Reverse osmosis water filters are quickly becoming the most popular types of home water filters because more people are concerned about fluoride, pharmaceuticals, and other man-made contaminants in their water. Activated carbon filters are great for most homes, but if you’re concerned about fluoride or pharmaceuticals, you need a reverse osmosis system.

One drawback to most R.O. filters is that you usually have to hire a professional plumber to install them under your sink. Our new countertop reverse osmosis filter eliminates the need to call a plumber. You can easily install this unit yourself, and the countertop design is attractive and convenient. This countertop R.O. filter also includes carbon filtration to ensure the highest quality water.

Plus, reverse osmosis countertop filter comes with a 5-year warranty, and you only have to replace the R.O. membrane once every 3 years. There are comparable undersink R.O. units on the market with a slightly lower price tag, but when you factor in the cost of hiring a plumber and the cost of replacement filters, this is one of the best deals available. Order now and get free shipping!

In May I had the opportunity to attend the public forum “Where is Nutrition in Health Care of the Future?” in Atlanta, where Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Dr. David Kessler discussed the most pressing issues in nutrition and integrative medicine.

I am happy (although not surprised) to report that Dr. Weil first said “I purify my water” when asked how he protects his family against environment toxins and carcinogens. That’s how important it is to filter your water and remove dangerous contaminants! Dr. Weil also said that he grows much of his own food at home, buys organic produce when possible, uses the “Dirty Dozen” list from the Environmental Working Group when shopping, has phased plastic products out of his life as much as possible, and doesn’t keep poisons like pesticides around his home.

Much of the discussion revolved around the modern food industry. A lot of what we call “food” simply is not real food! It’s an industrial product designed to be addictive. How do they make it addictive? Dr. Kessler, former Commissioner of the FDA and author of The End of Overeating, points out that sugar is an addictive substance, especially when combined with fat and salt. And that’s just what the global food companies are doing. Plus, via billion-dollar marketing campaigns, they’re making it socially acceptable to eat these industrial products. Dr. Kessler compared processed food to adult baby food and said that many people overeat for self-stimulation and self-medication to relieve stress. It’s hard eat too much natural food – because you eventually feel full and satisfied – but processed foods are designed to make us eat fast and never feel satisfied. You just keep eating more and more.

Dr. Weil summarized the key message of the forum: “Stop eating refined, processed, manufactured food.”

Eat real food! That’s the best thing you can do for your health. Unfortunately, eating real food in our society can be challenging.

Many people, for example, are addicted to eating low-nutrient, high-carb junk foods (especially at night). That’s how they relieve stress and calm down at the end of the day. If you’re addicted to junk food, you can break the cycle! One way to break the cycle is to go on a “real food only fast.” Stop eating all processed food (for at least a week). Eat only natural foods – fruits, vegetables, lean, meats, beans, nuts, etc. Yes, you’ll have to prepare most of your food at home, but it’s worth it. You’ll feel great after eliminating processed foods from your diet! During your “real food only fast,” you’ll need to drink plenty of purified water to help clear all the toxic junk food leftovers out of your system. Heed Dr. Weil’s advice and invest in a quality home water purifier. Also eat plenty of vegetables; they should be the foundation of your diet. When you eat real, nutritious foods, you don’t have to overeat. But next time you see a television commercial that shows happy, beautiful people stuffing their faces with fast-food burgers, remind yourself that it’s not reality.

CNN reports that the President’s Cancer Panel concluded that exposure to cancer risks is widespread and underestimated, especially for children. Many people are unaware of common cancer causing chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and radon.

According to the Panel’s report, 80,000 chemicals are used in the U.S but only about 200 of them have been tested for safety. The rest are unregulated. Bisphenol-A (BPA), for instance, is found in food can liners, plastic bottles (including baby bottles), food wraps, and other containers even though exposure to BPA has been linked to cancer and several other diseases. Children are especially vulnerable to such environmental toxins.

Formaldehyde is present in almost all homes. The tight seals that make our homes energy efficient trap pollutants indoors. Formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen, is used in plywood, furniture, carpet, and other home goods. Open doors and windows to air out your home periodically.

Benzene, a known carcinogen, comes from vehicle exhaust and industrial pollution. If you walk or jog outdoors, try to do so away from busy roads and in the early morning hours before the air is polluted.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking. Radon is gas that seeps from some rock formations and can collect in homes. Invest in a radon detector for your home.

The report also makes the following recommendations to reduce cancer risk:

- Remove shoes before entering the home to avoid tracking in toxins like pesticides.

- Use a home water filter to remove toxins from tap water.

