As much as I feel grateful now for the abundance of drinking water we have in our home (compared to many other areas struggling with getting clean water for their families), I never thought much about water.
As a food-lover, something with no real taste didn’t particularly excite me. I never felt like I was the most hydrated person in the world, and constant headaches throughout the day would remind me that I was probably severely dehydrating myself.
But within the past year, as I’ve delved into podcasts like Huberman Lab and surrounded myself with health-conscious humanoids that far surpass my level of knowledge, I’ve come to terms with the fact that water can help combat chronic disease, inflammation, metabolism, cellular health, and so much more.
I think we can all understand, fundamentally, that water is insanely beneficial to our health. But how in the world can we get ourselves to make sure we’re giving ourselves the best water, and how can we encourage ourselves to actually drink it?
Here are 3 steps to fill your home with better water so you can drink clean water… that’s actually fun to drink!
1. Make sure all your drinking water filters out more than just chlorine.
There seem to be 2 main parties surrounding the concept of tap water:
- One group seems to believe that tap water is totally fine to drink,
- And another group seems to believe that you can’t trust any tap water.♀️
I have no shame that as of recently, I’ve decided to live in the second bucket.
In fact, I see countless mainstream media sites censor important interviews about how our food and water is filled with toxins. Why, you might ask? Well, we could go on forever trying to answer that question. But ultimately, I’ve learned that the most loving, compassionate, art- and nature-focused angle in life still leads me to believe every single day that we can’t trust the government and big businesses with our well-being, especially big pharmaceutical and gas companies that will stop at nothing to remain the monopolies in “health” and energy.
But enough about that— what’s this have to do with filtering your water?
Well, water is susceptible to pretty much everything that comes into contact with the earth, including:
- pharmaceuticals
- arsenic, and other heavy metals
- glyphosate (which are toxic chemicals sprayed on most of the corn grown in the country)
- chlorine
- fluoride
- microplastics
- radioactive elements
So when a water filter just filters out chlorine, especially if you’re in a place that has particularly toxic water. So before anything, you’ll want to make sure your water filter gets rid of as many toxins and chemicals as it possibly can!
Related: 23+ wellness products to make your home a healthier haven
What filter should I get? → The Berkey (Black Berkey Filters)
This is the water filtration system we currently use, and it’s totally gravity-based– no plugging or screwing in required. One thing I’ve found is that a lot of water filtration systems and filters aren’t super transparent about what their filters are actually made up of– so while I assumed it was a carbon or activated charcoal filter, I found only a few sources that may confirm it. It seems that this isn’t public information– hmm!
We’ve also recently purchased a hydrogen water machine, which also has its own filter and is much more open about the different mediums that it’s made out of, including:
- GAC, or granulated activated charcoal
- Premium Catalytic Carbon
- Katalox Light
- High-Density Garnet Media
So– enhancing your water starts with better quality water, particularly through filters. There are also whole-home filters you could get if you’re a homeowner and want all of your water to be protected. This is definitely a goal of ours!
2. Install a filtered showerhead.
Let’s assume that you’re renting or don’t get have a whole-home water filtration system, yet. After your drinking water should come the water that goes directly on your skin!
Consider that the skin is the largest organ in the body, and is extremely porous. It absorbs things like lotions and excretes things like sweat to continue supporting and nourishing the rest of the body. So why don’t we pay attention to the water that goes on our skin likely every day?
There are actually some pretty simple water filtration systems out there for your shower that aren’t impossible to install. Here are a few popular ones:
Jolie Shower Head + Filter
A spunky and cute showerhead that makes it super simple to filter out contaminants in your shower’s water supply. Their site simply says that the Jolie filters out “chlorine, heavy metals, and other contaminants.” I’d assume they’re not as specific as a filter for drinking water, but still– I wish I knew a little bit more.
Explore the Jolie Shower Head + Filter →
Berkey Shower Filter
This is the standalone shower filter– not the head. If you love your Berkey filter, then you can pair the same brand to filter your showerhead, too!
Explore the Berkey Shower Filter →
AquaHomeGroup Filtered Showerhead
With an internal Vitamin C + E cartridge, this 15- (or 20-)stage water filter says it reduces chlorine, heavy metals, rust, and other sediments. Unlike the Berkey, this one comes with the showerhead and the filter!
