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.

Source

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.

Source

Healthy Tip: Wait 30 Minutes After a Meal to Brush Your Teeth

Leta Shy — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:25:09 PDT

A healthy lifestyle means taking care of your teeth - after all, excess plaque has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, and too much icky bacteria in your mouth can lead to gum disease and cavities. But if you're an après-lunch brusher, take note: you should wait at least 30 minutes to brush your teeth after a meal, according to a report in The New York Times.

The directive is based on a study that followed people for three weeks, looking at the impact of postmeal brushing after they drank diet soda. The researchers found that those who brushed their teeth within 20 minutes of finishing their sodas had increased loss of dentin, the tissue found underneath your teeth's enamel. That's because, researchers say, brushing too soon after an acidic meal pushes the acid further into your teeth, causing erosion of tooth enamel and dentin.

So the next time you are eating a particularly acidic or sugary meal, wait at least 30-60 minutes before you brush your teeth. In the meantime, rinse your mouth with water or a solution of eight parts water to one part baking soda to get rid of the acid in your mouth, researchers recommend. Chewing gum afterward can also help.

Do you brush your teeth immediately after meals?

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux Heat Up LA With a Dinner Date

Lauren Turner — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:41:57 PDT

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux were side by side as they returned to their car following dinner at the Mexican spot Marix in LA yesterday. Jennifer wore a fitted skirt and tank for the date night, which comes after her new SmartWater ads were released last week. Aside from the fresh photos, Jennifer's been lying low since the February release of Wanderlust. She has been busy with real estate, though, and sold her West Village apartments last month just a year after purchasing them. Instead, she and Justin have moved into a Beverly Hills rental while their Bel Air mansion is undergoing renovations. Jennifer bought the $21 million estate in January and is reportedly spending thousands more on fixtures and furniture.

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!"

Link Time: Inside Michael Chiarello's Kitchen

Susannah Chen — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:10:44 PDT

Inside Michael Chiarello's stylish Napa kitchen - Saveur
Sadly, Junior Seau's San Diego restaurant has closed - Eater
This time, it's for real: a boy finds a finger in his Arby's sandwich - HuffPost Food
A cocktail to have in hand while watching Preakness - Food Republic
Ten recipes that make the most of strawberry with rhubarb – Delish
Go meatless with this creamy zucchini orecchiette - Big Girls Small Kitchen
Top Chef's Tiffani Faison and Hosea Rosenberg face off next week - Zagat
Eating at Alice Waters's house - The New York Times

Easy Ways to Get More From Your Food Budget

LearnVest — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:15:48 PDT

Go the extra mile with your food budget with these tips from LearnVest.

For years, many people - my husband, mom, sister and even my son - told me to stop wasting so much food.

Throwing away half a piece of chicken here or a handful of grapes there never seemed like such a big deal to me. If I was full or no longer in the mood for that particular food, then I had no problem tossing it.

That is, until I experienced a bad case of sticker shock during a recent trip to the supermarket. The cost of bread, eggs, fish - basically everything I was purchasing - had increased. And, according to the USDA, we can expect prices to rise even higher this year.

As I forked over my money and left with only a handful of bags, I realized just how important it is for me to pay more attention to what I spend on food . . . and to confront how much of it I shove down the garbage disposal.

Unfortunately, I'm not the only one with wasteful ways. In 2010, 33 million tons of food was thrown away, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Obviously, wasted food means wasted money, but figuring out how to make your grocery budget go further can be a challenge.

To keep more food in your fridge (and more money in your pocket), try these expert tips.

1. Ward Against Freezer Burn

Those large bags or packages of frozen veggies or meat come in handy when you have a large family, but "each time you open a bag of frozen food, air gets in and will cause freezer burn within two to three weeks," says consumer saving expert Andrea Woroch. Freezer burn will dry out the meat and make it less tasty. Woroch suggests going small.

Read on for more.

6 Secrets to Building a Healthy and Lovely Terrarium

Angela Swinderman Elias — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:00:06 PDT

You might have seen our terrarium tutorial with floral experts Leigh Oakies and Allison Futeral of Crimson Horticulture Rarities. The design duo shared so many helpful insider tips about how to create and care for terrariums that we decided to pull together our favorite tips to share again with you. If you're considering crafting a terrarium, you'll definitely want to read these first!

When choosing a vessel, don't limit yourself to the traditional glass bowl or vase. Leigh and Allison have experimented with everything from beakers to mason jars!

Air plants do in fact need water. To water larger air plants, hold them under running water, shake off excess water, and dry them in the sun before returning them to their vessels.

For smaller air plants, simply immerse them in a bucket or sink of water and let them soak for an hour. Shake off excess water and allow them to dry in a sunny spot before returning them to their vessel. Watering should be done once a week.

Keep reading for more insider tips to create the perfect terrarium!