FitSugar

Tap Water Tainted With Pharmaceutical Drugs

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0800

People toss many things down the toilet, and one popular item to flush is unused pharmaceutical drugs. It seems a logical way to get rid of them, but traces of many drugs are showing up in drinking water nationwide. In 2006 and 2007, the Southern Nevada Water Authority, based in Las Vegas, screened 19 water utilities around the US for 51 different compounds. They found traces of pharmaceutical drugs, with the top 11 ranging from the mood-stabilizing drug carbamazepine, used to treat bipolar disorder, to a couple types of antibiotics, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, which is used to treat infections like tonsillitis caused by streptococcus bacteria. Naproxen, an anti-inflammatory used in the over-the-counter painkiller Aleve, was also among the top 11.

The concentration of these drugs in drinking water is a million times lower than medical doses, and is considered to pose no threat to human health. Although pathogen levels found in US drinking water are regulated, pharmaceuticals are not. While the levels of these drugs in our water may not be alarming, their presence serves to remind us about the chemicals that surround us and how we affect our environment.

To see how you should dispose of unused pharmaceuticals, just read more.

The majority of unused pharmaceuticals should be thrown away in the garbage. Better yet, they should be taken to a pharmaceutical take-back program or household hazardous waste collection program. Do read the literature that accompanies the drug, for it is recommended to flush a few highly addictive drugs, and the White House Drug Policy site has a list of drugs you should flush.

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Excuse Me EPA, There's Rocket Fuel in My Water

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Water is a basic necessity to all life, and the havoc we wreak on this planet eventually shows up in our water. The latest culprit is rocket fuel, or perchlorate, which is also used in fertilizer, fireworks and road flares. (What rocket fuel has to do with growing food is a mystery to me as well.)

Dangerous levels of perchlorate have been found in 395 public water sites, in 35 different states. According to some scientists, the levels of this toxic substance are high enough to interfere with thyroid function and can cause developmental health risks for babies and fetuses. Unfortunately, the EPA just concluded that there is no need to purge this particular contaminate from public drinking water. The draft document from the agency stated that mandating a clean-up level for the rocket fuel would not make a meaningful difference in reducing the risks posed by the chemical.

The EPA is essentially walking away from the issue, stating that the Pentagon did not pressure them, but that their findings are based on science. The Pentagon was a major contributor to the problem having used perchlorate in their aerospace and missile programs. The EPA does recognize that there are risks associated with the chemical and will work with states to reduce them. In fact, California and Massachusetts have already created laws regulating the amount of perchlorate allowed in public drinking water.

I must say this freaks me out a bit, and the fact that perchlorate has been found in lettuce fuels my fear (pun intended) even more. How do you feel about it? Tell me in the comments section below.

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True or False: Drinking Water Before Working Out Causes Cramps

FitSugar — Thu, 24 May 2007 11:00:00 -0700

True or False: Drinking water before (and during) exercise will lead to cramps.

To find out the answer, read more

FALSE! The truth is that cramps can be a symptom of dehydration and drinking water will help ensure that you are not dehydrated, which will ultimately reduce your risk of getting cramps. Most people wait until they are thirsty to drink water, but that is not the best idea, especially when exercising. So here are some tips on keeping hydrated while working out:

Drink 8 oz of water 20 to 30 minutes prior to exercising.
Drink 4-8 oz of water every 10 to 15 minutes during exercise.
Drink an additional 8 oz of water within 30 minutes after exercising.
Drink 16 oz (2 cups) of water for every pound of body weight lost after exercise.

How much water should you be drinking on a daily basis? Check out my Fit Calculator to find out.

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You Asked: Drinking Water While Running

FitSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 05:36:41 -0700

A while back I wrote a post about the Nathan Speed 4 Water Holder. I thought this nifty gadget was great for long-distance runners, since it holds a total of 40 ounces of water. After reading the post, a user had a great comment.

How much/often should you drink while running?
- bicyclebeth

I'm sure many of you are wondering the same thing. To find out what I think, read more.

Staying hydrated is a necessity, so here are some rules I like to follow:

An hour or two before a long workout, drink 16 ounces of water or a sports drink like Gatorade. This will help prevent dehydration and also keep you feeling alert.
During your run, sip eight ounces of fluid every 20 minutes. Plain water is fine if you're running an hour or less. If your run is longer, you'll need to replenish lost electrolytes, so Smartwater or a sports drink are better options. You can also use a combination of Gu or Luna Sport Moons with water.
Hydrate proactively. Don't wait until you feel thirsty to start drinking, since this is an early sign of dehydration.
Avoid drinking too much water, because it can lead to a potentially fatal condition known as hyponatremia, or water intoxication. This is when you have dangerously low amounts of sodium in your body. It usually happens on long or hot workouts, if you lose a lot of sodium through sweating and consume a ton of plain water. This sets off an electrolyte imbalance, so opt for sports drinks instead.
Lastly, after a run that's an hour or longer, rehydrate with 16 to 24 ounces of sports drink for every pound of water weight you lost during your workout.

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Formula For Drinking Water

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Trying to figure out how much water you should be drinking daily can be a bit confusing. We all hold onto the figure of 64 ounces of water a day as the optimal amount, but this is really just a generic figure that has gained mythical status. Here is a little weight based formula to help you to figure out how much water you should be drinking daily.

