Posts Tagged ‘water bottles’

Your Body Will Thank You: Tricks To Drink More Water Each Day

water woman 5

There’s a reason you are constantly hearing the words “drink more water.” Water is essential for healthy blood cells, properly functioning vital organs, flushing out toxins, giving you dewy skin and keeping your body hydrated. Staying hydrated becomes twice as important during pregnancy as your body needs more water to cope with the demands of a changing body and growing a little baby. During the summer it is even more important because even slight dehydration can cause severe problems like preterm labor.

Knowing all this - why is it still so difficult to get enough H2O? We’ve put together our team tested tricks to help you get fully hydrated (approximately half your body weight in ounces):

1. Start Your Day Off With Water: Drink a full glass of water as soon as you wake up in the morning - it sets the bar for the rest of the day.

2. Find THE Water Bottle: Whether you like bright colors, dark designs, or just a plain surface, once you discover the right water bottle you’ll find that drinking enough water isn’t as hard as you thought. Remember, safety is just as important as looks so get a BPA-free or glass water bottle.

3. Always Take Your Water Bottle With You: Wallet, Cellphone, Keys…WATER BOTTLE. Remember to grab your water bottle in the morning with the rest of your things. The closer it is to you, the more likely you are to drink water.

4. Use An App Or Alarm On Your Phone: If you simply forget to drink water, setting up alarms on your phone or using apps like WaterLogged (iPhone) and Carbodroid (Android) can give you reminders to drink up throughout the day.

5. Make Yourself a Non-alcholic Bubbly: If water is simply too bland for you, sparkling water can help you hydrate yourself while also keeping your taste buds satisfied. You can make your own sparkling water at home with a Sodastream machine.

6. Add Natural Flavor: If bubbles aren’t enough flavor, add a slice of lemon in your water! Another alternative is to add berries, oranges, mint or even cucumbers to your water - it’ll taste great and have you feeling like you are at a spa.

7. Put It On Ice: Gulp down more water by adding ice to your glass!

8. Use A Straw: Using a straw makes it easier to drink water and also makes it seem like more of a treat. Would a milkshake or a smoothie be as good if you were to just sip it rather than drink it out of a straw?

9. Remind Yourself Of The Benefits: If you still need added motivation, remember water gives you more energy, improves your immunity, flushes out toxins, promotes healthy skin - helping make you the best version of yourself.

Fill er up!

water bottles

Article Courtesy of Well Rounded NY

From the moment I got pregnant with Oliver, a thirst hit me like no other. Already an avid hydrator, I found myself revisiting the water cooler for more than just the office gossip. Drinking water for two is crucial for pregnancy. “Not only is it healthy for you and your baby, but you’re more likely to contract and go into pre-term labor when you’re dehydrated,” says New York City OB-GYN Meredith Halpern of Cityscape OB/GYN. Reason enough to stay hydrated.

I’m not a fan of buying overpriced and anything-but-green water bottles, so I started using reusable water bottles a few years ago. And unlike my reusable grocery bags, these get actual use. But not all water bottles are created equal. Just like the baby gear you’re currently stocking up on, you want to make sure the water you ingest on a daily basis is free of BPA and anything else you can’t pronounce. Glass is the safe choice…and the pretty one. Which we think is important if it’s going to be one of your accessories for the next few months and beyond. Because the hydrating does not stop once baby is here. One of the best nursing tips from my birth instructor was to set up a nursing station (or a few) in your home that always has a water bottle filled. So yes, you’ll continue pee’ing a lot for a little while longer, but you’ll also ensure both you and your baby stay hydrated.

Here are 5 glass water bottles to keep your thirst at bay.

  1. bkr: bkr’s philosophy is all about clean living. Which is exactly what you want from your drinking water, right? The founders of bkr thought out every detail in this usable piece of art. Each bkr bottle is dressed in a removable silicone sleeve, available in various gorgeous colors, and has an easy-to-drink-from mouth. Oh, and doesn’t bkr’s About Us page make you want to be a part of their club? $30
  2. Lifefactor: The first glass bottle I ever sipped from, Lifefactory remains a modern classic. Lifefactory’s bottles are always BPA/BPS-free and dishwasher safe, and the company is constantly revamping their colors and styles. Also, the wide mouth allows easy access for ice cubes and fresh fruit. The new Straw Cap style is designed for one-hand operation and upright, spillproof sipping (no tipping needed) making it perfect for hydrating on the go or while nursing. $26.99
  3. Bamboo: While most glass bottles ensure safe and clean drinking at all temperatures, Bamboo bottles add an extra level of strength and style. Offering three different styles of tops — classic, flip and hot tops — this bottle company strives to maintain a green earth by utilizing one of the renewable materials available: bamboo. So go ahead and fill’er up with cold or hot beverages — the bamboo can withstand the heat. $25
  4. Takeya: With its passion for beverages and drinkware, Takeya creates water bottles to carry both water and one of the delicious iced teas for which the company has become so known. Made with durable glass and covered in a silicone jacket, Takeya’s see-through window for checking fluid levels really makes this bottle unique. $17.99
  5. Aquasana: These Aquasana bottles leave you with the purest taste of water like only glass can. Aquasana, which can be purchased in a bundle of six, is a no-frills option that makes it easy for each family member to take a bottle on the go without having to worry about a few dirty ones in the sink. $31.11

This article is by Kaity Velez courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

Green Tip: Ditch Plastic Bottles for Safer, Reusable Alternatives

BPA-free plastic

It’s important to stay well hydrated during pregnancy, but have you ever thought about the environmental or health consequences from drinking from plastic, disposable bottles?

Fifty billion water bottles are purchased in the US each year and 80% of these water bottles, or 40 billion, get thrown out in landfills. That’s 140 million daily!

It’s quite a concerning statistic as you think about the environmental legacy that you want to leave for your baby-to-be.

Furthermore, chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates, that are found in some plastics are concerning researchers. Both chemicals have been found to mimic estrogen, which can negatively imbalance hormone levels in your body. A fetus or young baby is especially susceptible to hormonal imbalances given their rapid rate of development.

“Exposure to BPA and other chemicals prenatally is probably more harmful than in childhood, because there is much more vulnerability in the prenatal environment,” says Dr. Philip Landrigan, director of the Children’s Environmental Health Center at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. “The brain is very vulnerable to things like BPA and it plays out in childhood. We see a reduction in intelligence and alterations in behavior.”

To be kinder to the environment and to avoid BPA and phthalates, we recommend avoiding plastics when possible, especially when it comes to food and drink containers. Look for reusable bottle and food storage containers that are BPA-free or made from stainless steel or glass (which are naturally BPA- and phthalate-free). Some of our favorite water bottles are Klean Kanteen and Camelbak.

Check recycling numbers and remember this rhyme: “5, 4, 1 and 2 - all the rest are bad for you.” Take extra care to avoid plastics with recycling numbers 3, 6, 7. (Not to fear, Nine Naturals only uses safer plastics for its products).