Do You Know What's In Your Water?

What in the world is in that water, what you got in that water? (In the voice of Ludacris… anyone?)

But really. Do you know what is in your city’s water, friend? Click here. Enter your zip code. Read. Be enlightened. Take a deep breath, and hurry back so we can dive into this.

Since we are local to Fort Worth, we’ll use this as our baseline reading. Of the 15 contaminants exceeding EWG’s health guidelines found in Fort Worth’s water, the following are included: Arsenic, various acids, Lead, Nitrate and over a dozen known carcinogens. Yikes. 

We’re going to try to read your mind and address some thoughts you might be having…

Who is EWG and why are they the authority on this? 

EWG stands for the Environmental Working Group and they are on a mission to “to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. With breakthrough research and education, we drive consumer choice and civic action.” Their extensive research and investigative measures on everything from tap water to personal care products to pesticides in our food has vastly changed the rhetoric from households all the way to Capitol Hill.  

I see that a lot of the chemicals in my city’s water are below the legal limit - why do I care about their impact if they’re below the legal limit? 

You care because as stated on EWG’s site, “The federal government’s legal limits are not health-protective. The EPA has not set a new tap water standard in almost 20 years, and some standards are more than 40 years old.” They also encourage you to understand that when it comes to water standards, legal does not necessarily mean safe. 

In the 20 years since the EPA updated their standards, the famous Erin Brochovich case revealing carcinogenic chemicals in water happened, the lead-poisoning scandal in Flint, MI drinking fountains occurred, and the introduction of “forever chemicals” into our water began. These chemicals (or PFAs) began with the introduction of Teflon, and have since blown up with America’s obsession with non-stick, water-repellent and stain-proof products. Decades of heavy use have resulted in major contamination into our water. The EPA refuses to regulate levels of these PFAs even after they have been proven to attach to human protein cells, thus the name “forever chemicals” for their nature to never leave our bodies. Studies have shown elevated cancer rates in those regularly exposed to PFAs.

What about the contaminants with no legal limit at all? 

Good question, young grasshopper. Again, these standards are incredibly outdated and the research has simply not been done to verify levels of safety. Think of all the technological advances, waste, population increase, environmental changes that have happened over the last 20-40 years. Our water cannot help but be affected by default!

I’ve been hearing some buzz about added fluoride in water being a bad thing… I thought fluoride was good?

Yoosh. Hot button topic, so we’ll lead with this and then let the experts take it from here: Research shows health concerns related to fluoride include harm to teeth, harm to bones and even bone cancer. Frighteningly, Texas is number 2 in the entire nation for raised fluoride levels. 

According to EWG, “Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. EPA's maximum legal limit is set at 4 parts per million (ppm) to prevent skeletal fluorosis, a condition where bones become brittle and more susceptible to fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.

Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.”

Did you know many cities still operate under the guise that fluoride is helpful, and they actually add this chemical to your city water? Did you know many water bottle companies also add fluoride to their waters? While we always encourage drinking from glass or stainless steel, here’s a helpful list to navigate the bottled water industry.

I’m sold, I need better water. How do I fix this? 

The chart at the bottom of this page shows a great visual of which contaminants will be eliminated by which filters. If you’d like to toe tap the water (pun-intended) with a countertop Activated Carbon water filter, we love the Berkey! If you’d like to take it a step further, we highly-recommend Aquasana’s Reverse Osmosis filter to be installed under your sink. As the chart shows, the reverse osmosis filter does an incredible job getting your water back to what it should be!

Wait - what about showers?

Aquasana also offers an entire in-home water filtration system to fully eliminate any contamination, but we of course realize this can be pricey. As another solution, we love Citrisafe’s shower filter . This is especially helpful for anyone undergoing mold toxicity, because chlorine can exacerbate the mold’s toxicity to your system. 

More questions? Let us know! We’d love to gather round the (safe-to-drink) water cooler with you.

The Top 5 Reasons to Go Organic

With all the tricky marketing littering the grocery aisles, even the purest desire to grab the healthiest product on the shelf can often be unknowingly swayed. To avoid this all together, we encourage you to shop outside the aisles for whole foods without the catch-phrases. 

But even then, the scene can cause pause. 

