The Best & Worst Drinking Water, Filtration & the Magic of Structured Water (Solocast) #396

[00:00:00] Luke Storey: I'm Luke Storey. For the past 22 years, I've been relentlessly committed to my deepest passion, designing the ultimate lifestyle based on the most powerful principles of spirituality, health, psychology, and personal development. The Life Stylist podcast is a show dedicated to sharing my discoveries and the experts behind them with you.

[00:00:25] Welcome to solo cast number 396. This one's called The Best and Worst Drinking Water Filtration, and the Magic of Structured Water. Take note that I'll be back next week with episode 397, Heal Your Chronic Pain and Disease Now with Regenerative Medicine featuring Dr. John Lieurance. That's going to be an incredible episode. I think it's about two hours, and we talked about every kind of pain, and injury, and disease issue known to man, and how to fix them without taking pharmaceuticals, or in many cases, even getting surgery.

[00:00:59] So, that's next week's episode. In this one, I'm going to cover everything I've learned about the dangers of tap water, the best filters on the market, and how to create the natural phenomenon of structured water. Now, this is a deep dive geek out, so get ready to take some notes if you're in a position to do so. I will, of course, include all of the links for everything mentioned in this episode at lukestorey.com/396.

[00:01:24] That's lukestorey.com/396. I'd also like to let you know that if you want the show notes, audio, video, and even complete transcripts for every episode delivered directly to your inbox each week, I invite you to join my newsletter. You can do so at lukestorey.com/newsletter. Just enter your name and email, and I will magically provide all of that data to you each and every week.

[00:01:51] Now, while this solo cast is dedicated to water purification and structured water, stay tuned for part two coming soon, where I explore spring, bottled, alkaline, and hydrogen water. So, you might find, as you listen to this, like, "Hey, wait, what about-", don't worry, I'm going to get to it, but this was just so much information that I put together here, I decided to split it into two, and we'll do part two real soon.

[00:02:16] Okay. Prime your ears and get ready for an incredibly detailed exploration into all things water. The first question is, of course, what is the best drinking water? Now, based on this frequent question from podcast listeners, I put together this episode to drinking and bathing water. Water is indeed an infinite source of study and intrigue, and something about which my passion and curiosity continue to grow over time.

[00:02:41] I've personally prioritized water quality in my lifestyle and as a topic of study for over two decades. And as I present my current recommendations, take note that this is just my opinion based on many years of research and experience. And while I'm not a scientist or doctor, I have interviewed a couple dozen of them over the past seven years, and they all generally agree with the approach to follow. 

[00:03:03] I'm learning more and more about the mysteries of water in an ongoing basis, so I've done my best to present my current body of knowledge. As such, it's likely that I'll miss something, and that my strategy will, of course, continue to evolve as I deepen my understanding of this miraculous molecule. My water views and strategy are based on the following fundamental principle: follow the laws of nature and be guided by its simplicity.

[00:03:29] Here are a few of the ideas upon which this water strategy is based. Water is the number one nutrient you need to stay alive after oxygen. It should be something that any health-minded person takes very seriously, as it is the proper foundation for your health. You can think of your body as a fish tank, right? What's more important in a fish tank? The food that you pour into it, or the quality and cleanliness of the water? 

[00:03:52] The environment or terrain of the water in the tank makes the difference between life and death, and frankly, the water in your body is not that much different. Your body and brain are made of approximately 70 to 90% water. On a molecular basis, your body is about 98% water, so your blood, lymphatic fluid, reproductive fluids, mucus, tears, saliva, and virtually every liquid in your body are all made primarily of water. 

[00:04:19] And unfortunately, there are literally thousands of known toxins in most tap water or municipal water, including but not limited to heavy metals, pesticides, petrochemicals, pharmacological compounds, endocrine-disrupting substances, as well as PFAS or per and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are nasty. If you care to listen to even more about the science and politics of water pollution, please do yourself a favor and listen to episode 319 with famous environmental activist, Erin Brockovich, as well as number 14 with Igor Milevskiy, both of which are linked in the show notes at, again, lukestorey.com/396.

[00:05:00] Now, if it can be avoided, why would one choose toxic, sterile, dead water purchased from a municipality to build your body's fluids? Strange, right? Drinking pure, clean, natural water is fundamental to our health, and if we learn to prioritize the water we ingest, all of our body's systems will benefit. In addition to the water we drink, we also expose our bodies to suboptimal and even quite toxic water daily while showering, bathing, and swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

[00:05:30] While our largest organ, our skin, absorbs toxins in the water while bathing, there's an even greater health risk in breathing the steam from hot showers. When toxins present in water are combined and vaporized, their adverse effects are often magnified tremendously. It's not an overstatement to say that taking a hot shower, or a steam room for that matter, in most tap water is equivalent to breathing in a gas chamber. 

