It’s Okay to Drink Tap Water, Right?

July 31, 2017 by Phil Carson Leave a Comment

When someone tells me about an ailment they’re having, one of the first questions I ask is: “How much water are you drinking each day?” Most people even admit to me that they’re probably not drinking enough. But I hear this question a lot as well, “It’s Okay to drink tap water, right?”

The human body is the world’s most amazing machine. With more than 600 different muscles, more than 200 bones, and more than 70 organs all working in conjunction with one another each day, it’s fascinating to think about how the human body functions. And even though your body contains all of these muscles, bones, and organs, they still don’t even account for the majority of what’s inside you. The human body consists primarily of water. Drinking water throughout the day is essential for overall health. Water helps us to perform at high levels, and we need to make sure we replenish our supply each day. We literally can’t live without water.

A deficit of water in your body can cause immediate and serious health problems, and if not addressed quickly, it will eventually result in death. To keep your body feeling fluid and performing at optimal levels, you should be drinking no less than one half ounce of water for every pound you weigh. For those of you who think water tastes too plain, I recommend trying The Right Cup.

According to recent studies, about 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. The first signs of dehydration include headaches, sluggishness, and loss of appetite. Severe dehydration leads to far more serious ailments such as chronic pain, organ failure, degenerative diseases, and death. If you’re reading this and are realizing you might be dehydrated, there’s a good chance you’re thinking about going to the kitchen sink and getting a glass of tap water. Don’t.

They type of water we drink is extremely important.

In my book How to Live Until You Die I stated “The truth is that tap water is the worst kind of water to drink because it’s full of chemicals.” There are hundreds of studies that will show you the dangerous chemicals that tap water contains, and many case histories done in the past few years that prove the deadliness of those chemicals. According to a report in Scientific American, “Traces of 18 unregulated chemicals were found in drinking water from more than one-third of U.S. water utilities in a nationwide sampling…”

Drinking tap water is simply not a safe way to sustain necessary levels of hydration in your body. The movie A Civil Action which dramatizes the true story of Erin Brockovich, profiles the inclusion of Chromium-6 in the tap water of more than 218 million Americans. Chromium-6 is known to be responsible for cancer, liver damage, reproductive problems, and developmental harm. You may also remember the crisis of 2014 in Flint, Michigan, when it was discovered that the tap water was contaminated with high levels of lead.

We need to drink water to stay hydrated, but drinking tap water will probably do us more harm than good. So what do we do? You have a few options. Bottled water is better than tap water, and so is filtering water through either a pitcher or a device attached directly to the tap. Water filtration will remove some of the chemicals, however, it is inconsistent and the lifespan of filters can weaken their effectiveness over time.

My favorite type of water is alkaline ionized water, which you can get through a Kangen machine. Alkaline water helps counteract any acidic things that we put in our bodies. It also contains electrolyte nutrients that help your body function the way it should. To learn more about proper hydration, safe and unsafe water sources, and my top recommendations for staying healthy by drinking the right kind of water, get a copy of my book How to Live Until You Die. (more blogs on water)

Healthy Blessings,

Dr. Phil

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The Most Important Part of Any Diet is Water

June 30, 2017 by Phil Carson Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever felt motivated to improve your health, you’ve probably realized that eating right is crucial to success. Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, or just feel more alive, having the right diet is critical. Most people cringe when they hear the word “diet” because their first thought is that they have to undertake an extreme regimen of eating far less, far more, or much different food than they are used to. However, the word “diet” in its simplest form is more accurately defined as the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

Everybody has a diet. For some people, a diet can include fast food, sugary drinks, and daily desserts. Others may consider their diet to be Paleo, Mediterranean, vegetarian, or one of the other well-known, well-defined mainstream diets. Your diet is what you eat regularly. If you want to improve your overall quality of life, take a long look at your diet. Are you consuming too many harmful foods? Could you add more fruits and vegetables to your daily intake? What exactly is the ideal diet?

No two people are exactly the same, and no two diets need be exactly the same either. The best diet is what works best for your body. However, there is one thing that is essential across all diets, for all humans, regardless of shape, size, age, or any other variable: The number one most important thing to consume every day is water. Our bodies are made primarily of water. In fact, our composition is 60-70% water. The bottom line is: We can’t live without water. According to Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, an authority in the medical community, more than 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. This astounding statistic may very well explain the root cause of many ailments suffered by individuals across the country.

When a new patient comes to Dr. Phil Carson with a complaint about their health, he says, “Water is so important that no matter what ailment the person is asking about, one of the first questions I ask is how much water they’re drinking a day.” In his book, How to Live Until You Die, he asserts that “Water can be an important part of any plan to burn fat, lose weight, and speed up your metabolism.”Treatment with wasn’t easy for me. I had severe nasal dryness and nasal bleedings, so I had to moisturize my mucous all the time. My hair got a bit worse too, but, you know, the game is definitely worth the candles. The dryness has gone away, but my face is super clear now and my self-esteem high. I feel like a new person after Accutane.

To truly live happy, healthy, and whole, you need to drink at least .5 ounces of water for each pound that you weigh, each day. Water plays a major part in flushing out deadly toxins and allowing us to feel fluid, flexible, and energized. Several scientific studies have found significant correlations between water intake and reduced risk of bladder cancer, rectal cancer, colorectal cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer. The collective conclusion of the studies mentioned is that “Water is undoubtedly the most important nutrient and the only one whose absence will be lethal within days.” Dr. Phil gives an overview of these studies in How to Live Until You Die, along with recommendations on the best water sources and types of water, the best times to drink water, healthy ways to make water more flavorful, and warnings against drinking tap water.