Do I endure the up-charge for the seemingly feebler organic apple versus his shinier, conventionally grown cousin-once-removed? Why is this conventional broccoli head so much prettier and greener? Are my eyes playing tricks on me or are these onions larger than my 18 month old’s head? Wait what…? Do I want locally grown or organic? Wild-caught fish? Grass-fed beef? Cage-free eggs or free-range eggs?

And on and on.

To help break it down, we’ve included a summary of organic vs. conventional, which meats, fish, eggs and produce you should buy organic, as well as a basic understanding of local vs. organic. 

Organic vs. Conventional 

Bad News First...

At the risk of sounding alarmist, the loose regulations on conventionally grown foods allow for antibiotics, pesticides and hormones to make their way into our food. To achieve the now-familiar USDA Organic seal, one must prove to avoid all pesticides, antibiotics, GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and growth hormones. They also must prove lower levels of environmental pollution and adherence to animal welfare requirements, inclusive of enabling cows to pasture for pasture season. 

One study showed the removal of GMOs from a study group’s diet over an extended period of time revealed improvements in every single one of the following issues: digestive issues, fatigue, obesity, brain fog, mood/anxiety/depression, food allergies, food sensitivities, memory and concentration, joint pain, seasonal allergies and insomnia. 

Further, close contact with pesticides has been linked to short-term, acute health issues such as stinging of eyes, skin irritation, rashes, blisters, blindness, dizziness and diarrhea. More alarmingly, long-term effects include various cancers, infertility, hormone and endocrine disruption. While these examples reveal direct contact with the pesticides, one must deduce repeated exposure through consumption does not agree with our bodies and our systems. 

Lastly, Medical News Today reports “the use of antibiotics in animals may raise the risk of transmitting drug-resistant bacteria to humans.” According to an investigative report by The Atlantic, “...additional studies were conducted by other government agencies and non-governmental organizations during the 1990s, all of which generally supported FDA's concerns regarding the public health threat posed by antimicrobial resistance." 

At R+R, we firmly believe in the importance of gut health in its relation to your overall well-being. With the Vagus Nerve running from your gut to your brain, the correlation cannot be denied. Countless studies have shown the havoc antibiotics wreak on our gut biome by ridding it of good bacteria to maintain the homeostasis necessary for your health. While we do believe there is a time and place for antibiotics, the overuse found in animals and by many general practitioners and pediatricians causes great concern. 

The Good News…

Now that that’s out of the way, science has backed going organic as a huge boost to your overall health for many reasons.

The top 5 Reasons to Go Organic

1. You’re avoiding all the yucky side effects and risks associated with the GMOs, antibiotics, pesticides  and growth hormones in the above detail

2. You’ll be consuming more nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables

3. You will lower your chemical exposure

4. You’ll consume higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids

5. You’re simultaneously supporting our environment

While conventionally grown food may appear bigger, shinier, prettier… there’s a reason for that. As with anything in life, looks can be deceiving! Hand over fist, we choose to stick to the more normal looking, more nutrient-dense organic food for the health of it. 

Pro tip: Unless you see the USDA Organic seal, the marketing buzzwords all-natural, natural, green, etc. mean nothing. Also, no matter where you see the USDA seal, be it Wal-Mart or Whole Foods, the standards are the same.

Fruits + Veggies

While the antibiotics mentioned above typically only affect conventionally raised animals, pesticides and hormones most definitely affect our vegetation population. With this data in mind, we would encourage you to purchase everything organic, but we realize this isn’t feasible for most of us. Instead, we like to stick to the rule of thumb: If you’re eating the skin, buy organic. But even this can get dicey and vary from growing season to growing season, so we’ve sourced 2020’s Dirty Dozen Fruits + Vegetables from The Environmental Working Group (EWG). We strongly encourage you to buy organic when it comes to these twelve:

1. Apples

2. Celery

3. Cherries

4. Kale

5. Grapes

6. Nectarines

7. Peaches

8. Pears

9. Potatoes

10. Strawberries

11. Spinach

12. Tomatoes

The EWG also encourages buying organic when it comes to hot peppers (again, when in doubt, if you’re eating the skin… go organic). 

Meat, Fish + Eggs

Beyond looking for the USDA Organic seal on all meat, chicken and pork products, we encourage you to buy grass-fed, organic whenever possible. When it comes to fish, buy wild-caught and avoid farm-raised for both nutritional and environmental reasons. For any canned or packaged fish such as tuna, look for brands like Safe Catch Elite who test each batch for mercury levels. 