Take your current weight and divide by two.
Take that number and drink that many ounces of water a day.
So if you weigh 130 pounds you should drink 65 ounces of water a day. Pretty close to the mythical figure of 64 ounces, huh?

If you exercise for under an hour an extra glass or two of water should do the trick of replenishing fluids lost though sweating, but if you are exercising for over 60 minutes you will need more. Plus if you are pregnant or breastfeeding you need more water as well. Pregnant women should drink at least 10 eight-ounce glasses of water daily, and breastfeeding moms need between 12 and 13 eight-ounce glasses of water a day.

Fit's Tip: An easy way to make sure you are drinking enough water is the color of your urine. Your pee should be very pale yellow, if not you need to increase your consumption of water.

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You Asked: Drinking Water While Eating - Good or Bad?

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Hey Fit,
I have been trying to drink more water daily and have been drinking with meals too. I have heard, but can't remember where that drinking while eating disrupts the digestion process and even decreases the nutritional value of food. Is that true?
Thanks,
–Watered Down?

Great question! Many people feel that drinking water while eating will dilute the acids in their stomach and interfere with the breaking down of food.

To see if this is true, read more.
Drinking water during a meal does not disrupt digestion. It doesn't dilute digestive juices or interfere with the breaking down of nutrients. In fact, water, and other liquids actually help break down the food in your stomach and keep your digestive system on track. So drink up!

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Drinking Cold Water

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 10:15:00 -0800

What's the deal with drinking cold water? Is it bad for you? If you drink it, are you burning more calories? I'm here to set the record straight.

Drinking cold water is actually good for you. In order to re-hydrate after exercising, your water should be below room temperature. Colder fluids leave your stomach more quickly, so they'll get to your body faster.

When you're in hot weather, you lose extra fluids. Drinking cold water actually helps to cool you from the inside.

So now we know it's good to drink cold water, but are we burning extra calories when we do? The answer is yes. Your body is burning calories to raise the temperature of the cold water to be equal to your body temp.

Don't go running away to stick ice in all of your bottles of water just yet. Drinking a 16 ounce glass of ice water only burns 17.5 calories. But if you're strictly sticking to the 8, 8 oz glasses of water a day rule, drinking 64 oz of cold water burns 70 calories. Over time, that 70 calories a day really adds up.

Coconut Water: Nature's Sports Drink

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:30:00 -0700

If you find the unnatural color of many sports drinks unappealing, you might be interested in trying coconut water. They don't call it "nature's sports drink" for nothing. A cup of coconut water contains about 600 milligrams of potassium (that's more than a banana), as well as some calcium, magnesium, sodium, and sugar.

The liquid found inside young green coconuts is thin, almost clear, and can have a slight almond flavor. Coconut water should not be confused with coconut milk. Coconut water contains no saturated fat and has only 45 calories per cup to coconut milk's 552.

The coolest thing about coconut water is that it has the same electrolyte balance as blood. Dubbed the "fluid of life," it was used as a substitute for intravenous plasma during World War II.

You can cut the top off a young coconut with a meat cleaver and drink the juice. Or you can find bottled coconut water, but it just might be mixed with sweetener. Drink up!

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Give Brand Bottled Water: Its Motto Is Drink Give. Do Good.

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:30:00 -0700

I'm not a huge user or supporter of bottled water since one bottle takes over 1,000 years to biodegrade in a landfill, and they leak toxic additives into the groundwater. So I'd much rather see everyone using reusable BPA-free, aluminum or stainless steel bottles. Sometimes you may not be able to use your own refillable bottle though, so if you have to purchase a bottle of water, think about buying Give brand.

Not only are the bottles biodegradable, but the water is bottled regionally and delivered to local stores, so that means reduced carbon footprint. And they're called Give for a reason. Depending on the bottle you purchase, you can choose which of the four charities ten cents of bottle's cost will go to support. To see which charities, read more.

Give Hope: To Women With Breast Cancer
Give Strength: To Fight Muscular Disorders
Give Love: To Our Environment
Give Life: To Children in Need

You can find Give water at Whole Foods and other health-food stores, Big Y, Price Chopper, Food Emporium, Scooter's Coffeehouse, and other stores. If you're going to spend $1 on water, it might as well be good for the planet and good for the people on it.

Stay Hydrated With Platypus

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:30:00 -0700

Since we all know how bad disposable water bottles are for the environment (since most of them end up in landfills because they don't get recycled), it's a great idea to use a reusable water bottle. Both Nalgene and SIGG bottles are great, but if your goal is to stay hydrated during some kind of strenuous activity, lugging around a hard bottle can be kind of annoying.

Check out these bottles made by a company called Platypus®. Their water bottles and carriers come in a range of sizes and shapes, and they're all collapsible, "taste-free," lightweight, easy to fill, and rugged enough to handle temperatures from freezing to boiling.

Want to know what else? Then read more

These are similar to Camelbak hydration packs, but more versatile. You can use Platypus bottles on their own or add accessories to them. I love the Neoprene insulted bottle holder to keep liquids hot or cold. You can also get a hands-free drink tube so you can tuck the bottle in any existing pack you're carrying and attach the tube to your shoulder strap.

These are perfect for hiking, biking, and backpacking because once the bottle is empty, it collapses so you can roll it up for easy, compact storage. Plus these are really inexpensive - an 80 oz bottle is only $9.95. You can check out all the Platypus gear at REI.com.