[00:05:52] No joke. When toxic water is turned into steam, it is, in fact, a poisonous gas. Despite the apparent risks of consuming or bathing in toxic water, creating a water strategy for you, your family, pets, and plants can be expensive. I'm going to warn you. Now, the cost varies depending on where you live and the availability of clean natural water. Water quality is a top priority for my family and me, and worth whatever cost it might incur. By making small expenditure sacrifices in other areas of life, almost anyone in a developed country can provide themselves with an ideal water source at home and minimize spending on bottled water.

[00:06:31] Although, as I indicated earlier, I'm going to cover spring water and bottled water in greater depth on a later date. In my experience, there is no better drinking water than wild living mountain spring water if it meets a specific criterium of purity and safety. However, I realized that this is not always a practical option for many people, so that being the case, I'll do my best to create a broad strategy for water that will apply to most people here today.

[00:06:59] Throughout my many years of water research and experimentation, I've primarily relied on pure spring water, which I harvested myself from high altitude springs. This was and is a very gratifying practice on many levels, although it can be time and energy-consuming, even for people situated close to nearby springs. For example, I used to go up to a spring in Angeles Forest in Los Angeles and run my own pipes up this damn mountain to deliver the spring water down to the trunk of my car, where I'd fill up bottles.

[00:07:29] It was kind of like a spring water gas station, and it was a lot of work. I mean, it was an all day journey. It was fun. It was a great way to get into nature. There is something really special about collecting your own water in nature, but again, that's not always possible or convenient for some people, depending on how much time you have on your hands.

[00:07:45] Now, some years ago, well into my spring water journey, I was fortunate enough to meet a guy named Chris Sanborn. Now, Chris not only shared my passion for sacred living spring water, but he had recently taken it upon himself to launch his very own spring water delivery company in Southern California. And I subsisted on the pristine, home-delivered Alive Waters for many years before moving to Texas, as did literally everyone I knew in LA.

[00:08:08] So, when I moved to Texas, I was very disappointed that due to the low altitude and the prevalence of soft limestone bedrock here, that there were no local springs that let my stringent taste and quality requirements. Now, luckily, after bugging the hell out of my friend, Chris, to find a great water source for me and my fellow Austinite water connoisseurs, he did eventually source an incredible spring in nearby Alabama and began service to the Greater Austin area. 

[00:08:36] So, if you live in the State of California or the City of Austin, at least at the time of this recording, you, too, can enjoy the best spring water nature has to offer. Alive Waters is kept cold and dark from spring to doorstep, which is critical to preserving water's life, force, and integrity. So, Alive Waters is not sterilized or altered in any way. It is genuinely living water, the way creation intended it.

[00:09:00] The water is, of course, regularly lab-tested for contaminants and pathogens, and to this day, has cleared every sample test they've sent in. These guys are next level. They also use 2.5-gallon glass bottles and dispensers exclusively, which are embossed with sacred geometry, which we know from the work of Veda Austin does, in fact, have a positive influence on water.

[00:09:21] In fact, for those of you watching the video here, I've got one of their Flower of Life-embossed drinking glasses here, and if you look behind me over there, you can see the whole stack of water that I have here in the studio, and I'm just so excited and grateful that they got this done. Now, they also have eco-friendly bamboo water stands, which you can see behind me, and blackout light covers to keep your water protected from light, because living water, if left in the sun, can develop algae over time. 

[00:09:51] It's not the end of the world, but you don't want your water to start growing things, also is an indication that that water does, in fact, have life force because microorganisms can grow. Don't be put off by that. I've been drinking this for years, and it's all good. It's very rare that one of them gets algae anyway, especially if you keep it dark. Now, Chris has gone the extra mile to ensure that this spring-to-table, I guess we could call it, water is cared for with reverence every step of the way, which I sincerely appreciate.

[00:10:20] This water strategy is also the most sustainable due to the lack of plastic used, and all glass bottles are redistributed after being disinfected with ozone. So, this is a great solution, and many, I would say, God, all my friends here in Austin are now on this water, and everyone has the same reaction, "Oh, my God, this water's amazing". I'm like, I know. 

[00:10:41] If you've been drinking filtered water, or bottled water, or any other kind of water for a long time and you taste some pristine live spring water, it's just a totally different experience. If you'd like to learn more about the miracle of spring water, go back and check out Episode 129 with Daniel Vitalis, and Episode 131 with Chris Sanborn, the founder of Alive Water, which I've also linked in the show notes.

[00:11:06] Now, for those of you for whom high quality spring water is unavailable, we will now explore other viable options, beginning with tap water and the various strategies one could use to make this water safe and supportive of health. While untreated wild spring water can be said to retain its vital life force, tap or municipal water is dead or sterile water, even if it's free of chemicals. 

[00:11:30] So, you can filter the toxins out of almost any water, but the energetics of water are also very important, the memory it carries, so to speak. In many large towns and cities where water is reclaimed, the tap water you're drinking has been swallowed by thousands of people, then peed or shat into a toilet, collected, cleaned, and pumped right back into your tap. Yes, really. I know it sounds gross, but it's true. 

