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More than half of all Americans drink bottled water; about a third of the public consumes it regularly. Bottled water cost from 240 to over 10,000 times more per gallon for bottled water than they typically do for tap water

Government and industry estimates indicate that about 25 to 30 percent of the bottled water sold in the United States comes from a city or town's tap water - sometimes further treated, sometimes not. Most bottled water appears to be safe, and the majority proved to be high quality and relatively free of contaminants. The quality of some brands are spotty, however, and such products may pose a health risk, primarily for people with weakened immune systems.

To find out if your bottled water comes from your community, carefully check the bottle label and even the cap - if it says "from a municipal source" or "from a community water system", this means it's derived from tap water.

In a major study comparing 1,000 bottles of different water brands by an independent agency NRDC, about 22 percent of the brands tested contained, in at least one sample, chemical contaminants at levels above strict state health limits. If consumed over a long period of time, some of these contaminants could cause cancer or other health problems.

Many, but not all, brands of bottled water may provide a reasonable alternative to boiling tap water. Currently, bottled water companies are not required to test the water for cryptosporidium, though bottled water sources often are just as prone to Crypto contamination as any other drinking water source. The origin of the source water, the types of microorganisms in that water, and the treatment of that water before it is bottled vary considerably among bottled water companies and even among brands of water produced by the same company. Therefore, individuals should not presume that all bottled waters are absolutely free of Cryptosporidium.

Distilled Water - Use Sparingly

Distilled water is void 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. Distilled water, being essentially mineral-free, is very aggressive in that it tends to dissolve substances with which it is in contact due to its acidic properties. When exposed to air, distilled water absorbs the atmospheric carbon dioxide and becomes acidic, with a pH of 5.8. Many metals are dissolved by distilled water. The more distilled water a person drinks, the higher the body acidity becomes.

Drinking distilled water during body detoxification for a short period of time (less than 4 weeks) helps the body rid itself of unwanted minerals. It draws the poisons out of the body. Once this is accomplished, distilled water consumption should be discontinued.

Soda pop beverages are the most toxic commercial beverages consumed and they 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. Long-term consumption has been linked to high blood pressure and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

The modern day diet consists of meat, sugar, flour, processed food, and alcohol. Such food turns acidic in the body. Stress, whether mental or physical, also can lead to acid deposits in the body. Cancer cells grow the best in an acidic environment. Drinking distilled water will add to this acidic environment, promoting premature aging due to the accumulation of acid waste products in the body.

In an acidic environment, there is an associated loss of sodium, potassium, chloride, and trace minerals. Cells in the body strive to buffer this acidity to achieve neutrality, including removal of minerals from the skeletal system and the manufacture of bicarbonate in the blood. Long term distilled water consumption will inevitably lead to multiple mineral deficiencies.