When drinking WATER turns dangerous

Staying properly hydrated is essential to good health. And there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ve heard the “drink eight glasses a day” advice before.

But the truth is, that may or may not be enough. As a general rule of thumb, you should actually be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day.

After all—NOT drinking enough water can lead to depression, headaches, kidney problems, and MORE.

But… what if your drinking water is contaminated? Because sadly, that’s a far more common problem than you’d ever believe.

Well, let’s talk about it…

WRECKS your healthy diet

A study published in the journal Obesity found that certain chemicals in drinking water can, well, FUEL obesity.

Researchers focused on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl). As you might recall, these “forever chemicals” are everywhere… and they affect our health in many ways.

They analyzed nearly 400 blood samples that were collected as part of a randomized European Commission clinical trial, which focused on weight loss among obese participants.

And guess what?

Researchers discovered that elevated PFAS exposure was linked to weight gain—regardless of other dietary efforts to lose weight. Meaning NO diet was enough to combat the ill-effects of chemical-laden drinking water.

In fact, participants with the highest concentration of PFOA in their blood gained nearly 10 pounds more than those with lower levels after a one-year follow-up period.

(PFOA is a type of perfluoroalkyl chemical that’s commonly detected in public drinking water.)

As one of the study authors stated: “Our study adds new evidence that being overweight isn’t just about a lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits—PFAS are increasingly suspected to be a contributing factor.”

Are you infuriated yet?

Three tips for safer water

PFAS are called “forever chemicals” because they NEVER degrade in the environment.

Worse yet, they’re colorless, odorless, and tasteless… so you NEVER even realize you’re routinely exposed.

And, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are thousands of different PFAS used in everyday items, from dental floss and shampoo to food packaging, upholstery, and clothing.

Not to mention potential exposure through the very food we eat and the water we drink.

When will enough be ENOUGH?

I’ve written before about ways you can limit your exposure to PFAS—like ditching non-stick pots and pans and never eating or drinking out of plastic.

But when it comes to your drinking water in particular? I have three tips…

Only ever drink natural spring water bottled in glass. My favorite is S.Pellegrino Sparking Natural Mineral Water. (NEVER drink out of a plastic bottle, even those labeled “BPA-free.”)

Filter your water to keep out as many chemicals and other toxins you can. Get the best filter you can afford, whether it’s a filtration system for your entire home, a faucet filtration system, or a refillable water pitcher.

And finally, consider calling your senator or congressman and asking them what they’re doing to keep your community safe. Because unless we hold our elected officials accountable, these threats will almost certainly remain.

Source:

“New study confirms link between ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water and weight gain.” MDLinx, 04/20/2023. (mdlinx.com/news/new-study-confirms-link-between-forever-chemicals-in-drinking-water-and-weight-gain/2D4zTqnbhVDMbVxlAqURyD)