Health Tip of the Month

 

With cooler days and more time spent inside, it is easy to not drink enough water.  Although there are various theories, it is still best to have at least half your body weight in ounces daily.  In other words, if you weigh 150 pounds, that equates to 75 ounces of water.  This figure varies based on your lifestyle.  If you exercise a lot and therefore sweat a fair amount, you need more.  If you consume dehydrating drinks you also need more.  For example, for every 8 ounces of coffee you drink you need to add an additional 8 ounces of water.  The best way to make sure you are getting enough is to fill containers* with the appropriate amount of ounces in the morning and then make sure to drink everything in them by the time you go to bed. 

 

There are signs that may indicate you are not hydrated enough.  Below is a list of potential signs of dehydration.  If you are experiencing any of these, you might start by making sure to drink enough water and see if indeed you do feel better!

    

Signs of Dehydration

·         Fatigue

·         Constipation

·         Hunger

·         Headaches

·         Indigestion

·         Muscle and joint aches

·         Asthma

·         Allergies

·         Depression

 

For more information:  www.watercure.com

 

*Another thing you might want to consider is the container in which you put your water.  There has been a lot of concern with the chemical bisphenol A also known as BPA.  BPA is the substance in plastic that makes it hard.  Over the last decade, there are more and more studies being done indicating that BPA may be linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, liver abnormalities and breast cancer.  The FDA has conducted some of their own studies dismissing this but it has been found that those studies were conducted by those that benefited financially from the use of BPA. 

 

For more details on this, read the following article from the Washington Post

 

Whatever you decide, you may want to consider eliminating your old plastic bottles, containers and baby bottles.  There are many companies out there now that offer BPA FREE plastics. 

 

Here is what Consumer Reports suggests:

“While studies are under way, if you’re concerned, here’s what you can do:”

·         Identify which containers might have the chemical. Polycarbonate is usually clear rather than cloudy, although it may be colored. If the container carries a recycling code, it will be marked with the number 7 or the letters “PC,” or both.  No. 7 bottles made with BPA-free polyethersulfone (PES) won’t have the PC marking.  Other BPA-free plastic alternatives include polyethylene, which may be marked with recycling codes 1 (PET) or 2 (HDPE), and polypropylene, 5 (PP).

·         For baby bottles, glass or BPA-free plastics such as polyethylene are the safest choices, as Consumer Reports has advised in the past.

·         For those who reuse water bottles frequently and want to avoid BPA, consider polyethylene, stainless steel, or aluminum with BPA-free liners.

As far as I am concerned, the cost of replacing your old bottles is minimal compared to the potential harm from the BPA.  Don’t you think?

Read about more health tips here!