Daily consumption of water is one of Dr. Phil’s seven keys to living right. As he says in How to Live Until You Die “Getting enough water is a critically important part of a balanced plan to be more happy, healthy, and whole.”

You have probably heard Dr. Phil say, “You may not be drinking enough water, but you need to be! Stay hydrated, my friends!” But there are so many options, how do you know what type of water to drink to make sure you’re getting the most benefits and great taste, while keeping it simple and consistent with your lifestyle? Dr. Phil recently shared a video on his Facebook page, where people have tested the Ph Balance levels on popular brands of bottled water. It’s shocking to see these results. Dr. Phil highly recommends drinking high quality bottled spring water or mineralized water for that reason.

Two of the most common reasons people give for not drinking enough water are that is tastes too plain or it’s too boring. Water doesn’t have to be boring or plain! Have you tried adding fresh squeezed lemons, limes or oranges? Adding fresh fruit to your water can taste even better than the chemical-infused elixirs marketed as sports drinks or enhanced waters. Experiment today with adding fruit to your water. Your kids and grandkids will love it too!

To learn more about the health benefits of water, how to get the right amount of water in your diet, and to discover the other six keys to living happy, healthy, and whole, order your copy of How to Live Until You Die today. You can also listen to a recent episode of the Feeling Good Podcast, where Dr. Phil discusses the importance of water in your diet on our website or in iTunes.

Healthy Blessings,

Dr. Phil

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Beat the Heat Wave This Summer!

June 30, 2016 by Phil Carson 1 Comment

It’s that time of year again! The heat is intense and can be dangerous if you’re not careful!

In the last couple of weeks, it’s been hot enough where I live to cook my breakfast on the street! Last week on my Feeling Good Friday broadcast I talked about ways to beat the summer heat! I wanted to share this blog with everyone as a reminder of ways to take care of yourself this summer. These tips are vital to me as well as summer is one of my favorite times of the year because I love to be outside! Going on walks, working in the yard, barbecuing with friends, and hanging out by the pool are some of my favorite things to do in the summer. I know a lot of you share those same pastimes, and as I get older, I have to remind myself that if I’m going to be outside for a prolonged period of time then I have to take some precautions.

Living in the deep south it’s often the combination of heat and humidity that causes the most danger! Unfortunately, there are thousands of people every summer that suffer from heat exhaustion and many deaths are caused by the high temperatures. From 1999 to 2010 an average of 618 people died a year from heat related illness! This sickness and death, for the most part, is totally preventable! If we take proper precautions before getting out into the heat, I believe heat exhaustion and heat related deaths can be prevented. The key word here is prevention, and by following my recommendations, I believe everyone can lower the possibility of heat exhaustion and death!

Tip 1 – Hydration

The biggest factor contributing to heat related illness is hydration. You must drink water! Preferably mineralized water, which contains the electrolytes that your body is losing as you sweat in the summer heat. Whatever you do, DO NOT drink sodas in the heat because they cause further dehydration! The sugar rich “ade” drinks can help replace some of your electrolytes, but nothing beats electrolyte water! Your body is 60-70% water, so you NEED water to prevent heat exhaustion! If you do not have access to electrolyte water, then you can make your own by adding a small amount of sea salt or Himalayan salt to your water. You can also replace the loss of electrolytes with mineral rich foods such as chia seed, cantaloupe, oranges, bananas, and nuts like almonds and walnuts!

*For further information about hydration check out this episode of my Feeling Good Podcast!

Tip 2 – Frequent Breaks

You must also take breaks, and frequent breaks at that! Your body needs to get out of the sun momentarily to cool down. If you have a place you can go inside with air conditioning to take your break, please do so, and remember to hydrate while you’re on your break! If you do not have a cool place where you can go inside, try to find an area of shade to relax in. If you are unfortunate enough to not have a place to go inside, I highly recommend as a precaution, you carry a cooler filled with ice and water with you. You should use that cooler only for cooling down.

Tip 3 – Spirit of Ammonia Water

There is a product you need to know about that you can add to the ice and water that will amplify it’s cooling effect dramatically. When my boys were growing up, we played soccer and baseball during the summer, often in extreme heat conditions. So before the games we would prepare our cooler of ice and water, add spirits of ammonia to it and a stack of white hand towels. When the boys would come off the field between innings or quarters, we would take the icy cold towels and wrap them around the back of their neck to cool them down quickly. I have no doubt that this technique protected all the kids that I coached over the years from having heat exhaustion! You can usually find spirits of ammonia at your local independent pharmacy. If you have any trouble finding it, contact me and I will try to help you find some.

Tip 4 – Cataplex F

Lastly to prevent possible heat exhaustion, I would highly recommend that you have the product Cataplex F on hand! This is the product that I’ve mentioned in a previous blog on sunburn prevention, and it can possibly prevent heat exhaustion as well. It is recommended that you take 7 tablets before getting out into the sun and continue taking 2 tablets every couple of hours that you are in the sun. Cataplex F works by helping your body’s tissues maintain the proper balance of calcium and vitamin D. With these dangerously high temperatures we are experiencing, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of taking the necessary precautions. Don’t let your summer be interrupted by a preventable trip to the hospital. However if you do feel that you are being overcome with heat exhaustion seek medical help immediately! Take the heat advisories seriously and continue to have a safe and happy summer!

I’ll see all of you tomorrow during the noon day hour for Feeling Good Friday on Facebook! Tune in to find out where I’ll be!

Be sure to subscribe and leave a review to the Feeling Good Podcast! We’re coming up on our 20th episode soon and every review helps us get more attention and more downloads!

Healthy Blessings,

Dr. Phil

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