- Use stainless steel or glass bottles.

- Never microwave plastic containers. [Better yet: get rid of your microwave!]

- Eat organic meats and produce to minimize exposure to toxins like pesticides, genetically modified proteins, and antibiotics.

- Minimize consumption of charred and well-done meats [as well as processed deli meats].

- Minimize exposure to radiation from x-rays and other medical imaging technologies.

Note: While sunburns increase the risk of skin cancer, lack of healthy sun exposure lowers vitamin D levels and increases cancer risk. Have some fun in the sun this summer; it’s good for you!

What is a rainwater pillow?

A rainwater pillow is the most convenient and efficient way to collect, store, and recycle rainwater. The pillow itself is made from a reinforced polymer alloy, and it expands as it fills up with rainwater from your gutters. The rainwater pillow can be easily hidden under your porch, deck, or crawl space. The standard pillow is 10 feet by 8 feet, and stands at just 2 feet high when it’s full of water. (Don’t worry – an overflow valve prevents the sealed system from leaking.)

The best thing about a rainwater pillow is the amount of water that it can hold. Standard rain barrels hold only about 50 gallons. The stadard size rainwater pillow holds 1,000 gallons. That’s the equivalent of having 50 rain barrels in your yard!

People recycle rainwater for many reasons. When you use rainwater to water your garden and lawn, you don’t have to worry about watering restrictions. You can even wash your car with recycled rainwater! And some communities offer tax incentives for installing a rainwater recycling system.

The Original Rainwater Pillow has been featured on This Old House and in BusinessWeek. If you live in an area of the country prone to drought and watering restrictions, learn more about rainwater pillows (before the heat of summer arrives).

This Top 50 list was adapted from “50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation” by Paul Connett, PhD, of the Fluoride Action Network.

1. Fluoride is not an essential nutrient. There is no such thing as fluoride deficiency.

2. Fluoridation is completely unnecessary for dental health.

3. Research shows that water fluoridation does little, if anything, to prevent tooth decay.

4. Dental health has improved in cities where fluoride use was discontinued.

5. Dental health depends on many factors and may be poor even with fluoridated water.

6. Some studies suggest that rates of tooth decay actually increases as fluoride concentration in water increases.

7. The CDC has acknowledged that the benefits of fluoride are primarily topical and not systemic. In other words, there’s no reason to ingest fluoride. It’s already in most topical toothpastes.

8. The U.S. FDA never approved any fluoride product designed for ingestion.

9. Water fluoridation programs in the U.S. have failed to lower dental decay rates.

10. Fluoride in the water may cause dental fluorosis in children. This damages tooth enamel.

11. Some fluoride is natural, but the level of fluoride put into water is 200 times higher than the level normally found in mothers’ milk. Infants should never ingest this much fluoride.

12. Fluoride is a cumulative poison; it accumulates in bones, the pineal gland, and other tissues.

13. Fluoride is biologically active even at very low concentration. It has been shown to interfere with the natural action of enzymes within the body.

14. Fluoride may interfere with hormonal and neurochemical signals.

15. Fluoride has been proven to be mutagenic. That is, it cases damage to DNA.

16. Fluoride facilitates the uptake of toxic metals in body tissues.

17. In one study, rats fed fluoridated water had notable morphological changes in their brains and kidneys after just one year, including deposits of beta amyloid in the brain, a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.

18. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), aluminum fluoride has a “high health research priority” due to its “known toxicity.”

19. Animal experiments show that fluoride accumulates in the brain and alters behavior.

20. Several studies found as associations between fluoride exposure and low IQ in children.

21. Fluoride accumulates in the pineal gland, and animal studies show that it reduces melatonin production and leads to an early onset of puberty.

22. Fluoride reduces activity of the thyroid gland. It was actually prescribed for hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) in the early 1900s. Now, as a widespread water additive, it is likely causing hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) for many people. Signs of hypothyroidism include weight gain, fatigue, depression, and muscle aches and pains.

23. Skeletal fluorosis may mimic the symptoms of arthritis.

24. Fluoridated water may cause brittle bones and increase fracture rates.

25. Several studies have found an association between fluoridated water and hip fracture among the elderly.

26. A government-sanctioned animal study concluded that fluoride increases the risk of bone cancer.

27. The National Cancer Institute reviewed national cancer data and found a significantly higher rate of bone cancer for young men living in fluoridated areas. Another study found bone cancer to be up to 6 times higher in young men who live in fluoridated communities.

