Water distillation for Crohn's disease detox?
If you are suffering from Crohn’s disease it may be worth investigating the distillation of your water for the purpose of detoxifying your body.
Water distillation is the process of heating a chamber of water to a point where the contents evaporate into steam. The steam rises into a cooling chamber where it condenses back to water and is directed to a new container free of all the impurities that were present in the original sample. The merits of distilling water for consumption receive mixed reactions from the many web articles available. This post will briefly highlight the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ and offer some personal experience.
Pros
The obvious benefit is that all contaminants including parasites, PFOA & PFAS, microplastics and pharmaceutical wastes are removed leaving only pure water to be consumed. This enables the body to flush out wastes and avoid absorbing harmful contaminants especially substances such as lead, commonly found in tap water from older supply pipe-works. Sources (1), (2)
Cons
Opponents suggest that the distillation process removes essential minerals such as electrolytes that are required for body processes such as cardiac, nervous and digestive functions potentially leading to long term health problems. It is also sometimes suggested the taste is ‘flat’ and that distilled water is not necessarily more readily absorbed by the body due to the lack of minerals. Source.
What to do?
The short answer is ‘research’. You may like to start with an excellent article entitled ‘Could your water source be harming your Crohn’s or colitis?‘ in which Karyn Haley explores in detail which type(s) of water may be helpful for people with compromised digestion. She covers most of the practical sources of water examining the pros & cons of each in detail.
Comment
My experience was that distilled water cleansed and helped my body flush out years of acidic toxic waste. I still use my distiller most days (along with bottled and filtered water) but I’m very conscious to supplement my water with electrolytes to support all the electro-chemical processes constantly taking place throughout my body.
As I said above, research the subject in depth and carefully weigh up the cost benefit analysis of each option. If you decide to buy a distiller they are available for under £200 (2024). My only caution is that you purchase from a company to whom you can return the unit easily. They are generally reliable but check out their customer services as some companies just use logistical distribution service companies which can be frustrating.