Ask a Groovy Gal (Well-Being & Health)

ASK A GROOVY GAL
TFG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JILLIAN SWARTZ ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS
JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF IT

Are there are safe plastic water bottles on the market?—Valerie, Cambridge, MA

There's been a lot of chatter lately about the dangers of plastic bottles, not only to your health, but the environment's as well. Upwards of 40 million plastic bottles a day are trashed. While plastic bottles are taking 1,000 years or more to biodegrade, they are clogging our landfill spaces and leaking toxins into the ground.

Glass bottles are optimal for the environment, but not for kids and on-the-go parents. I love the SIGG Bottles (www.livingincomfort.com). They're light-weight, durable, taste-neutral, hygienic and dishwasher safe.

One more thing to know: tap water is now more regulated than bottled water. This fact in conjunction with the heavy carbon footprint of water bottling factories and the fuel and pollution associated with shipping (planes and trucks) make tap water a much healthier and smarter choice.

So, when you're drinking half your body weight a day in water (yes, you should be drinking that much) use a Brita Water Filter or another filter of your choice.

I read in your blog about eating high water content foods. What are some examples?—Janet, San Rafael, CA

A few people have emailed me this question. I must admit that although I advocate eating mainly high water content foods, I haven't done so in a mighty long time. Alas, water soluble foods are the way to go, especially in the hot, hot summer.

Spinach, tomatoes, celery, lettuce, peaches, strawberries, cantaloupes have at least 90 percent water and will flush out your system and keep you hydrated.

All fruits and vegetables—and food for that matter—have a water content (bananas have 76 percent, but they are high in natural sugar and calories), but these delicious choices are optimal, especially if you want to cleanse your system of toxins, and in season now. Eating in season, as you know, is not only better for your health-wise, but a much wiser choice for the Earth itself.

On a related note, here's a cool site to check out: www.dole5aday.com. It doesn't give you water content, but it does give you the vitamin and calorie facts.

Have you heard anything about those sneakers that help you lose weight just by wearing them?—Mandy, Henderson, Nevada

Yes, I have—and I've been dying to get a pair. Here's what I know: MBT, Masai Barefoot Technology, was invented by a Swiss engineer who discovered that walking barefoot over paddy fields, like those in the East African Savannah, alleviated his back pain.
Swiss Masai, the company he formed, says that MBT activates the whole body by stimulating the muscle activity. They claim that the shoes can improve posture, activate negated muscles and tone and shape them, too. The sneakers reduce stress on hips and joints and help with back, hip, leg and foot problems.

The technology, physiological footwear, creates a natural instability underfoot that yields all of the aforementioned positive effects. Tests show a nine percent increased in buttock muscle activity, a 19 percent increase in rear thigh muscle activity and a 19 percent decrease in the stress on the hips and joints.

When I get a pair (hear that Swiss Masai people?), I will definitely give you a full report. They're available online at www.blissworld.com for $245.

Click here to read about Jillian's life in the 'hood—motherhood.