I wouldn't drink only distilled water.

http://www.all-about-water-filters.com/dangers-of-drinking-distilled-water.html


"Dr. Zoltan Rona based on 19 years of clinical practice observing the health effects of drinking different types of water says,

The longer one drinks distilled water, the more likely the development of mineral deficiencies and an acid state. I have done well over 3000 mineral evaluations using a combination of blood, urin and hair tests in my practice. Almost without exception, people who consume distilled water exclusively, eventually develop multiple mineral deficiencies....the more mineral loss, the greater the risk for osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and a long list of degenerative diseases generally associated with premature aging."

drinking straight distilled water is not particularly good. the distilling is to clean it up. it also helps clean you up. but to get the water where it is going then salts are necessary. or plant minerals. just put a pinch of your favorite herb in the water, or a sqeeze of lemon, or realsalt, etc.

i have been doing my Iodine in water, then i also have a glass with some tinctures i like(thanks uny!). or i will take a lick of salt and chug a glass. i have been drinking distilled for years now and have had no problem. i also use it for cooking or making juice from concentrate(organic), making coffee or tea, etc. its the only thing i use. i have no evidenc that it is leaching anything essential from me at all.

Trapper is quite right: Dr Zoltan Ronas article is nonsense.

The question of whether distilled water "leaches" minerals from the body causing hair-loss and other health problems due to mineral deficiencies.?
Distilled water was used for decades in even the most prolonged fasts with NO hair-loss or other health problems associated with mineral/electrolyte deficiencies.


"You may have heard that distilled water "leaches" minerals from the body. That is partially true. The minerals that are leached(removed) by distilled water are the inorganic minerals that the body cannot use. The effect, therefore, is healthful.
Distilled water will NOT leach (organic) minerals that have become part of the structure of the body cell system. Once a mineral has become part of the cell structure, it cannot be leached."........................
Harvey and Marilyn Diamond; from their book "Fit for Life", Warner Books - pp. 35, 1985


The use of distilled water whilst fasting acts as a purifier of all foreign substances (including inorganic minerals that only clog your arteries and cause havoc within the body) and which greatly aids in the elimination of toxins, and if it is THAT harmful to the body, then we would derive no benefit from fruit and its juices either, as this contains exclusively distilled water via Nature.
There is also little need (if any) for drinking distilled water exclusively after a fast, as long as the diet is of a high-water-content and is also nutrient-dense: this satisfies the body nutritionally and even reverses disease.

Hair loss on a Water Fast will be attributed to an insufficient reserve of minerals prior to the fasts undertaking from a nutrient-deficient diet.
Our very best source of minerals comes from the food we eat, which has been made bioavailable to the body in the the minerals metamorphosis by the plant itself, and if that food is nutritionally-depleted from nutrient-deficient soils, then you have your answer.

Nature isn't stupid: we cannot derive our minerals that have any benefit to the body such as Iron from eating metal railway sidings, or Calcium from eating plain chalk: only the plant-derived minerals as part of its edible structure are fit for human consumption, and have any bioavailability and health-benefit to the body.


FURTHER.....................
"Consider that the body, in early adulthood is made of approximately 65% water, and you will see how absurd it would be ignore its importance. Water is the medium in which all the other aspects of this course are dissolved. Next to air, it is the most immediate need of the body. Without air, you can survive five to ten minutes. Without food, you can survive for several months. Without water, you can survive for around 10 to 14 days.

At birth you were about 75% water. If you make it past 95 and die of old age, you will be about 25% water. You will have transformed from a plum to a raisin in your 95 plus years. This is called age related dehydration. Therefore, one of the most important anti-aging strategies is to remain well hydrated at all times.

The body is made to work perfectly and age slowly. No one knows how long the body is designed to live, because no one has ever spent a lifetime doing the best things for his or her body. Few people are actually interested in doing the best things for the body, and of that small percentage of people who want to live in maximum health and vitality, correct information is woefully lacking. It is even worse than that — in the place where correct information should be, mythology exists. Nowhere is this better seen than in the state of information about water. Let us clear up all the misinformation about water.

It is true that the body needs minerals. It is not true that drinking water containing minerals is good for you — quite the contrary — it is lethal. Let me explain. The function of minerals in the body is to serve as co-enzymes for the enzymes which direct metabolism. Without its proper mineral, an enzyme cannot function correctly. Without the function of the enzymes systems of your body, your metabolism would come to a screeching halt, and you would die immediately.

