Apr 28, 2015

11 Reasons Dehydration is Making You Sick

11 Reasons Dehydration is Making You Sick

Great article from The Mind Unleashed about the importance of drinking enough water.


Adverse effects from not drinking enough water include digestive, skin, bladder and kidney problems, fatigue, and even headaches. We need water as much as the air we breathe in! Keeping your body hydrated is not a joke.
Did you know that dehydration actually sets in just before you start feeling thirsty? Sipping water throughout the day is the best way to handle it. Always have a bottle or a glass of water handy! If you’re not a morning person, having two glasses of water right after you wake up will boost up your blood pressure to normal levels, and it’s way healthier than having your first coffee on an empty stomach.
Many of us believe that merely drinking fluids like sweetened juices, soda or tea will hydrate you as well as water does. This is not true. It’s actually the opposite! To deal with the excess sugar and salt you are taking in your body wastes immense amounts of precious water just to clean it out from your system. And if you love your coffee, make sure to drink one extra glass of water for every cup you have.
Drinking water regularly speeds up your metabolism and makes you feel more ‘full’. You will eat less once you start drinking more! It’s the safest and healthiest way to lose weight. Drink up!
Read entire article here - themindunleashed.org


Apr 23, 2015

7 Reasons to Never Buy Bottled Water Again


7 Reasons to Never Buy Bottled Water Again

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Great Article on bottled water from MindBodyGreen.com. 

As a water-lover and expert on global water ethics, I see H2O everywhere: waterfalls and lakes, drought and flood, sparkling, still, bottled, tap, from a well, in the surf, behind a dam, in plastic, in glass, from the cooler at yoga class, with or without ice.
How we drink our water shows us what kind of society we are. I want my body and my society to reflect sustainable values, so I only drink disposable, plastic bottled water if there is absolutely no alternative. If I were in a truly extreme situation—say, a cholera epidemic, an area without reliable water supply, or a desert, for example—then I would drink bottled water. Happily, most of us are not in those situations. And wonderful alternatives are easily available.
Sound extreme? It’s not, when you consider these 7 truths about bottled water. Read on, and become a healthier person, a smarter consumer, and a global citizen!
1. Plastic bottles are not sustainable, no matter what we've been told.
Using vast quantities of fossil fuels and water, these bottles are manufactured, filled, and shipped around the globe. (Not a good carbon footprint!) Neither are bottles biodegradable in any meaningful way: what you drink in a few minutes can stick around for a thousand years.
Even with recycling efforts, 6 out of 7 plastic bottles consumed in the U.S. are “downcycled”—sent somewhere out of sight and out of mind where, for the next millennia, toxins from degrading plastic containers can leach into watersheds and soil. That’s just not something we need to give to global neighbors and future generations.
2. Most bottled water is glorified tap water at 10,000 times the cost.
The label on your bottled water may depict a peaceful mountain stream, but that doesn't mean the water inside is pure and pristine.
Only some bottled water comes from springs or groundwater sources. It turns out that approximately 25% of bottled water is sourced from ... the tap. Sure, some companies filter or radiate the tap water with ultraviolet light before selling it to you at several thousand times the cost of municipal tap water. (Examples include Aquafina, Dasani, and many other brands.)
Moreover, studies show that bottled water samples can contain phthalates, mold, microbes, benzene, trihalomethanes, even arsenic. And only recently did the FDA start regulating bottled water for E. Coli, thanks to advocacy by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Upshot: bottled water markup is extreme. Health standards are often a wash and may even favor tap water. (If you’re concerned about municipal water supply and want to know more, check out this helpful resource, which can help you learn about your municipal water supply and decide if filtration or purification is right for you.)
3. Many bottled waters contain toxins, even if they've nixed BPA.
Plastic isn't just bad for the planet (see #1). It’s not good for you, either.
Bottled water companies increasingly use BPA-free plastic, but laced into plastic bottles are other chemicals that can seep out if bottles are exposed to heat or sit around for a long time. Some of these chemicals are possible endocrine disruptors. No one knows for sure what the health outcomes are. Do you really want your body to undergo that experiment?
4. Fashion, foodies, and sustainable cities are taking back the tap.
New York City’s Fashion Week, Chez Panisse, the city of San Francisco and Grand Canyon National Park have all reduced or eliminated bottled water! AVEDA teamed up with New York’s Department of Environmental Protection during Fashion Week 2010 to provide free drinking fountains on the streets of New York.
5. Local water is the new complement to local, organic food.
Local food is everywhere these days: CSAs, farmers markets, farm-to-table dining. That local food is grown and cooked with … local water! It’s the invisible part of the sustainable, healthy food you eat.
So, locavores, it’s time to get your hydrophilia on and appreciate your water supply just as much as you do your CSA. Shouldn’t we care for and support our water sources like we support healthy, organic, local farms?
6. There ARE gorgeous alternatives for on-the-go hydrophiles!
Choose a durable, re-useable water bottle (BPA-free or, even better, stainless steel) in whatever size or shape and design you like. I think of it as an accessory: at my most recent job interview, a team member commented on my green, reusable water bottle. (I got the job.)
For home, try the new, limited edition Soma water carafe and filter. It’s a sleek, glass carafe with the first-ever fully biodegradable filter (made from coconut shells—stupendously cool), with a new filter sent automatically every 60 days. As a working professional and parent with an eye for design, I love this. For those who want an in-sink filtration system, check out this helpful resource from Food & Water Watch. And for sparkling water addicts (like myself), I highly recommend Soda Stream.
7. Change is simple—and makes a real difference!
When you ditch disposable bottled water, you save money, live healthier, and join a movement for global sustainability. Plus, it’s easy. And you’ll save money.
Yes, you’ll need to take that first step of buying your re-usable bottle, and then remember it when you jog out the door. But if “keys, wallet, yoga mat” are on your mental checklist anyway, what’s one more item that saves you money and protects the planet?
If after six months, you still crave water from Fiji, then I suggest the following: take the money you’ve saved by sipping strategically. Treat yourself to a vacation in, well, Fiji—where you can hydrate, surf, relax, and celebrate the fact that you are an awesome part of the solution!
To view original article click here - www.mindbodygreen.com

