| Mineral content in tap water will vary quite a bit from | | | | strong bones and teeth. But, your body also requires |
| place to place around the country, and it may even | | | | calcium to insure the integrity of cell membranes, |
| vary in the same general area, depending on its | | | | regulate nerve and muscle action, maintain muscle |
| source. In this article we will look at where minerals | | | | contraction, assure proper cardiac rhythm and aid in |
| come from, how they affect your drinking water, | | | | blood coagulation. It even makes coffee, tea and |
| and what you can to do to improve its quality. | | | | beverages taster better. |
| Drinking water drawn from surface water such as a | | | | But, too much calcium in the water, anything over 50 |
| river, lake or stream, will likely have far fewer | | | | parts per million, is considered to be hard water and |
| minerals than if it came from ground water, from a | | | | that can be a problem. Minerals like calcium and |
| well or a spring. And, a healthy balance of minerals | | | | magnesium cause hard scale buildup in water pipes, |
| and chemicals in our water is a very good thing. | | | | water heaters and other fixtures. If you have ever |
| After all, our bodies contain sodium, potassium, | | | | taken a bath in hard water you know how difficult it |
| calcium, magnesium, chloride, phosphate, sulfates and | | | | is to get suds from the soap. |
| many more. And, our bodies need to be replacing | | | | Other minerals you may have in your water are |
| these ingredients constantly. | | | | sulfur, iron, copper, magnesium, potassium, and lead, |
| Let's look closely at one of these minerals, a very | | | | or their water soluble derivatives. |
| vital one to good health, and see how it gets in our | | | | Lead is a very toxic metal, and the EPA has deemed |
| water. All the others come about in much the same | | | | that any amount of lead in drinking water is unsafe. |
| way. | | | | Lead usually gets into your tap water as it leaches |
| A very common element of earth's rocks is | | | | out of solder and pipe fittings. |
| limestone. Limestone is composed largely of calcium | | | | But, most of these minerals are okay in small, healthy |
| carbonate, the stuff of oyster shells, which is | | | | quantities, just not in large doses. If your water |
| insoluble in water, but very reactive to acids. We all | | | | comes from a municipal supplier, you can ask them |
| know the problems with acid rain and marble statues, | | | | for a report about the minerals in the water. If not, |
| and limestone buildings. | | | | you can have your water tested at a water lab. |
| On a rainy day, water vapor in the clouds will | | | | There are filter systems that will clean up the |
| combine with carbon dioxide in the air and produce | | | | chemicals from the water, if they are a problem, only |
| carbonic acid. This causes the water vapors to | | | | be careful not to use a system that cleans too well. |
| become slightly acidic, and when these vapors | | | | Pure water, without these natural trace minerals, is |
| condense into rain, the water falls, percolates down | | | | not healthy and many doctors feel it is even |
| through the various layers of the earth, dissolves | | | | dangerous. Be sure the system you use will maintain |
| limestone deposits, and releases calcium bicarbonate, | | | | a healthy balance of minerals in your drinking water. |
| a water soluble form of calcium, into the water. | | | | I use, and I highly recommend you use, a multi-stage, |
| While approximately 70 percent of our body is | | | | selective water to remove the contaminants from |
| water, the next largest component is calcium. Calcium | | | | your water. Order one today and give your family |
| is very good for you. Obviously, we need it for | | | | good, clean water right away! |