☁ Part III. If You Feel Like You Need to Filter It Out, Maybe Don’t Put It In

THE WATER METHOD TO WELLNESS

Splash of the Week

If You Feel Like You Need to Filter It Out… Maybe Don’t Put It In

Hi Team,

I know I promised a review of the Puure faucet filter this week, but I am travelling. I haven’t had the chance to install it yet, and I’d rather give you the full, tested experience. So I’ll share that review and why I chose Puure over Water2 in a special edition soon.

In the meantime, I want to zoom out a little. Because here’s the real question:
Why do we need to filter our water so aggressively in the first place?

The Truth Is, Most of What We’re Filtering… We Put There

Microplastics. Hormones. PFAS. Pharmaceuticals. Synthetic chemicals.

These contaminants don’t magically appear in water.
They come from us.

From the skincare we rinse off.
From the pain relief cream we overapply (Because more is more, right?).
From polyester clothes we wash.
From Teflon pans.
From prescription meds.

We don’t just pollute our water. We externalise our consumption habits, and then expect filters to clean up the mess.

And it’s catching up to us. Through our water.

• A credit card’s worth of plastic, ingested weekly.

• Traces of antidepressants and birth control hormones, found in drinking water.

• Toxic PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in rivers and blood samples across the globe.

We’ve gone too long with a “treat it downstream” mindset and with water as a “place for our waste”. Out of sight out of mind doesn’t work anymore. It comes straight back to us, when surfing, wildswimming, during your Mediterranean holidays and in your tap.

It’s time to rethink what upstream looks like from our shopping carts to our skincare steps.

• If you're investing in a system to remove PFAS… maybe it's time to rethink your cookware.

• If you worry about microplastics… maybe don’t drink from plastic bottles.

• If you’re filtering out hormone disruptors… maybe avoid putting them on your skin.

• If you're worried about antimicrobial resistance (AMR)….maybe skip the triclosan-loaded (read = antibacterial) hand soap and go back to good old-fashioned soap and warm water.

Three habits that I’ve shifted over the last two years:

• Use fresh skincare. Preservatives free. Shorter shelf-life, healthier product. Good for our water. Mindful consumption. Ringana is not just a product, it is a holistic philosophy based on mindful production and consumption.

• Change dishwasher tablets to Dip, a movement for a cleaner healthier future and a company that lists every ingredient.

• Store food in glass containers and Blockhuette only. I take these stainless steel lunchboxes every where and always get a question on where to buy these.

The Wellness Mindset Shift

Our bodies are mostly water. Our choices, what we touch, wear, wash with, flush, and rinse, all return to the source. And eventually, back to us.

This is the mindset shift we need:

Self-care is water care. Water care is self-care.

It’s not just about filtering what’s already there.
It’s about reducing what needs filtering in the first place.
It’s about choosing products and routines that honour water: in our bodies, in our homes, in the watersheds we live in.

So yes, invest in a good filter.
But also: let water guide your choices.
Because when we care for water, we care for everything connected to it.
And that includes us.

— Clouds

P.S. If you enjoyed this post, hit reply and let me know!

The Essentials

YOUR HYDRATION EDIT

Each edition, we handpick stories, trends, and insights that connect with our Water Method philosophy. From the source of your water to how you move, restore, and live around it—plus the latest in wellness real estate, the fastest-growing sector in the wellness world.

☁ Visionary Voices

Why We All Got It Wrong on Wellness

Modern wellness tells us to optimise everything: copy someone else’s perfect routine, track your sleep, buy better supplements, cold plunge your way to resilience. But here’s what we’re missing: True wellbeing isn’t a solo pursuit.

The ancient Stoics knew this.

To them, a good life wasn’t just about feeling good, it was about living well. Ethically. In harmony with others. Wellness wasn’t personal perfection. It was shared responsibility.

They weren’t selling hacks to boost productivity.

They were guiding people to be good humans in a messy world.

Their vision of a good life wasn’t just about personal health. It was about virtue, service, and contributing to the common good.

We’ve drifted far from that idea. Wellness has become a commodity: clean beauty, filtered air, alkalised water.

But you can’t thrive if your watershed is unwell.

A real shift in wellness means asking not just how do I detox? but what am I putting into the system?

Water is a mirror.

If our water is contaminated with hormone disruptors, PFAS, and microplastics, it reflects not just poor filtration, but a culture of convenience over care.

Wellness doesn’t have to be a product. It can be a shared practice.

The Stoics weren’t influencers. They were leaders, lawmakers, and citizens. People like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, who believed that the health of the individual is bound to the health of the whole.

We don’t just need more supplements. We need more of that kind of quiet statesmanship. Leadership rooted in wisdom, care, and responsibility, not just flashy hustle.

A new kind of wellness.

Rooted not in escape, but in responsibility.

Because the well-being we seek isn’t just within us. It’s between us.

FOLLOW FOR MORE DAILY FLOW →

The Playbook Edit 

WAIORA RITUALS

Hydration isn’t just about how much you drink. It’s about how you relate to your water. These everyday tools bring effortless simplicity, and a touch of ritual. No trends, no tracking tech. Just timeless practices that work.

The Shortlist: Filters That Align with the Water Method

A Final Note

NOTES FROM THE MEADOW

Until next time! ☁