Make good choices to quench thirst and avoid harmful chemicals

On By Inese, visual artist, writer and life sciences bloggerIn health, healthy choices, healthy food, lifestyle, natural food, style

Deal or health

While standing in the line at grocery store, it’s impossible not to notice what people are putting in their shopping carts. There is pretty large crowd which walks around the store with flyers in their hand looking for deals and discounts. Well, it’s not that the best products or the freshest ones get into this flyer, but we can sometimes get promotional products at very reasonable prices. At least at my local grocery store, the most deals are offered for unhealthy and processed food and drinks.

Soft drinks are banned in European schools

I would say there’s a reason why soft drinks like Coke, Pepsi and energy drinks are banned from schools and their neighbourhoods in quite a few European countries. My native country Latvia has always been strict with such foods and drinks, the positive side is that we didn’t even see them or knew they existed until the borders were opened in 1991. The Latvian market was flushed with North American type of chemical foods and fast food places appeared then.

Clean food means more health

We had practically no obesity and related issues until the era of imported food begun. Believe or not, real dairy products are still available in Latvia. It’s always up to consumers what choice to make because manufacturers will try to meet the demand. When consumers show their dissatisfaction with chemically enhanced food, manufacturers and food producers have no other way, but to offer food and drinks which are in line with healthy eating guidelines and which are compliant with restrictions in use of chemical ingredients.

Think again

I read an article how people, who told Coke was a total poison and Pepsi was a pure junk, were attacked online. That makes one wonder: are there really too few obesity, type 2 diabetes, digestive, heart and blood vessel associated diseases and cases yet? Isn’t there proof enough that not real food, proteins, carbohydrates and fats make a person sick, but their chemical substitutes and surrogate ingredients?

The choice is ours

Nobody would need to ever diet or fight the unwanted pounds if all of a sudden fast food, processed food and chemically produced food and drinks disappeared. However, that is not going to happen because profits always come first. There is a wide range in standards for chemicals and their maximum contents in food products. Therefore, the choice is ours: we all can exclude chemicals, fast food and processed foods from our menu. At least to some extent, because vegetables, fruit, berries, herbs and organic products are still a subject to standards. These standards allow for plenty of variation. “Organic” on a label does not mean the product is completely free of chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers. “Organic” means the amount of harmful chemicals meets the stated limits.

Hydration for heat

It has been abnormally hot in Canada, Ontario for the last 2 weeks. We are expecting one more heat wave. Everybody will need to quench their thirst, and everybody will have a choice: to use pure water, mineral water or fruit flavored water for hydration, or just grab some soft drink, milkshake or juice.

Water is the best

When we talk about hydration, there is nothing better than pure water. Water is the best for quite a few reasons: for its chemical formula, for the fast absorption rate, for its friendly attitude towards our cell structure and for its lack of chemicals. Be careful with tap water. It can can contain too much chlorine, even antibiotics, metformin which is blood sugar lowering drug, and residues of very harmful chemical elements. Anything which does not degrade naturally and fast can find its way into tap water.

Moderate and balanced amount of water

It’s enough to use moderate amount of water because overdoing anything has bad consequences. Abnormal amount of water can cause kidney failure and hyponatremia or deficit of sodium in the bloodstream. If you do not use water, but other liquids, you must be aware they contain things you might not want to overdo with: juice is high in sugar, soft drinks are high in sugar and chemicals, milkshakes and ice-cream based drinks have lots of calories. The only thing we actually need in heat is to hydrate ourselves and maintain a good functionality, isn’t it? We don’t have to intake as many calories as with meal for this purpose.

Early childhood habits

How about kids? Kids will use whatever their parents are offering them from early childhood. If a family does not use soft drinks, kid will never have cravings for them. When a family is not addicted to sugars and fast foods, kid will never know such disorders as type 2 diabetes. Some parents are very worried that child does not eat enough. Normal kid will not starve himself to the point when some disorders occur. Kid could be reluctant to drink enough water, though. I also told this in my previous post: making fruit flavored water with colorful slices of citrus fruits is a good idea because this type of drink does not raise the content of sugars much, but hydrates well and looks great. Nobody has appetite when the blood glucose level is too high. If your kid has had some sugar-rich food or drink before meal, they will refuse to eat normal meal.

