water conditioners...do they work?

[Don Klipstein]

In , Gary Slusser wrote in part:

My doctor would rather have me find a substitute with less added salt.

The label on the gallon skim milk bottle in my refrigerator says 125 per

8 oz serving.

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[Gary Slusser]

Your doctor may need to improve his knowledge of ion exchange water softening. BTW, too much potassium in your diet can cause serious health problems too. In much less time than sodium takes.

Water from one source to another source is usually very different, and so is skim milk. Skim milk is produced from whole milk by any number of mostly local or regional producers while the sodium content of milk will vary from one source to another.

The vast majority of people with water softeners never notice a difference in the taste of their water, coffee, tea or other beverages made with the softened water.

If water has more than 3-4 gpg of hardness, it costs more to deal with the hardness caused problems like increased cost to heat water, premature wear of fixtures, clothing and all other fabrics washed in hard water and all water using appliances, the need for skin creams and cleansers, increased volume of soaps and detergents etc.etc., than to purchase and maintain a water softener. Of course that implies you pay attention to the purchase price of the softener.

Gary Slusser Quality Water Associates

[Don Klipstein]

I would not ask my doctor what I need for my plumbing system - I would ask a plumber. I merely mentioned that my doctor would say that you are citing some especially salty beverages that my doctor recommends against for me.

I would think that sodium content in milk is determined more by blood sodium level of the cow, and blood sodium level varies less than proportionately with dietary sodium intake.

For that matter, I try Google on:

"sodium content" milk

and look at plenty of charts that agree on 50 mg/100g (about 120 mg per

8 ounces) or 127-130 mg per 8 ounces.

says that:

Whole milk has 127 mg per 8 oz Nonfat fluid milk has 127 mg Nonfat fluid milk with Vitamin A added has 103 mg

is a study promoting existence of a wider range of variation, with the high side 139.2 mg per 100 ml, which translates to 333 mg per 8 oz.

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])