Forums > Specific Focus > Home, Garden & Construction in Mexico

milgracias

Sep 30, 2003, 7:08 PM

Post #1 of 14 (6847 views)

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Colloidal Silver Water Purification

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My husband and I recently purchased a home in San Miguel with a colloidal silver water purification system from Monarcha.

I have heard many things about colloidal silver, from cure-all fantastic claims to horror stories -- but the the things that make me most sceptical and concerned are:

1. I have heard on the internet and from physicians about Argyria, the permanent and really hideous discoloration of skin pigmentation from over-doses of colloidal silver.

2. Andrew Weil, MD is adamently against using colloidal silver for anything, stating that it is dangerous.

3. In "The People's Guide to Mexico," 30th Anniversary Edition, page 229, Carl Franz writes about Microdyn (a colloidal silver-based water purifier we have been using to wash fruits and vegetables, thinking it was iodine-based!!!): "There is some controversy over its effects on your liver and kidneys if used over a long period...Microdyn has the advantage of being cheap and almost entirely tasteless."

The Canadian physician from whom we purchased the house swore by the system, but then he also took supplemental colloidal silver. When I called Monarcha (three times from the US) asking for more information, including the amount of colloidal silver which was being put in the water, the woman was vague, evasive and defensive saying something to the effect that "no one has ever complained about getting sick." She also subsequently told me they didn't have information about the amount in the water (!!!!) but that I shouldn't worry -- and that people used to put silver dollars in their water to purify it (an entirely different form of silver and not at all comparable -- and probably not at all effective.)

I have no doubt that this method is effective, but I am concerned about the long-range health effects, especially since they are either unwilling or unable to give me information.

I guess what I'm asking is: are any of you using this system? how long have you been using it? are you aware of these health issues and do you have any further information on it?

Any help anyone can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

El Gringo Nuevo

Sep 30, 2003, 8:51 PM

Post #2 of 14 (6830 views)

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Re: [milgracias] Colloidal Silver Water Purification

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http://cat007.com/silver.htm

milgracias

Oct 1, 2003, 5:23 AM

Post #3 of 14 (6820 views)

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Re: [El Gringo Nuevo] Colloidal Silver Water Purification

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Thanks! That site was one of the more informative and lucid ones out there! I just wish the information weren't so inconclusive and CONTRADICTORY!!! (Not on that site, but generally...) And it's just a tad unsettling when the company itself won't or can't give you any information about what it is they are putting in your drinking water... I appreciate your help!

Uncle Donnie

Oct 1, 2003, 9:18 AM

Post #4 of 14 (6806 views)

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Re: [milgracias] Colloidal Silver Water Purification

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It IS all pretty confusin' ain't it? I'll give you an interim report on my experience.

I have an ear infection and one of my fellow gringos told me of the amazin' health and healin' benefits of collodial silver, and the very inexpensive option of usin' Microdyn as a cure for my problem.

I've been squirtin' that stuff in there for over a week now and the only result is that my left ear is turnin' brown.

I'll check in later down the line...if I survive.

UD

Shameless self-promotion:
http://www.headformexico.com

milgracias

Oct 1, 2003, 12:21 PM

Post #5 of 14 (6793 views)

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Re: [Uncle Donnie] Colloidal Silver Water Purification

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LOL. I think as long as your ear is brown and not blue or grey, you're okay. ;-)

Uncle Jack

Oct 1, 2003, 12:39 PM

Post #6 of 14 (6786 views)

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When your ear......

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......starts to tarnish, Donnie, it's time to suspend medication.

uj

milgracias

Oct 1, 2003, 9:20 PM

Post #7 of 14 (6767 views)

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Re: [Uncle Jack] When your ear......

