Mad Dieter - You Know Who You Are!

By Samantha Putz

Every street corner, bus stop and shopping mall is bustling with images of beautiful women, mostly celebrities of fame and fortune. Are these women truly happy and content with themselves? Today's world is obsessed with looks, status and style and most celebrities fit the bill, at least in the eyes of the imperfect woman. So why do we try so desperately to achieve an unrealistic body image through fad diets? It's exhausting isn't it, to always think about food, exercise or that dreaded scale? Perhaps we do it too attract some much needed attention? Gain some self esteem and confidence? Maybe it's as simple as feeling good or to be healthy. Their are heaps of valid reasons to lose weight and plenty of motivation, however, we continue to miss the mark miserably. Let's delve deeper and investigate the most common diets and why failing us.

Carbohydrates are the sugars and starches which fuel the body. You need carbs to stay in good health and even to survive! The WHO tells us that between 55-75% of your calories should be from carbohydrates. Low carb diets like Atkins and the Zone rob you of these essential nutrients, resulting in quick weight loss, but also fatigue and hunger pangs. While you will lose weight in the first couple of weeks, your body will eventually crash. You'll have to choose between your health and the diet. If you're sick, is there any point in being thin?

Sugar and Starch are what fuels the body and the brain with much needed energy. Without these important carbohydrates, your body suffers from cumbersome symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and hunger pangs. Diets that herald eating low carb foods like Atkins and the Zone set you up for failure because as humans, we are not designed to live without carbs. Although initially, the weight loss is rapid, you're soon faced with unsurmountable cravings that lead you to the "junk" cupboard or the drive-thru at some fast food restaurant for a quick carb fix. The World Health Organization suggests our food intake comprise of at least 55-75% carbs. Anything lower and your body starts to react, leaving you feeling ill. Is this how you want to live the rest of your life?

Fat Free Diets are no better. After all, fat free means less fat on you. Not true, most of these foods are still loaded with sugar and sugar makes you fat, period. Don't be fooled by the "honey is better than sugar" theory either, they're both the same, just from a difference source. Opt for foods low in sugar rather than fat free. So, are diets a complete waste of time? They are if you have no clue how your body utilizes it's food and expends it's energy. If you want to lose weight, read up on different diets and chose one that suits your particular needs. Whatever you do, never give up and keep trying. - 17274

About the Author:

Samatha Putz succeeds with simplicity and efficiency. She does what she loves and delegates what she hates! Find out how she publishes 1000's of unique articles and creates copious amounts of backlinks with the push of a button. Discover An Amazing Shortcut To Article Marketing Today!

No Fat, Low Fat, and Wo Fat

By Dr. Bill

I guess I'm showing my age here by referencing Wo Fat, an old television show villain from Hawaii 5-0. An old classmate of mine from medicial school got that same nickname, much to his chagrin.

I've never been a fan of "low fat" dishes, or ingredients, and the few "no fat" items that have crossed my lips usually fell in the "disgusting" category. Usually they ended up in the garbage disposal as soon as no one was looking.

I will say there are a few low or no fat foods that actually make the grade. You find them by sticking to foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Take Jersey tomatoes for instance, with a couple drops of olive oil, some balsamic vinegar, and a hint of salt and pepper.

There's watermelon as well.

Fresh cherries? Peaches?

A salad pulled from the ground, only minutes before eating?

But I'm a realist, and this doesn't happen every day, or even month. But when the opportunity presents itself, go for it. Your body loves these ingredients, as opposed to Pop Tarts, and microwaved mac and cheese.

And the packaged low fat and no fat foods are full of artificial sweeteners. They're more chemical constructs than real food.

Just remember what Julia Childs once said. "If you want to lose some weight, eat a little less. You don't need to eat a 16 ounce steak, or a one pound potato. Butter isn't your enemy, gluttony is!" Don't forget to sound that out in her unmistakable voice.

Let's face it, it doesn't take Larry The Cable Guy to break down why Hot Pockets are bad for you, although it's a fun discourse if you get the chance.

