Part 4 Naglene Bottles - Warning

My husband uses one at work.

We have several at home.

They are everyday items in most of our homes that we have all used for years.

They are now declared unsafe! What now? Nalgene Bottles. Apparently, they have been pulled from the shelves due to worries of the hormone-mimicking chemical bisphenol A (BPA). These very common water containers have led a major Canadian retailer to remove Nalgene, along with other polycarbonate plastic containers, from store shelves in early December. ('07)

"There is little dispute that the chemical can disrupt the hormonal system, but scientists disagree on whether the low doses found in food and beverage
containers can cause harm. The FDA and the plastics industry have argued that BPA-based products do not pose a health risk.

However, an expert panel of researchers recently reported that the potential for BPA to affect human health is a concern, and more research is needed. Many Americans currently have higher levels of BPA than those found to cause harm in lab animals. "

Yahoo News December 23, 2007

Dr Mercola says;

Although the colorful, durable, and lightweight Nalgene water bottles have been the choice of outdoor enthusiasts for years, scientific evidence has shown the plastic used to make these bottles may pose serious health hazards.

Made from lexan polycarbonate resin (marketed through Nalgene Outdoor Products), lexan was believed to be the ideal material for water bottles. It's extremely durable and doesn't allow odors or flavors to cling to distort the taste of
whatever you store in it. It was also thought that lexan did not leach BPA -- a
notion that has since been shown to be incorrect.

How Plastic Toxins May Damage Your Health Suspicions were raised on all polycarbonate plastics after researchers found birth defects and developmental abnormalities that caused miscarriages in mice. In the last ten years, some 700 studies have been published about BPA -- most of them indicating serious health hazards, at least in animals. The most troubling problem with BPA is that it mimics the female hormone estrogen.

The human body is extremely sensitive to sex hormones, and minuscule amounts can induce profound changes. Therefore, scientists are afraid even low levels of BPA could have a negative impact on human health. There is evidence (among mice and rats) that even low doses of BPA can cause: Hyperactivity, Early puberty, Increased fat formation, Abnormal sexual behavior, Disrupted reproductive cycles, and structural damage to the brain.

Despite all these findings, the U.S. health and environmental regulators keep insisting there is no evidence of harm to human health after 50 years of use. But wait? Looking at this short list above, don't some of these health problems sound remarkably familiar? Are these not some of the wide spread health issues you're surrounded by, which have increased dramatically in that time?

"The plastics industry finds ways to create misleading information about the safety -- or lack thereof -- of their products. The greed of the people who head up major corporations can, indeed, have a negative impact on your health.

I have hesitated posting all this on my blog due to the sensational nature of toxins in our food, water, and now water containers and just about everywhere else you turn. However, I think we do need to be aware, not paranoid, but aware that there are potential hazards in our world that were just not there 50 - 100 years ago. Today's world is not the same as when I grew up. You used to be able to survive much easier with common sense and logic.

Nowadays, insidious toxins seem to await at every turn, so I have come to a conclusion several years ago and wish to share it with you as my solution using common sense, to much of the environmental toxins that slap us in the face daily. Here it is,..... drum roll, please.......

Use glass!

I dumped most of my Tupperware, and Rubbermaid several years ago and use plastic only to store use large dry items such as dry pasta. I never- repeat - never heat in plastic containers or plastic wrap and avoid almost completely using the microwave. (another post another day)

The biggest problem I have had in adapting to glass exclusively is the necessity of carrying water with us on day trips. Glass is heavy when full of water and still quite heavy and breakable when empty, and you must remember to refill them every time you leave the house. (Gosh, how inconvenient!)

I haven't got a solution to this dilemma completely so I am still working on it. One way is to encourage everyone to drink lots well in advance when we may be gone for several hours-which increases stops at road side gas stations, by the way. And I am on the look out for glass juice type jars with reusable lids from thrift shops and then just get into the habit of thinking ahead.
In the meantime.

A few other common sense methods of avoiding toxins

1. Use only glass for baby bottles and baby dishes

2. Give your baby fabric toys instead of plastic ones.

3. Store your food in glass storage containers

4. Don't use microwaves

5. Avoid plastic wrap-especially when it touches food directly-

6. If you opt to use plastic kitchenware, at least get rid of the older, scratched-up varieties, avoid putting them in the dishwasher, and don't wash them with harsh detergents, as these things can cause more chemicals to leach into your food

....and a big one to me because it hits home for me personally.

