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June 29, 2018
How to Test Your Drinking Water Without Spending Money

How to Test Your Drinking Water Without Spending Money

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Water supplies in many areas of the country are known to contain unsafe chemicals including arsenic, lead, pesticides, chlorine, and industrial chemicals. Many of these contaminants in drinking water have the potential to increase the risk for a variety of disease states ranging from cancer to a heightened risk of miscarriage. For this reason, it’s important for you to be aware of the hidden contaminants and unsafe chemicals lurking in the drinking water you’re serving to you and your family. Here’s how to test your water without spending a fortune:

Test your water: Taste it

Taste your water periodically to see if your water has developed a new taste or odor. This can indicate the presence of increased concentrations of unsafe chemicals. If your water has a chemical or slightly medicinal taste, it may be due to elevated levels of chlorine. This can be confirmed by calling your local utility company and inquiring as to whether they’re using higher concentrations of disinfectant in the water recently. A metallic taste to your water may be due to leaching of minerals into the water from the pipes. To confirm, this you would need to get professional water testing. If you notice an odor similar to rotten eggs, this suggests there could be bacteria growing in your water heater or drain. A plumber can help you correct this problem. Periodically tasting your water is a good way to screen for potential problems with water quality.

Test your water: Assess the color

You should always be concerned when your water changes color. If your water takes on an orange, brown, or red discoloration, it may be caused by rust in the pipes. This is usually not a cause for alarm, although iron deposits can cause discoloration of hair. Sometimes the presence of rust can indicate a co-existing problem with lead levels which should be investigated due to the health risks of lead, particularly for small children. If your water has a blue or green tint it may be due to corrosion from copper piping. This can pose long term health risks and should be corrected by a plumber. A dark brown discoloration suggests contamination from manganese which is not believed to put you at increased health risk. This may be cleared by flushing your pipes for several minutes.

Test your water: Get your local water report

Your local water company is required by law to send you a report on your water quality on a yearly basis. This report contains in depth information on levels of each unsafe chemical known to be in your water. If you didn’t receive this or no longer have it, call your water company and ask for another written copy. You may also be able to find this information on your water company’s website as well as the EPA website. Make sure you keep a copy of this report when it’s mailed out on a yearly basis so you can compare the results with previous years.

By tasting, smelling, and visually inspecting your water on a periodic basis, you can be made aware of potential changes in water quality which require further testing. This can help you to avoid the threat of toxic drinking water and help you protect the drinking water you serve you and your family from unsafe chemicals.

February 10, 2016
7 Tips To Drink Water The Right Way For Improved Health!

7 Tips To Drink Water The Right Way For Improved Health!

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60% of your body is made up of water, and considering that water is important for a variety of functions like aiding digestion, removing waste, and protecting tissues, organs, and joints, it becomes necessary to ensure that you stay hydrated at all times.

While a lot of people know that adults need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to help their bodies function well, most of them don’t know how to stay hydrated the right way.

7 Tips To Drink Water The Right Way For Improved Health!

Here are 7 tips to help you drink water the right way every day for improved health.

First Thing in the Morning

Drinking water first thing in the morning is as beneficial to your body as starting your car and waiting for the engine to warm up before putting it into gear is good for your car. A glass or two of water early in the day wakes up your body and gets your organs moving, flushing toxins out of your system and readying you for breakfast. So stop guzzling down coffee each morning and reach for water instead!

Before, during, after, and In-Between Meals

You probably know that drinking water before a meal makes you feel full, thereby helping you eat less. Staying hydrated before a meal also moisturizes the stomach lining, preventing acidic foods from irritating it, and wakes up taste buds.

Be sure to drink water at least 30 minutes before having your meals though! That’s because drinking water right before a meal can dilute digestive enzymes. Drinking water right after a meal can also have the same effect, so avoid drinking water for an hour after having your meals.

Experts are divided on whether or not it’s okay to drink water during meals. While some say that drinking water during meals can dilute digestive enzymes and prevent them from breaking down food, consequently leading to poor digestion, the rest say that drinking water helps soften food and makes it easier for the body to absorb nutrients.

To be on the safe side, avoid gulping down glassfuls of water immediately before and after, and during your meals; sip on water slowly if required. Substituting water for yogurt or buttermilk is also a good option. Refrain from drinking cold water as doing so can slow down digestion.

