FitSugar

Aquafina Bottle Water Comes from Tap

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:30:00 PDT

Earlier this week, I posted that NYC was urging residents to drink tap water, and you may unknowingly be doing just that. Yep, although you might have already suspected it, Aquafina bottled water is just tap water.

The news story isn't really that Aquafina, made by Pepsico, and Coca-Cola Co's Dasani are both made from purified water sourced from public reservoirs. Nope the news story is that Aquafina will be more explicit about that the bottled water is made with tap water. Look for the words "Public Water Source" on the bottles.

This is a concession to the growing environmental and political opposition to the bottled water industry. Critics of the bottled water industry argue that all those bottles add plastic to landfills and require a lot of energy to produce and ship. A lot more than just turning on the tap. Plus the industry undermines confidence in the public water supplies, which is ironically where Coke and Pepsi get their water.

And you? Are you trying to reduce the amount of plastic bottles of water you drink? Let me know in the comments section below. I will read them while I sip out of my Nalgene bottle.

Go Ahead Drink the Tap Water NYC

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:45:00 PDT

Bottled water is getting a bad rap, have you noticed? Well not necessarily the water, but the bottle itself. Those plastic bottles are filling up our landfills. Since bottled water is a convenience beverage that we drink on the go, the bottles are rarely recycled. In fact Americans go through nearly 100 million plastic bottles every day and recycle roughly 25 percent of them. Yikes!!!! A lot of energy is expended making those bottles we only use once and then toss them.

In an effort to make the big apple greener, the city government is urging residents of NYC to drink tap water. The water in NYC is famous for making the best bagels and the best pizza dough, but the New Yorkers are taking some convincing - especially during summer. While the city water might be great, old pipes in old buildings still make residents wary of drinking out of the tap. Look for the "Get Your Fill" ad campaign and free plastic, blue refillable water bottles being handed out around New York this summer.

It looks like "the tap" is making a comeback.

Do you drink tap water? Do you filter it first? Or are you a bottled water only kind of gal? Let me know in the comments section below.

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Get in Gear: Strider Hydration Waistpack

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:30:00 PDT

This hot weather makes exercising outdoors tough. I used to go for a run and then come back and drink water, but because I'm sweating so much, I need to rehydrate while I workout.

One of my new favorite finds is this water waistpack known as Strider made by Ultimate Direction.

It is a waistpack so obviously you wear it around your waist, and the straps are adjustable so you can get it to fit as snug as you like it. The water bottle fits right into the curve of your lower back and the little zippered pouch rests on your left hip. The small amount of weight from the water bottle pressing on my lower back feels really comfortable.

It comes with a water bottle and the pack is so lightweight, I hardly feel it when I'm running or bike riding. The tiny pouch is 8 inches long, so it's big enough to fit some money, keys, cellphone, and a pack of tissues (or whatever other small items you like to have when exercising outside).

You can order it online from Rei.com for $30. It comes in black, as shown, or sage gray.

What's the Deal With: Hyponatremia

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:45:00 PDT

While it seems like most of us have a hard time staying hydrated, there are serious, even fatal, side affects to drinking too much water. The condition is called hyponatremia

Also known as water intoxication, hyponatremia occurs when the sodium in your blood is diluted by excess water. The body's balance of electrolytes is pushed outside of safe limits, disrupting normal brain function. If water enters the body more quickly than it can be removed after intense sweating and sodium loss, body fluids are diluted and this can be a problem for marathoners. Because endurance runners lose sodium through sweat, drinking too much water during endurance activities, such as marathons and triathlons, can dilute the sodium content of your blood.

Some things to note:

Hyponatremia also occurs more often in women than in men.
Not being acclimated to hot weather can increase the amount of sodium you lose through sweating during exercise.
The symptoms of hyponatremia can mimic the symptoms of dehydration. Pay attention to a headache that won’t go away, vomiting and confusion. Seek help from a doctor.
To confirm low blood sodium, laboratory tests - including blood tests and possibly urine tests - are necessary.

Be safe when you run in the heat!!! Experiment with all those different sports drinks out there to find one that suits your needs.

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The Green Salad That Put a Ring on It

Camilla Salem — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:30:52 PST

If you're not into engagement chicken, or if you're looking to double your chances this Valentine's Day, don't miss out on this simple green salad recipe. True story: when my now-husband proposed to me, he managed to sneak in a line about how excited he was that I'd make this salad for him every day for the rest of his life. I've since shared the recipe with friends, whose significant others also go crazy for it, so maybe I'm on to something with this salad.

Regardless, this salad is so easy and satisfying, you could easily enjoy it alongside any meal every night of the week. It goes particularly well with rich, meaty dishes that beg for something crisp and acidic to balance them out. The red leaf lettuce holds the vinaigrette really well, while the avocado adds a bit of creaminess to the dish.

There are a couple of secrets to this recipe. When you wash your lettuce, don't dry it completely. A bit of moisture on the leaves helps water down the dressing a bit, making it incredibly succulent. Secondly, the combination of oils used in this recipe helps make sure the salad is not overpowered by the flavor of olive oil.

For more plus a recipe, keep reading.

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "All You Need Is Love"

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:27:29 PST

It's Valentine's Day in Seattle, which means the doctors are scrambling to get their romantic plans together on this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy. Callie plans a special surprise for skeptical Arizona, while Mark tries to get out of babysitting duty so he can take Julia out on a date. Derek and Meredith, on the other hand, just need to find somewhere to go for a little, uh, "alone time."

