graindkamol's Blog

Everywhere I travel to across the UK, I find myself constantly buying bottled water and avoiding tap water like the plague! This is not to say that I do not drink tap water, bearing in mind that the UK has one of the safest drinking water systems in the world. However, I do believe that different areas across the country have a very different taste and quality to your local water system. This does not necessarily mean that it is any less safe to drink, but merely does not suit your own personal palette.

Take for example my recent visit to Leicester, I found that I could not drink from the taps there as I felt the taste of the tap water was very different from the tap water system at home. This by far is no indication of Leicester water system being unsafe or unclean. It does prove that the water system are pumped and treated differently from each other. Where the water is sourced from and how it is treated makes a major difference in the taste.

Leicester water is treated with chlorine, like the general water system in the UK. Therefore, its treatment is standard and is safe to drink. Yet something in our minds tells us not to drink tap water in different area codes. Understandably, this is a precaution that one takes when travelling abroad, due to health and hygiene reason.

Living in Essex the water system to me is almost perfect every time, but that is simply because I am adjusted and familiar with the taste and quality. When I compare the water system to Leicester water system, there is a difference in consistency, with Leicester water system being cooler in temperature than Essex water. In the past when I have lived in London, the water system was much lower in quality and warmer in temperature.

Manchester and Liverpool were much cooler to drink and tasted almost the same as the water in Leicester. This is due to the way they are treated and where they source out the water. However, I found that during the summer months in Manchester the water would warm up very quickly and quite unpleasant to drink if one is feeling very hot!

For this reason, many people living in London purchase bottled water or install water filter systems under their sink taps, the latter being more cost efficient. Offices in London provide water cooler units, so staffs are not dehydrated when at work. Instead, they have the option to drink safe clean water without worrying about the tap water system.

For those of you who are water conscious like me, then perhaps the best thing to do is to invest in a water filter jug if you have moved to different area code. You should always avoid drinking tap water when you travel out of the country, as the water system abroad will be treated differently from the system that you are used to, meaning that it will cause you problems with your health.

However, if you are based in the UK then you have very little to worry about concerning the hygiene of the water. It is a matter of personal taste. People may find that in certain areas the water may taste more like iron, or in other places more like chlorine. In such cases, you should invest in a filtration system, this may not necessarily change the taste but it will improve the quality.

"Keeping just a few pounds off can significantly affect your risk of getting high blood pressure or diabetes," says cardiovascular health expert Lawrence Appel at the John Hopkins School of Medicine. Most Americans don't realize how simple modifications can tack on an extra ten years to their lives.

It was previously assumed that if you had heart attacks and congestive heart failure in your family, then you were doomed and if your genetic slate was clean, then you'd be fine. However, health experts are finding that long hours, high stress and sloppy lifestyle habits are contributing to a rise in patients suffering from hypertension.

Over at the Harvard School of Medicine, researchers have developed a dietary program known as "DASH," an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet includes: 8 grain servings, 5 vegetable servings, 2-3 low fat dairy servings, 1-2 servings of meat, poultry or fish and 5 servings per week of nuts, seeds or beans.

Saturated fats and sugars should be limited and serving sizes generally run 1/2 cup cooked, 1 cup raw or 2 tbsp nuts and seeds. Exercise is crucial! Within just two weeks, the diet already began having an effect on Dr. Gabe Mirkin's patients, with 70% returning to normal blood pressure levels. He says that increasing minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium had a strong impact, as did limiting fat and sodium. The diet triggers a diuretic effect, much like certain medications that work to "flush the system."


In addition to the DASH Diet, certain "super foods" and supplements give high blood pressure sufferers high hopes for recovery. Several studies show the effectiveness of Q10, a coenzyme that reduces both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as fish oil supplements that pack the body with the necessary omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids it needs to perform better. Traditional Chinese medicine recommends garlic, chestnuts, turnips, honey, Chinese celery, hawthorn berries and mung beans to decrease high blood pressure.

