We are all by now aware of the component BPA- most often found in plastic. BPA is a hormone disrupter that has a wide range of impacts on the human body. What’s scary, is this isn’t even the only dangerous component that plastic bottled waters contain! Here are some dangers of drinking bottled water. Give yourself the gift of BPA free water- Go Bottleless!

1. Hormone Disruption and Fertility-plastics can send mixed signals causing some reproductive hormones to produce excessively and lead to deficiencies in others.
2. Placental, Fetal, Infant and Pre-Pubescent Development- Fetal development in utero, along with the critical early years of a child’s life, can be dramatically altered by the communication from these hormone messengers.
3. Cancer-Cancer impacts men and women, young and old, and various organs, tissues, and cells. But researchers continue to report that the increase in estrogenic chemicals, like BPA and other plastic materials, has contributed not only to breast cancer, but also testicular cancer and prostate cancer.
4. Toxicity Burden-BPA and other plastic toxins have been found in blood and urine, widely circulating throughout the body. When you drink a beverage that is housed in a plastic bottle, you’re also drinking what the bottle is made of. Water can leach particles from the bottles, especially if it has been exposed to heat or stored for a longer amount of time.  So the bottled water you keep in your car during the summer- TOXIC!!
5. Weight Gain and Fatty Tissue Storage- Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in recent decades, and while the definition of obesity might seem narrow (greater than 25 percent body fat in men or 30 percent in women), the reality is that many adults weigh more than they should. The constant exposure to plastics today is having an impact on total body weight, too, since the estrogenic nature of these chemicals can directly influence the rate that fat is stored and what is stored there—including toxins from environmental exposures.

      With all the holiday stress and chaos- why not refresh and hydrate yourself with your favorite flavor combination? For a little bit of pop use sparkling mineral water!
 
 

1. Watermelon          18.   Honeydew melon         34.   Cucumber, lemon, mint
   
2. Cucumber             19.   Fresh ginger root          35.   Lemon & lime
   
3. Lemon                    20.   Mango                           36.   Strawberry & basil
   
4. Cantaloupe            21.   Watermelon & mint     37.   Cranberry & lemon
   
5. Orange                   22.   Cucumber & mint         38.   Ginger & lime 
   
6. Cherries                 23.   Lemon & mint               39.   Pineapple & mango
   
7. Lime                       24.   Cherry & lime                40.   Strawberries & lime
   
8. Grapefruit              25.   Papaya & mango          41.   Orange, lime, lemon
   
9. Basil                       26.   Ginger & lemon             42.   Cantaloupe & honeydew
   
10. Mint                       27.   Watermelon & mint       43.   Watermelon & cucumber  
    
11. Grapes                  28.   Lime & mint                    44.   Cantaloupe & watermelon
    
12. Blood orange       29.   Pineapple & orange      45.   Cucumber & rosemary
    
13. Rosemary             30.   Cucumber & lime          46.   Thyme & blackberries
    
14. Lavender              31.   Lemon & basil                 47.   Lemon & blueberry
    
15. Strawberries         32.   Strawberry & mint         48.   Blackberry & ginger
    
16. Blackberries         32.   Blackberry & ginger      49.   Pineapple
17. Raspberries          33.   Kiwi                                   50.   Papaya                 
    

 For the herbs, crush or chop them up to get the best flavor. Similarly, squeeze citrus wedges, slice or cube melons, and crush berries.
Picture credit https://www.mamamia.com.au/fruit-infused-water/