A mineral, to be useful to the body, must be in a form in which it can be taken up by its matching enzyme. There is only one way a mineral can be utilized by an enzyme: when it is delivered to its enzyme by an organic molecule. An organic molecule is made of a string of carbon atoms. When a mineral is in such an association with an organic molecule, it is said to be chelated. A chelated mineral can be transferred to an enzyme, so that mineral can then function as a co-enzyme. A non-chelated mineral cannot be transferred; therefore, it is worse than useless.

A solution of minerals in a plain electrolytic solution, to be useful in the body, must first be chelated by the body. The human body has limited capacity to chelate minerals. Compared to plants, this ability is very poor. The consumption of foods of plant origin supplies the body with minerals it can use immediately, because they are in the chelated form. This is true of foods of animal origin to a lesser degree, but foods of animal origin come with an excess of "cides" (herbicides, pesticides, etc.), preservatives , Antibiotics , synthetic hormones, etc., which far outweigh any mineral value it might provide. Food of plant origin is high in water content, and this is the best source of water available to you.

The best source of straight water is distilled water. There was a time when nature provided pure, distilled drinking water in the form of rain water and melted snow, sleet, hail, etc. However, since the advent of industrial pollution in our atmosphere, most rain is polluted, due to its passage through a polluted atmosphere between the time it condenses in a rain cloud and the time it strikes the earth. Therefore, atmospherically derived water is no longer a viable source of pure water. The only distilled water left is steam distilled water.

There is no good third choice of water. Carbon-filtered water is highly touted, mainly by the people who sell carbon filtration equipment, but many minerals are left after filtration. Reverse osmosis is a better solution, but still leaves inorganic minerals present. I suggest you leave these solutions alone and opt for some combination of steam distilled water and the juice of organically grown vegetables and fruits. However, some systems combine carbon filtration with reverse osmosis and this is, to me, an acceptable solution.

The worst possible choice you can make is mineral water. The common sources of mineral water are (1) tap water and (2) bottled mineral water. The minerals in mineral water are inorganic and therefore worse than useless to the body. Inorganic minerals are not only unavailable as co-enzymes; worse than that, they crystallize in the body, both inside and outside the circulatory system. When they crystallize outside the circulatory system, they cause such problems as arthritis. When they crystallize inside the circulatory system, they are deposited in the walls of your arteries and, over the years, contribute to the plaque formation of atherosclerosis. These atherosclerotic plaques yield only to prolonged chelation therapy, and while it is true that they can be dealt with in this manner, is not prevention a much better alternative?

Prevention of atherosclerosis is accomplished through a diet high in fiber and balanced between protein and complex carbohydrate content and the drinking of only pure water. Mineral water, whether derived from bottles at a high price, or from a faucet for almost nothing, is dangerous to your health because, over the course of years, it will give you hardened arteries and arthritic joints.

If you drink tap water, you are choosing the least sensible solution possible. While it is true that tap water has been treated so that no dangerous bacteria are present, it is still loaded with inorganic minerals. In addition, it also is loaded with the chlorine used to kill the bacteria. The full effects of this chlorine on the body are not yet known, and if you drink it, you might as well enroll in a university study to measure the effect of large doses of chlorine on the human body. If you were part of such a study you would at least be making a contribution to future water drinkers.

Fluoride also is added to tap water in the name of tooth development in children. Whatever benefits for growing teeth this may provide are overshadowed by the effect of fluoride on the enzyme systems of the body. Fluoride, folks, is a proven carcinogen!

Other ways to satisfy your body's need for pure water is to drink, tea, coffee and soft drinks. If you do this, given what we know about the content of these items, you must have a strong death wish.

For most people, at least for those who are leading busy lives, the best solution is to drink only steam distilled water. If you have not already developed this practice, I strongly recommend that you do so now. The cost is around $6 per week for an average adult, and this includes both your drinking and cooking needs. Needless to say, it makes no sense to drink only steam distilled water and then cook with tap water. Use only steam distilled water for cooking.

The alternative is to buy a filtration system. This is a much better solution than drinking tap water and much more economical than steam distilled water. Do not economize when selecting a system. The best systems use two carbon filters in tandem with a reverse osmosis filter and operate off the pressure supplied by your own tap water system.

If you are one of these people who drinks mineral water — perhaps that fizzy, carbonated, entertaining stuff from Calistoga or France — please know that you are doing your body no favor at all through this practice and you are spending much more for your water than you need to. Most of all you are promoting the crystallization of minerals in the soft tissues of your body and, over time, you will pay dearly for this practice. When the arteries which supply your optic and auditory nerves are clogged, you will pay for your inorganic mineral intake with loss of vision and hearing. Each one of the organs in your body depends on an unrestricted supply of blood for optimum function. If you clog your arteries with inorganic minerals, you will lose that optimum function. This includes the brain (by ischemia and stroke) and the heart (angina and heart attack).

