Unlike most carbon filter systems, reverse osmosis will actually remove the fluoride that most U.S. municipalities add to their water. Reverse osmosis will remove virtually all contaminants from the water, including fluoride, especially when combined with a pre- and post-carbon filtration system.

We have been working on a recommendation for a water filter for nearly five years now and hope to offer one in the fall of 2008.

Try not to purchase the one-gallon cloudy plastic (PVC) containers from your grocery store as they transfer far too many chemicals into the water. The five-gallon containers and the clear bottles (polyethylene) are a much better plastic and will not give your water that awful plastic taste.

Lesson 2: Limit chemical exposure from your shower water.

Most people do not recognize that their shower is a significant source of chlorine exposure, but contaminants in your shower water get absorbed through your skin. This is just as hazardous to your health as ingesting through your skin. This is just as hazardous to your health as ingesting them, and sometimes even worse. It is best to put a filter on your showerhead. If you take a bath, fill it up from the shower. A filter is probably not necessary if you obtain your water from a well. Remember, you should have a reverse osmosis system for your drinking water if you have a water softener.

Lesson 3: Avoid flouride.

Did you know that nearly all of Europe used to add fluoride to their water supply, but after studying the issue more carefully, most of them decided to remove it?

Fluoridating drinking water for dental health is a swindle of massive proportions. Starting it off with a simple truth: that a natural form of fluoride (organic calcium phosphate) is part of the composition of your teeth, they were able to convince everyone that drinking toxic chemical fluoride compounds – the waste materials from fluoride-polluting industries – would be good for your teeth.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Fluoride is in fact a systemic POISON that:

• inactivates 62 different enzymes
• increases lead absorption
• increases the aging process
• increases the incidence of cancer and tumor growth
• disrupts your immune system
• lowers thyroid function
• causes genetic damage
• interrupts DNA repair-enzyme activity
• increases arthritis 
• reduces IQ, and impairs learning and memory processes

Other sources of fluoride that you want to limit or eliminate to reduce your exposure include:

• Fluorophenyl-containing pharmaceutical drugs
• Toothpaste and mouthwash
• Food and beverages processed with fluoridated water
• Mechanically de-boned meat
• Pesticide residue on food
• Soy baby formulas
• Instant tea

Lesson 4: Begin to eliminate all beverages but pure water.

In terms of beverages other than water, I  recommend starting to cut down and eliminate them. You should already have eliminated all types of soft drinks in the beginning phase, but if you were not completely successful, please make an effort to eliminate them at this point. In the advanced phase, the only recommended beverages is water, and breast milk for infants. To make it easier, choose one beverage to eliminate and focus on that for a month before proceeding to the next.

Further Reading:

• Drink More Spring or Filtered Water to Improve Every Facet of Your Health
• Americans Don't Drink Enough Water
• Do You Really Need Eight Glasses of Water a Day?
• Why Tap Water Can Harm Your Kids
• Flouride Recommendations Page