There Must Be Something in the Water…

So the summer is moving along as anticipated HOT HOT HOT! We have now reached our third installment of the Health series here on the blogspot and would like to shift our attention and focus to that good H2O aka WATER. Water is essential in our everyday lives, without it truly very little would exist. So it would be impossible to share with you facts, tips and themes surrounding good health and not mention the importance of water. Let’s Go!  

Ok people; let me get focused…

So early in the week here in the DMV, the temperature outside was clocked at nearly 100 degrees. DAYUUUUUUM! Don’t know about you all but once the conditions outside reach a certain point I am pretty much useless for the rest of the day. As I proceeded to turn on the radio, I got the status quo report, “It’s gonna be a HOT ONE TODAY! So make sure you drink lots of WATER to keep from dehydrating”. My first thought was why do they always say the same gibberish? And you hear the next day TWO people died from heat exhaustion. So it got me to my next point, who would have ever believed 15 years ago, the water we drink today would be such a big commercial enterprise and still pose so many unknowns.

As stated in my earlier blogs, I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria in my early years and now live in United States. So having that frame of reference, I can attest first hand the blow of unavailable and inaccessible WATER can have in home, community and nation. In Nigeria we have two types of water; the one pumped underground from the well used for everyday means and the water purchased in a plastic 2 liter bottle only used for drinking. Now fast forward to my adult years in America the past 10-15 years and all people drink is bottled water. At first this was not the case, especially when I was in junior and senior high school where we would drink from a water fountain in school and pour from the tap in the kitchen sink when thirsty.

By now everybody is well aware of the long debate over what is better for you to drink bottle water vs. tap water. Safe and pure water is easily recognized as a luxury in my native homeland of Nigeria and other parts of Africa but surprisingly this resource is also valued here in America. Water as we know of course is essential to maintaining good health and we must drink enough of it in order to replace whatever is lost through bodily functions.

The water industry is such a cash cow all over the world that people simply can’t get enough of it. I even have a good friend of mine that refuses to give her dog “Zion” water from the tap. She says to me, “I refuse to have my baby drink from the tap cuz only God knows what is inside that DC water”. SMH! Now if dog owners and pet lovers are out here buying water for animals you know that this is no laughing matter and people take this seriously.

Over the years, I have heard so many debates on both sides citing that one is better than the other. So I would like to share with you all some basic information that you should always remember when presented with the decision “drinking from the tap or drinking out of the bottle”

Point I: Did you know that bottle water is governed far less that ordinary tap water?

Point II: Why is bottle water far more expensive when compared to tap water? Water in a bottle can cost you much more than a gallon of gas at times in some places.

Point III: The convenience, with bottle water you can take it with you wherever you go. You save yourself having to use, change and clean cups by not using tap water.

Point IV: So many of us have heard this before but it is worth mentioning again, bottled water can generate bacteria pollution if not used the right way. For example, once the bottle has been opened up, bacteria may go in if not consumed immediately and when left in the sun or heated the chemicals in the bottle end up in your water. This has been traced and linked to the cause of cancer and other diseases.

Point V: Let’s use the recent flooding in Lagos, Nigeria this past weekend as a great example of why it is important to have bottled water. During such a disaster, tap water may not be available nor would anyone recommend its consumption. This is when water in a bottle can be considered a benefit and having a few cases stored away would be in your best interest.

It seemed like only light years ago when we all got our water from the tap. But in recent years, we buy bottle water at work, at the local fitness center or at any point during the day as if we were junkies trying to satisfy a “FIX”.

A Toast to a Clean Bill of Health…