Furthermore, drinking water between meals will keep you from confusing thirst with hunger, and prevent you from gorging on unhealthy foods. So stay hydrated throughout the day by drinking at least 4-5 glasses of water.
Before and after Exercising

Staying hydrated during exercising is important as you can lose several liters of water over just an hour of strenuous exercise. Drinking too much water can lead to hyponatremia so don’t overdo it. Stick to this schedule:

  • 15-20 ounces of water an hour or two before exercise
  • 8-10 ounces of water 15 minutes before exercise
  • 8 ounces of water every 15 minutes during your workout

Drink more water in summers, if you exercise outdoors, or if you tend to sweat heavily. Sip on cold water after your workouts to help your body temperature return to normal.

Before a Shower

Drinking a glass of water before you take a bath or a shower can help lower blood pressure. In addition to this, drinking warm water can raise the temperature of the body, preventing fluctuations in the blood pressure. Drinking water before a bath also dilutes sodium levels in the blood, ultimately lowering blood pressure.

Before Going to Bed

Your body repairs itself when you sleep and hydrating yourself before you retire for the night ensures that your body has all the water it needs to flush out toxins. However, drinking too much water immediately before going to bed can cause you to wake up during the night to urinate. This can disrupt your sleep cycle, so make sure you don’t drink more than a glass of water right before bedtime.

People with kidney and heart ailments should avoid drinking water and other fluids 2 hours before their bedtime.

When You’re Sick

If you’re sick or around people who are ill, drinking more water throughout the day can help you feel better and also protect you from falling sick. In addition to drinking 8 glasses of water a day, supplement your diet with soups, fruit juices, and tea. Being properly hydrated will help flush out toxins from your body and will also prevent microbes from settling and multiplying in your body. Make sure to filter the water specially when you are sick as unfiltered water may contain bacterias and other elements that can further affect your ill health.

When You’re Tired

75% of your brain is made up of water so if you’re feeling fatigued, just drink a glass of water! Since water gets absorbed into the body quickly, you can be sure that you’ll feel alert and be able to focus better in a jiffy.

Conclusion

Adults tend to lose around 2.5 liters of water through exhaling air, sweating, and urinating each day. As such, staying hydrated by drinking water gradually throughout the day is crucial to help the body function as intended as well as for better health.

With the tips given here, you now know how and when to drink water to stay healthy and fit. So get started on implementing these tips right away!

July 8, 2015
Sharpen Your Brain With Exercise!

Sharpen Your Brain With Exercise!

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It’s the middle of winter, the nights are dark and you’ve had a long hard day at work. It’s at times like these that the idea of going to the gym is simply not appealing and so easy to skip, go home to curl up on the sofa with the dog and watch TV! Yet the simple fact is, we know, if we make the effort, we will feel energised, positive and proud of ourselves for going. Though the evidence of the positive effects exercise has on our brain goes a step deeper than that. Growing evidence reveals that exercise causes actual changes in our brain that help relieve depression, anxiety and keep the mind active regardless of our age.

We all know about the facts that exercise will keep us fit and healthy and lengthen our lives by reducing our risks of disease such as cardiovascular, stroke and type 2 diabetes. However, there has been less emphasis on the effects on our brain, improving our mood, mental performance and long term health of the brain. It’s strange that we wouldn’t have given this as much consideration, after all, our brains are physical organs that respond to everything we do to ourselves, like any area of our body.

Sharpen Your Brain With Exercise!

Recent research concluded that lifelong activity into old age could help protect our cognitive function and prevent the onset of dementia. This is great news and it comes at a time when we know we are living longer and the media is rife with reports about the time-bomb of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia as a result of this longevity. The news that we can do something about it and protect our bodies in a more natural way is a welcome one. Improvements in learning, attention, memory, stress levels and sleep not forgetting protection of the brain’s white matter, the tissue that passes on messages are also welcome effects of that trip to the gym!

The hippocampus, the area of the brain that stores and organises memories, is inclined to shrink as we get older. This leads to memory loss and a risk of dementia. Research has revealed that people who are fit have a larger hippocampus and that exercise can reverse this age related decline of its size. This study suggests that the more you have exercised throughout your life, the lower your risk of suffering from cognitive illnesses. As well as improving our memory, exercise can improve our concentration, keep our brains sharp, think more clearly and have a faster intake of information.

So if you haven’t been much of an exerciser during your life, it’s never too late to start. From cycling to work or walking around the park, build slowly to avoid injury and maintain motivation. If you want to take it a step further, make the commitment and join a gym. Go with a friend if you need the support but remember to take the advice of your gym instructor and don’t overdo it. Keep well hydrated and make sure you make regular trips to the water coolers to increase your fluid intake. Anytime you feel like skipping your trip to the gym or run around the park, bear in mind that ageing is 30% genetics and 70% lifestyle so making the right choices now will allow us to continue to live life to the full in the future.