My photos of fruit flavored water and ice

Adding colored ice to such drinks is also fantastic. I didn’t have time, but it’s possible to freeze any juice and make colorful ice cubes. We can place small mint leaves, berries or parts of fruit in water and freeze them, we can freeze tea and any liquid. It looks very attractive

Add fruit and ice to regular bottled water, new
Add fruit and ice to regular bottled water

For people, who want to stay away from alcohol, using sparkling water with lime and mint and ice allows to get rid of cravings for alcohol. You can also use simple water, lots of ice cubes and small bit of lemon juice.

Still life with water and fruit, new

Fresh and delicious: what’s not to like?

I never like when we have to stop on the roadside for some snack while travelling, that the catering places always push one to have a Coke or Pepsi with food. When I ask whether they have sparkling water or mineral water, they quite often don’t. Well, I usually survive by asking for water with slice of lime.

Stay hydrated and use healthy water to quench your thirst!

24 thoughts on “Make good choices to quench thirst and avoid harmful chemicals”

    1. Thanks Krish!
      I lived in Latvia for almost half century and it’s almost 20 years in Canada now. Since I have dealt with clinical trials, medical surveys and patient data analysis for almost 40 years, I can definitely compare how particular drink and food choice affects people.
      Latvia was within the USSR until 1991, and no Colas, Pepsis and similar things were ever allowed. We didn’t see chemically enhanced imports, too.
      I worked at large high schools, as well, I’m talking 1,000+ students in Riga, capital city of Latvia. I had never seen anybody with allergies, depressed at young age or obese among these extremely high numbers of people.
      Since USSR took over Latvia, the fine Latvian culture got destroyed, and many people were using Vodka type drinks in large amounts. Therefore, the main cause of death was traumas caused by alcohol, not cardiovascular, not cancer, not diabetes. I had never seen anybody with Alzheimer’s until I moved to Canada. Until I relocated to Canada, I had also never seen such numbers of obese people and obesity of that range. That all made me research and analyse a lot, and I can say with certainty that food people have consumed in North America for more than 6 decades has made them sick, vulnerable and it has also weakened their immune, digestive and nervous systems. Therefore, I’m an advocate for changing completely things people eat here. I’ve written numerous articles about this subject.

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      2. Thanks!
        Well, if you look at food production and how produce is grown, you certainly are unable to notice that profit always comes first or the company isn’t going to survive.
        Over the years, science has discovered many clues and we are much smarter about everything. The bad side is that every ingredient or supplement goes into mass production where it often loses its best properties. Take whichever vitamin or supplement you like and see how many different offers there are.
        Anything which is not medication doesn’t require a clinical trial to be proven safe. We are also running on assumptions. There are trendy products and trendy supplements and miracle ingredients, but when they get into mass production, they lack quality, and to make production cheaper, the most expensive parts are replaced by cheap ingredients. Market dictates that and human health suffers.
        Right now, Latvia also depends on demands of European Union. They have to export good things and are mandated to import foods which only harm people or do nothing good in the best case. What saves that tiny country, is the traditional love to gardening and farming. I remember my childhood when we worked in fields and garden all summer, no days off or in winter you wouldn’t have anything.
        These are different times, and everything is in the store and the customer makes their choice, but luckily, they most often go for local and for more natural.
        It took just 15 years after opening the borders and latvians have started to suffer from the same diseases, yet, there is much less obesity and childhood obesity is still quite rare. I worked at high schools until 2004 when I moved over to Canada, and Latvia had practically zero childhood obesity, but rather malnutrition and too skinny kids in many cases.
        There should be balance in everything.

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      4. Thank you!
        I’ve been in medical research, patient data analysis, etc. for more than 35 years.
        I could also compare the issues and outcomes on one side of the ocean with the other side. That allowed to make some conclusions.
        The number of clinical trials for which I have been creating synopsis, patient information sheets, as well as all steps for attending physicians reaches many thousands. That all gives some insight. Plus, it’s not publicly available information, and I could draw my conclusions based on many years of observations, as well as experience.
        Getting older has its advantages.
        I appreciate your comments and it was interesting to read your blog articles also.