Apr 14, 2015

Ban The Bottle?

Vancouver Parks Almost Banned the Water Bottle.
What do you think of their decision?


Bottled water ban rejected by Vancouver Park Board

Park board has a contract with Coca-Cola until 2016




The Vancouver Park Board has voted against phasing out the sale of bottled water at concession stands, but will study the idea of adding more water fountains.
Commissioner Michael Wiebe put forward the motion, arguing a ban on bottled water would help meet the city's Greenest City Action Plan. But that part of the motion failed to get enough support from his fellow commissioners to pass.
The board did pass a motion to study adding more water fountains to allow people to fill up their own water bottles.
In 2009, the City of Vancouver eliminated the use of bottled water in civic offices, and asked the Vancouver Park Board to follow suit. But the park board refused in 2009 as well, because of concerns over revenue loss.
The Vancouver Park Board has a supply contract with Coca-Cola, which includes the exclusive supply of still bottled water at all facilities until 2016.
Original Article here - www.cbc.ca

Apr 7, 2015

THM's in Your Water


A Total Water Cleaner whole home water filter will reduce THM's in tap water by up to 95%, giving you clean chemical free water from every tap in your home!

Read below for more information about THM's. Click here to see Winnipeg's latest THM results - Winnipeg THM Report

What are THMs?

THMs are trihalomethanes, chemical compounds that can be formed when water is disinfected with chlorine. THMs occur when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water, and for this reason are more common in surface water supplies throughout Canada.

Is there a drinking water guideline set for THMs in drinking water?

The acceptable level, or guideline, for THMs in drinking water in Canada is set by Health Canada in consultation with the provinces and territories. The Canadian drinking water guideline for total THMs is 100 micrograms of THMs per litre of water ( µg/L). The guideline is based on a locational running annual average of a minimum of four quarterly samples. An updated guideline for total THMs was released by Health Canada in May 2006. For more information, go to: Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality - Supporting Documents.

Why was the guideline updated in 2006?

New studies have been published since the last Canadian guideline on THMs was established. In response to these new findings, Health Canada established a National Chlorination Disinfection By-Products Task Group. It assessed the health risks from THMs and developed risk management options. In 2003, its recommendations were incorporated into the decision process. In the fall of 2005, public consultation began. The guideline for total THMs was approved in May 2006. Health Canada will continue to monitor new research in this area and recommend any changes to the guidelines when necessary.

What are the potential problems of having high THMs in drinking water?

There is concern among experts in Canada that THMs may pose a risk in the development of cancer. And though there is presently insufficient evidence to establish a causal relationship, some studies report an association between THMs and adverse birth outcomes

How are Canadians exposed to THMs in drinking water?

Canadians can be exposed to THMs when drinking tap water containing the chemical compounds. Showering, bathing and other water use activities can also contribute to an individual's total exposure. For example, THMs can evaporate from the tap and be inhaled during showering, or they can be absorbed through the skin during bathing. These routes of exposure have been considered in the guideline setting process. Water that meets the total THMs guideline is considered safe for all domestic uses, including drinking, bathing, showering and food preparation.

Should pregnant women take special precautions?

While THMs may be a contributing factor to birth outcomes, there are several other risk factors involved. However, Nova Scotia's Medical Officer of Health still recommends that pregnant women be aware of the THM levels in their water, and take steps to reduce their THM intake.

Full article available here - THM Article