[00:11:54] You'll learn all about that on the episode 14 that I mentioned moments ago, which describes the vile nature of municipal water. Most point of use filters are worthless and do not remove many harmful chemicals like fluoride, pharmaceutical residue, chloramine, chlorine, pesticides, and other nasty contaminants. So, your Brita Pure, and other faucet and water jug filters simply lack the proper filter medium and density to purify water to safe levels.

[00:12:24] You'll also notice that many cheap filters of this nature make vague claims like removes the smell of chlorine or removes most chemicals. So, this is something you want to be aware of. And of course, throughout this episode, we're talking about the hierarchy of water, right? I mean, there are many people on the planet that don't have any clean water at all, and in some cases, no water, right? So, that's not lost on me, but we're talking about a spectrum here, a grade, I guess you could say, from the very best water to the very worst water.

[00:12:55] And again, in the second episode I do, we're going to cover even more varieties of water and types of water, but I want you to be aware of that. This is not about scaring you about tap water and drinking people's recycled poop, it's just an overview and an educational piece to help you do the best you can. Perfectionism kind of has a tendency toward neuroticism, so we want to just do the best we can within our means. But I'm going to give you the good, the bad, and the ugly here, according to what I've learned about water.

[00:13:31] Now, let's talk about purified versus filtered water. When I use the term purified water, I'm referring to water that has been thoroughly stripped of all possible toxins, so this would include both reverse osmosis and distilled water. By contrast, the term filtered water is a more nebulous definition. It could consist of all levels of filtration, from countertop jug filters to water filtered through a small cartridge in your refrigerator. 

[00:13:57] So, not all purification methods are created equal, so knowing the different levels of purification is essential. Reverse osmosis water and distillation purification system are the most effective at removing unwanted impurities, but this type of filtration also removes naturally beneficial elements from your water as well. Most people generally accept that drinking distilled water regularly is less than ideal, although there are, of course, proponents of this practice.

[00:14:24] I would not personally drink distilled water regularly unless the water was thoroughly reinvigorated with minerals, and then restructured. And even then, it would not be my first choice, but again, better than dirty, toxic water. Water treated by reverse osmosis or distillation loses its integrity in the process of purification, so the undesirable elements in the water are removed, but also minerals, electrolytes, and any micronutrients that might have been present in the original water source.

[00:14:52] So, I think of purified water more or less as a processed water. The result of this aggressive manner of purification produces what could be best described as a pharmaceutical lab grade H2O. So, it's clean, but it does not have the life force of a natural living water. And in my opinion, the human body does not fully recognize processed water, just like it doesn't recognize some processed food. However, one can employ some efficient tools to bring purified water back to its natural quality, which we'll cover shortly.

[00:15:22] Okay. Let's now cover well water. I would essentially approach well water in the same manner I would tap water. Although well water can vary dramatically in its quality and safety, in many cases, it would be advisable to have your lab water tested before drinking, then devise a purification strategy based on the test results if necessary. Many top whole house purification companies sell or make custom filter configurations specifically for well water. So, once you get your testing done, and I'm going to recommend a lab in the show notes, then you're going to build a well water strategy. Some people think they're on a well and they're actually on a spring. So, well water can be awesome, but I personally wouldn't drink it without going through the procedures I just mentioned.

[00:16:03] Okay. Next up, let's cover rainwater. While rainwater reclamation is undoubtedly one of the most sustainable ways to supply water, I would treat this water in the same fashion as well water. So, lab testing an appropriate form of purification, then reviving the water back to a natural state before drinking. And due to acid rain pollution and especially geoengineering, a.k.a. chem trails, purification of rainwater would be critical, in my opinion.

[00:16:30] This could be, however, an excellent strategy for homesteaders, preppers, and people with enough land and rainfall to support a reclamation system. There's a company called Heart Water, in fact, here in Texas that's making strides to provide such a system, and they also currently sell and ship purified bottled rainwater. With tap, well, and rainwater, the chosen purification process would, of course, depend on the intended purpose of use.

[00:16:55] Some more stringent and thorough processing might be needed for drinking water. The general use, gardening or bathing water. Let's talk about purification and filtration options. As stated earlier, my first choice for drinking water would be living wild spring water. But leaving that aside for a moment, let's explore the various other forms of water and its many purification technologies.

[00:17:16] There are dozens of different methods of water purification and filtration, and a lower degree of purification might be acceptable for general use water. However, I recommend the most thorough purity level for drinking water. Water in a home can be purified at either point of use or point of entry. Point of use water filters are designed to reduce or remove waterborne contaminants, including pathogens right at the end of the water system at the faucet or shower.

[00:17:42] As water flows through the point of use filter, the filtration technology retains harmful pathogens and ultimately improves the water quality. While a point of entry water filtration system connects directly to your water line and acts as a central filtration system for your whole house. These systems are perfect for homes with multiple water-dispensing locations, because they offer clean water from interior water sources like sinks, showers, and tubs. 

[00:18:06] Some filtration systems use a series of filter cartridges, while others use reverse osmosis, or RO, to which it is commonly referred. In some cases, distillation is utilized. However, this is very impractical for most people. While there are advantages and disadvantages to all purification systems, it's generally understood that R0 provides the cleanest water, especially when it's combined with other types of filter cartridges.