28. Fluoride damages sperm and increases rates of infertility.

29. There has never been a comprehensive review of the safety of water fluoridation in the U.S.

30. When fluoride is added to water, it is impossible to control individual doses.

31. Water fluoridation is unethical because people are not asked for informed consent before this drug is given to them. This is a major reason why most European countries have eliminated fluoridation.

32. We should have the right to refuse ingesting dangerous drugs. However, if you currently live in a fluoridated community, the only way to avoid ingestion is to use a fluoride water filter.

33. Some individuals are highly sensitive to fluoride and have adverse reactions.

34. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry states that the elderly, diabetics, and people with poor kidney function may be particilarly susceptible to the toxic effects of fluoride.

35. Malnourished individuals also have a higher risk of suffering from the toxic effects of fluoride in water.

36. Dental decay is associated with poor communities and lack of insurance – not lack of fluoride.

37. Fluoridation has been shown to be ineffective in preventing childhood cavities.

38. According to Dr. Hubert Arnold of the University of California, the early studies used to support fluoridation “are especially rich in fallacies, improper design, invalid use of statistical methods, omissions of contrary data, and just plain muddleheadedness and hebetube.”

39. The U.S. Public Health Service endorsed fluoridation in 1950 – before a single trial was ever conducted.

40. The dental community has acknowledged that fluoride does little to prevent pit and fissure tooth decay.

41. We are exposed to far more fluoride today than people were when fluoridation of water began.

42. The fluoride added to water is not pharmaceutical-grade; it comes from the superphosphate fertilizer industry. So, basically, they’re adding industrial hazardous waste to our water.

43. These hazardous wastes have never been thoroughly studied. In animal studies regarding fluoridation, pharmaceutical-grade fluoride is used.

44. Studies suggest an association between fluoridated water and the uptake of lead in children’s blood.

45. Excess exposure to sodium fluoride from fluoridation equipment has killed people.

46. At least 14 Nobel Prize winners have expressed their concerns about water fluoridation.

47. Dr. Arvid Carlsson, Nobel Laureate in Medicine, convinced Sweden to reject fluoridation, saying, “I am quite convinced that water fluoridation, in a not-too-distant future, will be consigned to medical history… Water fluoridation goes against leading principles of pharmacotherapy, which is progressing from a stereotyped medication – of the type 1 tablet 3 times a day – to a much more individualized therapy as regards both dosage and selection of drugs. The addition of drugs to the drinking water means exactly the opposite of an individualized therapy.”

48. Certain government officials continue to support fluoridation. Why do you think that is?

49. In recent history, many scientists have risked their careers to inform us about the dangers of fluoridation. For example, Dr. Phyllis Mullenix was fired from her position as Chair of Toxicology at Forsythe Dental Center for publishing her findings on fluoride and its effects on the brain.

50. According to Dr. William Hirzy, Vice President of the Union that represents scientists at the U.S. EPA, this group opposes fluoridation: “In summary, we hold that fluoridation is an unreasonable risk. That is, the toxicity of fluoride is so great and the purported benefits associated with it are so small – if there are any at all – that requiring every man, woman and child in America to ingest it borders on criminal behavior on the part of governments.”

You can remove fluoride from your water with a countertop fluoride water filter or a reverse osmosis water purifier.

This morning I read a glowing review of the Jonathan Beauty Water shower filter in Business Week. The Jonathan shower filter was tested by journalist Dan Neil.

Neil explained how the Jonathan filter was born after Bravo TV host Jonathan Antin discovered that his “hair never looked so bangin” when he washed his hair with chlorine-free spring water.

The Business Week writer also had a great experience with chlorine-free shower water:

The first thing I notice is the water smells better — and it’s not as if Altadena city water is so bad to begin with. The chemical tang of chlorine is largely eliminated, and I can open my eyes in the stream. The other nice thing about filtered water is that it makes soap work better. A tablespoon of shampoo blooms into a sudsy white mushroom on top of my head. After a minute or two of scrubbing, I rinse off, squeaky clean . . . My skin was softer and my hair felt, um, silkier, which is saying something for a guy who has been known to brush his teeth with Dial soap.

Then, at the end of the review, Neil reveals that what’s “even more worth” the price is the Aquasana AQ-4100, which is the same filter without the co-branded Jonathan name. The Jonathan Beauty filter goes for about $95. You can buy the AQ4100 filter here for just $67.99 – and it’s the exact same filter as the more expensive Jonathan! Actually, the Aquasana shower filter is even better than the Jonathan Beauty Water shower filter because of its lower price and the lower cost of replacement filter cartridges. what are you waiting for? Now you can “bangin” hair like Jonathan Antin for 30% less than what everybody else is paying!