Eating food in its natural state is also key to long-term weight loss. If you ever have the chance to see how a group of chefs eat, you'd be surprised. Everything on the plates would be simple yet with pristine ingredients.

In years past it was tough to get good ingredients.

But finding fresh food today is a lot easier no matter where you live in the U.S. So gradually add some of these kind of meals into your weekly routine.

I just finished reading a study showing that people who make simple changes in their diets and take pharmaceutical grade fish oil, lose weight and keep it off.

Which is great to see. Ultra pure pharmaceutical grade fish oil and simple changes in diet are a dynamite combination.

So start making changes today and tomorrow, or the next day, you won't have to sit around in an overcrowded waiting room reading old magazines - if you know what I mean. - 17274

About the Author:

Dr. Bill is a baby boomer and a doctor. For health and weight loss he recommends this brand of pharmaceutical grade fish oil.

Learning About Cholesterol

By Charlie Reese

We all know that too-high cholesterol levels spells trouble for your heart health. If your doctor has advised you of a high cholesterol condition, it's wise to take immediate steps to bring those numbers down. While there are cholesterol lowering medications you can take, there's so much you can do to accomplish your objective through dietary changes.

Here are some of the best cholesterol reducing foods, herbs and spices to work into your cholesterol reducing diet program. Including plentiful amounts of these foods and nutrients can whip those numbers into shape within as little as three months. These healthy dietary inclusions also offer an array of other benefits to your general health. Let's take a look.

Garlic is a top notch ingredient for any cholesterol reducing diet program. Many studies have found garlic equally effective in reducing cholesterol readings, when compared with pharmaceutical medications. Garlic also lowers your blood pressure, is an anti-cancer agent and effectively wards off colds and flus by enhancing your immune system response. Garlic is also a natural antibiotic, proven effective against 27 specific pathogens, including streptococcus. Douse your salads and entrees with garlic and save some cash on the meds!

An apple or two a day is another smart choice for your cholesterol reducing diet plan. While lowering cholesterol, they're loaded with vitamin A, warding off cancer and those nasty colds. Replace that candy bar with an apple for a healthful snack.

When you make salads, use raw spinach instead of lettuce. Packed with antioxidants and fiber, you'll reduce your risk of cancer while getting those cholesterol numbers down. Fresh spinach is most effective. You can add a side of lightly steamed spinach as a side dish to an entree of cold water fish, such as salmon, for a power dinner of a cholesterol reducing diet menu. A sprinkling of garlic in your meal certainly doesn't hurt!

Dress that salad with olive oil. Olive oil dissolves cholesterol deposits and is certainly an essential in any cholesterol reducing diet program. Don't forget the garlic! Incidentally, olive oil is good for your nerves and digestion.

Make broccoli a frequent snack or side dish. Pair raw broccoli florets with a spinach dip and eat to your heart's content. Rich in fiber and antioxidants, you can protect your body from cancer while simultaneously reducing cholesterol. Broccoli is a great food for diabetics, regulating blood sugar levels.

Soy products significantly reduce blood cholesterol levels. Try substituting a glass of soy milk for your afternoon soda. Tofu is a chameleon food, taking on the flavor of any food or broth it accompanies. Soak some sliced, extra firm tofu in chicken broth and fry lightly. Combine in a chef's salad of spinach, garlic and mushrooms for a tasty treat and a premium cholesterol reducing diet dish. Soy is an undisputed anti-cancer agent as well.

Speaking of mushrooms, Shiitake mushrooms are a powerful addition to your cholesterol reducing diet plan. Available fresh or dried, not only do they reduce your cholesterol, but simultaneously reduce HBP and reduce your risk of cancer.

Make cold water fish a regular part of your cholesterol reducing diet. Salmon, halibut, sea bass and tuna are all high in the Omega-3 fatty acids. While improving your cholesterol readings, you're decreasing cardiovascular risks, such as heart attacks by a whopping 50%! Explore curry recipes. Turmeric is the main ingredient, a spice which lowers cholesterol, aids digestion, reduces blood sugar levels, as well as your risk of cancer. If you suffer from arthritis, turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory.

