Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The Benefits Of Whole House Water Filter Systems

If there's something people can't live without thats often noticed and underrated, it has to be water. Along with food and shelter, it is one entity that completes the basic essentials of provision that enables humans to live longer and healthier. People cook, drink, and wash their clothes. They bathe, eat, and engage to manufacture and agriculture. Basically, humans implement various processes, which mostly involve utilization of water. With all these mentioned, it can be surmised that water is utterly important to every aspect of human life.

However, in order to survive, people cannot just use whatever type of water source they stumble upon. Water, in the context of human consumption, should be something that is clean and safe enough to use. As much as possible, it has to be free of health-threatening contaminants, impurities, and pathogenic microorganisms in order to prevent actual and potential hazard to human life.
In the previous years, upon discovery of how contaminated water can jeopardize peoples health and living, purchase of readily available and treated water had become the bandwagon solution. Although most individuals admit that they cant afford to sustain succeeding number of expenses derived from such resort, still, many of them choose to buy water provisions in bottles and containers for consumption. But everyone knows for a fact that this is not a smart and practical option to access clean and safe water.
But recently, due to the need to establish a sustainable system of water treatment and consumption, the technology of whole house water filtration systems was born. As a matter of fact, because of various advantages given to almost every household installed with it, it is now considered as the hallmark of present water technology. Principally, a whole house water filter system functions to give an entire home safe and clean water to use. In contrary to usual and commercialized water filter mechanisms, this specific mode of water purification guarantees genuinely safe water in any area in the house. This means, households from which this filtration system is installed will be able to take advantage of clean water for other forms of utilization, besides from common uses for drinking and bathing.
As more advantages of whole house water filter system unfold, more and more families and individuals invest on using one. Below are some of the few remarkable benefits of using such type of water filter system:
PRACTICAL AND COST-EFFECTIVE. While it is true that installation of a whole house water filter system can be a little costly and tedious, it can surely outweigh the accumulative financial impact of having to spend on buying purified water in bottles. Furthermore, water bought in containers has expiration dates, which can be left unchecked when stored for longer periods of time. With a filter system installed within an entire house, the trouble of having to store clean water is eliminated and every household is guaranteed with safe and fresh water every time.
ELIMINATES WATER CONTAMINANTS HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH. Water goes a long way from enormous water plants and reservoirs to water work systems located in various areas or communities. The journey, before it reaches a glass container or touches human skin, greatly alters its potability and cleanliness. With that said, it is most likely that several minute and hazardous impurities and contaminants are present by the time they flow within bathroom or kitchen faucets, for consumption. Whole house water filtration systems eliminate the likelihood of having to consume contaminated water because it has the capacity to filter out impurities in every aspect of any households water works.
VIABLE SOLUTION AGAINST CHLORINE WATER TREATMENT. Before, it is believed that water treatment with the use of chlorine is the best resort to purify and disinfect water for drinking and bathing purposes. While this claim has been proven true, on the other hand, there had been critical discoveries made within the span of time such water treatment was advocated. Chlorine, when combined to other organic and chemical entities present in water, may be transformed to a more dangerous form called the chloroform. Whether it is in its liquid or gaseous form, this chemical variation of chlorine has severe detrimental effects to health and human life, as a whole. Inhalation of such chemical can pave the way for the development of life-threatening respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis and asthma. On the other hand, ingestion and absorption of chloroform can increase its levels in the blood, which can hasten manifestation and development of toxicological and oncological impairments.
PREVENTION OF CHRONIC FATAL DISEASES AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. Chronic ingestion of chloroform (derived from chlorine treatment in water) and other contaminants may cause long-term detrimental effects to human body. Some of which are hepatic (liver) diseases, respiratory ailments, and gastrointestinal disturbances. In addition, these impurities can also pose potential harm to children and may cause them mental or developmental impairments. And if left untreated, water contamination may eventually lead to loss of important physiological functions and even death. With the simple principle of ultrafiltration that can be taken advantage from whole house water filter systems, development of these diseases can be minimized, if not eradicated.
Having presented some of the most important advantages of whole house water filter systems, it is now all up to you to decide whether this type of water purification mechanism is the best option for you and your family.

Lower Your Blood Pressure - The DASH Diet explained

If you are among those individuals who find it hard to lose and keep off excess pounds and always find blood pressure and cholesterol levels shooting up, then your best defense may be the DASH. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, developed back in 1996 by a team of researchers,can benefit not just individuals prone to high blood pressure, but also those who are young and in excellent shape.

