Packing a School Lunch that makes the Grade!

August 11, 2010 by james

With back-to-school season in full swing, Culligan is providing tips to help parents ensure their kids get the nutrition and hydration they need to ensure A+ performance throughout the school day. Brown Bag It for Balance While a packed lunch isn’t automatically healthier than one bought at school, it does offer certain advantages. When you pack your child’s lunch you can be sure it includes healthy foods that are also their favorites. Parents should follow balanced diet guidelines, including a mix of the four basic food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, meat or protein foods, and dairy foods like milk and cheese¹. Just Say No to Soda & Juice Dehydration can lead to a reduction both mental and physical functions, oftentimes affecting a student’s performance in the classroom. Parents should be picky when selecting a drink for their child’s lunch. Unlike sugary sodas and fruit juices – which can contribute to tooth decay and weight gain,elevate blood sugar levels and attribute to unnecessary caloric intake² – water helps improve digestion and keeps the body feeling fuller longer, helping kids resist the urge to snack throughout the school day. Encourage Your Kids to be Eco-Friendly Americans buy an estimated 29.8 billion plastic water bottles ever year, with nearly eight out of every 10 bottles ending up in a landfill³. Parents can help their kids make a positive impact on the environment by switching out plastic water bottles for reusable, non-toxic aluminum and stainless steel water containers. These eco-friendly water bottle options can be easily filled at home with and refilled while at school; ensuring all-day hydration. Parents can also select reusable plastic containers for food that’s packed in their child’s lunch, instead of plastic baggies that are thrown away after one use. Healthy Hydration Starts at Home Packing clean, fresh tasting water for lunch is a snap when parents have access to bottled-water quality water at the touch of a button. A drinking water system from Culligan provides an endless supply of clean, refreshing drinking water right at the kitchen sink. And with better tasting water always available, encouraging kids to drink water with every meal just got easier. ¹”School Lunches”. Kids Health. Online: http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/school_stuff/school_lunches.html# 2 “Kid’s health: Benefits of drinking water”. Health and Fitness: Nutrition. Helium.com. Online: http://www.helium.com/items/1825815-children-and-water ³ “Facts About Plastic Bottles”. Earth911.com. Online: http://earth911.com/recycling/plastic/plastic-bottles/facts-about-plastic-bottles/

Posted by Jennifer Griffin at 8/9/2010 9:17 AM

I will have water please!

July 15, 2010 by james

Summer is here,

and boy is it is hot out. With this heat, staying hydrated is incredibly important. Be conscious of what beverage you are reaching for to quench your thirst. The popular, calorie-heavy beverages, like soda, are actually increasing your body’s need for water. Perhaps this is why an estimated 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. And according to studies, in an estimated 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger. People are eating when they are actually thirsty – a tall glass of water can prevent all of this from happening. While you’re outside enjoying the holiday weekend, go with the glass or bottle of water to quench your thirst, rather than the carbonated, sugary soft drink. The decision between water and soda should be an easy one. In case you need a little more convincing, these figures should help: Drinking five glasses of water daily is said to decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%, slash the risk of breast cancer by 79% and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. I don’t know about you, but I’m thirsty – or am I hungry? I’m confused now. Tall glass of water, please! written by – Peter Raisch

Drink Up – Some Home Water Test

May 24, 2010 by james

There is a theme I am hitting on right now, and it’s Drinking Water Month. So, here are some very quick ways to get an indication on how your drinking water stacks up.

Check your ice cubes. If they are cloudy, you may have a water issue.
Take the sniff test. Does your water have an odor? Is it similar to a swimming pool smell? Or a rotten egg smell?
If you have a pet, pour some water from a bottle in a bowl and some tap water in another bowl. If your pet chooses to drink the bottled water, you may have high levels of chlorine in your tap water.
Make a cup of tea with bottled water and one with tap water. Put the teas in a glass. If the tap water tea is darker than the bottled water tea, then you may benefit from a reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water system.
Track how much you spend each week on single-serve bottled water. If it’s more than $5 weekly, you could put a virtual “bottled water plant” under your sink for only pennies a glass.

Written by Peter Raisch

TAMU Football Players Help Local Youth Team

May 11, 2010 by james

Several weeks back a large group of the TAMU football team came out to help a local Bryan Youth Football team. The Buccaneer’s are group of 5-7 year old’s that love to play football. Our Bottle Water route manager coaches the Buccaneer’s and has his boys on the team. TAMU head Coach Sherman heard about the need to work on the Buccaneer’s football fields and quickly send over a large group of guys to help work on the fields. Thanks to Coach Sherman and the entire football team for coming out and supporting our local Bryan Youth. It was good for the young guys/gals to see older players lending a helping hand.

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So I ran a Marathon…

April 30, 2010 by james

Garner Austin_3 — Austin Marathon Finish Line!