It's interesting to note that foods which regulate cholesterol levels are most often potent anti-cancer agents. These foods are also easily combined into tasty recipes that make it easy to create a cholesterol reducing diet plan that's a pleasure to consume. Go for it! - 17274

About the Author:

Charlie Reese educates about health and gives psychic readings on his free psychic website daily.

Is It Hard To Lower Fat Gain While Building Muscle?

By Rob Molloy

Many who are into bodybuilding will try to bulk up and get as big as they can but what happens much of the time is that they also add on extra padding with their muscle. Especially for those who want those cuts for a special event or competition. They will try to work frantically prior to the event to get rid of the fat. The key is to not gain that fat in the first place because what happens is that while fat is being lost, muscle is also being lost. Here is a simple strategy to gain muscle without adding that extra weight you don't want.

Learn that you should only gain muscle at the speed of a pound once every 2 weeks. If you are gaining faster than that then you can suspect that some of the gain is fat instead of muscle. Take a good long look at your diet when you are gaining faster than you should. Make certain that you consume the right portions of the correct foods to correspond with your workout regimen. You need to examine everything very thoroughly to make sure you are not gaining too fast or whether you are the exception to the rule.

One thing that will help you achieve your body building goals is to have the right diet. It is easy for a routine to turn into a rut. You alternate your weightlifting program, why shouldn't you alternate your diet program. A good muscle building program will include days that you take off because your body needs a chance to recuperate and to repair the muscles that you have torn apart in your workouts. You should also give your body a chance to recover from the rigid diet that you have been putting it through for the week. Rest is good for the mind and so is allowing a couple days of freedom from your strict diet. If you take a 5 day on - 2 day off approach to your diet, not only will your weekends be more fun (if you schedule the 2 days off correctly) but you will also be doing something good for your body.

The 5 meals a day plan is what you should be doing. You will be constantly fueling your body and it will not store up like it does when you are not eating enough. Your diet needs to be made up of 1 part monounsaturated fat to 2 parts of protein, which you can't have muscle without, and have 3 parts of carbohydrates for energy.

The other thing you need to build your muscle without packing on fat as well, is developing the correct workout program. Start by performing 10 to 15 minutes of some activity that is aerobic before you do your actual workout. It is good for warming you up for your workout, for burning fat and it will make your heart healthier. It can backfire on you to do too much aerobic activity though as far as you trying to gain muscle mass.

Long periods of aerobic activity may make you a marathon runner but it won't put muscle on you. More muscle means more calories are being burned. Make sure you stretch for a bit after your aerobic activity and before you get into the main part of your muscle building workout.

Get a journal to log your workouts each day and you need to do repeats of muscles group daily too. You need to keep upping your game a notch every workout. By keeping this journal you know how much to up it each day. Monday - Thursday concentrate on a different muscle group each day then on Fridays you mix it all together and work all the muscle groups.

With your workout, pyramid the sets and make the one in the middle have more weight than the first and last ones. You need push your body. With the first set you prepare the body for the heavier set of #2 and then with the third set you cool your body down. You can also pyramid your reps within the sets too. The first rep do the most, the middle you make them harder but fewer, and then the third one is the cool down where you do the same reps as the first.

Take these tips and plan your workout according to them, adjusting it to your particular body. You will see how good this works for not gaining fat and only building muscle. - 17274

About the Author:

Whether you need to gain muscle, lose weight or just get fit, check out Rob's site at growmymuscles to find some great ideas and follow his journey to weight loss and health.

Gaining Muscle Mass Is Simple If You Know These 2 Secrets

By Mike Muscelli

If you're looking into gaining muscle mass, you should know that it takes a lot of effort to really add on that muscle. However, if you are serious enough about it, you can see some great gains.

