Tag Archives: water

Tap Water is Chic

Isn’t it nice to know that the rest of the world is finally catching up to us frugal people? Well, maybe. Of course, I couldn’t help but notice that the dancing cheerleaders at the Summer Olympics all carried plastic bottles of water in a little hip belt as they cheered and welcomed the athletes in to the stadium, during the opening ceremonies last night. Despite those Summer Olympic cheerleaders, the sales of bottled water are on a major decline, as people opt for water from the tap instead. It used to be oh so cool to lug around bottled water. … Continue reading →

Summer Sports for Dogs: Dock Jumping

Does your dog love the water? Does he love to fetch? You may have a world-class dock jumper on your hands. Dock jumping is exactly what it sounds like — a dog takes a running leap off a short dock into a pool of water. Where does fetching come in? The dog is usually jumping off the dock because he’s chasing a toy or a training “bumper” (a salami-shaped canvas toy). A competition set-up includes a dock platform around forty feet long, a lake or portable pool, and an exit ramp off to the side. The dock sits two feet … Continue reading →

Dry Drowning and Water Safety

Summer is a fun time for babies and their parents, but there are lots of dangers, too. You may have heard the tragic story of a young boy who drowned hours after he left his first experience at a pool. The story was featured today on NBC’s Today show. Although this boy was 10, the danger of dry drowning most often occurs in younger children, very often in the bathtub. What is it and how can you protect your little ones? I have to admit that when I heard about dry drowning, I had a fear response. Here is another … Continue reading →

The Right Foods to Fight Aging

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Are you prepared to grow old gracefully? Or would you rather fight it, kicking and screaming? You don’t need expensive treatments and strict regimens to feel and look younger — the right diet choices can make a huge impact on your health! One of the best things you can do is drink more water. I know, I tell you this all the time… but water is SO good for you! Here are just a few benefits of water: As you age, your sense of thirst can become less acute — so you don’t realize it when you are becoming dehydrated. … Continue reading →

Dehydration = Bad

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Every so often, I bring up hydration and dehydration here in the fitness blog. It’s important to talk about it, to keep it forefront in your mind and to know what to do or not do with regards to hydration. Summer time is a particularly important time to focus on this issue because we spend so much time outside and in the heat and doing things that will dehydrate us if we’re not careful. For example, my daughter would stay in the pool all day if I let her, but I also make sure we have plenty of water with … Continue reading →

Aquatic Exercise for Arthritis

A workout in the water has been a popular treatment for people with arthritis for the past twenty-five years or so. Why? Because a water workout can help improve flexibility, relieve pain, ease stiffness, and increase range of motion — without impact on affected joints. Benefits of a workout in the water: Age is no barrier. As long as you can float (and there are floatation belts to help you out) you can manage a water workout. Physical condition is no barrier. You don’t have to be able to walk or stand unassisted (again, those floatation belts come in handy) … Continue reading →

Pick the Healthiest Water

I’m a fan of flavored water. What can I say? I like drinks with flavor. Plain old water is okay once in a while, but I’m far more likely to get my eight glasses a day if they actually taste like something. But not all flavored waters are created equal. Here are some tips to help you pick the best water — and stay away from the stuff that isn’t as good for you. Watch the sweeteners. Check the label for sugars, whether natural or artificial. Sweeteners play a big role in calorie count — and how many calories do … Continue reading →

Free Hot Water

Sometimes you can get really creative when the situation requires it. Here is a great tip I learned from someone who had temporarily run out of heating oil. Fortunately it was in the summer, so there was no fear of freezing to death. Unfortunately, because it was during the summer, there was no rush for the oil company to rectify the situation immediately, leaving the family without hot water for two days. While they could heat hot water on the stove as necessary, this method was cumbersome and no doubt cost them some money to run their stove so often. … Continue reading →

Six More Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

You want to turn your body into a lean, mean fat-burning machine? Great! Here are six more ways to give your metabolism a jump start. Drink plenty of water. Better yet — drink cold water. Research from Germany suggests that the extra work your body does to heat the water to body temperature can give your metabolism a boost. Aim for six cups (forty-eight ounces) of cold water daily. Make sure you get plenty of iron in your diet. Iron is essential for carrying oxygen through your body. Your muscles need oxygen in order to burn fat. So if you … Continue reading →

Your Hair Knows Where You’ve Been

It sounds like something from CSI or Law and Order: using a person’s hair to figure out where they’ve been. Researchers from the University of Utah have been analyzing water molecules from human hair samples — and using the information to determine where the person lived. The process isn’t always accurate, but it’s pretty close. Analyzing the makeup of water molecules determines the right region of origin around eighty-five percent of the time. This project was inspired by the 2001 anthrax attacks. Researchers wondered if microbes (like anthrax) might record the water environment that they came from. After that idea, … Continue reading →