For eggs, buyer beware. The meaningless marketing buzzwords abound when it comes to these little guys. The best rule of thumb, on top of going organic, is to look for “pasture-raised” eggs. Passionate chicken farmers created this code word that is stringently regulated to allow for ample roaming green space for the chickens. This was created internally to outsmart those touting “cage-free, free-range and/or natural eggs”... which essentially don’t mean anything.

Local vs. Organic

It’s no secret that at R+R we #lovelocal. More often than not, the reason local produce is not dubbed USDA Organic is because the farm simply is not large enough to endure the financial load associated with the regulations to attain the seal of approval. They likely do adhere to the requirements and there’s something to be said about the incredibly limited change of hands when buying from a local farmer, but we recommend doing your research if you’re not sure!

The Truth About Supplement Sourcing

We get it. We’ve done it. Why pay retail when you can find it on Amazon to be shipped yesterday for a fraction of the price? But as the saying goes… what seems too good to be true… often is. 

Without stressing the obvious importance of supporting small businesses and shopping small now more than ever - except yeah let’s go ahead and stress it: Shop Small people!!! - beyond the local economic implications, a huge reason to be wary of Amazon concerns your health. 

The supplement industry has exploded. While we’re super glad people are realizing the state of our food industry and our westernized diets isn’t cutting it for optimum health anymore, we cannot emphasize the importance of considering the source of something you’re putting in your body. Ingredients matter, particularly when it comes to vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in the form of bioavailable supplements.

Backing up a bit, supplements are loosely regulated by the FDA as a food rather than a drug. This means any ingredients within a supplement already existing in food systems are grandfathered into the market without a need for pre-market approval. Further, no one looks into whether what a supplement claims to contain actually matches its contents.⁣ Please re-read the last sentence… we’ll wait. 

You’ve likely already heard of the bots and fake reviews and counterfeit stores on Amazon. So couple this with the loosely regulated industry of supplements, and the ensuing recklessness now walks the line between unscrupulous and downright criminal. They prey on our desire to be healthier! What in the actual heck?!

On the flip side, heavy regulations typically don’t bode well for any small business either. If the supplement industry were to be more heavily regulated, Big Pharma would again find a way to elbow its way to the top of the pack as some of the only companies with the financial means to carry out all the studies likely required. 

Icky conundrum, huh?

Fear not! Thanks to the research and expertise of our Co-founders in conjunction with companies like Fullscript working hard to only distribute the highest-quality supplements on the market, our shelves are stocked with the good guys. 

While we always, always emphasize the importance of “test don’t guess!” as a baseline, below please find our recommended supplements for the following demographics. If you’d like to take it a step further, we recommend securing a ZYTO Scan to get a closer look at exactly which supplements your body desires. 

Men: Metagenics Multi-Packs for Men with 30 day supply of ideal supplements packaged into easy-to-transport daily doses

Women: Metagenics Multi-Packs for Women with 30 day supply of ideal supplements packaged into easy-to-transport daily doses; OR a Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Probiotic, Omega

Preconception/Pregnant/Post-Natal Women: Metagenics Prenatal Multi-Packs with 30 day supply of ideal supplements packaged into easy-to-transport daily doses + Methylated Vitamin B and Vitamin D

Children (old enough to chew a multivitamin): Chewable Multi, Omega, Probiotic, Vitamin D/K2

Infants/Babies: Briar Rose, Probiotic, Vitamin D/K2

Every brand we carry in house is pharmaceutical grade from incredibly reputable companies. Come shop our selection of the following categories and more:⁣

multivitamins⁣
children⁣
detox⁣
GI support⁣
energy⁣
hormone support⁣
ENT⁣
sleep⁣
anxiety⁣
prenatal/postnatal⁣
menopausal support⁣

We also offer a virtual shop through Fullscript if we don’t have exactly what you need. We would love to help you optimize your health, boost your immune system, improve your mood, sleep, joint pain, mental focus and more with the right supplement regimen from the right sources! 

Give us a call today and resist the urge to dial it into Amazon, especially when it comes to your health! Your wellbeing is always worth the investment.