If you need a little help getting started, here are some tips which should start you off on the right track:

1. Start Squatting

If you're looking into gaining muscle mass, one of the best ways to go about it is through squatting. It is admittedly one of the most painful exercises you can take part in, but that's also why it is one of the best, it really breaks down your muscle tissue like no other exercise. Squatting will help you grow massive quads and also help you grow all over since it stimulates the release of human growth hormone.

Some people take It as far as squatting 3 times a week to kick start muscle growth, its that effective. Granted, that will be a brutal regimen, but if you're struggling to put on some pounds, its worth giving a try.

2. Deadlift - You Don't Know Pain Until You Deadlift

When it comes to the best exercises you could possibly be doing, the only one to come close to squats is deadlifts. This exercise will build up your back like no other, this exercise alone is responsible for many a bodybuilder's massively thick back.

The deadlift will also help build your legs and arms since they're both used during the lift as well. This exercise is so powerful, that even if this was the only back exercise you ever knew of, you would still wind up with a massively thick back. So make sure you bring these into your workout if you want to see serious results.

Now if you're absolutely serious about gaining muscle mass, while these tips will help you gain an edge, you're going to need a bit more than this to attain the body you desire.

What you really need is a complete training system which will show you what to eat, when to eat it and exactly what kind of training regimen you should be implementing to see real gains. It can mean the difference between adding on 5 pounds versus 15. - 17274

About the Author:

Looking for a guide to weight training or a body building book? If so, be sure to check out How To Gain Weight.

How Much Weight You Should Gain During Pregnancy

By Ricardo d Argence

Many women do not mind becoming pregnant, what they do mind is the weight gain they have to experience during the 9 months and a couple of extra months after the pregnancy. Gaining weight during pregnancy is a must, it helps give the embryo its vitamins and minerals to ensure a healthy growth pattern.

In the past, the concensus was that pregnant women should not gain any weight; however, now that pediatricians now understand more about a fetus' growth, that thinking has changed. One big question pregnant women always ask is how much weight should I gain during pregnancy.

It is vital to both the mother and the baby that good food practices and light exercises are adhered to. There are certain percentages of weight that is distributed throughout a woman's body, the most percentage goes to the baby, some to the placenta, some goes to the breast tissues to develop milk, water, and other pregnancy fluids get a percentage also.

The average pregnant woman should be prepared to gain approximately 15 lbs. Skinny women who gain 45 or 50 lbs is still considered a good weight during pregnancy.

Ultrasound is one way for a woman to discover that she may be having more than one baby. In such a case, a pregnant mother may gain even more weight. More embryos mean the need for more minerals and vitamins to be divided among them. Womens should take care of her health when she is pregnant for new born babies.

Pregnant women do not need to eat more than 300 calories per day. Junk foods are not really good for pregnant women. Expecting mothers will usually see a little weight gain during the beginning of the pregnancy, and then they may not experience a large amount of weight gain until later in the pregnancy.

Definitely not a good idea is losing weight when you gain too much weight. To help avoid futuristic problems for the baby you should refrain from consuming salt while you are pregnant.

Obese women are likely to have more health problems during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. They also increase the chances of having a miscarriage.

With her doctor's approval, the pregnant woman can engage in light exercise, including swimming. Swimming is a great way to burn calories; for further help in proper pregnancy development you can also take short walks or perform some of the exercises that your pediatrician can instruct you on.

Never forget that proper diet and exercise is important to facilitate healthy growth. - 17274

About the Author:

We know that losing that weight will not be an easy task. And pregnancy doesn't make it easier. If you want to know how to lose weight during pregnancy, come and visit our website. You'll find a lot of useful resources to achieve your goal. web hosting

How to avoid getting the wrong acai berry supplement.

By Collin James

Trying to decide who to buy your acai berry diet pill from online is starting to get a bit tough to do. There are a lot of choices and unfortunately not all of the companies re on the up and up. This article will point out a few things I think you should be looking for.