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Does anyone know why this post was moved to Construction? I mean - I know it's about a water purification system, but this seems like a much more general issue. EVERYONE in Mexico needs to drink purified water, and wash their fruits and vegetables, not just those building houses... !!!???? I'm confused...(nothing new!)

jennifer rose

Oct 1, 2003, 9:29 PM

Post #8 of 14 (6767 views)

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Why your post was moved to the Construction Forum

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I moved it to the Construction Forum, because it was more likely to receive attention of our construction gurus here than elsewhere. Water purification systems have been addressed previously in this forum, and it will be archived better in this forum than buried amid other Living, Working & Retiring issues.

Sure, everyone needs purified water, but an amazing number simply rely upon bottled water. A water purification system is appurtenant to a house, and homeowners tend to pay greater attention to these systems than renters and tourists.

(This post was edited by jennifer rose on Oct 1, 2003, 9:30 PM)

milgracias

Oct 1, 2003, 9:51 PM

Post #9 of 14 (6763 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Why your post was moved to the Construction Forum

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Thanks for the explanation! I guess I was thinking of it in the more general terms of the pros and cons of colloidal silver purification, including Microdyn, which is available just about everywhere, and other colloidal silver-based water purifying solutions.

TomG

Oct 2, 2003, 2:15 PM

Post #10 of 14 (6746 views)

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Re: [milgracias] Why your post was moved to the Construction Forum

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I think water purification systems installation is a construction issue.

Lucky for the building supply industry, construction workers are frequently not very interested nor informed in subtle long-term health issues. I knew millwrights who were working with 5 gallon buckets of tricholethyene in an enclosed machine room while pipe fitters were welding right next to them. You're thinking fire......the hazard was that tricholethyene vapor (it is so volatile that when they stuck their arms in it up to the elbow [which they did all day long while cleaning compressors] their arms dried almost the second they came of the bucket) turns to phosgene gas in the presences of the ultraviolet light from welding. History buffs will recognize phosgene gas as a WWI horror. Well, luckily, these guys knew what to do: they went straight from work to the tavern and flushed out their systems with 5-6 beers every night after work. A few years prior, I knew ironworkers who used the same medical procedure to cure lung and eye damage from the dust of foam glass industrial insulating board they were installing in a 40 degrees below zero test room in a John Deere factory. They swore by its effectiveness. One of the carpenters on the job used a more concentrated formula of whiskey, with more mixed results. When one carpenter came to this jobsite a second day with a simple face respirator they moved him to a different job area where he didn't need a mask.....within the first hour. Now there is more of a tendency to use Mexican workers for these kinds of tasks.

Being overly conscious about health hazards will slow a construction job down to a snails pace. When I was up on the facts, construction used to be the second most hazardous occupation after farming.

I'd separate water purification systems installation and water purification health hazards into two separate interest areas. I'd be interested in the second question, as the first one isn't that difficult.

(This post was edited by TomG on Oct 2, 2003, 2:16 PM)

Carol Schmidt

Oct 4, 2003, 6:18 PM

Post #11 of 14 (6713 views)

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Re: [milgracias] Colloidal Silver Water Purification

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Dr. Francisco Delgado, an internal medicine/infections disease specialist trained in the US at Vanderbilt U and a member of all the best medical societies, with all the credentials he could possibly have (a diplomate and fellow in the appropriate internal medicine groups), recommends both a filtration system and a second system, such as ultraviolet light or silver colloid treatment.

He spoke at St. Paul's a few months ago on infectious disease concerns for gringos and about 50 of us asked questions about the water in particular. He says that SMA water does have chlorine now but the problem is the old pipes, where incoming water and sewer lines may leak into each other.

One problem is that when you use a system like reverse osmosis, the chlorine is taken out of the water, leaving the pipes and whatever faucets and such you have to deliver the treated water susceptible to germs! He recommended cleaning out all such pipes and faucets frequently if you use RO.

