Water: The Universal Solvent - An Introduction to the Ways of Drinking Water

Although water sounds like such a simple topic, it’s actually one of the most critical and potentially complex subjects when it comes to human health. Balneology is the study of waters, and balneotherapy is the study of the use of waters for therapeutic purposes. There are very few balneotherapists in the United States, and yet water is the singular most important substance for human health aside from oxygen.

I became fascinated with the study of water having personally experienced the health promoting effects of certain hot springs around the western United States. While living and researching at some of these locations, I witnessed a few individuals arrive in wheel chairs, and leave walking a few short weeks later. I spent hours listening carefully to the various theories tossed around by visitors to these locations, who often traveled from distant lands to simply de-stress, cleanse, and enjoy nature. Eventually, I began reading about how waters are used around the world, both internally and externally, by talented healers and therapeutic practitioners.

Eventually, I became a water enthusiast. I enjoy purchasing waters from around the world to sample high quality natural spring waters. I also enjoy studying what makes each and every “famous” water special. I’ve done numerous informal experiments using kinesiology to identify what drinking waters are perfect for an individual, comparing and contrasting taste with muscle testing results.

You see, while it’s commonly stated that we are carbon based life forms, I disagree. I think it is more aptly stated that we are WATER based life forms living in carbon-based shells. Esoterically, water represents emotions, and it is certainly true that emotional stability relies upon good water and electrolyte balance. Take a moment to think about individuals one has met that are extremely cranky and irritable. You’ll notice that often times, a good description of these individuals: Very dry. Dry voices, dry skin, and dry personalities. What such individuals need is fluidity.

Most of the best natural waters lose their most critically valuable properties within about fifteen to thirty minutes of removal from their source. They must be enjoyed straight from the Earth. Having been removed and bottled, the dynamic energy that they possess declines greatly. Some “special waters” retain significant benefit due to the nature of the minerals in the water, such as waters with substances like magnesium bicarbonate. It is immensely pleasurable to experience water in its natural state, whether by soaking in natural hot springs or drinking fresh mountain snow water as it rages across smooth and weathered stone. Good clean ocean water is also highly therapeutic with its highly concentrated natural mineral salt content.

However, starting as early as the 1950’s, a dark shadow has been cast upon the Earth. With the explosion of the first atomic bomb above the Earth’s surface, every single surface water across the globe has been measurably contaminated, including rain filtration spring water, which is rain water that travels beneath the earth to rise again through springs after a short period of time. Man’s short-sighted use of toxic chemicals has only gotten steadily worse since that time. Rarer and rare are “primary springs” which birth a beautiful primordial water previously hidden deep beneath the Earth and thus protected from mankind’s folly. While such springs are still around, few people know where to find them, or even how to look.

And while the American public has been captivated by issues of money, property and prestige, the silent wealthy have begun- mostly very stealthily- buying up water rights throughout the United States and even around the world. They know something that others apparently don’t: That there will come a day in the not so distant future where clean water-useable water- will be a VERY valuable commodity.

When I realized the exact nature of the problems at hand, rather than begrudge the wealthy their riches, I began studying the problem to find solutions. Although public service ads abound on television which expound the virtues of city water supplies, I have not been fooled. In order to see the so-called high quality of major city water supplies, all one has to do is distill a gallon of water, and smell what is left behind. Many city water supplies are not only dirty and chemicalized, they are toxic.

Furthermore, traces of pharmaceutical drugs and street drugs may now be found in common waters, along with trace amounts of very dangerous chemicals. The government gets away with this, partly because of how daunting the task would be to correct the problem, and partly due to rigging the standards used for testing. Some of these chemicals change biological systems when present in the parts per BILLION (such as Xenoestrogens), and yet they aren’t even tested for in the low parts per million. The government has to count on the fact that the public at large will remain relatively uneducated in the water sciences, and yet we know the problem MUST be bad if they continue to spend money running cable TV ads as a part of a public relations campaign, just like BP has been doing after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

In the past fifteen years, bottled water has become very trendy. Individuals believe that they are getting a high quality product because a large corporation has made a fancy bottle and sticker, with a label that says “spring water”. Nothing could be further away from the truth. There are no controls or standards on how bottled water must be processed, bottled, or purified, and some bottled waters for sale are nothing more than tap water in poor quality, leeching plastic. While there are some fantastic drinking water companies out there, people have no idea how to choose a quality drinking water, and are left at the mercy of corporate marketing with their shimmering, glossy bottles.

Individuals who are more health conscious began drinking purified water long ago. What, then, should an individual do to balance cost, convenience, and more importantly, effectiveness?

