that most of the bottled waters revealed interference with both kinds of hormone receptors; amounts as little as 0.1 ounces inhibited estrogenic activity by 60 percent and androgenic activity by 90 percent. The tap water, on the other hand, showed no activity on either form of receptor.
During the second part of the study, the scientists sought to pinpoint which chemicals were the cause of reproductive hormonal interferences. Using other forms of detection to isolate the various chemicals, the researchers found more than 24,500 different chemicals in the bottled waters – including two classes of chemicals, maleates and fumarates, which are known potent endocrine disruptors (hormonally active chemicals). Maleates and fumarates are utilized to manufacture plastic resins, which are used to make water bottles, and they may also appear as contaminants of other plastic chemicals.
As a healthy adult, the occasional sip from the “toxic fountain” of bottled water won’t kill you. However, small children, women of child-bearing age, and pregnant women are at greater risk of poor outcomes when exposed to these chemicals.
Effects can include stunted growth, early puberty, premature birth, infertility and early menopause – just to name a few. The remaining population should still exercise caution, as more and more research is discovering that these chemical can also trigger diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Make it a habit to carry a refillable glass, stainless steel or BPA-Free water bottle. Many cities and states are beginning to convert water fountains to more easily accommodate refilling your water bottle. This began as an effort to protect the environment, but following this study, it would appear the benefits are dual fold. Earlier this year the FDA banned bisphenol-A (BPA), a common chemical used to make plastic bottles and linings of cans, from some food-related plastics. The ban also included baby bottles and sippy cups, though manufacturers say they had already eliminated the chemical in their products. It would seem, however, BPA isn’t the only problem when it comes to chemicals leaking into the food supply.
We Can Take control of our health. No-one else will!
Invest in a reusable water bottle and buya water filter that you can trust, then simply fill your bottle with pure healthy water at home. Choose a bottle made of nontoxic glass or stainless steel – highly recommended to ensure your health and safety. Some manufacturers have begun making glass bottles covered by a rubber cover to prevent breakage and simplify your commitment to health. And, of course there is one more benefit – by choosing to carry a refillable water bottle, you avoid that $2 plus charge every time you’re thirsty.
Do you drink soda? Are you overweight? There IS a link!
Do you go to the gym to lose weight then have a Coke to cool off?
The biggest mistake many of us make is going to the gym and then failing to clean up our diet. For many of us, diets are a daily kitchen battlefield. And one of the biggest mistakes that individuals often make is by substituting diet soda for regular soda.
While cutting out soda is one of the smartest things a person can do – intaking calories via liquid is never a good ide. And yet that’s what many of us do. We even try it with the so-called zero calorie drinks. Be warned: the calorie count may read “0” – but there are still serious negative drawbacks associated with diet sodas.
A brand new study conducted by researchers at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland shows that many, many overweight or obese people who drink diet sodas are more likely to consume a higher amount of calories from food than people who don’t drink soda.
Lead author of this particular study, Sara Bleich, stated that “overweight and obese adults who drink diet soda eat a comparable amount of total calories as heavier adults who drink sugary beverages, they consume significantly more calories from solid food.” This encompassed both meals and snacks and it should give cause for concern to people who may be looking at diet sodas as a quick fix.
Furthermore, people who drink diet soda are more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI) according to this study.
The data set is strong: it involves information gleaned from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2010. That survey was focused on discovering nationwide patterns in adult diet beverage intake and also took into consideration overall calorie intake.
The researchers involved in the John Hopkins study found that drinking diet sodas did not promote excess eating in normal-weight individuals but that overweight or obese people who drank diet soda would eat significantly more and would also consume more snack food than those who drank regular sodas.
The reason for this is likely because of artificial sweeteners, which basically trick the brain into thinking you are less full than you actually are. This can cause cravings which ultimately ruin diets and lead to unhealthy food choices. The researchers involved with the study also noted in their abstract that consumption of diet soda has risen from 3% in 1965 to 20% as of 2013.
Ian: How about it? Where are you substituting liquid for solids with the idea it’s better?
Aspartame and Diet Soda: A cheap way to get a heart attack?
Drinking Two Diet Sodas Per Week? You may be 50% More Likely to Die from Heart Disease
Most recently, one of the largest studies of its kind, which included nearly 60,000 post-menopausal women who were followed for about 10 years, found that drinking just two diet drinks a day can dramatically increase your risk of an early death from heart disease.4, 5 The findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 63rd Annual Scientific Session in Washington, DC.6 As reported by the University of Iowa:7
“…[C]ompared to women who never or only rarely consume diet drinks, those who consume two or more a day are 30 percent more likely to have a cardiovascular event [heart attack or stroke] and 50 percent more likely to die from related disease.