The real likelihood you will pick up some kind of amoebas or bacteria is more from hand to hand transmission--a kid doesn't wipe very well, he grabs hold of a stairwell railing right afterward, you come down next using the railing and then touch your mouth with your hand. And then there are the airborne diseases, especially when the "river" and drainage ditches are stagnant--do you know there are worms 6 inches long which might come out with your bowel movement from airborne contamination that brought the eggs into your system? The entire audience at St. Paul's gasped at that one, but I'm glad to have heard of the possibility rather than to have such a thing happen to me with no advance warning!

But back in Phoenix, we had Valley Fever which could be carried in the dust from a rabbit or dog digging a hole or construction unleashing dust. We had an E. Coli scare from water tested just outside our RV park. There was that hanta virus spread by mice, I think. And we were in constant danger of microbursts destroying our RV park, as several such communities would be destroyed in a storm every monsoon season. And of course Phoenix was the red-light-running capital of the U.S., so your chances of dying in a car crash were significantly higher than here in SMA. It all evens out. I'd rather be enjoying life here in SMA than living "clean and safe" in Phoenix!

Long answer to a shortish question--I have no idea how safe colloidal silver water purification systems are and have never used one. We get bottled water delivered to our casa.

Carol Schmidt

milgracias

Oct 4, 2003, 7:21 PM

Post #12 of 14 (6706 views)

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Re: [Carol Schmidt] Colloidal Silver Water Purification

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Thanks for the info and input, Carol.

I lived in San Miguel several years ago when water was MUCH more of an issue than even now. (We lived across the street from a "bottled" water "plant" -- inside patio walls, but sometimes the gate was left open and from our house we could see directly in -- where they would take the big 5-gallon blue clear plastic empty recycled water jugs and fill them from a garden hose, cap them off, put them on a truck and deliver them out to gringos...true story.)

I would much rather be living here, too, which is why I'm here. (I was born and raised in Tucson, by the way.) And I am well aware that there are plenty of dangerous and scary things no matter where you are or how "safe" you think you are. I am not paranoid about germs, whether water-, air- or whatever-borne. But I do want to be informed and sensible, too. I think a lot depends on your attitude and common sense and a pinch of luck as well.

I think I'm going to continue doing exactly what I'm doing: drinking and cooling with bottled water, bathing and washing in colloidal silver-purified tap water (our house is only 8 years old) and investigating alternatives.

lbc

Oct 5, 2003, 10:34 PM

Post #13 of 14 (6687 views)

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Re: [milgracias] Colloidal Silver Water Purification

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Another option is what I am doing. I have been using this system for years everywhere I have traveled: A Shaklee Triple reverse Osmosis Countertop water purification system. I hook it up with an adapter--the kind you use when you attach a portable dishwasher to your faucet. It is found in any hardware store. The whole thing is as big as small trash can and light weight. Now, the initial outlay was around 300$. The three filters also cost about

250$. I am a bit cheap and change them once every two years. They say you should change them every 6 months. I order them and they get shipped to me.

I like it that I can always purify my water, at least as “well” as those people across the street were doing. Ha. My water always tastes great. I have NEVER been ill. So it must filter correctly. I only had a problem at the house in San Miguel because there was very little water pressure. It took forever to filter enough water. One does need, at least, 40 psi (what we normally have). Then you can filter about three gallons in less than 5 hours. I use the waste water also for plants.

Everybody always laughs at me because I travel with my water purifier, my fully automatic Cappuccino machine and my computer—my most important possessions, it seems.

Moisheh

Oct 9, 2003, 5:41 PM

Post #14 of 14 (6666 views)

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Re: [lbc] Colloidal Silver Water Purification

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Treating water in your home is a subject that needs very careful investigation. There is a lot of hocus pocus out there. Ask Estaeban for advice. He worked in that area in Tucson. As for bottled water. No mattere where you are in Mexico bottled water is available. DO NOT buy from some ma and pa outfit. I try to buy my water from one of the companies that are owned by Pepsi or Coke. They have to have pure water to make soft drinks. They are experienced in this matter.