7. Before allowing a dental sealant to be applied to your or your children's teeth , ask your dentist to verify that it does not contain BPA.

Who knows if the sealant applied to my children's teeth about 15 years ago was safe or not and whether or not it contributed to my 27 year old sons cancer diagnosed last year. I may never know- but there is no way anyone will apply anything to my children's teeth ever without me doing a safety check first! At the time, I just didn't know enough to ask the right questions and blindly and naively trusted my dentist.

Apparently these are the numbers on the plastic that are the culprits so far.
Be sure to avoid those marked on the bottom with the recycling label No. 7, as these varieties may contain BPA.

Containers marked with the recycling labels No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 do not contain BPA (however they may contain other unsavory chemicals that you're best off avoiding by using glass instead).

Part 3 - How to Drink Water.

Now on to How to drink water. This may seem like an unnecessary subject to some but there are a few things that are somewhat important in how you consume water especially if you drink a lot, as you should.

Pure clean water is a diluter and a detoxifier. Consuming a large amount all at once acts like a broom sweeping and cleaning out toxins and softening stools preparing them for passing.

Rule number 1 Drink a high volume of water first thing upon rising
All night long your body has detoxified and gathered all the dust and debris throughout your body and has piled it in neat little piles like a broom would in your kitchen. Water is the final step, the dust pan! Imagine if you swept up all the mess on your kitchen or garage floor and then left it here for others to trample and spread all over again. A flood of water in the morning is a necessity.

I like to rise and drink about 1 full quart of water within a half hour of rising. I often add the juice of one whole lemon and add some liquid stevia to produce a delicious and healthy lemonade. The lemon is astringent and stimulating and taken in volume aids in flooding the intestines with a good clean sweep.

A good morning bath also is good wake up tonic. Many claim they need coffee to wake up. Caffeine does stimulate an adrenaline rush giving the (fake) feeling of energy but it is also the water component that adds to the wake feeling.

Additionally, drinking warm water in the morning has a cleansing effect on the bowels. Your body has no need to warm up the water before it being put to good use. It goes straight to work in the bowel instantly and without the trickle effect that occurs when water(and food ) must be heated before it us utilized by the body.

I used to slightly warm my morning wake up tonic (lemonade) in the microwave but has since stopped using the microwave. (good move) Instead, I now drink my water straight from the reverse osmosis unit on my sink. It refills during the night and is slightly cooler that room temperature upon rising. It is not as effective as warm water, and I could warm it slightly in a kettle, but so far have not bothered. It is good especially in the summer with warmer room temperatures.

So that is my morning routine. But when and how do you drink the rest of the 2 plus quarts of water daily? Again, water is a diluter and detoxifier so water - a large amount - over 6 oz, should not be consumed just before and during meals. The stomach acid that has been replacing itself after breakfast and before lunch now is ready for the next meal, but if you dilute the acid it cannot do it's proper job, slowing down digesting and resulting in higher calorie absorption and weight gain. An added benefit of being properly hydrated is I no longer feel the need to drink during meals.

Rule number 2 Always drink a volume of water (6 oz or more) separate from meals. A half hour before or two hours after a meal is a good rule to remember. If taken before a meal within a half hour the stomach acids have returned to normal and are ready to do their job. Afterward you do not want to halt the whole digestive process but adding a dilutant to the digestive mix so 2 hours after a meal is a good rule of thumb for most meals. If you tend to digest poorly, especially after a heavy evening meal, I would tend to wait longer to consume a large amount of water. Sips are OK.


Rule number 3 Do NOT drink ice cold water or other drinks. Your body is 98.6 degrees because it functions best at that temperature. Drinking ice cold anything shocks the stomach and shuts down all functions until the red alert has subsided and the liquids have been heated for proper consumption. I know many feel that they cannot drink anything not poured over ice, BUT you can if you retrain yourself.

In most cases, most people claiming an inability to drink warm or room temperature liquids are actually saying that it makes them feel sick. They are probably right. There is a warm flush of toxins released into the system immediately upon drinking warm water and the flood, if not done regularly will make them sick. This is a good thing! Get that back load of toxins out. Drink more warm water and it will get easier the more you do it. Before long you will crave a refreshing surge of cleansing warm water!

I now enjoy, even crave my warm lemonade every morning. What a boost. What a flood of vitality when water is absorbed quickly without the delay and shock value of ice. It is OK occasionally to have a cool drink from the fridge as I now prefer to drink my kombucha tea(watch for a future post) or "ice tea" (fridge only) but regularly and repeatedly drinking your liquids on ice has a damaging effect on the stomach.

