Water, Water, Everywhere...

Although water covers 66% of the Earth's surface, only 2.5% of water is fresh water, and over two thirds of this is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps.

Today, it has been suggested that around 14,000 people die daily due to water pollution. [Source Larry West "World Water Day: A Billion People Worldwide Lack Safe Drinking Water" 26 March, 2006]. Man has polluted almost every single water supply in the world. The quality of water in your region can be found be reading the Drinking Water 2005 Report from the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) http://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumer/wq05ccw.shtm

Part 3 of the report details the drinking water standards and the allowable levels of chemicals in the drinking water provided by your supplier.

In China, 80% of the country's major rivers are so degraded that they no longer support fish. Many Eastern European rivers run yellow with industrial poisions. Three hundred million gallons of raw or partially treated sewage is discharged around England's coastline each day and two million tons of toxic waste is dumped into the sea annually. [Source: Paul Chek - "How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy" 2004]

For drinking water, drink bottled water from natural sources. The best types are those with a hardness of 170mg/L or greater, a Total Disolved Solids (TDS) of 300 or greater and PH>7. [Source: Paul Chek - "How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy" 2004] The best known brands are Evian, Vittel and Volvic.

How much water do I need to drink? Well, the Chek Institute recommends that you take your body weight (in Kg) x 0.033 = how much water to drink in litres. A 75kg person would need to drink 2.5 litres of water a day to remain properly hydrated (75x0.033). This amount needs to increase under exercise or in hot climates.

You'll know when you are properly hydrated when your urine runs clear!

If you don't like the taste of water, then add a pinch of unprocessed sea salt to the bottled water, which can't be tasted but gives the water a much 'nicer' feel in the mouth, it will also reduce the frequency of urination!