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  2. Very nice tips dear Inese 💖😊In our home, we use any of the herbs like Tulsi, Khus root, Turmeric, Cumin seeds, Cloves, etc. We put a little of it in water and boil well and drink it cool or hot. Old people usually drinks it hot or warm. Now due to the pandemic, father told me to drink warm water more. So, I put warm water in flask and drinks it often. If you get any of these herbs at your place, do give it a try. These herbs are good for digestion, improving immunity, etc. It will give a special taste to water too.

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    1. I have just the regular herbs which I also had in Latvia, and I actually like them most. I cannot use anything spicy and keep it very mild, that’s just my personal preference, but along with cucumber water, lemon water, mint water, I just simply make some herbal tea and if I want it cold, I cool it. I’m not that young, too, so, I use everything in moderation, but I love ice cubes in my water.
      My favorite greens and herbs are dill, parsley, green onion, basil (I adore it), thyme and caraway seeds. I use caraway seeds for cheese and with meat, too.
      I know that you have much wider selection of herbs, spices and greens, you got such a climate, but I believe anything clean is going to be way better than from the grocery store, just because it doesn’t get on shelf right away, as well.

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  4. Anonymous

    I don’t think that Pepsi and Coca are prohibited for teeanagers to drink in European schools. True, both drinks ruin teeth. However, energy drink is prohibited in schools, but teenagers take no notice of it. They drink energy drink on the street. As for hot weather, slices of fresh cucumber, green paprika, tepid tea can quench thirst well. Organic food? How organic is it? No one knows. It is benefit that counts.

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    1. I should have narrowed it down: they are prohibited in Latvia, just like kids cannot purchase fast foods in locations which are close to schools.
      Last I checked, many European countries had the same policy. I obviously haven’t been there this year, but every other year while my mom was alive I would fly over to Europe and then travel to Latvia from either Germany, Finland, Sweden or Switzerland, Poland, depending on what flights I could get.
      I’m originally from Europe and have still good contacts with numerous students of mine, as well as friends and acquaintances.
      If the bad impact was limited only to teeth! There is nothing natural in soft drinks, everything is processed and of chemical origin. I’m not even mentioning the amount of sugar. Diet coke has been proven even worth for heart and cardiovascular problems. Well, you can remove calories, but chemical is chemical.
      I have only once tried such soft drink and never used it again, just because I didn’t have it back in Latvia and never learned to love here in Canada.
      People are very careful about food over there in Latvia. Well, every other person has their own country place or garden at house. Also, what you buy at grocery store is much more natural.
      There are hardly any fast food places in the entire capital city of Latvia and practically none as you get out of that central region. We are talking about 2 completely different consumer cultures.
      I was suggesting about how to make water more appealing to those who just do not love it, never thought that simple of idea wasn’t ok.
      I have always been in good shape and still maintain my small size even after 60. I drink practically only water, mineral water and ice water in summer, and I thought together with my artistic pictures, this will make somebody want to drink more water.
      I do not like anonymous comments but this time I approved it.

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    1. In Canada, diet regulations and guidelines can be extremely misleading and they contradict as well.
      We cannot generalize when it comes to food, and basically, the food one’s great grandparents have been eating will most likely be recognized by their own body and DNA. Realistically, you do not need foods which are miracle foods and come from completely distant place which has nothing to do with you. Usually, our own region of our origin is the one which will have everything we need for any purpose.
      I find that food is so overspiced here, even if I wanted I couldn’t eat it.
      I think you also cook your own meals from scratch. That way you know what you put in your pot or salad, or whatever.
      In Canada, the certification of organic food is weird. That label is attached to cream, for instance, which seems to be mix of chemical ingredients. People, who worked for certified organic farms were complaining that not always that is the case.
      I know you grow everything and I grow everything I can, therefore, no need to guess whether it is clean food or not.
      Thanks Lavinia for stopping by!

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  6. Wow. I had to save this post. It has some very important points I would like to come back to every now and then to refresh my memory and check my habits.

