Continuing on with our list of questions from our recent book tour, our second question is: what water should we be drinking?



In most cases, we recommend filtered tap water, whether your water supply is from a private well, or municipal wells (city water) 

- Water from private wells should always be tested and filtered.  Carcinogens have been found in private well water, even in areas where this would not be expected.  Examples of carcinogens in well water include arsenic, atrazine, lead, radium, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  Those with weakened immune systems should avoid well water, since most common filters do not filter out microorganisms

- Water from municipal wells (city water) probably does not need to be tested, since routine testing is performed before it reaches your kitchen sink.  We still recommend filtering, however for several reasons.  

     1. Carcinogens may appear in the water supply between testing periods.  This recently happened in several Twin Cities suburbs.
     2. Filtering eliminates chlorine.  Adding chlorine to the water supply can eliminate bacteria including H.pylori, considered the leading cause of stomach cancer worldwide, but a filter can remove chlorine from water before you drink it.  Chlorinated water was recently listed as a breast cancer carcinogen in animals.
     3. Filtering removes fluoride.  This past winter the American Dental Association recommended that infant formula not be mixed with water containing fluoride.  Fluoridated water mixed with formula not only does not improve dental health, but is associated with osteosarcoma, a rare childhood cancer.

- What about bottled water?  As noted above, those with private wells and compromised immune systems should stick with bottle water.  For the rest of us, rather than focusing on possible concerns such as plastics leaching into the water, we recommend minimizing water in plastic bottles for "green" reasons.  Our landfills are littered with bottles containing water that in most cases, was not any better than what we can filter from our own tap.  Make your own "bottled water," filling a stainless steel container with water to take to a game or on a hike.

All said, most of us turn to bottled water from time to time.  As with most issues regarding cancer prevention, moderation is key. After all, drinking bottled water certainly beats soda, and can prevent dehydration as well.  But --avoid leaving them in a hot car on a summer day.



For further simple tips on cancer prevention, visit www.avoidcancernow.com.