[00:18:31] Point of use filters can include shower filters under sink systems and even countertop devices for drinking water. Take note that I do not recommend under sink RO System that utilize a holding tank due to the accumulation of harmful bacteria. And some companies that produce under counter RO systems would disagree, but based on my research, I would personally avoid holding tank systems for this reason.

[00:18:52] Let's now cover countertop purification. My favorite reverse osmosis countertop system is made by a company called AquaTru, available from the site, waterandwellness.com, who incidentally also sell Quinton sea mineral solution, which is my favorite way to re-mineralize purified water. I love the AquaTru for its effectiveness, price, and convenience. The AquaTru is a water pitcher system, so you plug in the unit, fill the tank with tap water, and you have better than bottled water always available at the push of the button.

[00:19:25] It's also relatively portable and can be used in houses, apartments, and even on road trips. The only possible downside of this system when compared to a whole house or under sink filter would be that it requires power and that the tank must be manually filled. However, this is what we use in our home for cooking, and sometimes, for drinking should we run out of spring water. Now, the water purity of the AquTru is stellar due to its four-stage filtration process.

[00:19:50] First, the advanced sediment pre-filter reduces sediment, rust, and many other contaminants, then they've got the activated carbon pre-filter that reduces 99% of chemical disinfectants, such as chlorine and chloramines. The third stage is a high-efficiency reverse osmosis filter. This reduces toxic inorganic contaminants such as lead, chromium[VI], arsenic, and radium. It's crazy that this stuff is in our water, but unfortunately, it is. The fourth and final filtration stage is an activated carbon VOC filter, which reduces low molecular weight chemical contaminants like petrochemicals, PFAS, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues.

[00:20:30] Most popular picture filters not only do an abysmal job of removing toxins, but also require their filters to be changed every two months, some, even more often, which is a huge pain in the ass. Now, AquaTru's dual function pre-filter lasts about six months, which is great. The reverse osmosis element in their filters last about two years, and the final carbon VOC filter lasts about a year. Now, another feature I really like about this system is that it notifies you when the filters need replacement, so you don't have to guess or forget entirely.

[00:21:01] Another great countertop unit is the water revival system by PristineHydro. This one comes in a portable briefcase, which makes it really cool for travel. The filtration process is also quite robust and trustworthy, ensuring that the water produced is free of contaminants. Now, while this system is considerably more expensive than the AquaTru, it does have some unique features, such as the ability to re-mineralize and restructure the water once it's been purified, which we'll talk about in a few minutes.

[00:21:30] Other benefits to thi system include the fact that it requires no power, connects directly to your sink, and produces one gallon of water every 15 minutes, which is pretty fast. This high output would allow one to purify and store water for later use. For some, one downside to the PristineHydro system could be the aesthetics of having a black briefcase sitting on your countertop. The AquaTru is more compact, sits upright, and blends easily with other appliances.

[00:21:57] That said, I'm a huge fan of both of them and feel confident in recommending them over other countertop systems I've seen. Now, two other popular countertop pitcher filters are the Berkey and the Alexapure Pro. While both of these units provide the convenience of a large reservoir, I'm not personally convinced of their claims of purification and water quality. I'd consider having the Alexapure on hand in a box in the garage for an emergency where there was a loss of power, but neither of these would suffice for daily consumptive use, in my opinion.

[00:22:28] Now, I know many of you out there probably own a Berkey and you're pissed off at me right now, I'll dig into some of the research that I've done and do my best to present that at a later date, but I've seen enough that I'm doubtful that either of these are going to do the job, according to my preferences. That said, as I stated earlier, we're on a spectrum here, so you do the best you can. If the BErkey is what you can afford and it's what's convenient, listen, it's a million times better than drinking tap water, but I would not trust it to meet the standards that we're trying to achieve here.

[00:23:03] Other point of use filters include, of course, shower and bath filters. And while these can be useful if a whole house or point of entry filter is not an option, even the best of them barely suffice for water purity as a long-term solution. I used both for 20 years as a renter in Los Angeles, and the main limitation of these small filters is a combination of high water pressure and minimal filter surface area.

[00:23:26] There are simply too much water going through too small of a filter to adequately remove many of the most stubborn and troublesome toxins, such as fluoride. This opinion, supported by the fact that like cheap pitcher filters, most manufacturers only claim to "reduce" rather than remove toxin. At the same time, many still rely on the flimsy promise of removing the "smell" of chlorine.

[00:23:50] So, the shower and tub filters would not be adequate, in my opinion, for drinking water or really as a long-term solution. Another downside to shower and bath filters is lifespan due to the sheer volume of water passing through the filters. That being said, I believe some shower or bath filtration is by far better than none. Now, my two favorite shower filters are the Ultimate Dual KDF Filter by PristineHydro and the Hydrogen Health Shower Filter, the latter of which also adds back some minerals and structure to the water, which is cool.