I ran a marathon! Great right? I was super excited to train for this not only for the great accomplishment but excited to see how it would change my body. I will be in the best shape of my life! Well, so I thought. Although I was exercising more then I’ve ever exercised before, worked harder then I’ve ever worked before I actually gained a few pounds while training. I am aware of what I eat and aim to eat a healthy balanced diet. The difference in my diet is that I started consuming gels/gu’s and sports drinks. Basically drinking a lot of calories that I normally don’t. My rule is to not drink my calories, besides my one cup of orange juice in the AM. I stick to water and un-sweet tea and some diet soda although I did cut that out while training. This phenomenon happened to my good friend too who is also a woman. Our husbands on the other hand lost weight while consuming more calories, go figure! What did I learn in my training experience? I will stick to more good water while training and not as many sports drinks! Written by – Katy Garner

Healthy lives start with water, from pregnancy and beyond

April 16, 2010 by james

Did you know that water is an important part of a healthy pregnancy? While staying hydrated is

always an important step toward maintaining a fit lifestyle, pregnancy presents specific circumstances that make hydration – and cleaner, safer water – even more vital. Combat the Side Effects of Pregnancy Proper hydration can aid in preparing your body for the side effects and physical changes of pregnancy, while ensuring your baby experiences healthy fetal development. The hormonal changes associated with pregnancy can alter the way women store water in their bodies, often leading to water retention. While it might seem counter-intuitive, drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day can actually alleviate excess water retention. Staying properly hydrated can also replace fluids that are lost due to increased perspiration and urination, which are side effects commonly associated with pregnancy. Plus, as your blood volume increases during the third trimester, the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular problems can increase. Maintaining a healthy intake of water can help reduce the risk of these conditions¹.

Water Your Growing Baby

Did you know that water can also nurture your growing baby throughout the gestational period? Proper hydration aids in the flow of nutrients to the baby through your blood. Also, the amniotic sack that protects your baby in the womb depends on fluid that must be replaced every hour by a cup of water that is stored in the body². If you’re dehydrated, your body may not have the fluids necessary to ensure the amniotic fluid surrounding your baby is properly replenished. Dehydration can also lead to harmful effects on your baby’s development, such as an excessively warm maternal environment and, potentially, preterm labor and delivery³. Nurture Your Newborn If you choose to breastfeed once your baby is born, keep in mind that you may feel even thirstier than normal. That’s because the hormones involved with milk-making cause your body to conserve water. Failing to get enough fluids to replenish your body’s water supply can impact how much milk you’re able to produce. This can also lead to constipation, fatigue and impaired concentration⁴. Safe, Refreshing Water: Just a Taste Away Ensuring the water you drink is free of potentially harmful contaminates is crucial. The cleaner, safer water you get from a Culligan drinking water system will make a difference toward a healthy, happy pregnancy. Contact Culligan today for a free water analysis to see how a Culligan water system can deliver better drinking water to you and your baby – during pregnancy and beyond.

^{1 and 2 “}The Benefits of Water in Pregnancy.” Pregnancy Info.net. Online: http://www.pregnancy-info.net/benefits_water.html ³ “Water Consumption During Pregnancy”. Mediconsult’s Nutrition Services. StorkNet. Online: http://www.storknet.com/experts/nutrition/cd21.htm ⁴ Mary Silva, M.S, R.D. “Dietary Tips for Breastfeeding Moms”. Dr. Spock.com. Online: http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5370,00.html

Be part of something bigger than yourself

April 11, 2010 by james

This past weekend the world record for the longest kickball game was broken. No, I did not play in it. I really wish I could have! Chris called me and asked if we could help out with providing water. It started this past Friday afternoon in Rowlett, TX. They played kick ball for 50 hours straight in order to raise money and awareness for children in slavery. The Mercy Project was started by a friend of mine, Chris Field. Its sole mission is to bring as many young children out of slavery. Chris has a heart for service and is a man full of passion. He is part of something bigger than himself…bigger than you and I. The question for me and you is the same. What do you do that is bigger than you? I mean really when its all said and done that’s the stuff that matters…the stuff that leaves a legacy is what you participate in that leaves a lasting difference in someones life. Its not about how much water I sell. Its not about the size of my truck/house or other material things. That stuff is all going to burn up one day. I hope that I can make it a priority to make a lasting impression on someones life for good. Maybe its a kickball game to raise awareness for children in slavery, maybe its that extra effort each day to spend time with your children, maybe its that phone call that you need to make, maybe its those words you need to say…I don’t know what it is for you but I do know that if we open our eyes the opportunities are there. We just have to act on them. Here are a few pictures from the World record Kickball game. Congrats to all who participated. What a cool event. Enjoy…be inspired to DO something that makes a difference in the lives of people.