    That you for this. It is because of such posts that WordPress becomes more enriching to one’s life that Instagram or the like. 👌🤗

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  7. I love the his post so much – and we make our own sparkling water at home now – my spouse bought a tank and we use a Berkey for filtered water –
    But you are so right about how it can replace alcohol!
    Especially beer for me – years ago when I wanted to crack open a “cold one” – I think many times it was the cold effervescence I needed more than the other parts of beer- and we make our homemade soda in 16 oz clear bottles – are stevia drops and seriously – cracking open one of them is similar to beer and without the negative side effects!
    —
    And love the photos you arranged here – So pretty those dishes –
    —
    Sad how post 1991 all the chemicals came in. Very sad
    And I agree with this that you wrote:
    “ Nobody would need to ever diet or fight the unwanted pounds if all of a sudden fast food, processed food and chemically produced food and drinks disappeared.”
    However – king Henry was obese and had a waist size of 58 and growing – had gout from such poor intestinal health.
    So I think even those that get away from processed food and chemicals might still need to think about amounts of food
    Have more oils and fats
    And bring some intermittent fasting into their life –
    —

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    1. Thanks very much!
      I had missed your comment completely.
      There were certainly big people in all centuries, but there were never people, who had epidemic numbers and level of obesity.
      I have been simply watching what happened within the next 30 years after the borders opened.
      It is silly to deny presence of harsh chemicals at every step we make from early morning when taking shower to late night when using facial care products, from using laundry detergents to pet supplies, from cleaning and disinfecting agents to food preserves and from poisons which kill pests and rodents in warehouses and food storage facilities to water purifying substances. Chemicals are so tightly bound with our life that, most likely, we have adapted to some higher levels of them.
      our brain has sort of sensory hormones and part of hypothalamus which regulate how much we can eat by providing the feeling of satiety. Glucose takes part in that, too. It is still being explored how gut and brain communicate and there are numerous research articles about the complex thing which seems so simple as food consumption.
      I’m in the middle of something, so, I won’t expand this idea.
      Thanks again, we guard our own guts and brain and everything else!

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  8. theburningheart

    Lucky you, that you that your old country didn’t allow sugary soda pop!
    In my country we had it, but at home mother wouldn’t use it, consequently I grew up basically with fresh water, and the occasional lemonade, and other fruit based drinks, with little sugar, once in a while I will drink soda pop, but it was not my thing, found it too sugary for my taste, its many years now I do not touch sugar.
    Unfortunately in today World you got to be very aware, what you buy, and put in your body.

    Great post, Inese. 🙂

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    1. Good for you that you’re not addicted to sodas. They’re kind of lots of chemicals hidden in a small pleasure.
      I think parents can have big influence on what kid consumes, starting with age when kid does not even have an idea what’s what. I mean, you cannot crave for something you never tried or knew.
      We have to be very cautious with products which are advertised as good, as well. You know, if it makes money, there is always a way to make money on the same thing by just replacing some natural ingredient with chemical derivative.
      I hope you are staying healthy and having a decent summer.

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      1. theburningheart

        Thank you, but until this pandemic is over will be hard to enjoy the Summer, I had plans of traveling at the end of the year, but very likely will not be possible.
        Take care Inese, best wishes. 🙂

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      2. That’s just how it goes, we make plans and the universe cancels. Just kidding, but it’s not rare when everything happens that way. I’ve never seen any single plan come through without any changes in all more than 6 decades.
        I also hoped to go to see my daughter, grandchildren and sister’s family in Latvia or there was the idea they come here. That’s not going to happen, probably at least until the next fall.
        Some say it’s no fun, but having a quiet break is kind of good, it gives time for regrouping and recharging. I’m really lazy, I have written a few posts, but haven’t published any on either blog.
        Still, savor the moment which there is time to time!

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  9. theburningheart

    I don’t mind much to be by myself, neither not being able to do the many things we used to take for granted, we just have to wait and see when all these restrictions will end.
    We got to deal with life not as we wish, but as it is, so wee need to adapt, and be happy with whatever, or else.
    Thank you Inese. 🙂

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    1. Exactly! I think people, who are not spoiled and are used to rely on themselves, are ok. You know, if I had counted times when something didn’t work out as I wish, there would be plenty.
      It’s a good time to be with oneself. Being with the family, who has it, or being with oneself, who has to do that, is not the most terrible thing that can happen.
      I believe we can always find something good to do if we want.
      I’m glad to hear you are ok and ready to take whatever life gives you.
      I wasted all day dealing with paperwork, etc. Such a nuisance, but needs to be done.
      Take care!

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