Thirty minutes of moderate-intense exercise at least four days per week is the official 2003 American Heart Association standard for optimal heart health. For people who may not be able to meet strenuous standards, walking for three ten-minute intervals per day is recommended.

Additionally, yoga is a good low-impact exercise that decreases stress and may also help reverse high blood pressure. Many Americans find that treadmills and bicycles are their best allies when it comes to an enjoyable workout they can stick to.

In the Western world there is often a huge disparity between what our bodies need and what they actually get. Your body is an organism more complex than the most powerful computer and needs regular nutrition in order to function properly and regenerate.

This nourishment is derived from a balanced and varied diet, high in the vitamins, minerals and other substances that are vital for maintaining the health of any individual. Unfortunately, our lifestyles are often not conducive to good health, and all too regularly our diet lacks the nutrition we require.

Eat your way to good health
We are only now beginning to realise just how profound an effect diet has on our lives. Of course, most people recognise that consuming large amounts of unhealthy food can lead to weight gain, but what they fail to understand is that almost all key health factors are affected by diet, including:

* Digestion.
* Energy levels.
* Heart rate and circulation.
* Hormones.
* Thyroid/metabolism.
* Stress levels.
* Immunity.

Imbalances and deficiencies of essential nutrients affect the way you look and feel. Help maintain good health by ensuring your diet contains all the nutrients your body needs.

Vitamins, minerals and the rest...
Water
The importance of water cannot be underestimated. It is genuinely recommended that you drink two litres of water a day, an amount that should be increased when exercising.

Carbohydrates
Although they often get a bad press, we could not function without carbohydrates. The digestive tract is responsible for breaking down all carbohydrates into glucose, the body's main source of fuel.

Fibre
Fibre is essential for moving food through the digestive system and also has an important role to play in many other bodily functions.

Protein
Protein is vital for the growth, maintenance and repair of all body components. A lack of sufficient protein in our diets can lead to problems with tissues, nerves, bones, muscles, internal organs, blood, skin, hair and nails.

Fats
Good fats, composing of fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6, are essential. These fats perform many biological roles, including assisting brain function.

Vitamin A
Plays an important role in eye and skin health, enhances immunity, assists in bone and teeth formation and acts as an antioxidant protecting against disease.

The B vitamins
Essential for the nervous system, help digestion, muscle, skin, eyes, hair, liver and brain function, reduce stress and are required to release energy from carbohydrates.

Vitamin C
Acts as an antioxidant and is necessary for tissue growth and repair, healthy gums and bones. Also helps in the absorption of iron and is useful when the body is under stress.

Vitamin D
Protects against muscle weakness, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, as it is required for the absorption and utilisation of calcium.

Vitamin E
This powerful antioxidant protects against heart disease, cancer and ageing, as well as improving circulation and helping to repair damaged tissue.

Vitamin K
Required for the normal clotting of blood and promotes healthy liver function.

Folate
Healthy cell division and replication depends upon adequate intake of folate, which is also important in pregnancy and for foetal development.

Calcium
Essential for bone and teeth health, helps prevent osteoporosis and is important for blood clotting and nerve function.

Iron
Iron is required for energy production and a healthy immune system, and it also carries oxygen from the lungs to all the cells in the body.

Zinc
Required for fertility, a healthy reproductive system and healthy skin. Zinc also protects the liver and the body against free radicals.

Selenium
Performs several vital functions, including protecting the body against heart disease, cancer, ageing and damage to the heart and liver.

Magnesium
A vital catalyst in releasing energy, magnesium is also good for cardio health and works with calcium to maintain healthy bones.

Potassium
Your body needs potassium to maintain a healthy nervous system and regular heart rhythm. It also helps promote healthy blood pressure and helps control the body's water balance.

Phosphorus
Helps convert food into energy, is needed for blood clotting and forms an essential part of all body cells.

Sodium
Essential for water balance and healthy nerve and muscle function.

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