We all know that our bodies contain 70% water, and that we lose a lot of that water during the day via sweating, breathing, urinating and various other methods. We also know that we need to replace those lost bodily fluids to maintain the balance and avoid getting dehydrated.
We know that we need to drink water because if we get dehydrated we can affect our health negatively and even do our bodies permanent irreparable harm. Dehydration can lead to headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, muscle cramps, vomiting, temporary blindness, painful urination, respiratory depression, neuromuscular seizures, and more.
We know all of this, yet around 60% of all people around the world are at least mildly dehydrated most of the time because we do not drink water as often as we should. We drink tea, coffee, sugary drinks, alcohol and various other liquids, but we do not drink water because we do not like the taste of it.
The reason for this is that in many countries, even in first world countries, the tap water that one gets is not fit for drinking. Even when tap water is of a better quality, many individuals say that it tastes funny or smells funny and they will not drink water that comes out of the tap. Even in the UK, where the government swear that the quality of the tap water is good, many complain because of the fluoride in the water, which has been scientifically and medically proven to be unhealthy and possibly carcinogenic.
What Are the Best Sources of Drinking Water?
There is no getting away from the fact that we all need to drink water as often as possible to maintain the balance of water in our body, whether we like water or not. There just is no better fluid for our bodies than drinking water, and even though we can replace some of the lost fluids by eating water-rich fruit and vegetables, and drink various other liquids as part of our liquid replacement regimen, drinking water remains the main and best method of keeping our bodies balanced and healthy.
So what are the best sources of drinking water?
Tap Water
Check your local government or council reports to check out the quality of the tap water in your area; make sure that it corresponds with the regulations as set out by international water governing bodies like UN-Water, which is an inter-agency entity of the United Nations mandated to “support states in their water-related efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals,†the Global Water Partnership (GWP), the International Water Association (IWA), and the World Water Council (WWC).
Filtered Water
Drinking water can be filtered via various means, depending on why you are filtering it:
- If you are filtering for chlorine content, just placing a jug of water in a fridge for an hour or two will sort that problem out.
- A filtered water-jug also works for minimal filtering and can be kept in the fridge to keep it chilled.
- A water filtrations system can either be attached to the tap or to the water pipe leading to the tap, in which case it is generally fitted under the sink.
- A whole-house water filtration system can be fitted to your mains water pipe
Bottled Water
Bottled water has become very popular over the past decade or so, but not all bottled water is what it says on the label; studies have discovered that approximately 25% of brands just filter ordinary tap water, bottle it and then charge the earth for it.
If you are going to drink bottled water, then make sure that you only drink bottled spring water; companies may not claim that the content is spring water unless they can prove origin. More often than not, mineral water or purified water or distilled water is just plain old filtered tap water.
Water Coolers
Drinking water from a home water cooler or an office water cooler is far more satisfying than drinking water from a tap, because it is chilled, toxin-free and just tastes so good! Office water coolers have been around for quite a while in the US, but have only recently become popular in the UK and other parts of the world. This may have to do with the declining quality of tap water, improved general knowledge regarding dehydration, and the quest to live a healthier life.
Whatever the reason, water dispensers are a great way to ensure that you are drinking water that is good for you; you will also find that you will drink more water if your company has an office water cooler because of the taste, the fact that it is chilled, and the fact that it is very accessible. Purchasing a home water cooler will do the same for the rest of your family, especially the children who would rather reach for a carbonated, sugary drink at the best of times. Having chilled water from a water cooler accessible to them 24/7 will encourage them to drink more water
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