I’d like to take a moment to dispel some of the vast confusion about water quality and water function. Armed with accurate information, the astute reader will never have to be mystified again.

Distilled Water Vs. Reverse Osmosis Water

There has been an ongoing debate about which type of water is better from a health standpoint: Distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or natural spring water.

Infamous natural health proponents such as Dr. Paul C. Braggs, often considered to be one of the fathers of the natural health movement, have long been passionately adamant that distilled water was a near miracle worker in the human body. And yet, nearly all water quality experts of this century stand firm and equally passionate that drinking distilled water is not only ill-advised, but potentially dangerous.

If you’ve ever gotten caught in the middle of two water enthusiasts arguing over their pet theories, you might mistakenly think you’ve stumbled into a war zone, and wonder if you’ll escape with your life!

The truth of the matter is quite simple and grounded in good science, and more importantly, good common sense. They are all right, to a certain degree, and they are all wrong, to a certain degree.

It is difficult to get water clean. It is expensive. Distilled water is often about 50-60 times cleaner than purified reverse osmosis water, and just because water comes from a spring, doesn’t mean it is healthy!

Braggs was so passionate about drinking distilled water due to the fact that the water is very empty, and can detoxify the body far more quickly than regular water. He was as passionate as he was because he saw this time and time again, over and over.

However, the same properties that make distilled water a useful tool also make it dangerous. There comes a point where drinking distilled water will stop detoxifying the body, and start stripping minerals. It’s the very nature of distilled water which allows it to act as a double-edged sword.

Reverse Osmosis water alone is not guaranteed to be clean and health-promoting either. One needs to use at least seven stage filtration to handle the garbage that now is present in water. Ozonation needs to be used prior to subjecting water to the reverse osmosis membrane; Ultraviolet light processing needs to be used, as well. A very high quality charcoal filter needs to be in-line. All of the volatiles must be broken down by ozone before being subjected to the reverse osmosis membrane to prevent irreparable damage to the membrane. UV must be used to kill any viruses and other stealth pathogens which are too tiny to be cleared via filtration.

Furthermore, most RO water is produced by small companies, which may or may not care for their equipment in the appropriate manner. It is extremely expensive to upkeep this type of equipment properly.

In order to gauge the quality of distilled water OR reverse osmosis or purified water, individuals truly need a way to measure the quality. Investing in two pieces of simple equipment is highly recommended:

1. A Hanna Instruments PWT meter. This is used to check the conductivity of the water, and will accurately predict the water quality when testing distilled or purified water. Distilled water should always read between 0.3 uS and 0.9 uS on the meter; the smaller the measurement, the better. Good purified water should read in the range of about 40-55 uS.

2. A Hanna Instruments pH meter or multi ORP meter. This is used to check the pH…the acid/basic balance… of water. Quality distilled water should be very close to neutral, which is 7.0. Store purchased distilled water has been getting poorer and poorer quality-wise in the last ten years. Some distilled waters with readings of nearly 1.0 uS are showing up highly alkaline; while this is acceptable, it is not indicative of a high quality product. Under no circumstances should distilled water be acidic, and used for anything other than ironing clothing! Good purified/Reverse Osmosis water is usually slightly alkaline, between 7.0 and 8.0.

Due to its unique properties, distilled water is the water of choice for making extracts and herbal teas. Empty water extracts far more substances than any other water, and any herbal preparation will be far more potent with its use.

Drinking distilled water for short periods of time can be advantageous for individuals who feel they are toxic; however, proper nutrition must be employed, and one must pay careful attention to the acid/basic balance of the soft tissues in the body (more on this in another post).

A good spring water is a fantastic choice, but the concept of what makes a good spring water good is variable. Some individuals need drink a very clean water for cleansing, while others need a highly mineralized water to replenish minerals in the body.

Therefore, the ideal base choice is using a properly prepared purified water which is very clean, and then adding the natural substances back into the water for perfect balance.

Most major cities have water stores that offer very affordable purified water, and if you find a store with a passionate owner, the quality is often exceedingly good. With meters in-hand, one will never have to “hope” that the filtration system is being managed properly!

What about Alkaline, Ionized Water?

There are huge problems with off the shelf water ionizers, aside from their lofty price tags. There’s nothing wrong with ionized water, but the core issue is that most of these units sold attach to the facet. By using electrolysis and a semi-permeable membrane, the acidic elements in the water converge in one chamber, and the alkaline in the other. While it is true that most dangerous chemicals are acidic, this is not universal. An ionizer cannot purify the water, as the alkaline AND acid elements are needed to make the process of ionization work.

