If you haven’t discovered the life-changing kitchen accessory that is a water filter, you’re missing out on the purest kind of aqua goodness. A filter for your drinking water will not only encourage you to drink more H2O each day — because it genuinely makes water taste delicious — but it removes all of the nasty toxins and that metallic taste, especially in hard water areas. But while it’s like that you, like many other Americans, have made water filters a must in their homes these days, have you ever considered a filtration system for the whole house?
“Water plays an important role in your life,” says health coach and author of “Wandering Palate” Erika Schlick. “You drink it, cook with it, bathe in it, and so much more. It should be a no-brainer that you would want to use water that doesn’t contain unwanted contaminants like chlorine, fluorine compounds, pesticides, and even trace amounts of prescription drugs.”
Schlick is a strong believer that a water filter for the whole house is a game-changer. Here are a few reasons why:
Tap Water is Full of Chemicals
People can underestimate just how important water is in both kick-starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Increasing your water intake helps your organs function better, keeps your skin clear, and even improves brain function.
“You don’t want to be drinking water that has chemicals in it,” Schlick says. “Having a whole house water filtration system makes it easy to grab a drink from any sink in your home without having to think about what sort of unwanted chemicals and contaminants might be in it.” She also notes that while disinfected water is imported to prevent water-borne illnesses, you don’t want to then be drinking that treatment in your water.
Cleaner Water to Cook With
If we boil our water, that means it’s clean, right? While this might be true, it doesn’t necessarily get rid of the toxins.
“As you wash your produce and cook your gluten-free pasta, your food absorbs the water, meaning it also absorbs all the chemicals that are in it,” Schlick explains. “Just like drinking tap water, cooking with it can be dangerous, as well. With a whole house water filtration system, you can breathe a sigh of relief and never have to worry about chemicals getting into your food.” Not only can it help give you peace of mind, but filtered water can even reduce the cooking time and enhance the flavors of your food.
No More Plastic Waste
Drinking lots of bottled water creates huge amounts of unnecessary plastic waste. “In the United States alone, there are 1,500 plastic water bottles being used every second. To make matters worse, 80% of bottles end up in a landfill — even with the use of recycling programs,” Schlick says. “Plus, a gallon of bottled water costs approximately 300 times more than a gallon of tap water.”
She continues: “While a whole house filter might take a few years to see a return on your investment, purchasing a shower or drinking water filter will make a difference in less than one year.” By using filtered tap water, not only are you preventing harmful environmental impacts, but you’re steering clear of toxins in every drop of water you use within your home.
Healthier Skin and Hair
Have you ever taken a vacation to a place with much softer water, and been shocked by how much your skin has cleared up or the way your hair felt? You can feel that way at home with a water filter. Regular water softeners often strip water of its essential minerals, whereas a filter can give the same benefits without added salt.
“Typical water softeners aren’t safe for plants, require loads of maintenance, leave your skin feeling slimy, and are more wasteful,” Schlick says. “With a salt-free softener, you won’t have that slimy skin feeling. It’ll produce less pollution, and doesn’t require electricity.” She adds that she hasn’t even had to squeegee her shower once since installing a water filter a few years ago.
There are so many things in our lives that we become used to being a certain way, that we don’t even consider if things could be better. When you spend your whole life drinking tap water, a filtration system may seem like an unnecessary luxury. However, once you realize the drastic benefits it can have on your life, you’ll start to see truly clean water as a no-brainer.
Erika Schlick is a certified health coach. You can find more articles and tips on her blog Trail To Health. Her book, “Wandering Palate,” offers 28 days of gluten-free, dairy free and paleo meals to pair with a healthy lifestyle.