Explore the AquaHomeGroup Filtered Showerhead →
Related: ultimate vegan food list (for beginners!)
3. Add a hydrogen water machine to your kitchen.
for antioxidant, electrolyte water anytime you need it
This is the newest addition to our kitchen, and we’re already so excited! We were introduced to hydrogen water machines by a friend, and I’ve since done a ton of research on the benefits. After digging around Andrew Huberman’s podcast, interviews with hydrogen water expert Dr. Paul Barattiero, and learning from one of the biggest hydrogen doctors, Dr. Tyler LeBaron about misconceptions of alkaline water (and why all the benefits lie in the hydrogen!)
Hydrogen water…
Is a natural antioxidant
Is a natural electrolyte
Helps with digestion
Helps invigorate the cells
Helps boost energy levels
There are a vast number of studies outlining the benefits of hydrogen water. Here are a few for you to peruse:
- NIH: Hydrogen-enriched water eliminates fine particles from the lungs and blood by enhancing phagocytic activity
- NIH: Drinking Molecular Hydrogen Water Is Beneficial to Cardiovascular Function in Diet-Induced Obesity Mice
- NIH: Nano-bubble hydrogen water: An effective therapeutic agent against inflammation-related disease caused by viral infection in zebrafish model
- NIH: The effects of ingestion of hydrogen-dissolved alkaline electrolyzed water on stool consistency and gut microbiota: a double-blind randomized trial
With a hydrogen water machine (and certain accessories), you can:
- Drink for electrolytes and antioxidants
- Create sodium hypochlorite as a cleaner (which is 80-200x stronger than bleach but totally natural– just water and salt!)
- Wash your face (our machine has an ozone setting for this, others have hypochlorous acid settings)
- Enhance your laundry
- Cleaning your fresh produce
We’ve both seen changes after drinking hydrogen water, and are so excited to add this addition into our home and lifestyle to alleviate the chemicals in our home. ✨
Our hydrogen water accessories
Hydra-Home Unit (Healthy Hydration/The Best Hydrogen Water)
We just purchased this and honestly, it’s completely wow-ed me. Other companies sell solely the unit for upwards of $5,000, but this came with the Hydrogen Machine, a filter already in it, and a pre-filter. I don’t know if any other company can boast that, but my expectations were far surpassed.
Explore the Hydra-Home Unit from Healthy Hydration →
Hydra-Shot: Hydrogen water bottle
I also decided to add on a Hydra-Shot, which is a portable version of the hydrogen water machine. It gives you an extra boost of hydrogen in a little hand-held water bottle. This is great for when you’re traveling and have access to filtered water but want access to better water to keep you feeling your best.
Hydrogen Disinfectant Spray, which makes…
Sodium hypochlorite
Just water and salt. Sounds simple, right? But this is actually one of the main ingredients in bleach, before it turns into toxic soup. Sodium hypochlorite it actually between 80 and 200 times stronger than bleach, without the harsh chemicals, maintaining the cleanliness of your home without exposing your family to chemicals.
Hypochlorous acid
Then, there’s the hydrogen that you can use to spray on your skin for hydration and anti-aging effects (which is one of the features of hydrogen many people flock to it to.)
Explore sodium hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid in the Disinfectant Spray →
Bonus → water… but make it fun
I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly get excited about the idea of drinking water. So, I’ve had to go out of my way to make drinking water more fun! Here are a few ideas to make water a little more fun:
- Infusions: place some cucumbers, mint leaves, lemon, or berries to dance around in your water for an extra zhuzh of flavor
- Shilajit: mix in this sticky resin from the Himalayan mountains for an elevation of fulvic acid which combats inflammation and supports brain health. For some, the taste is meh. But weirdly, I like the earthiness– it tastes like the liquid version of what Palo Santo might be!
- Use cute water bottles to carry around with you so you’re always staying hydrated. I love these because they have straws included and fit in your car.
Hope you learned a little and venture off exploring the realm of hydration, and find your own water filters, ionizers, and accessories that fit your beautifully alternative lifestyle.