I first built a water ionizer about five years ago, and I chose to build a batch processing ionizer so that I could control EXACTLY what was in the water. I started off with purified water, and added alkaline sea minerals in the water. In order to balance the equation, I elected to use MSM, a natural sulphur, for the acid reaction. In this manner, I knew exactly what was in the end product. An ionized water (the alkaline portion) should have a negative ORP reading of about -200 for the best results. This is also referred to as water with an antioxidant effect. The pH, on average, should be near 8.0.

However, there is another CRITICAL problem with alkaline water that results from a lack of proper education. While alkaline water is generally healthy to toxic bodies, alkaline water can also shut down HCL production in the stomach in a “worse case scenario”. This has led to several deaths with some very ill individuals It’s most likely the the water was overly alkaline; again, off the shelf units cannot easily control the mineral balance, and the cases that I’m familiar with used well water with some highly concentrated alkaloids.

The deaths were unnecessary. Later in this post, I’ll share one of my drinking water formulas that allows one to make an antioxidant alkaline water, and I’ll also share how to safely use it!

What is dead water?

In nature, everyone knows to avoid motionless, stagnant water. It’s amazing that we, as a civilization, ignore this wise principle when using our municipal water supplies. Perhaps people think that because we use lethal chemicals to treat our water, the fact that water may be free of pathogenic organisms and parasites that this means that the water is good.

It most certainly does not.

Dead water is a popular catch phrase that really means that water lacks energy. Fresh rain water is loaded with energy, as is water rushing downstream, or bursting up through an artesian spring.

Let me give an example of some experiments I did a number of years ago. After double distilling a batch of water, the distillation process loads the water with energy in the form of heat. Even though the water, having been distilled, is devoid of minerals, it still is extremely active for a short period of time. For about the first 30 minutes after distillation, my experiments showed that by using a Qi Gong method involving the hands, that a human being with a little bit of training could shift the pH of the distilled water (pH 7.0) to just above 8.0; one log, which is improving the alkalinity of the water by a factor of 10. This equates to a profound fact that the human energy system, by intelligent design and precise intent, can restructure the water molecules to such an extent that it can be measured using basic scientific equipment.

However, once the energy in the water leaves ( in this case heat, an excitation of the molecules), the distilled water cannot be manipulated in such an easy manner. Once the energy is gone, water becomes very chaotic at the quantum level.

This is one of the greatest challenges in cutting edge water research: How to keep water loaded with vibrant energy, and then how to structure the water in an intelligent and useful fashion. In the future, I’ll be posting more about how this is accomplished in nature, and how researchers are attempting to mimic nature, and even refine the process for human use. For now, I teach a very simple method which is a part of the drinking water formula I mentioned earlier.

What about miracle water additives and wetter water?

A fool and his money soon part ways. Beware and very wary of water additives.

Soap makes water wetter, and it will certainly have biological effects if used internally. Many water additives touting to make water wetter are diluted soap chemicals. Some of them are even marginally effective at what they claim, and yet you’ll notice that the marketeers will never share exactly what they use. The reason is that they often simply purchase large quantities of industrial chemicals and repackage them.

There are some such chemicals that have very good uses; after all, chemicals in and of themselves are not “anti” nature, many are simply concentrated forms of substances that exist readily in nature. However, the problem I have with companies that practice this type of marketing is that the individual does not have full disclosure in order to research the effects for themselves. The individual is left to blindly trust the marketing hype. In many cases, these products are not toxic and not harmful.

But in some cases, they are very harmful.

In order to make alkaline water alkaline, there are only a handful of “safe” elements to use. Each has a benefit, but most also have a bane. Water additives that employ calcium as an alkalizing agent are very dangerous for long term use. Calcification can easily occur, and using chemicalized calcium has been shown to cause bone density problems and abnormal bone growth. Calcium is one of the most important minerals to make certain one gets through a natural source.

Magnesium is another element used, but while you can make an alkaline water with various forms of magnesium as an additive, magnesium is not well adsorbed through the digestive tract. Users are fooled into believing they are alkalizing due to improved colon function, which is simply the result of more water being pulled into the colon by unadsorbed magnesium.

There are also many salt based water additives and “mannas” available on the market which tout ORMUS or monoatomic elements. My problem with these formulations is that some have been shown to contain toxic elements (such as gold chloride), and I have not been able to distinguish between results achieved with these products, and results achieved through simple sea salt therapy, which is far cheaper and very profound in and by itself. As such, I have no real basis for an informed opinion, nor I have met anyone who can honestly and without prejudice state that they do, either. Without comparative analysis, there may (or may not) be more imagination in those bottles than mystical manna.

