Water Safe Test Kit

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Is your home drinking water safe?

I was a little shocked to find out that mine had toxic LEAD in it, after using eVitamins Water Safe Drinking Water Test. I knew the chlorine would be in there because I can taste the difference, but the lead was a bit of an unpleasant surprise.

Although we have done away with lead pipes and lead paint since the 1980’s, many fixtures are still partially made of lead, and this toxic metal that causes anemia, decreased neurological functioning, and immune dysfunction should be filtered out!

I realized that my Aquasana filter was indeed doing me a great deal of good, and that I needed to also start giving my parade of pets safe filtered water too. It is worth the extra few minutes a day it takes to fill up their water bowls. Pets are especially susceptible to environmental toxins.

Sometimes I worry as a Naturopathic Physician that I am over-paranoid about toxins in our environment, so the  Biochemist in me grabbed this test kit over at eVitamins to see if maybe I didn’t need to be so paranoid after all.

Now I know why most patients I’ve tested for heavy metals in Seattle consistently show high lead and mercury levels.  We are drinking poison! I wish mercury was included in this test kit, but most high quality filters also filter mercury out of our water as well as other toxic substances such as pesticides, bacteria, chlorine and so forth.

I like the simple Aquasauna filters that can be added to your kitchen sink. Don’t forget the shower filter too, or you can filter the water straight at it’s source with a whole home water filter (somewhat expensive but highly recommended for those with chronic disease or small children constantly bathing in it.)

Since the ONLY thing we should be drinking is WATER (read my “Obesity Tax on Soda” tirade for more info) you CAN afford a water filter when you give up soda and  juice.  Filtering the toxins out at the kitchen sink is the most economic way to go. Save  your favorite glass  jars and fill them in lieu of plastic bottles. Be cool….be a “jar drinker” like me! You can also use stainless steel containers for small children that should not be trusted with glass, such as my fav brand I can guarantee is aluminum free: Klean Kanteen.

You should especially purchase this Water Safe Test Kit if you have developing children in your home, suffer from chronic disease, or if your water has a funky odor. Water should never have an odor!

Dr. Nicole

Related reading:

Detoxify Your Home

Mold: Getting Rid of it in Your Home

Decreasing Home Pollutants

Chlorine Shower Filter: Anti-Aging

Liver Support Protocol

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How to Filter the Water for Your Entire Home

“The Importance of Home Water Filters”

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Have you ever wished you could filter more than just the water you drink?

I mean there are shower water filters out there too but that still doesn’t decrease the amount of pollutants and chlorine your children, pets, and clothing are exposed to. Chlorine free is especially important for anyone with asthma, skin problems, multiple chemical sensitivity or “perfume allergy,” and those with newborn babies and young children.

We are bathing in chlorine, cooking with chlorine, washing our already dry hands in chlorine, and constantly inhaling the chlorine fumes in our homes that derive from our shower water, kitchen, and laundry rooms. The things we do to get clean are ironically making us “dirty” on the inside. Chlorine not only gives the liver an extra workout, but it also ages our cells making for a shorter over-all lifespan and youthful appearance.

A while ago an environmental medicine professor at my school highly recommended just filtering the water straight from the main source. I mean it sounds a bit expensive and extreme, but when you think about all the other stuff we spend our money on in the name of health and beauty, we should seriously consider purifying the water we drink and the steamy fumes from our showers, laundry rooms, and kitchens. Actually what could be simpler?

Even if your municipal water is free of every other possible contaminant, it is still full of chlorine, and chlorine ages us. Reducing chlorine is an important part of my anti-aging program.

I was checking our new kitchen table partner AquaSauna the other day and was excited to see that they carry entire home water filters!

Of course you can just filter your kitchen sink tap water (which I always recommend filling up your own recycled glass bottles instead of drinking bottled water). And of course you can filter your shower water which you should do because one shower equals the total chlorine of drinking eight glasses of municipal tap water. But the best thing most home owners, parents, and pet lovers can do is just filter it straight at the source. Is that not a dream come true? Clean chlorine free water throughout your entire house? How liberating! Especially since one system is supposed to last for 3 years or 300, 000 gallons–I think it also saves the headache of having to keep up with all the replacing all the various water filters in your home.

I had heard initially that these ingenious systems run around $3000 dollars to have this set up but according to Aquasauna’s page it really is only $799 plus the price of installation (okay I know many plumbers charge more than heart surgeons especially on a holiday, but I doubt this is anywhere near a full day project for a plumber.)