[00:24:23] And at one point, I actually had both of these connected in-line in my shower in LA to increase the net result of both. It also made it difficult for my six-foot-two head to fit under the showerhead, because it was so long with two filters connected, but it did definitely, noticeably reduce the smell of chlorine and things like that. However, I think that with all shower filters, they would likely need to be replaced much sooner than is indicated in the box and instructions when you get it. I think it, they'll say, last six months and I've not found that to be true. 

[00:24:58] In terms of bath filters, oh, man, unfortunately, I've not found any that would make a massive difference in the water purity for the same reasons as shower filters, but again, something is better than nothing. And the best bath filter I've found is the Crystal Quest Bath Filter. I use this filter for many years, and found that it did, in fact, reduce some of the chlorine smell, but I had to replace it quite often to retain its effectiveness. 

[00:25:22] And for those filters that I just mentioned, of course, I will put those in the show notes as well, and to remind you, that's lukestorey.com/396. And if you're listening to this on some of the podcast apps, it will also have the feature of a clickable link that you can actually just go to while you're listening, because I know as I rattle off some of the stuff, you're like, "Wait, what was the thing?" That's how I am when I listen to a podcast, which is why we take so much care in providing all of the links when we produce these shows.

[00:25:51] Okay. Let's talk whole house purification. Although more feasible for homeowners than renters and apartment dwellers, installing a whole house or point of entry filter can be an amazing solution. However, this type of filtration can be challenging for several reasons. First is the expense. Now, depending on your square footage, filtering all of the water at point of entry can get pricey. 

[00:26:12] The second challenge to this solution is that the type of filtration needed will vary greatly depending on source water quality. While I have not yet installed a filtration unit at our home, I have done some preliminary research and found the following brands to be the most promising for both point of use and point of entry, depending on the company and systems offered. That said, I'm sure I've missed a few as the market is quickly becoming saturated with many brands, all of them, of course, claiming superiority over the others. 

[00:26:38] Water filtration is a highly competitive market, kind of like the sauna market, like everyone trashes all the other saunas and says theirs is the best, well, the water filtration business is very similar in that respect. As a result, it can be very difficult to achieve clarity as one sifts through the, sometimes, misleading marketing materials presented by the various manufacturers.

[00:26:58] So, I'm going to do my best here today to weed through some of that for you. By far, the most impressive home unit I've found is from a company called OPHORA Water out of Santa Barbara. And I've personally tasted this water, and it is definitely the closest thing I found to pure spring water. They offer several custom whole house systems, and pool, and spa filtration solutions. I've even had a few soaks in their oxygenated cedar hot tub, and it, too, is the closest thing I've ever found to a natural hot spring. 

[00:27:26] It is absolutely incredible, and I'm just going to set the intention right now to get one of those. I've always wanted one of their hot tubs. They are super expensive but are just incredible. And since I live somewhere where there are not springs to go soak in, I think I'm going to find a way to hook that up. Anyway, their systems are not cheap, and therefore I'm going to warn you, not accessible to many people, but this would be my first choice based on their technology, sophistication, and the ability to customize the level of purification you need based on your water quality at home. 

[00:27:57] And while I said we're going to cover bottled water options later, while we're here, I'll just point out that OPHORA does bottle and ship their delicious oxygenated water within the US in glass bottles, and it really is very high quality water. I mean, I taste it, I can't even tell that it's filtered water. It's really good. Another promising company is Greenfield Water, founded by my friend and fellow podcaster, Ben Greenfield's father, Gary. 

[00:28:20] And they appear to have a very thorough understanding of purification and structured water, which we'll cover later. So, I definitely recommend looking into that company as well. A more affordable option is the Aquasana Home System. While this isn't going to provide the level of purity I would prefer for drinking long term, it's likely good enough for general use and one of the more reasonably priced solutions available. Another whole house system in a feasible price range is SpringWell, so you could look into either of those.

[00:28:46] That would kind of be my hierarchy of all of the many brands available that do whole house filtration. For those of you that want to learn even more about the history and science of water filtration, listen to Episode 313 featuring Robert Slovak, one of the foremost experts on the subject and an early pioneer in reverse osmosis. This guy knows his water, and that episode covered everything I'm talking about here with the different types of filtration systems, why some work, some don't, et cetera. So, again, that's Episode 313. We'll link it in the show notes.

[00:29:16] Okay. Now, let's talk about reviving purified water. As demonstrated in the fascinating work of many water scientists such as Dr. Masaru Imoto, and more recently, Veda Austin, water is a miraculous carrier of information, and I would say even consciousness itself. Both tap and filtered water are disordered or energetically disturbed through the processing and/or purification.

[00:29:42] Simply purifying water is not, by itself, going to reorder or restructure the water back into its natural form. However, there are some companies that I mentioned before that do include water restructuring in their filter systems. Additionally, depending on the type of purification method being used, it's common for treated water to be stripped of all its vital life force, and trace minerals, and micronutrients.

