LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Fitness at the Beach: Gimmie Some of that H20! |
by Rick Moore |
Its been 90 degrees recently and Ive had to turn the air conditioning on to keep our members cool, calm and collected. This being the end of March and beginning of April, with such high temperatures so soon, I only hope this isnt an indication of what our summers about to be.
Along with warmer weather, people who exercise need to drink more water. The average adult consumes about 10 cups of water daily. With this hot spell, our water sales have climbed through the roof. We upgraded to a much larger refrigerator to handle a wider selection of bottled waters. Who would have thought 20 years ago that we would be selling water in chic containers with fancy labels and exotic names? Now, you can have water from the icy glaciers of the frozen north (Canada), from Italy, Maine, France, or just about anywhere else. Theres even water from West Virginia. I just recently found out that the city of St. Louis will be packaging their municipal water from the Mississippi river. And heres a shocker, folks: Milwaukee, Wisconsin will do the same. Now isnt this the same Milwaukee that had problems with their water making everyone sick a few years back? In 1993, illnesses caused by cryptosporidium contamination affected 281,000 people and killed six. Pass the Pepto Bismol, please! Probably the most successful launch of bottled water was done by the granddaddy of them all, Perrier. The Perrier source in Vergeze, France was known in Roman times and eventually was developed into a spa. But it wasnt actually bottled and marketed until 1863. Now, its the best-selling imported sparkling water in the U.S. According to the Perrier company, "the name Perrier is synonymous with exceptional quality, sparkling refreshment, and light-hearted fun." I always thought that you drank water because you were thirsty! But light-hearted fun? Perriers carbonation is actually natural. The gas met and mingled with spring water underground and rose at a constant pressure and temperature (60 degrees). But by the end of the l9th century and continuing through today, the water and gas are collected separately and combined in the bottling plant. The gas is filtered to remove any impurities. Then the water is packed in those famous green bottles that make such nice candle holders. Despite the advertising, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that not all bottled water is as safe as you think. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration regulates bottled water that crosses state lines. I feel safer already! While public water systems generally are disinfected with chlorine, bottled water is commonly disinfected by ozone treatment. Ozone is a high-strength oxygen that quickly reverts to normal oxygen. It kills the bug-nasties, but does not add bad taste. The length of time chlorine and ozone remain active in the water depends on many factors, including temperature. Chlorines action usually lasts for a while. But ozones effects wear off. Thats a problem when bottled water is in distribution for several weeks and is kept under poor storage conditions. In terms of bacterial content, its questionable whether bottled water is better or safer than most municipal tap water. As for contaminants, bottled water generally rates as good as but no better than municipal water. If you do purchase bottled water, choose a retailer who handles enough volume to rotate their stock. You probably buy bottled water for its good taste, but taste alone does not always indicate safety. Most harmful substances have no taste, including some disease-causing microorganisms, nitrates, trace amounts of lead and mercury, and some pesticides and organic materials. Differences in taste among bottled waters are due to differing amounts of carbon dioxide, calcium, iron compounds, sodium, minerals, salts, and the amount and type of processing. Did you ever wonder whats in the different types of bottled water? Read the labels and see what youre really getting: Distilled Water has been treated to remove the natural minerals and sodium. The resulting water is rather flat and tasteless for drinking because of the lack of minerals. Drinking Water comes from municipal systems, wells or springs. It often is treated by reverse osmosis to remove bacteria, pathogens, and most pesticides. The resulting water is purified but still contains some dissolved solids. Natural Water comes from unprotected well or spring systems, and is bottled without extensive treatment. Because it is almost exclusively groundwater, it usually contains a range of minerals and is, therefore, quite flavorful. Spring water is ground water that has risen naturally to the surface. Artesian spring water also rises under its own pressure, but only after it has been reached by drilling. Seltzer Water is any type of water that has been carbonated. It may be flavored with the essences of fruits, but it still contains no calories. The carbon dioxide that causes carbonation also can be natural or added during bottling. Mineral Water is simply water that contains minerals - which is true of virtually all water except distilled water. Natural mineral water contains just the minerals present in the water as it comes from the ground. It can be still or sparkling. Youll have to excuse me now. Writing this article has really made me thirsty. See you at the gym! Rick Moore is certified as a personal trainer by American Fitness Professionals & Associates. He believes in common- sense, drug-free training. Visit him at Ricks Fitness & Health, Inc., in beautiful downtown Milton. Check out his web site at http://www.enrapt.com/ricksfitness, or give him a call at (302) 684-3669. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 8, No. 3, April 10, 1998. |