A accurate product label should be one of the first things you should be able to find. A detailed list of what exactly is in your acai diet pill you are looking at buying.If you are buying a product with the name Acai in the title of it - don't you think that should be the first ingredient?

The next thing you should be looking for is the longest trial period possible. 14 days from the time you order the supplement is not enough time to properly test anything.

Encase you have to send the product back, you also want to be able to find the companies information and or sipping details with out having to read the fine print somewhere. If you are not happy with your results - you should not have to spend a day looking for a way to prevent charges on your credit card.

Over the past few months I have researched acai diet supplements like there is no tomorrow. I have found one company, and one product called Acai Berry Elite that meets all of the above and more. Not only do they offer the longest trial period but they also have the largest amount of Acai Berry in there supplement out of everyone. - 17274

About the Author:

Acai Berry Elite gives there users with security up font that there needs are going to be met with using the acai berry elite diet supplement. If you're wanting to learning more about acai berry elite you can do so by visiting there Official Review

6 Ways Nutrition Plays An Important Role In Growing Taller

By Rodney Williams

Nutrition plays a very prominent role in our health, and has become a very well known issue of late, as many developed countries struggle with populations becoming obese from poor diets. While the importance of nutrition is undeniable, the constant battle of taste vs. health is one were losing. If gaining height is on your list of to-do's though, youll have one more reason to revert to a healthy diet, and six of the major reasons why are detailed below.

1) Vitamins - Vitamins have multiple and powerful health benefits and the good news is that many of them also promote growth. Eating a balanced diet of 'grow taller' foods should supply you with the vitamin intake necessary for further growth, but as a last resort you can also turn to vitamin supplements to reach your desired intake level.

2) Water - Yes, we all know how important water is for flushing out toxins and keeping us hydrated, but seriously, how many of us can manage or even have the time to chug eight glasses of water a day? It is a daunting task, but the benefits are undeniable if you can pull it off.

3) Minerals - Minerals are very much like vitamins, though even harder to get a hold of through food. This is offset somewhat by the fact that minerals do not need to be consumed in as great quantities as vitamins. Supplements can also be used to reach your daily intake goals.

4) Protein - Protein is a necessity for promoting tissue growth, which is naturally quite important for height gain. Protein is most often found in animal meat or fish, meaning if you're a vegetarian or vegan; you may need to focus on a good alternative source such as soybeans.

5) Fats - With poor dieting often comes an excess of fat consumption, and this can have negative effects on height gain. Too much fat in the tissues can limit the release and effectiveness of growth hormones, and increased weight will also have the effect of making you look shorter than you are.

6) Carbohydrates - We look at carbs the same way as fat. Keeping your carbs, and thus your Glycemic Index under control will let your growth hormone function to its fullest. A favourite food of many, which has one of the lowest GI ratings, is pasta.

Maintaining a healthy and balanced 'grow taller' diet is never easy, and many of us struggle with doing so for various reasons. Knowing as you now do that proper nutrition will help you gain and maintain height will hopefully be the extra incentive you need to work harder at giving your body the fuel it needs to reach its full potential. - 17274

About the Author:

Rodney Williams' writes frequently on topics related to How To Grow Taller. Check out his website for more articles on Natural Ways To Grow Taller.

TMJ Symptoms and Treatment

By Chrisitan Goodman

Who doesn't love chocolate? OK, some of us but not a good friend of mine - he loves them so much he comes up with new inventive ways to eat them so as not to get bored.

His wife, however, does not. This is because she suffers from TMJ, or Temporomandibular Joint syndrome. The cold of the frozen candy is a trigger for symptoms. Always interested in the ailments of people and how to cure them, I asked my friend's wife to provide more detail about her condition.

Most TMJ sufferers experience the same or similar symptoms but some are always surprising. Or, at least this is what I have found in researching this condition to create my TMJ program.

The acronym TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint. This is what some people mistakenly refer to as a disorder, however, TMJ syndrome is actually a disorder of the joint.