The list goes on and on. In my water formula mentioned below, we do use one chemical as an optional alkalizing agent. I use this chemical because I was taught how to properly use it by an alternative cancer specialist, and it helped me personally beat cancer in 2001. Individuals who, through testing, are extremely acidic may wish to consider employing it. Individuals with great eating habits and good health can simply exclude it. The idea of using an alkalizing agent in and of itself is ONLY to help the body reach a state of balance that it can maintain on its own through good lifestyle choices.

There are some exceedingly good water additive products being developed, and ones that have recently reached the marketplace. One of them is part of the water formula that we currently use, and will be explained below. Others I will mention in other posts covering more advanced topics.

Two Distinct Classes of Waters

I’ve discussed alkaline water and mentioned acidic water, but there is one more classification that should be addressed as a part of an introduction to water:

Oxygenated Water and Antioxidant Water

Oxygenated water is a water rich in some form of oxygen. Antioxidant water is water that acts as a free radical scavenger. Both types of water have profound uses, yet are diametrically opposite.

Some companies, again, add oxygen to water via chemical manipulation. The best example of such a product is Homozon, which is a complex magnesium oxide. This product is marketed properly and does precisely what is designed to do, deliver oxygen (and magnesium) into the digestive tract as a digestive cleanser. I believe that homozon is MgO7, but I’m not absolutely certain, as they don’t share their formula. However, I also believe it is a misnomer calling it hom - ozone, as I believe that the oxygen detaches from the magnesium as three molecules of O2, leaving one MgO. I do not believe it releases ozone.

The most interesting way to drink oxygenated water is by drinking freshly ozonated water. I actually drink my ozonated water as it is ozonating. As I am drinking the ozonated water, the ORP reading is about 800-900, which indicates an incredible amount of oxidation power. This will sterilize an empty stomach in very short order. Ozone is very unstable, and has a very short half life in ambient air and an even shorter half life in a toxic environment, so there is limited oxidation work that can be done. Still, the “oxygen rush” effect is noticeable.

Another controversial way people drink oxygenated water is with hydrogen peroxide therapy. For some individuals, this form of therapy can be highly effective, but for some, it can be slightly dangerous. We utilize hydrogen peroxide in our water formulas, but not in a strong enough concentration to be used therapeutically (or high enough to cause discomfort/harm), and not specifically to add oxygen to the water.

Antioxidant water is achieved through ionization. It’s the alkaline water produced through the ionization process that gives the water it’s antioxidant properties. Through poor quality ionization, the negative ORP (oxygen reduction potential) is not long lasting. The water must be protected from sunlight, and consumed relatively shortly after the ionization process. As mentioned previously, a good general ORP measurement for an antioxidant water would be about -200, this indicates plenty of energetic activity with a safe amount of antioxidant potential.

This concludes the introduction to the ways of water! In the future, for those interested, I’ll be posting more advanced information and ideas about manipulating nature’s most profound universal solvent for the benefit of one’s health and well being!

For now, here is a simple clean water formula that we often use in one of our three gallon water crocks.

Water, Water Everywhere but This is What We Drink

Start with a three gallon container of properly purified or distilled water. This is a dead water, a lonely water. A water devoid of purpose, of love, of life-giving energy. A water left empty, but like any empty vessel, it is primed, full of promise, and ready to fulfill its destiny!

Slightly Oxygenated, Energized Water

If one is making an oxygen-based water, then:

1. Add three drops of 35% H2O2 (or the equivalent, if not using 35%) into the three gallons of water.

2. Add one ounce of ~10PPM Electrically Isolated Silver (colloidal silver) to the water.

This is the engine of the water. In this case, we’re not using silver as an antimicrobial, and we’re not using H2O2 as a therapy. You will taste neither in the water, and neither will have a profound direct chemical effect biologically; the concentrations are too low. Silver and hydrogen peroxide are explosive when used together. And what happens when two compounds explode? Right! They release energy! When a molecule of H2O2 encounters a particle of silver, the h2O2 explodes, releasing energy and liberating a single molecule of oxygen, in the form of O-, leaving one energized water molecule ( H2O) behind. This process is continuous, and can last for about a week, although the reaction becomes less and less as time passes and the h2O2 is reduced. 3 drops of H2O2 with an ounce of silver is just enough to keep that “engine” burning for the time it will take to drink the three gallons of water. BE CAREFUL if handling 35% hydrogen peroxide!