Want to learn more about shower water filters? See our Shower Filter Buying Guide.

Chemicals in shower water like chlorine and chloramines not only dry out your hair and skin but also increase your cancer risk. You know you need to eliminate these dangerous contaminants, but do you know what kind of shower filter to buy? Which is the best shower filter?

See our new, comprehensive Shower Filter Buying Guide to learn everything you need to know to buy shower filter and compare shower filters.

I’d like to believe that our government is decreasing toxic mercury pollution. Unfortunately, the Environmental Integrity Project recently announced that mercury emissions have actually increased at most of the nation’s largest power plants, including plants in Georgia, Missouri, Alabama, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

Coal-fired power plants generate 40 percent of U.S. mercury emissions, according to the McClatchy DC newspaper. Mercury pollution spews into the air, settles in lakes and rivers, and enters the water supply as well as the food chain.

Mercury exposure can cause developmental problems, including neurological problems in infants and children. The Environmental Integrity Project reported estimates that prenatal mercury exposure causes more than 300,000 cases of learning disabilities each year.

“Even though the technology exists today to dramatically reduce the mercury pollution, the U.S. power industry has delayed cleanup and barely made a dent in the power plant emissions,” said Ilan Levin of the Environmental Integrity Project.

You need a home water filter to remove mercury from your drinking water, especially if you have small children in your home.

ABC Boston (WCVB) reports that the water department in Amesbury, MA, has stopped adding fluoride to the water because of concerns about the imported Chinese fluoride. When mixed with water, 40 percent of the supposed sodium fluoride will not dissolve.

“I don’t know what it is,” said Department of Public Works Director Rob Desmarais. “It’s no soluble, and it doesn’t appear to be sodium fluoride, so we’re not quite sure what it is.”

The Amesbury water department has stopped using the fluoride from China – but more than 650,000 people in Massachusetts are still drinking water fluoridated with the chemicals from China. Nearly 1,000,000 people in Massachusetts are drinking water tainted by defective Chinese chemicals.

“They should test it to make sure it’s safe for us to drink,” said Paul Stewart of Newburyport, MA. “On the same day that I read the story about fluoride coming from China, I also read about stories about melamine that was being contaminated in milk products coming from China, and then we had another story about more lead in kids’ toys from China.”

Most sodium fluoride is imported from China because the Chinese supply is the cheapest. Fluoride is added to virtually all water supplies in the United States because it helps to prevent tooth decay. However, recent research has found that fluoride in water may contribute to developmental problems, reproductive problems, thyroid problems, endocrine problems, and neurological problems.

To remove fluoride from your water, you can use either a reverse osmosis water filter or an activated alumina defluoridation filter.

The video above, produced by the Fluoride Action Network, warns that people with kidney disease should avoid drinking fluoridated water because it puts them at higher risk for bone problems, teeth problems, and endocrine problems associated with fluoride.

Since the 1950s, fluoride has been added to city water supplies across the country because of its anti-cavity properties. Recently, however, scientific studies have shown the fluoridated water may do more harm than good.

Too much fluoride can cause dental fluorosis – discoloration and deformation of the teeth. Toxic levels of fluoride may also contribute to osteoporosis, endocrine problems, neurological problems, and reproductive problems.

People with kidney disease are more susceptible to fluoride toxicity because their kidneys cannot eliminate the fluoride efficiently. Therefore, toxic levels of fluoride accumulate in their blood and their bodies rapidly. According to the National Kidney Foundation, all kidney disease patients should be notified of the risks of drinking fluoridated water.

Here in Atlanta, the water has been fluoridated since 1969. CBS Atlanta (WGCL) recently ran an investigative report on fluoride in water and found that plenty of people in Georgia are against fluoridation and campaigning to have this dangerous chemical removed from our water supply. Unfortunately, in Georgia, fluoridation of water is mandatory in all public water districts throughout the state.

Some cities (such as Corning, NY and Juneau, AL) are enacting anti-fluoridation laws to protect their citizens. When municipalities first began to fluoridate water in the 1950s, the water was the only source of fluoride. Now it is available in dental care products, and the fluoridation of water is completely unnecessary. It’s not only unnecessary but also dangerous.

The CDC now recommends that parents use non-fluoridated water for baby formulas. There’s no reason for babies to ingest fluoride since they don’t have teeth, and fluoride might cause developmental problems (such as dental fluorosis). If you know any parents of small children or anyone with kidney disease, please forward this article to them.

To remove fluoride from your water, you must use a reverse osmosis water filter or a fluoride water filter. For more information, see our under sink reverse osmosis water filter as well as our countertop fluoride filter.