The purity of the water you drink is critically important to your health and vitality. I have presented you with accurate information regarding this subject. Look in your phone book yellow pages under "water." Regular delivery of steam distilled water or a double filtration/reverse osmosis system are the most convenient and economical methods of having this precious fluid on hand at all times — short of buying and operating a steam distiller in your own home. Recently steam distiller technology has come of age and is well worth looking into. For the cost of distilled water delivered to one person for one year, a counter-top steam distiller can be purchased. Search for the words "Water Wise" on the Internet and see what you come up with.

The rest is up to you. For your liquid needs the proper action is to allow only pure vegetable and fruit juices and steam distilled water, sans inorganic minerals, to pass your lips. This practice, all else being equal, will add many vital and healthy years to your life".................................................................
by Dr. Ron Kennedy, MD from Santa Rosa, CA:

IN ADDITION......................
Distilled water, which contains no carbon dioxide, has a neutral pH of 7. Liquids with a pH less than 7 are acidic, and those with a pH greater than 7 are bases. “Clean” or unpolluted rain has a slightly acidic pH of about 5.2, because carbon dioxide and water in the air react together to form carbonic acid, a weak acid (pH 5.6 in distilled water), but unpolluted rain also contains other chemicals.

The large amount of water that fruits contain makes them an excellent article of food for summer, when the system requires more liquid, especially in dry countries where the water supply is scarce or impure. The water of fruits is absolutely pure, having been DISTILLED by heaven's own process, and then canned and sealed by a skin that is impervious to germs. There is no danger of contamination from drinking it, as long as the skin is not punctured in any way. The juices of the watermelon, orange, lemon, and lime are among the best for drinking, and can be taken at any time, as they contain no nutriment excepting a little sugar; but the juice only should be taken, as the pulp, or cellulose, of fruit is indigestible.
http://www.magnesiumforlife.com/distilled_water.shtml



THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

"To the best of our knowledge, there would not be any adverse health effects from the continued ingestion of distilled water."

May 17 1985; American Medical Association; Division of Personal and Public Health Policy; Jack A. Bell - Assistant Director

"Distilled water should be used if the usual water supply(tap or bottled) contains more than 20 mg. of sodium per liter."

American Heart Association(1986)

"The body's need for minerals is largely met through foods, not drinking water."

American Medical Journal

"There are no essential nutrients dissolved in tap water which humans depend on from this source for their survival or well-being. All essential nutrients can be obtained from foods and proper dietary supplements."

"There have been some recent rumors that the consumption of "hard" water actually lessens the chances of heart and blood vessel disease.

These rumors are uncorroborated. Winton and McCabe ("Studies relating to Water Mineralization and Health" - Journal American Water Works Association, January, 1970, pp. 26-29.) conclude that a review of the literature on this subject does not reveal ANY conclusive evidence that water "hardness(mineral content)" benefits heart and blood vessel diseases".

Allen McDaniels, M.D., from his book: "Water---what's in it for you?"

"Water Hardness" is the underlying cause of many, if not all, of the diseases resulting from poisons in the intestinal tract. These(hard minerals) pass from the intestinal walls and get into the lymphatic system, which delivers all of it's products to the blood, which in turn, distributes to all parts of the body. This is the cause of much human disease.

"Water Hardness" is inorganic minerals in solution(in water). When these minerals enter the intestines in drinking water, there is an immediate reaction between them and the fats, oils and fatty acids present, causing precipitation of inorganic calcium, magnesium, iron and so on---to form new, insoluble compounds."

Dr. Charles Mayo(Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota)

INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN NUTRITIONAL EXPERTS
"The Secret" of health lies in internal cleanliness! To be 100% healthy, a body must be absolutely free of deposits of inorganic minerals that come from drinking city tap water, water from lakes, rivers, wells and springs. Inorganic minerals contaminate the human body, (they) form incrustations that clog and obstruct the human pipe system(arteries and digestive tracts) and impair the vital organs.

"When distilled water enters the body, it leaves no residue of any kind. It is free of salts and sodium. It is the most perfect water for the healthy functioning of the kidneys(83% water). It is the perfect liquid for the blood(83% water), the ideal liquid for the efficient functioning of the lungs(86% water), stomach, liver(85% water) and other vital organs. Why? Because it is free of all inorganic minerals. It is so pure that all liquid drug prescriptions are formulated with distilled water.