Rule Number 4 Drink consistently throughout the day.
Now you are confused. After I have said so much about the importance of drinking a lot all at once, I need to clarify.

Drinking a lot of water in only a few times during the day will not completely rehydrate the tissues and organs. Excess water would be excreted quickly if you drank all 2 or 3 quarts at once. Your bladder would warn you and your tissues will not hydrate in time before it is all excreted. Drinking a lot early on in the day is a good jump start - then sip throughout the day keeping rule number 2 in mind.

I use quart jars that I use to keep track of how much I've had in a day. (as in the picture) The first jug is gone within a hour or less. The next jug is consumed before lunch hopefully and the third jug is worked on before dinner or is made up after dinner and before bed. If I have not been diligent after dinner and before bed, as an emergency measure only, I will try to drink the rest or only a glass or two in the evening I don't have to get up during the night. Drink during the daylight hours is best.

This all may seem complicated but routine leads to good habits and habits are the railroad tracks of efficiency. Soon drinking water will become second nature and you not think at all about the specifics.

Okay there you have it. This works for me and is how I am able to consume all the water I need in a day- most of the time. Practice makes perfect and even after years of this practice I still goof up but I just try again and get back to the routine. It really isn't science but it is an art.

Drink water and enjoy vitality of life!

Tomorrow is my last post in this drink water series.
For Part 1 The Great Water Debate click here
For Part 2- How much water to drink click here
Part 4 will be Naglene Water Bottles-Warning! completed tomorrow

Part 2 - How Much Water do I need??

Knowing how much water we need daily sets us up with some goals and sets habits. We often tend to under drink and if you do not have a predetermined amount set as a goal you will undoubtedly underachieve. It never ceases to amaze me, a preacher of the many benefits of water, that I too will under consume of I do not set out the plan and goals for the day.

Let's determine the amount of water we need daily. For the minimum requirements, take your present body weight in pounds and divide it by 2. That is your required amount of daily water intake in ounces.

So, if you are 150 lbs, divide by 2 = 75 ounces daily is the minimum daily goal. 75 oz divided by quarts is 1 glass over 2 quarts DAILY. If you come up short one day, your next day you will need to make up the short fall and your daily quota in order to rehydrate your organs and tissues again for full efficiency.

A good indicator of sufficient water intake is the color of the urine. It should be light yellow in color. If it is dark or pungent, you need more water. If you take vitamins, especially B, your urine can be darker in color from the excretion of excess nutrients so avoid them for a few days to see the natural color and set a healthy water goal daily.

If you are pregnant or nursing, or are very active add more water. These are the minimum requirements for optimal body function.

Remember it is important to NOT depend on your thirst as a guide initially. If you are thirsty it is usually a sign that already your organs have had to compromise and water is most assuredly been removed from the bowel in order to avoid mild organ failure. Furthermore your thirst is a trigger and if you have ignored your trigger all your life, you loose it. It tends to shut off and water is taken from other areas in order to do the most important functions first.

My son complains that the more water he drinks the more thirsty he feels. This is actually a good sign. His thirst mechanism has starting working again.

- Most of us are made up of between 50 - 80 % water depending on our age. Children tend to be higher in water content and the aged much lower. (Doesn't that tell us something? Drink water might have anti aging benefits?)

- Did you know that a mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short term memory trouble with basic math and difficulty in focusing? 20 % loss means death!

- Water regulates the temperature of the human body, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, cushions joints, protects organs and tissues and removes wastes.

- The body is 80 % water. Dehydration slows down the body metabolism. How much weight would North Americans loose if we just drink enough water??

- One of the major factors in daytime fatigue is dehydration!

- 75 % of the US population are chronically dehydrated

- 37% of the US population mistake thirst for hunger

- Water plays a roll in almost every body function. I heard a story once of how a doctor, being suddenly left without any medicines or supplies actually prescribed just plain water to his patients. He had such remarkable healing results for a multiple of health issues that he went on to write a book and document the astounding results. (When was the last time your doctor prescribed a glass of water.

Our body is designed by God to heal itself. All we need to do is give it the tools that it needs to accomplish what God has created it to do! Water is basic to life and healing.

Tomorrow, I will be posting Part 3 on How to drink water! Drinking water is not a science but there is an art to it!