The TMJ is what allows us to talk, chew and yawn. Located on either side in front of the ears, TMJs are made up of blood vessels, muscles, nerves and bones.

You can find this joint by placing your finger in front of your ear and then opening and closing your mouth. The jawbone can perform two movements - opening/closing the mouth and acting as a hinge and also a gliding action which allows you to open your mouth wide.

TMJ disorder occurs when the joint becomes eroded and slides out of alignment. Certain medical conditions can also cause damage to the cartilage in the joint. A trauma or injury can also cause a disorder.

This condition can also be caused when the joint is over used. This is one of the reasons it's so unhealthy to grind or clench your teeth. In addition to eroding your teeth, it can cause the TMJ disorder. Certain others are born with an irregular development of the joint.

Triggers include: lack of sleep, stress, exposure to air-conditioning on the face, eating or drinking cold food and drinks, clenching the teeth repeatedly and leaning forward to view a computer screen causing poor posture.

This condition affects women more than men and includes 5-15% of the total population. Experts say this number is likely higher due to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms include: Headache, neck pain, difficulty opening and closing the mouth, pain or tenderness in the jaw, earache, pain in the face and a clicking sound when opening or closing the mouth.

Surgery is usually not required for TMJ disorders and most of the time you can make the effort to correct the condition if you know what's causing the symptoms. For example, if you know poor necks posture is causing the misalignment, you can work with your doctor to develop better posture.

In my friend's wife's case it was all about temperature. Eating cold food or drinks or direct exposure to cold air or air-conditioning were triggers for her condition. Thanks to my TMJ program she was able to learn good habits to bring about relief to this disorder.

In fact, I've received so many good reviews of my program, I'm overwhelmed by the reviews. If you haven't found relief from TMJ syndrome and are looking for an answer, please try my program. If headache is a common symptom for you, I would also try my Migraine and Headache program.

EL331002 - 17274

About the Author:

Christian Goodman is recognized world wide for his unique solutions to many complicated and even incurable conditions. His revolutionary TMJ Treatment program has helped thousands of people all over the world. Learn more about Christian and his solutions on his Alternative health blog.

Losing Weight Before Your Wedding, What Not to Do

By Ricardo d Argence

Many women rush into a diet and exercise routine just prior to their wedding. To achieve desired results to improve your looks you should opt healthy methods to fulfill this desire.

Everyone from the bride to the guests seems to want to drop at least a few pounds before the big day. Even though there are many people who will be looking forward to looking their best, the bride seems to be the person who stresses the most about the way she will look on her special day.

Perhaps it is because she will be in the spotlight and due to the fact that society pressures us to want to be slim and don the smallest wedding dress possible. It is certainly not healthy or safe for brides to go to extremes in any way.

Before the wedding, many brides will starve themselves. Many woman were admitted in hospital for organ failure oir dehydration in thier efforts in reducing some wieght.

Some brides will go overboard with training and diets in order to lose weight. While doing workout is a great thing to do, you have to be sure that it is done within moderation. Anything you do should be done in moderation; this is especially true of diet and exercise.

These methods, over training and starvation, will appear as though they are working at first but will ultimately fail. Once the bride to be finally eats a regular meal she will most likely put on several pounds. This is because the body decides to hold on to any nutrients it can possibly get when the person finally eats.

If the bride does not nourish herself with a full meal before the big day, she runs the risk of ending up in the hospital. Put a damper on the entire event whether it is for a few days or for several weeks.

Adhering to a healthy diet and regular exercise regimen is a proven way to shed any extra weight. The brides should consult with a personal trainer or a dietician those of who feel as though they cannot go about that alone.

By cutting out the extra sugars and starches you could already find yourself losing a few pounds. Adding more water into your daily diet along with strong and steady exercise is what will give you excellent results in the end.