[00:30:05] For example, distillation removes everything from the water, whether beneficial to health or not. Suppose the most practical method of purifying your drinking water is R0 or another type of filtration, in that case, there are many tools and practices available to bring this water back to a more natural state. Once the water has been purified, you can apply any of the following steps to restore it to something much closer to natural water. The first being remineralizing the water, Quinton sea mineral solution, it's a great way to add micronutrients and minerals into dead water.

[00:30:36] The hypertonic solution is very effective, that's what I use at home with my AquTru system, and it also really improves the taste and structure of the water incidentally. A less expensive option is to add a pinch of sea salt to your purified water, and I would avoid Himalayan salt due to its high inorganic iron content. I prefer raw, untreated Icelandic or Celtic salt for this reason. Processed white salts, by the way, are washed, and thus stripped of the very minerals needed to remineralize the water.

[00:31:06] Let's talk about restructuring the water. Structured water is a complex and vast topic of study and one about which many experts disagree. The basic idea is that water moves and behaves in nature in particular ways. When water is subjected, for example, to modern right angle plumbing, EMF, and various purification methods, it loses its inherent energetic blueprint. Since natural water is more of a crystalline structure than a simple, transparent liquid, it also carries with it information. 

[00:31:36] So, think of water as a conduit. If we take water out of its natural flow, transport it and treat it, we essentially alter its inherent quality. Water in nature is naturally ordered and becomes disordered by many environmental influences. Even my prized pristine spring water is known to lose its structure when stored without circulation for a period as water in nature is always moving. So, think about, for a moment, a stagnant body of water versus a flowing, rocky mountain stream.

[00:32:05] It's obvious to observe the way water loses its life force and vitality when it's left to stagnate. The book, Hidden Messages in Water by Dr. Masaru Imoto demonstrated that water does, in fact, behave differently based on its environmental influences. In using high-speed photography, Dr. Imoto discovered that crystals formed in frozen water revealed changes when specific concentrated thoughts are directed toward them.

[00:32:29] It's crazy stuff. He found that water from clear springs and water that has been exposed to loving words show brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns. In contrast, polluted water or even water exposed to negative thoughts forms incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors. The implications of this research are insane, and really create a new awareness of how we can positively impact the Earth and our personal health through how we treat water.

[00:32:56] When I first read this book some 17 years ago, it completely changed my perspective on the nature of water, and the impact of thoughts and intentions in general. And while some in the scientific community have since questioned the validity of his studies, I've remained a believer, as have tens of thousands of other water enthusiasts and fellow scientists. So, whether or not Dr. Imoto's work stands up to the test of time and the rigors of scientific inquiry or not, the fact remains that water is, by its very nature, mysterious, and is, in fact, affected by how we treat it. Following in the footsteps of Dr. Imoto, the aforementioned Veda Austin is a water researcher, artist, and author. 

[00:33:33] And she's dedicated the past eight years to observing and photographing the life of water. She believes, and I wholeheartedly agree, that water is fluid intelligence observing itself through every living organism on the planet and in the universe. Veda Austin's primary area of focus is photographing water in its state of creation. So, her photographic water work is genuinely miraculous and prompts one to question everything we think to know about water, and in fact, reality itself. While it's admittedly difficult for the layperson to prove that water has or not been properly structured, there are several different methods available to achieve this. Many of which have, in fact, been validated by various studies conducted around the world across a broad spectrum of disciplines.

[00:34:17] For example, I recently discovered an incredible company called Natural Action, which makes several impressive restructuring devices. And I'm about to install their whole house structuring unit, which will treat the entire home's water after it's filtered. They also manufacture and sell under sink, shower, and even pool water-structuring devices, all of which are connected to the plumbing in your home.

[00:34:38] Additionally, they have created three portable water vitality systems, which I'm currently using to structure my Alive Water spring water after it's been stored before drinking. On their website, Natural Action offers a really comprehensive and fascinating guide to water terminology as follows, which will help clarify some of the topics being explored here. "Water revitalization is used to raise water quality, but generally involves flow forms, magnets, or other forms of passive water treatment.

[00:35:07] Because water is considered by many 'fluid crystal' and able to store information, it is not generally understood whether this information is helpful or not, and to what degree. Many things have an upside and a downside. It is each person's responsibility to consider for themselves using all available information. Revitalization is particularly observed as a bringing life force back into water and the common sense that biology cannot survive without water.

[00:35:35] There is strong correlative evidence that this life force deteriorates in water due to excessive entropy caused by short-cycling, and over processing by pressure, heat, radiation, noise, synthetic chemicals, and so on. Many current and past teachings consider its neglect by science as a cardinal error in modern scientific practices." Natural Action then goes on to offer the following distinctions, "Functional water. Water is considered to create a positive biological response from a particular type of water and application.

[00:36:05] Structured water is an ambiguous term widely used in marketing today that implies functional water. Still, there is no current and widely accepted verification for the term, and likely the term is much too vague to be utilized objectively. Hexagonal water. This term was used in the East, originating from Mu-Shik Jhon and others' NMR work with liquid water, identifying the number of ring structures between six and three, and some pathological functions of the water and biology.