"The greatest damage done by inorganic minerals---plus waxy cholesterol and salt---is to the small arteries and other blood vessels of the brain(75% water). Hardening of the arteries and calcification of blood vessels starts on the day you start taking inorganic chemicals(and minerals from tap water) into our bodies."

Dr. Paul Bragg, N.D. Ph.T., from his book: "The Shocking Truth About Water"

"Distilled water is the greatest solvent on earth. (It is) the only water that can be taken into the body without damage to the tissues.

"What we as scientists and the public have never realized is that minerals collected in the body from water are all inorganic minerals, which cannot be assimilated(digested) by the body. The only minerals that the body can utilize are the organic minerals(from fruits and vegetables). All other types of minerals are foreign substances to the body and must be disposed of or eliminated.

"Today, many progressive doctors prescribe distilled water to their patients. All kidney machines operate on distilled water."

Allen E. Banik, M.D. from his book: "The Choice is Clear"

"The best system to purify water is distillation, which boils the water into steam to kill organisms and also remove impurities"

The Great Book of Health Secrets: 1991 Boardroom Reports Inc

"Distilled water is the purest form available. Distilled water helps to excrete excessive heavy metals from the body."

Who Killed Candida?; 1991 Vicki Glassburn

"These is only one water that is clean, steam distilled water. No other substance on our planet does so much to keep us healthy and get us well as water does."

Dietary Wellness; 1993 Dr. James Balch, M.D.

"Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers are instructed to drink distilled water."

How to Stay Out of the Doctor's Office; 1994 Dr. Edward M. Wagner

"The 'gold standard' for purifying your water is a system that distills your water and filters it."

Dr. Robert D. Willix, Jr. M.D.; Cardiac Surgeon; Editor-Health & Longevity Newsletter

"If you wish to drink water, you should drink distilled water if it is available. Mountain spring water is not ideal for the human body because it contains inorganic minerals that the human body can neither use nor precipitate out. These inorganic minerals tend to hook up with cholesterol in the body and form a thick plaque in the arteries. Distilled water does not have this effect.

"When you eat a piece of fruit or a vegetable, you are consuming distilled water. The minerals are taken from the soil, the plant distills them, and then you consume them.

"You may have heard that distilled water "leaches" minerals from the body. That is partially true. The minerals that are leached(removed) by distilled water are the inorganic minerals that the body cannot use. The effect, therefore, is healthful.

Distilled water will not leach (organic) minerals that have become part of the structure of the body cell system. Once a mineral has become part of the cell structure, it cannot be leached."

Harvey and Marilyn Diamond; from their book "Fit for Life", Warner Books - pp. 35, 1985

UNITED STATES MILITARY
"Distilled water is safe to drink and should have no adverse effects on your health. Distillation merely removes most of the dissolved materials, which are found in all natural waters."

Department of the Army

U.S. Army Health Services Command; Raymond H. Bishop, Jr. M.D.

Major General, Commander - Medical Corps.May 23, 1983

"There is nothing about distilled water that would make it harmful for the body. It may be helpful to remember that distilled water is the only water available for crews of Naval vessels at sea."

May 26, 1983, United States Department of Agriculture

Consumer Nutrition Division

Frank N. Hepburn; Chief, Nutrient Data Research Branch

It is difficult to maintain a sodium-restricted diet when water supplies contain more than 20 milligram per liter of sodium.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) - 1976,\

National Academy of Sciences - 1977.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS
"Highly mineralized water has been associated with the formation of (kidney) stones in the urinary system".

California Department of Consumer Affairs

Drinking Water Report - July, 1976

WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATION
"...the amounts of minerals found in water are insignificant when compared to those found in the foods we eat. Because tap water varies substantially in the amount and proportion of mineral content, the most reliable source of those essential mineral nutrients come from a normal daily diet consisting of fish, meat and vegetables."

Water Quality Association Brochure #S20 - "Discover Distilled Water"

The argument against the use of distilled water quite frankly does not actually "hold-water".

I have personally undertaken two extended water-fasts of 25 and 30 days respectively, and on distilled water only with absolutely no adverse health effects: but quite the contrary...............with only distinct and absolute benefit.

Chrisb1

I think whats really going on is cellular death by osmotic pressure(the reverse of what happens when you have high blood sugar/sodium) When you have too little minerals you can actually explode cells...which is what happens in fasting..blood Sugar goes down blood sodium goes down..mainly potassium is retained..and fat doesnt press on cell membranes it goes straight through as an energy source.