On the other end of the spectrum, Lexie is having a "woe is me" moment as she pines for Mark, and Jackson and Karev are also left dateless. No one's in hotter water than Owen is, though: he and Cristina contemplate some big questions about the future of their relationship, and Teddy has some choice words for him when Owen tries to rekindle their friendship. Ready to break it all down? Just

Miranda Kerr Sips Champagne in a Bikini With Shirtless Orlando Bloom and Flynn

Lauren Turner — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:05:38 PST

Miranda Kerr lounged in a bikini poolside with friends in Sydney on Monday. She was joined by her shirtless husband, Orlando Bloom, son Flynn, and a few pals for the sunny afternoon. Miranda and her girlfriends sipped drinks while Orlando took Flynn for a dip in the water. For the past week, Miranda's been Down Under, where she posed for a British Vogue shoot and hit the red carpet for the AACTA Awards. Orlando, meanwhile, was back in LA and popped up at a screening of HBO's Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory before celebrating his 35th birthday with family last month.

Adventures in Ingredients: Indian Bitter Melon

Camilla Salem — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:10:57 PST

To me, Berkeley Bowl is a sacred place worthy of a weekly pilgrimage. Perhaps the ultimate food-lover's grocery store, this massive Berkeley, CA, food emporium carries a huge selection of goods from around the world, and at great prices. I consider it a must stop for friends visiting the Bay Area, so why not share my adventures?

The most remarkable part of the store is probably the produce, which is clearly labeled to identify where each item comes from. The international and bulk sections offer never-ending inspiration, the meats and seafoods offer countless options and price points, and I always find myself mesmerized by fruits and vegetables from around the world that I've never seen before.

Case in point: Indian bitter melon. I grabbed five or six of these a week ago in an effort to learn about new exotic foods. Knowing nothing at all, I selected these purely based on the fact that they seemed sort of reptilian and would be fun to photograph. As the days went on (and as the bitter melon sat in the crisper drawer of my refrigerator), I became more hesitant, not sure what I was thinking.

Finally, I braved up, opened my computer, and did a little research. As it turns out, Indian bitter melon, or karela, is a commonly cooked vegetable in Indian cuisine. It's described all over the Internet as an "acquired taste," and apparently soaking it in salt water helps to remove some of the bitterness. I found recipes for stuffing and sautéing with various spices. The health benefits of this strange vegetable are plentiful, particularly in managing diabetes, and typically, I can convince myself to like anything if it's good for me.

To find out what I did with these and what I thought of them, keep reading.

Robert Pattinson Tells EW About His "Obscenely Boring Life," Risqué Breaking Dawn, and Working With Reese Witherspoon

Allie Merriam — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 07:34:20 PDT

Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon showed off their great chemistry on the cover of the new Entertainment Weekly, and inside the magazine they chat all about their upcoming movie Water For Elephants. He kicked off promotion for the film with an appearance on The Tonight Show last week, though Reese will probably take a break from the work to focus on her rumored wedding this Saturday. Both stars managed to find time to speak with the publication, though, with Rob discussing what he'll do once the racy final installment of Twilight is released, a role he'd love to play, and the joys of working with Reese - and the feeling was apparently mutual. They said:

On what he'll do after Twilight ends in 2012: "It's funny how it's ending in 2012. This is how the world will end. But, um, I don't know. I think most of people's recognition is based on the magazines and stuff. All the gossip stories won't work - they're always combined with Twilight, so once that's done and it can't be combined with the promotion of the film, I think it will end. Because I have an obscenely boring life."
On raciness in Breaking Dawn: "There's some interesting and weird stuff going on - really very, very, very strange. It's great. For a big mainstream movie, it’s the most obscure story line and really outside the box. It's a horror movie. I've seen a few bits, and I just can't see how it's going to be PG-13 . . . unless they cut everything out."
On a role Rob would love: "I'd love to play a big fat person."
On working with Reese: "There's something about her. She's just this genuinely nice person. I don't know if she puts an effort into creating a nice aura, but her mood dissipates over the whole set. It was a completely different environment from when she wasn't there. All the kids and the animals were just drawn to her. It made it incredibly easy to do my part - all my reaction shots are just watching her work brilliantly. She's really cool and she's just . . . never, ever annoying. God, that's the worst description, isn't it?"
Reese on Rob's work ethic: "He's an incredibly hardworking person with an incredible work ethic. He doesn't ever complain. Not once. Which is sort of lower than the national average for actors. They're always complaining. Especially the men!"

Exclusive - See William and Kate on Vacation in Mustique With the Middletons

Allie Merriam — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:59:23 PST

Prince William and his wife Kate spent the last week together on vacation with her family in Mustique. The couple spent a few days on the West Indies island with her sister Pippa, brother James, and parents Michael and Carole. William apparently met up with the group after the Middletons started their fun. He arrived, however, ahead of the celebrations for Carole Middleton's 57th birthday. The Middletons' getaway included plenty of beach time and group lunches by the water. The girls were able to wear bikinis and sit in the sun, while James snapped photos from his deck chair. William and Kate stayed at Aurora House, a retreat owned by their friend Mark Cecil, according to reports.

William, Kate, and Pippa wrapped things up and left Mustique for the Hewanorra airport in nearby St. Lucia, where they caught a British Airways flight. They headed back to London so William could prepare for his deployment to the Falkland Islands. He was scheduled to begin a six-week tour of duty Wednesday. Along with other pilots, William will be tasked with manning search-and-rescue helicopters.