‘This is one of the largest studies on this topic, and our findings are consistent with some previous data, especially those linking diet drinks to the metabolic syndrome,’ says Dr. Ankur Vyas… the lead investigator of the study.
…The association persisted even after researchers adjusted the data to account for demographic characteristics and other cardiovascular risk factors, including body mass index, smoking, hormone therapy use, physical activity, energy intake, salt intake, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and sugar-sweetened beverage intake.
On average, women who consumed two or more diet drinks a day were younger, more likely to be smokers, and had a higher prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure, and higher body mass index.”
Thank you Joe Mercola!
Too expensive?
My business Guru, Seth Godin, talked today about value of things.
He used this example:
” A $400 bottle of water is too expensive to just about everyone, even to people with more than $500 in the bank. They have the cash, but they sure don’t want to spend it, not on something they think is worth less than it costs.”
How very true. And how many ways do different people manage the mental work of purchase? As Seth points out, ‘worth’ to one person means something else entirely to another.
If I said to you that you can buy 3ooo litres of purified alkaline hydrogen water, delivered home, you’d probably say no because you’d wonder where to put it, how to drink it and whether you dog might drown in it. The price might be important, and the actual value in the market for that amount of water in individual bottles is around $5000!But buying an UltraStream that uses your tap to convert the same amount of water into the elixer of alkaline hydrogen water, when a filter will produce over 3000 litres without wasting nary a drop at $199.
How does the mind work out NOT to order one immediately?
The Best Soda You Can Buy
Sherry Brescia sent me this excellent post about the best soda.
“I have a talent for hitting the grocery store at the precise moment when it’s mobbed, the lines are a mile long and there are cashiers in training.
Recently as I waited in a L-O-N-G, slow line to pay for my groceries, I began doing one of my favorite things.
Peeking in other people’s carts as they walked by.
Most times when I do this, what I see isn’t pretty–there are a LOT of people out there whose 4 food groups are Kraft, Frito-Lay, Campbell’s and Kellogg’s.
But recently my observations were especially disturbing…
Because every single cart I looked in had soda in it.
More contaminants found in Bottled water
Some people are aware that plastic containers leach endocrine-disrupting compounds into food and water. Given that the term “endocrine-disrupting” is thrown around a lot, it’s important you understand what this means. Your endocrine system produces hormones that act as chemical messengers that govern certain processes in the body (such as sexual development in young people). An endocrine-disruptor is something that interferes with this process. Given that hormones work in microscopic doses, it doesn’t take much of a foreign compound to cause problems (this is why when health officials tell you that very little leaches out of plastic containers, they are demonstrating their fundamental ignorance of how hormones work). Endocrine disruptors are known to cause cancer, birth defects, and developmental disorders. This isn’t theory. This is known fact. Further, they can cause the feminization of males and the masculinization of females.
You may have heard of BPA (Bisphenyl-A). Perhaps you’ve also heard about phthalates (pronounced thal-ates), plasticizers added to various products to keep them flexible. These are endocrine-disrupting compounds we’ve known about for some time. Now get ready for fumarates and maleates. Both of these classes of compounds are endocrine-disrupting. Maleates are chemicals that are structurally similar to phthalates, so it is no surprise they function similarly in the human body. The real bummer of all of this: these compounds (fumarates and maleates) do not appear to be regulated by any health agency; therefore, you are leaving your health in the hands of companies who do not have your best wishes in mind. I do not mean to sound like it is a big conspiracy theory, but plastics of all kinds that contact our food and water are not beneficial to our health. Companies hide behind statements designed to confuse the consumer, implying there isn’t enough information to demonstrate causality (when, in fact, there is).
The incidence of cancer in the United States, by some estimates, now stands at 2 in 5. That means that 2 in 5 people will contract cancer in their lifetime (1 in 2 males, 1 in 3 females). The abundance of endocrine-disrupting compounds, combined with poor diets that cannot power a vital immune system, are a contributing factor (of many factors) to all of this. Focusing on the health of your endocrine system is one important way to assist with the prevention of cancer. One of the ways we accomplish this is to stop drinking any liquid out of a plastic container. Period. If it isn’t in glass or some other relatively inert material, don’t drink it. If you don’t like your tap water (and many people don’t, water which passes through a great distance of plastic tubing), then gather spring water in glass containers (such as large carboys). It may sound like a lot of work, but it contributes to a healthy endocrine system by keeping your body more free of harmful chemicals. Don’t be an uninformed consumer. You are too important to somebody on this planet to depart early due to a preventable health issue.
Thank you, http://primaldocs.com/opinion/yet-more-harmful-compounds-found-in-bottled-water/
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