3. Add one to three ounces of magnesium bicarbonate.

Bicarbonates are amazing, and magnesium especially so. Later, I’ll dedicate a post to making and using magnesium bicarbonate. Magnesium can also act as an oxygen and oxygen signal carrier. When you drink the end product, magnesium plays a big part in the fresh feeling one experiences when drinking the water, especially when it is combined with oxygen-related energy and substances.

4. Add one to three drops of potassium hydroxide, 50% USP grade, liquid.

Potassium is the single perfect ion for alkalizing the body. In order for the potassium ion to be a problem, one needs to be in near renal failure. If one IS in near renal failure, do not use any form of potassium in the body. Potassium hydroxide scares alot of people. But look at it from a chemistry standpoint: It is K(OH). All that we’re doing with the potassium hydroxide is manipulating hydrogen with the potassium ion. While it is true that if used full strength, it is LYE, when used in minute amounts, it is a very valuable tool. Alot of retail water alkalizing water additive products sold for outrageous prices use K(OH) as the primary alkalizing agent- at least the good ones. CAUTION: Please handle the concentrated potassium hydroxide with care, undiluted it is VERY caustic.

With the batch I just made, my starting water read 69.8 uS… and the pH was in the mid 8’s… about 8.54. The silver will drop the pH slightly, as will the magnesium bicarb that I made. The Potassium Hydroxide, added at 3 drops, shifted the pH to a comfortable 8.7. One can use a bit more or a bit less K(OH), as long as one is using a meter to verify the pH. If no meter is available, use one or two drops only to be safe.

If one is interested, one can use peroxide testing strips to verify that there is no real measurable hydrogen peroxide left in the water after letting the water sit for a few hours. But the silver and the magnesium will still be VERY active in the water, and the water will still be very much “alive”.

5. Add three caps full of Tecopia Essentia Enhanced Spring Water (optionally). This will completely structure and stabilize the water.

The end result at this point will be a wonderful and fresh tasting water as alive as a rushing river… You can taste it and you can feel it.

At this point, an individual needs to address the issue of minerals. Different individuals will have different trace mineral needs.

You can:

A. Add one to three drops of liquid Concentrace (available online or at health food stores)

B. Add one pinch of our three clay blend to a glass of water. Stir thoroughly. Let sit for five minutes, and then carefully decant about 1 tablespoonful of the finest clay water, and add it to the water.

C. You can add in the exact minerals you need to restore the mineral balance to your body: Mineral Testing Kit . By testing yourself for key minerals, you can discover exactly what you may be missing in your diet.

There are many other things you can do to improve this base water, which I will address in other posts! But this water is supreme.

The target for the pH for an alkaline, oxygen-based water would be between 7.5 (for those who have excellent soft tissue pH) and 9 to 9.5 for those with extremely acidic systems.

As mentioned previously, there are some very ill individuals who could benefit from a supreme alkaline oxygenated water, but who risk shutting down HCL production due to consuming too much alkaline water. The solution to this dilemma is simple:

Add one quarter freshly squeezed lemon to a glass of this water, at least every other time this water is consumed if extremely weak digestion is an issue. Although the lemon juice itself is acidic, upon digestion it becomes an alkalizing agent in the body. As a digestive aid, it will “acidify” the water consumed without taking away it’s alkalizing properties.

Alkaline Antioxidant Water

One cannot use the H2O2/silver engine and antioxidant water at the same time. They would cancel each other out. One must choose between a highly oxygenated water, a highly antioxidant water, or a neutral one.

Rather than building a water ionizer oneself, or purchase a water ionizer that costs thousands of dollars, there is now a simple and very effective solution. Real Water. We’re lucky enough to live in the city where Real Water was created, and we actually have three gallon containers of Real Water home delivered; we also use Real Water concentrate as needed. Those who live in the Southern Nevada area can contact Silver Springs for more information.

Real Water Concentrate can be purchased online: Real Water Concentrate . Adding Real Water Concentrate to the basic water formula above (minus the h2o2 and silver) will transform the water into an antioxidant water, just like a water ionizer would do. The amount to use would be about one to two droppers full per gallon of water, which will stabilize the water with a negative ORP for nearly two weeks. We recommend using a meter, and adding just enough to achieve about a -200 ORP.

Drink this water in place of freshly ozonated or oxygenated water. We actually have two three gallon crocks, one we use for oxygen-based water, and the other for antioxidant-based water.

That’s it for this little water post! Stay tuned for a simple magnesium bicarbonate tutorial, and for future posts delving into more complex and refined water experiments and ideas!

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