The Dash Diet is unlike many diets nowadays that require followers to do away with one or more major food groups at a given time, like carbs and proteins. The DASH ensures that you have all the essential nutrients the body needs to combat disease and stay robust.

The importance of adhering to the right kind of diet is crucial, especially for those experiencing the signs of hypertension. Yet a diet like DASH which contains foods with anti-inflammatory benefits benefits all. A close look at the balanced diet or inclusion of major food groups in DASH is enough to convince smart eaters that it can sustain the body for a lifetime.

As for people with sustained high blood pressure which can be very damaging to the arteries, and may possibly lead to premature heart disease and stroke, the DASH can be a lifesaver. It is a diet high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein.

One of the main goals of the DASH diet is decreasing sodium or limiting it to only up to 1,500 mg in a single day. It basically requires dieters to consume whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables ranging from four to five servings a day. There must also be strict rationing of fatty and sugary foods. Other important components of the DASH are lean proteins and the right amount of healthy fats and oils around two to three servings each day.

A study conducted in the US on several subgroups showed that the DASH diet and reduced sodium intake can really reduce blood pressure. The subgroups included adults in the young & older categories, individuals not predisposed to hypertension owing to genetics, African-Americans and other races, those who are obese and those who are not, and those with low and high levels of physical exertion.

Moreover, other clinical trials uncovered that some people can get by without drugs for two weeks when adhering to the DASH diet, which has been shown to have a significant lowering effect not just on blood pressure but on bad cholesterol and homocysteine levels. In the process, heart problems and strokes are averted.

Apart from four servings of fresh fruits and equal servings of vegetables, dieters need to partake on a daily basis of two to three servings of dairy products like yogurt, milk and cheese which are laden with calcium, protein, and vitamin D. Best options are skim or low fat milk, fat-free milk, or frozen yogurt, low fat and fat-free cheese. Meantime, there must be six or lesser servings each day of lean meat, poultry and fish. Lean cuts of meat are ideal, and it is better to fire up your grill to cook meat rather than fry it.

Salmon, tuna, and herring which contain omega-3 fatty acids have a cholesterol-lowering effect, so load up on them. If you cannot put them regularly in your dining table, premium quality fish oil supplements with EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) can be the alternative.

Take note that the various natural ways to lower cholesterol will produce results only if you shift to a healthy lifestyle now. You need to feed both your mind and body. If you do not manage stress, for instance, which tends to increase the demand for magnesium, you may develop a deficiency in the important mineral which in turn may affect the functioning of the heart or cause depression and anxiety. Anxiety, in turn, can trigger high blood pressure. And so a vicious cycle is perpetuated.
Both disciplined eating and stress management techniques as well as regular exercise are therefore necessary to alleviate hypertension. If left unchecked, hypertension may set the stage for atherosclerosis. A poor diet may aggravate the condition and clog the arteries, which can pose serious health repercussions.

The best way to avoid hypertension and fight inflammation, as a naturopathic doctor is inclined to say, is to begin each day with a healthy breakfast, preferably one with grains, like a couple of slices of whole wheat bread or cooked cereals or oatmeal with almonds, strawberries and bananas. On other days, you may opt for a strawberry smoothie, or a shake consisting of mangoes and potassium-rich bananas, which aid in eliminating excess sodium in the body.

A brunch with lean proteins like seafood, egg, or no-sodium canned tuna, or entre with tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and other fiber-lacked and vitamin-enriched foods are highly advisable. When eating poultry, see to it that you remove the skin. For other meals like dinner, adding garlic, onion, saffron and other spices like basil and tarragon can be beneficial to people exhibiting signs of hypertension.

When following the DASH diet, it is important not to negate the beneficial effects of the various recommended healthy foods. Stop snacking on trans fat-laden burgers and other fastfood fare. Veer away also from eating processed food with high sodium levels, These are a no-no especially for people with hypertension. Munch on mixed nuts instead. See to it that you get four to five servings a week of nuts, seeds, and legumes, whether as part of salads, cereals, or added to stir-fried veggies.
If you must satisfy your sweet tooth, limit your intake of sweets to five or less servings a week, and go for low-fat options, whether you want to munch cookies or enjoy a cake slice.

By knowing the DASH diet facts and eating plan, you can take charge of your health. The DASH diet not only reduces blood pressure, but may also help shed excess pounds, since focus is placed on really nutritious foods, and eating the recommended servings daily can supply individuals with much energy and resistance to various illnesses other than heart-related problems.