These home water filters are also on sale right now, so you will receive a 20% discount as noted on the Whole House Water Filter page.

Our list of trusted list of resources on the kitchen table home page has been updated with Aquasauna’s links for your shopping convenience.

Of course our partnership with Aquasauna donates a small percentage of sales to kitchen table, so it may seem rather shameless to talk about the stuff over there that I really like, but if you have been looking for a great home water filter for a while, I would recommend checking out Aquasana.

I find their prices to be really reasonable, and the quality and customer service to be exceptional. As a naturopathic physician, people are always asking me for product recommendations. so I will start with this as my first official recommendation –after about a year of writing at the kitchen table and trying to avoid making specific recommendations.

We research and choose our partnerships here at the kitchen table for quality, safety, efficacy, and environmentalism. We always hold that which we recommend to the highest of standards, and our goal is to make healthy living affordable for everyone.

With a 90 day no hassle return policy you really don’t have to worry if you will like what you purchase over at Aquasauna.

If you ever have a problem with a product I recommend here at the kitchen table I would like to know right away. I strive to research the best and most affordable options for whole food and chemical free living, and we like to thank our sponsors by occasionally recommending our favorite stuff they keep in stock and reward our readers with useful sales, education and resources.

Of course you are welcome to shop anywhere you like, but if you do choose to purchase something through one of our well researched recommendations we simply thank you for helping keep kitchen table a constantly updated free natural medicine publication.

Dr. Nicole Sundene

Editor-in-chief of Kitchen Table Medicine

Read more: Anti-Aging Tips, Anti-Aging Program

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The Best Natural Cure for a Headache

What is the best kitchen cure for a headache? Well, water of course!

Since an estimated 80% of headaches are caused by dehydration, it is safe to say that water is the best kitchen remedy for most headaches.

Water is the leading kitchen cure superstar for that which ails you! So before running off to your medicine cabinet, try running to the kitchen to drink a large glass of water. Chances are in twenty minutes or less you won’t need any medicine.

Remember that dehydration is not just about water, it is also about electrolytes. Sodium, potassium, and other trace electrolytes are necessary for properly regulating our blood volume.

I like Emergen-C and Recharge as my top sports drink choices. You can easily make your own sports drinks with ingredients straight from your kitchen. Here is my recipe for Homemade Sport’s Drinks. Exercise, alcohol, and caffeine are the common culprits that leave us dehydrated and headachey. To prevent dehydration induced headaches drink in the ballpark of 60-80 ounces of water daily. You may need more than that if you are an endurance athlete.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~ Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Chlorine Shower Filter: Anti-Aging

A simple anti-aging trick is to use a shower water filter.

I cannot more highly recommend the use of shower water filters for reducing chlorine associated aging and accelerated damage to healthy cells.

Chlorine is a toxic gas that destroys the healthy cells in our bodies on contact.Historically, chlorine gas was used as part of chemical warfare!

It is now used in our water to kill pathogens that may make us sick, however a side product of drinking “healthy water” is premature aging of our cells, especially that of our skin and lungs.

Why to use a shower water filter:

• Anti-aging
• Softer, more radiant skin that requires less moisturizers as chlorine is VERY drying
• Great for anyone with chronic skin conditions such as chronic itching, dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis
• Stronger healthier, shinier hair, with less need to touch up your hair coloring
• May reduce aging related hair loss
• Less dandruff
• Healthier lungs, a MUST for anyone with COPD, asthma, or other chronic respiratory ailments
• Reduce the amount of toxins your babies and children are exposed to

Before you spend any more money on health products for the INSIDE of your body, think about what should be done for the OUTSIDE of your body.

Visit Aquasauna to find a great shower water filter.

~ Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Plastic Water Bottles: Healthy Alternatives

Thanks to the latest news, pretty much everyone knows that drinking out of plastic water bottles is bad because of the BPA and potential for other contaminants.

So what are the alternatives to plastic water bottles?

Until someone invents an environmentally friendly “force field” to contain our beverages we will need to stick with glass and stainless steel such as what is offered by Klean Kanteen.  These bottles are certified to be safe without any chemical coatingg.

However, as a biochemist and long time “jar drinker” this just further supports my theory that we all need to get as much plastic out of our kitchens as possible.

Plastic is the latest EVIL VILLAIN of Dr. Nicole for upsetting the hormonal balance of all of her patients!

Especially cooking with plastic. Please only cook in glass, cast iron, or stainless steel.

Do not use teflon or any other “new” man-made products. The “new” thing today will inevitably be the banned thing tomorrow. Read more

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