Whether you are traveling abroad, backpacking in the wilderness, or find yourself in a survival situation, water is absolutely crucial. A safe, effective water purification technique can literally save your life!
Over 1 billion people on Earth lack access to clean drinking water [1]. Insufficient infrastructure and/or pollution contribute to the problem.
According to former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan: “Water-related diseases kill a child every eight seconds, and are responsible for 80 per cent of all illnesses and deaths in the developing world –- a situation made all the more tragic by our long-standing knowledge that these diseases are easily preventable.” [2]
The World Health Organization reports: “More than five million human beings die from illnesses linked to unsafe drinking water, unclean domestic environments and improper excreta disposal” every year...Over 2 million deaths occur each year from water-related diarrhea alone, caused by pathogen contamination in the drinking water...Indeed, at any given time, almost half of the people in developing countries suffer from water-related diseases.” [3]
Microbes from bacteria to viruses to protozoa to parasites are responsible for a several water borne diseases such as:
- Amebiasis
- Campylobacteriosis
- Cholera
- Giardiasis AKA beaver fever
- Hepatitis
- Shigellosis
- Typhoid fever
None of these are pleasant, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
Symptoms can include [4]:
- Headache
- Fever
- Muscle cramps
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Bloody stool
- Flatulence
- Bloating
- Chills
- Rash
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
These conditions can be fatal in people with weakened immune systems or if left untreated. Diarrhea, for example, leads to dehydration that must be addressed. However, if the water supply is contaminated, then drinking more water is not necessarily beneficial! Additionally, diarrhea is easily passed through the population, especially in areas that lack proper sanitation.
Given the importance of water to health, water quality is a worthwhile consideration.
Both iodine and colloidal silver are safe and effective solutions for water purification, making potable drinking water accessible virtually anywhere! [5, 6]
Iodine oxidizes germ cell structure and enzymes, thereby killing the microbes that cause water borne disease [7]. Colloidal silver acts through a few mechanisms, including dissolving bacteria cell walls [8].
These are safe and effective solutions we have found for purifying water, and they are well-respected and established methods at that. If you're going to be on the move, they are also convenient!
NASCENT IODINE
Use 5-10 drops of 2% iodine tincture in every 32 ounces of water and allow sit for 30 minutes (taste may be bitter). This method is less effective against giardia in cold water [9].
COLLOIDAL SILVER
With a high quality colloidal silver, use 4 drops per 32 oz and wait 15 minutes. Make sure to purify the rim of your container before drinking from it too! If you are in the wild, running water is better than still water for filling containers. You can use a cloth or bandana to filter out particulates.
In summary, contaminated water is a vector for disease in many parts of the world. Common symptoms are abdominal pain and diarrhea, which can range from mild to severe. Nobody wants to get sick, especially when traveling or camping or trying to survive the zombie apocalypse, so easy, safe, and effective options for water purification can be valuable additions to your suitcase or bug out bag.
Iodine and colloidal silver are two options we have found for reliable, clean water, and PLUS they both have numerous other health benefits!
1. http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/34/3/355.full
2. http://www.un.org/press/en/2003/sgsm8707.doc.htm
3. http://www.pacinst.org/app/uploads/2013/02/water_related_deaths_report3.pdf
4. http://www.symptomfind.com/health/waterborne-diseases/
5. http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/34/3/355.full
6. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10934529.2014.897149
7. http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/34/3/355.full
8. https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Silver_as_an_Antimicrobial_Agent
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1272173/
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