Let Food Be Thy Medicine, Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.)

• The Sectrets of Longevity and Vibrant Health
• The Science Behind Living Foods
• Gourmet Live Food Recipes by Top Chefs
• Acid and Alkaline Balancing
• How to Regulate Your Body Temperature With Food!

Pure Water

Just as important as obtaining pure water is the material of the container in which you store your water. I drink my water out of glass bottles. Have you ever noticed when drinking water out of plastic bottles that you can sometimes taste plastic? That is because the plastic has leached into the water. Many people use lexan polycarbonate Nalgene bottles because they are clear, lightweight, and sturdy. Polycarbonate plastic bottles are standard equipment for millions of hikers and babies. (They are usually labeled #7 on the bottom; Nalgene is the best -known producer.) Since polycarbonate bottles don't impart a taste to fluids, many users assume they are safer than bottles made out of other kinds of plastic. But now an accidental discovery has cast doubt on their safety (www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200311/lol5.asp). The amount of leaching increases as the plastic ages and is degraded by use. A separate study published in Environmental Health Perspectives confirmed this finding, and also detected leaching from new polycarbonate plastic.

Many studies have shown that the plastic residues leached from water bottles can wreak havoc in our bodies. If you must drink out of a plastic water bottle, be sure to keep it out of the sun as the sunlight has been shown to increase the amount of chemicals leached. For detailed information on toxic free choices for storing water on a large scale, I suggest the book, Water Storage, by Art Ludwig www.oasisdesign.net/water/storage. If you are unable to carry a glass water container then stainless steel containers seem to be a safe choice.