[00:36:34] It also implies functional water and water structure changes, mainly referring to the electromagnetic interactions and their passive water alterations. Hexagonal water is only a portion of the total water structure, as measured by the specific NMR methods. Therefore, it is not an all-inclusive term to describe the water wholly. Activated water. This is a term used by some to describe functional water, generally dealing with NMR work, discussing proton spin and arrangement as the primary cause of the water's change in structure and behavior typically associated with basic and specific electrolysis methods."

[00:37:13] So, think Kangen machines, et cetera, which, again, we'll cover in a later episode. "EZ water or exclusion zone water is a term coined by Gerald Pollack, describing surface-charged interaction between hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances with relative property changes in the water. Simply put, it represents an increased polarization of the water to a greater degree than expected or predicted."

[00:37:37] I told you, guys, water is deep, man. This stuff gets crazy. Hopefully, you're following along. And I'll just add that it's not necessary that you understand all of this, but I just think the science around structured water, in general, is extremely fascinating, so I'm going to carry on. Next, they cover charged water. "Apart from conventional electrical engineering charge, which is widely ambiguous, except in specifically defined situations, and the underlying physics implies functional water with an increase in broad energy terms or decrease biological load after consumption. This term is ambiguous to all scientific art forms."

[00:38:15] Next, we've got double helix water. "This is a term that originated from the recent discovery of soft, solid H2O particles in water at room temperature under the atomic force microscope from extreme dilutions, which cause electrical charge collapses or inward integrating motion, and is the same principle believed to be responsible for many water revitalization devices. The phrase came from images of a double helix like soft, solid shape the water formed. The water also creates many other solid shapes at room temperature". 

[00:38:48] And finally, mineral-enhanced water. "This is a well-known variable in water that can have many different effects. There are also excellent objective analyses and performance indicators available through conventional laboratory work dealing with physical substances and their chemical reactions. Whether they cause revitalization and make functional water requires some assessment. The folks at Natural Action then continue 'common sense'.

[00:39:13] It is likely water, the secrets of nature nor the universe, will ever be entirely dispelled. Technologies are used and developed over time long before science has a definitive explanation on which everyone agrees upon. This is the truth of the vast majority of history and technologies manifest. The system must be formed around the observation that currently defined system cannot be the basis for observation.

[00:39:37] Water can be considered an essential and dominant element by weight and volume. While our understanding of the finite units of matter and its subdivision continue to debate, we can treat water and the bodies, and the planet it resides in, and on with more reverence. Therefore, filtration, revitalization, and mineral enhancement are measurable, objectively and subjectively, significant factors in creating functional water. 

[00:40:02] Water revitalization can be objectively and subjectively measured by various means. In culmination, it may be used to verify changes in the water that qualify it as a form of functional water. The following methods have been cited and corroborated significantly and are definitely worth mentioning. Nuclear magnetic resonance, proton bandwidth, spin state, and relaxation times indicate a change in structure. UV absorption, non-visible range, and increased absorption indicates a change in structure.

[00:40:31] High-sensitivity thermal imaging, increased polarization of temperature gradients indicate a change in macro-observations. Crystal microscopy analysis, right angles versus radial angles in dendritic growth indicate a change in water quality by repeatable correlation. Atomic force microscopy, soft, solid structures of H2O at room temperature indicate structure and phase change." And finally, "Gas discharge visual, analysis of dielectric suppression imaging at high voltages indicate a change in electrical behavior of water."

[00:41:06] Wow, that was a lot. Super geeky stuff there, guys. As I said earlier, the science of water is just fascinating and deep, so thank you for keeping up if you manage to do so. And as you can see, the folks over at Natural Action have a profound understanding of the nature of water, which is why I use their technology for my personal water revitalization needs. In terms of science-backed research, they are the best I found in both portable vessels and inline plumbing structuring units.

[00:41:34] Now, there is another promising company called B Life Water, which distributes several different devices by an Austrian company called UMH. Their structuring devices are also very impressive and quite reputable. Now, while I have not personally used them at the time of this writing, a few of my water-savvy friends use their countertop, Delta UMH units and report a vast improvement in drinking water quality.

[00:41:58] Now, if you're getting excited about restructuring water, I want to warn you, the devices sold by both of these companies are relatively pricey due to the nature of the materials used to create their technologies. And for those of you that want to do some further research and explore that, you can find links and even some discount codes for both companies in the show notes, again, at lukestorey.com/396. I hope you guys are remembering that show notes link by now.

[00:42:20] I feel like I've said it 40 times. Now, for those that want to save some cash and achieve similar results, I've also periodically used a Miron ultraviolet glass bottle to protect and keep my drinking water structured on the go for a much more budget-friendly approach. Miron Violet Glass blocks the complete spectrum of visible light, except for the violet range, while at the same time, it allows a specific segment to be permeable for radiation in the spectral range of UVA and infrared light.