The key is to not wait until the very last minute to drop the weight you feel needs to go. Plan ahead and give yourself as much time as possible as this will ensure that you have plenty of time to lose the weight the healthy way. - 17274

About the Author:

Your wedding day is near, and of course, you want to look gorgeous. If you need to lose some pounds, we can show you the healthy way to lose weight before your wedding. Being healthy is the secret to make you look and feel beautiful on your wedding day. web hosting

Is there enough acai in your supplement?

By Karren Slamiel

Losing weight with a weight loss supplement that contains the Acai Berry is a great way to add a boost to your weight lose goals.

There is one small problem with most of the acai berry supplements online. They simply do not contain enough of the extract from the acai.

Most of the acai berry supplements online contain very little of the acai extract. The manufactures always pair up the acai with other ingredients which leaves very little of the extract in the supplement.

How you can check to see exactly how much acai berry is in a supplement is by looking for the product label, which will contain the information you need to know about the supplement before you buy it.

Manufactures need to start including there product labels as part of there websites in order to prove to the consumer - exactly what is in there product. - 17274

About the Author:

If you are looking for the best way to lose weight using an acai berry diet pill then using a diet pill that contains over 650 mg of acai extract will be the best one for you. Out of all the acai berry dieting diet pills that are out there we have only found one that contains high levels of acai extract, and that is from Acai Berry Elite who provide all he labels and proof you need.

Bottled Water--Not so Pure

By Phyllis Wheeler

Perhaps you are one of the many, many Americans who have turned from drinking tap water in recent years. After all, who knows whats in it? In many cities it tastes, smells, or even looks odd.

The obvious alternative is bottled water, which over the past 15 years has become increasingly popular. Plenty of us are solving the problem this way. But this alternative has some serious drawbacks, and it turns out that many sellers are selling just filtered tap water anyway. Since the FDA (which regulates bottled water) has lower testing standards than the EPA (which regulates tap water), the bottled water may have more microbes in it, according to tests.

More drawbacks concern the plastic bottles used to hold the water. Sixty million water bottles PER DAY are used in America, and many of them end up in landfills. Actually, this huge number shouldn't really surprise us. Each of us should drink gallons of water per day, right? Drinking it from plastic bottles will quickly mean a lot of discarded bottles.

The public is gradually becoming aware that drinking from plastic bottles poses a health threat. There is a chemical, BPA, used to make the clear plastic (recycling number 1) bottles used for this purpose. Traces of the BPA end up in the water stored in the container. (Plastics with recycling numbers of 3 and 7 contain BPA as well.)

Catherine Zandonella, M.P.H., wrote an article about BPA in the online magazine The Green Guide. She says that a growing number of scientists conclude from animal tests that BPA exposure in the womb raises risk of cancers, hampers fertility, and contributes to childhood hyperactivity. Other studies point to a link with diabetes and a host of other ills, for a total of 104 independent studies identifying harmful effects. Meanwhile, 11 studies funded by the industry claim no harmful effects. The FDA has chosen to go with these results, which critics call flawed.

BPA isnt just in the clear plastic bottles. Its also in canned food containers, baby bottles and toys, and vats used for processing wine. In fact, 95 percent of Americans tested in 2004 had some level of BPA in their urine, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as quoted by Zandonella.

It seems clear we should avoid contaminants if possible. In fact, avoiding contaminants is the whole reason we were buying bottled water, isnt it? Lets drink water out of glass, stainless steel, or BPA-free plastic (with a recycling number 2, 4, or 5 on the bottom).

Heres how to drink pure water and also control what container I am using: I can get a home water filter , one that triple-filters the water coming out of my kitchen tap or icemaker. I can bottle this water myself using glass or stainless steel containers, -- or BPA-free plastic bottles with recycling symbol #2, 4, or 5. And here's the best part: it costs a lot less! I purify my own water for about eight cents per gallon. - 17274

About the Author:

A home water filter can provide you with exactly the abundant, pure water you need, in safe containers of your own choice. Save money too! pure, pure water from your home water filter costs exactly 8 cents per gallon. Find out about filter options, including filters attached to the shower head, at http://www.home-water-filter.info .