Hiya! With a new semester right around the corner I wanted to share with you some of my best tips and tricks to get the semester rolling smoothly. Good luck and may the GPA God’s be ever in your favor.**
What am I up to this sem? This semester (Fall 2018) I am taking: PK/PD (pharmacokinetics and dynamics), Pharmacotherapeutics: Cardio/Renal/Women’s Health and Endocrine, Pharmacy Compounding, Pharmaceutical Care, US Healthcare & a Management Class. Although I am in pharmacy school, a very specialized program, these strategies to get organized for the semester are applicable to all students! Happy planning-
Being a busy grad student, I do not have time (unfortunately) for complicated and also expensive meals. Having spent a full year as a pharmacy student I have learned a lot about how to make fast, convenient, inexpensive and YUMMY meals/snacks for myself. In this post I want to highlight one of my all-time favorite options for breakfast.
If you’ve ever seen me in person, you would know that I do not go anywhere without my reusable water bottles. From work to the gym to always having one at my nightstand, my water bottles are like a modern day safety blanket. A safety blanket for our planet, our communities as well as our economy! Today I want to talk about why you should ditch your disposable plastic bottles (if you haven’t already) and swap it for a reusable-earth and user friendly-bottle! I also have rounded up some of my favorite water bottles* along with some of my current crushes! I hope you enjoy this post and are stayin’ hydrated!
6 Reasons to Ditch Your Disposable Bottles:
According to a Food & Water Watch Study conducted in 2009, it costs approximately 1000 times more money to drink bottled water than purified tap water! Woah. Sidebar: if you drink the recommended 8-8oz. glasses of water a day, that would cost you about $1,4000 in bottled water! Save your money-
According to BanTheBottle.Net: making bottles to meet America’s demand for bottled water uses more than 17 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel 1.3 million cars for a year.
There are major concerns for the harmful and carcinogenic compounds in disposable bottles like BPA (Bisphenol A) and estrogenic compounds. These are chemicals found in plastics that can actually leach out into our food and drinks through their packaging…yikes. These harmful chemicals, according to NCBI studies, are actually the cause of our endocrine (hormone) system becoming disrupted… that’s how they earned the nickname “endocrine disrupters!”
Dr. Gina Solomon, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group, told The New York Times that “there is no reason to believe that bottled water is safer than tap water.
In the U.S., public water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which requires multiple daily tests for bacteria and makes results available to the public. The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates bottled water, only requires weekly testing and does not share its findings with the EPA or the public.
Last year, the average American used 167 disposable water bottles, but only recycled 38. Source: Here. WHAAAT. This is a sad and shocking statistic. In today’s day there are recycling bins next to almost every garbage can…
3 Reasons Why You Should Be Using a Reusable Water Bottle:
Inexpensive: though the upfront cost of a reusable bottle is going to seem steep, the return rate is much higher than a disposable bottle! Like that statistic above, $1,400 a year on disposables is a lot lot more than the $18 bottle you bought from Target.
Filling Stations: there are purified water stations all over nowadays! Businesses, parks, universities, even on the outside of your refrigerator!
Promotes Hydration: Current IOM (Institute of Medicine) recommends 3.7L for males and 2.7 for females… do you get enough water daily? Water is essential for all of our bodies processes like proper kidney and heart function, as well as transporting nutrients throughout our bodies, and even helping to flush out toxins and waste!
I know I said there were only three reasons: but this one is a possibility for some of you out there. Resusable water bottles come with personality & style. There are thousands to choose from at Target or Amazon or wherever! I love that water bottles are yet another expression of self! I have (too) many water bottles, each I use for different reasons like going to the gym or sitting in class! Staying hydrated is easy when you love sporting a fresh bottle!
How I Hydrate:
I do a few things on a daily basis to ensure that I drink enough water. Being female my recommended daily intake is about 2.7L. Because I work out 4 times a week and maintain a relatively active lifestyle I shoot for closer to 3.0-3.5L, or about a gallon! I also listen to my body, I definitely do not drink the same amount everyday, especially if I have a few cups of green tea!
Sidebar: it is possible to over-hydrate, which can be bad for your body as well! If you have thyroid or heart conditions like congestive heart failure, talk to your doctor about where your hydration levels should be! Also: listen to your body! The darker your urine the less hydrated you are, shoot for a clear or yellow-tinged! You can also perform the skin test: using two fingers pinch skin on the back of your hand and the let go, notice how long it takes your skin to return to normal position. It should spring right back if you are well hydrated! It is amazing what our bodies can tell us.
