Early Death Comes From Drinking Distilled Water
by Dr. Joseph Mercola
Author of the Total Health Program
During nearly 19 years of clinical practice I have had the
opportunity to observe the health effects of drinking different
types of water. Most of you would agree that drinking unfiltered
tap water could be hazardous to your health because of things
like
- parasites
- chlorine
- fluoride
- dioxins
Many health fanatics, however, are often surprised to hear
me say that drinking distilled water
on a regular, daily basis is
potentially dangerous.
Paavo Airola wrote about the dangers of distilled water in
the 1970's when it first became a fad with the health food
crowd.
Distillation is the process in which water is boiled, evaporated
and the vapour condensed. Distilled water is free of dissolved
minerals and, because of this, has the special property of
being able to actively absorb toxic substances from the body
and eliminate them. Studies validate the benefits of drinking
distilled water when one is seeking to cleanse or detoxify
the system for short periods of time (a few weeks at a time).
Fasting using distilled water can
be dangerous because of the rapid loss of electrolytes
(sodium, potassium, chloride) and trace minerals like magnesium,
deficiencies of which can cause heart beat irregularities
and high blood pressure. Cooking foods in distilled water
pulls the minerals out of them and lowers their nutrient value.
Distilled water is an active absorber and when it comes into
contact with air, it absorbs carbon
dioxide, making it acidic.
The more distilled water a person drinks, the higher the body
acidity becomes.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Distilled
water, being essentially mineral-free, is very aggressive,
in that it tends to dissolve substances with which it is in
contact. Notably, carbon dioxide from the air is rapidly absorbed,
making the water acidic and even more aggressive. Many metals
are dissolved by distilled water."
The most toxic commercial beverages that people
consume (i.e. cola beverages and other soft drinks) are made
from distilled water. Studies have consistently shown that
heavy consumers of soft drinks (with
or without sugar) spill huge amounts of calcium, magnesium
and other trace minerals into the urine.
The more mineral loss, the greater
the risk for osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism,
coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and a long list
of degenerative diseases generally associated with premature
aging.
A growing number of health care practitioners
and scientists from around the world have been advocating
the theory that aging and disease is the direct result of
the accumulation of acid waste products in the body.
There is a great deal of scientific documentation
that supports such a theory. A poor diet may be partially
to blame for the waste accumulation.
These and other junk foods can cause the body
to become more acidic:
- meats
- sugar
- alcohol
- fried foods
- soft drinks
- processed foods
- white flour products
- dairy products
Stress, whether mental or physical can lead
to acid deposits in the body.
There is a correlation between the consumption
of soft water (distilled water is extremely soft) and the
incidence of cardiovascular disease. Cells, tissues and organs
do not like to be dipped in acid and will do anything to buffer
this acidity including the removal of minerals from the skeleton
and the manufacture of bicarbonate in the blood.
The longer one drinks
distilled water, the more likely the development of mineral
deficiencies and an acid state.
I have done well over 3000 mineral evaluations
using a combination of blood, urine and hair tests in my practice.
Almost without exception, people who consume distilled water
exclusively, eventually develop multiple mineral deficiencies.
Those who supplement their distilled water intake
with trace minerals are not as deficient but still not as
adequately nourished in minerals as their non-distilled water
drinking counterparts even after several years of mineral
supplementation.
The ideal water for the human body should be
slightly alkaline and
this requires the presence of minerals like
Distilled water tends to be acidic and can only
be recommended as a way of drawing poisons out of the body.
Once this is accomplished, the continued drinking of distilled
water is a bad idea.
Water filtered through reverse osmosis tends
to be neutral and is acceptable for regular use provided minerals
are supplemented.
Water filtered through a solid charcoal filter
is slightly alkaline. Ozonation of this charcoal filtered
water is ideal for daily drinking. Longevity is associated
with the regular consumption of hard water (high in minerals).
Disease and early death is more likely to be seen with the
long term drinking of distilled water.
Avoid it except in
special circumstances.
Zoltan
P. Rona MD MSc
References
Airola,
P. 1974. How To Get Well. Phoenix, AZ: Health Plus Publishers.
Baroody,
Dr. Theodore A. Jr. Alkalinize or Die. California:Portal
Books, 1995.
Haas,
Elson M. Staying Healthy with Nutrition. The Complete Guide
to Diet & Nutritional Medicine. Berkeley, California:Celestial
Arts, 1992; p. 22.
Rona,
Zoltan P. and Martin, Jeanne Marie. Return to the Joy of
Health, Vancouver: Alive Books, 1995.
Rona,
Zoltan P. Childhood Illness and The Allergy Connection.
Rocklin, California:Prima Books, 1996.