[00:42:50] This unique combination offers optimal protection against the aging and deterioration process, typically accelerated by visible light. Through Miron Violet Glass, light in the extreme range of 380 to 420 nanometers, so that's violet and UVA, can penetrate the glass and positively affect the water. Miron Glass is really fascinating stuff. You'll notice a lot of supplement bottles, and cosmetics, and things like that tend to come in this purple Miron Glass.

[00:43:20] In fact, I happen to have one for those of you watching the video right here. Now, this glass looks black, but if you hold it up to a very bright light, you can see that it's more of a violet color. And you can do a really interesting experiment with this. I had my mambe in here. Unfortunately, I'm out. Otherwise, I'd be much more focused recording this episode. Mambe is a coca leaf paste, not cocaine just to be clear, but the natural coca leaf.

[00:43:48] You can take a piece of fruit, a tomato, a cherry tomato or something like that, put it in here, put one in a clear glass, set them in the sun, and watch what happens. Things are preserved incredibly in Miron Glass, and as I'm getting into here, it's also incredible for your water. Primarily through light energy, nature can perfectly put water into order. So, the more biophotons water contains, the more ordered or structured it looks.

[00:44:13] The more ordered water, the better it can form specific tasks like waste disposal in a living cell, absorb temperature changes, and protect against negative, energetic influences. So, the more the water is structured, the better it is for the human body. Water can, in fact, improve its structure if stored in Miron bottles and exposed to sunlight. Water will also become softer and sweeter with the improved structure, and thus arguably taste better than ordinary bottled water. So, what I like to do with my spring water or any water, really, is put it inside a Miron Glass bottle and set it out in the sun for a period of time. And it does, in fact, taste different. It's like magic.

[00:44:48] The other two companies that have created technology that can structure water are Leela Quantum Tech and Somavedic. In fact, I have a Somavedic sitting here right on my desk. You've probably seen these in my podcast interviews with guests. I always have one sitting on the table. They're made with precious and semi-precious stones. I did a podcast episode about the Somavedic, which I will, of course, link to in the show notes.

[00:45:12] And the Somavedic is also great for EMF mitigation and just improving the energetics in your space, but here, we're talking about the restructuring power. And for those of you watching the video, I also have the Leela Quantum Block back there on the table, and at the moment, this is off-topic, but I'm using that to send healing quantum energy to my dog, Cookie. So, I have a photograph of cookie in the quantum block by Leela right now, because she is currently at the vet, I'm kind of waiting for a phone call from them, undergoing surgery for a tumor that she had on her stomach, which hopefully turns out to be benign.

[00:45:52] But the Leela Quantum Tech devices also structure water when the water is nearby. That's why I have my Alive spring water right next to the Quantum Block. Now, while Somavedic and Leela each produce a diverse range of devices that provide numerous health benefits, including that EMF protection that I mentioned, both have documented studies using water crystal photography that demonstrate their effectiveness at restructuring water. 

[00:46:17] And we'll put a link to that as well. It's really cool stuff. The Leela Quantum and Infinity Block, and their Quantum Water Bottle were both used and validated for water treatment on their website. At the same time, the Somavedic Atlantic Medic Green Ultra and Amber were all shown to achieve comparable results in their respective lab analysis. So, it's not just the company saying, "Hey, this thing will restructure or reorder your water", they're actually showing the lab testing that they did to indicate that that is, in fact, true.

[00:46:51] It's very cool stuff. So, I have these technologies here in the studio at home, and I use them for a number of different things, as I just indicated, even blessing and healing my dog, but specifically to restructure water. And in addition to those mentioned, there are thankfully more companies emerging in the field of structured water as scientific water research continues.

[00:47:12] While I've only included the brands and methods I personally experienced, I'm also confident that we'll continue to see exciting innovations in this emerging phenomenon of structured water. But remember that restructuring water does not remove toxins or contaminants in the source water, so it's critical that proper purification is conducted before drinking unless the water is naturally pure, as is the case with most legitimate spring water. 

[00:47:35] Okay. A quick recap, guys. So, again, this is a spectrum, a hierarchy of water quality, and in my experience and opinion, of course, pure lab-tested spring water is the best, and then we've got various ways to purify and reinvigorate water. So, if we're taking water out of its natural state like tap water, municipal water, filtered water, et cetera, there are scientifically valid ways to essentially restructure or reorder that water in something closer to natural spring water.

[00:48:05] So, if we don't have access to spring water or if the spring nearby is sketchy and we haven't had the opportunity to have it lab-tested for contaminants, et cetera. So, if it's possible, collect some spring water from a local spring. Ideally, have it lab-tested. And if that's not an option for you, you've now learned that you can, in fact, not only make tap water safe, but also turn it back into something close to natural spring water.

[00:48:32] And as I stated in the intro for this show, while this solo cast was dedicated to water purification and structured water, stay tuned for part two coming soon where I explore spring, bottled, alkaline, and even hydrogen water. And I want to let you know that if you found value in this episode, I encourage you to share it with as many people as possible. It's my belief that if more humans, animals, and plants are using clean, pure water, our world will be a much better place. Thank you so much for joining me today, and I'll be back next week with another episode.