Tracking Water Intake:
The easiest way to track water intake is by buying a reusable bottle with measurements on the side, or drinking the entire bottle before refilling- that way you can track based on the size of the full bottle. Common sized of bottles are 500 and 1000mL, these are great for tracking! You can also use apps offered for Android and iPhone that allow you to actively keep track of how much water you intake. Some apps even remind you periodically to drink up! My favorite app is “My Water Balance” It is a free app for iPhone that allows your to track your hydration on a daily basis. It has a feature where you can actually add other drinks too, considering most liquids contain some water. You can also sink this with Apple Health! It also sends you reminders every few hours to stay hydrated and makes water tracking easy and fun!
This is where you add your drink and how much you had!This was my water intake at about 1pm! I will be going to the gym soon so sure to reach my goal today!This App also gives you fun tips and facts everyday! Love reading about how water can do so much for my body.
Round Up: The Best Bottles Revealed
Below I have come up with a list of bottles/companies to fit every lifestyle and budget! I have noted the ones that I own personally and others which I have done some research on! Enjoy-
Nalgene: these are great ‘active’ bottles. Made of BPA free and dishwasher safe plastic, these are a great steal. At around $9-12 dollars these are a great fix to your #waterbottleproblems. Click here for my favorite.
This is #nalgene! LOVE IT. If you follow me on instagram (@blondiepharma) you would have seen this story a few months ago! &If you are wondering about the Starbucks: Iced Matcha Latte w/ Almond Milk. Yum.
S’well: this is a more #instagrammable bottle for sure! With popularity at yoga studios and the like these are awesome bottles for those looking for personality in a bottle. With a wide range of sizes, patters and colors, S’well bottles would made an awesome addition to your fam. Here is the one I have! What I love most about these bottles is the dual insulated material: it can keep liquids hot or cold for over 12 hours! Great for long days in the heat or winter weather. For my wine lovers out there: the 25oz. holds an entire bottle of wine- great for picnics! Prices vary but range from 25-45$. #WorthIt #TreatYoself
Healthy Human: This is a new found favorite of mine! I currently use a tumbler and am eyeing up a few of their larger bottles. These are gorgeous Instagram worthy bottles great for the everyday active! Use my link for 15% off your purchase! These eco-friendly, BPA free bottles NEED to be in your life.
This is my 12oz. cruiser in marble! Absolutely love this one for coffee or tea. Instagram: blondiepharma
Camelbak: I have two camelbak bottles and I love them! They are great for outdoor activities because they are tough and can handle a few bumps and bruises. These bottles are extremely similar to Nalgene in my opinion but most camelbaks offer a built-in straw which is great for running or outdoor activities. Here is a personal favorite. Prices range from about $10-$15, a very affordable, eco-conscious buy!
Hydro-Flask: I haven’t personally tried this brand but I have many friends who love theirs! After a little research I think that the Hydro-Flask is comparable to Healthy Human in terms of style and price! Here is a great option.
Contigo: These are great, wallet friendly options for both water bottles and travel tumblers! There range between 10 and 20 dollars. Target has a wide variety, check out my favorite right now.
BKR: If you are like me and have a slight obsession with aesthetics, this bottle is for you. I got this on my birthday last year and I still swoon over it everyday. This silicone wrapper glass bottle is perfect for a diva bunny like me. They are pricey but I personally feel that the design, as well as the glass bottle itself makes it worth it. Though stainless steel is also great to drink out of, glass is easier to keep clean and will never give that slight aluminum taste you can get with certain canteen style bottles. Shop my BKR here.
Purist: These bottles are great for high intensity workouts when chugging out of a wide-mouth bottle just won’t do. Purist offers special caps that turn the bottles into high-flo squeeze bottles perfect for running or HIIT! Purist bottles are customizable too! You will often see them sold by other companies with their branding on them. I own two Lululemon bottles and pretty much only use them for workouts! They were $9(sale) and $18. I would highly recommend this bottle for those of you that like to get your sweat on! Here is a favorite of mine on Amazon.
Well there you have it! My round up of (reusable) water bottles. I hope that you spotted one that you like, and that if you are not already on the #reusable water bottle bandwagon, that you get on it ASAP.
What is your favorite reusable bottle? Let me know in the comments below!
As always stay connected! Follow me on Instagram and twitter (@blondiepharma) for more fun and tips!
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