How to live a healthy life | Nalgene

• Maria


• 4 Dic 2017

Last week I was fortunate to be invited to join the event ‘How to live a healthy life’ organised for Esteller and Nalgene. And when you are called to attend an event at Soho House Barcelona you know it’s going to be good!!

The aim of the meeting was to raise awareness about the use of plastic, the environment impact but also a matter of health issues.

The location was ideal, elegant and cosy, an intimacy atmosphere hard to overcome. The speakers explain very clearly why we should drink water, why we should limit the plastic consumption, the dangerous of BPA (bisphenol A) and why we should think beyond the actual food.

The talked started with Xavier Esteller reporting the irresponsible used of plastics. How we are not aware of the environment impact and that just because we don’t see plastics in our waters doesn’t mean they don’t exist. One of his missions is to raise awareness, ‘450 years are needed to decompose a plastic bottle’, ‘using a Nalgene bottle for a whole year, you will be saving an average of 167 disposal plastic bottles’.

Millions of kilos of plastic waste end up on the seas, these became the food of fishes and sea animals, and we eat them, and because those plastics don’t decompose, it means we eat plastic. He emphasized about the difficulty of changing habits, but that thanks to firms like Nalgene (BPA free reusable water bottles and containers), a little bit of effort and conscience we can do it!

NOT ONLY THE FOOD IS IMPORTANT

Are you one of those who take care of what you eat? Are you conscience of where you food come from?

We are experiencing an increase of awareness about the quality of our food. More and more people is looking for natural and real food. The consumption of organic products have quickly increased in the past years and look it’s keeping that way.

More of us are reading labels and checking origins. We want organic, grass feed, natural growth, kindly manufactured and local food. We give up processed food, refined sugars and flours and we don’t like E- in our food

But what happen when we put that beautiful and delicious food in containers with BPA and other toxics? The food become toxic as well. The toxics and BPA found in the plastics containers dissolve in the food when we reuse or heat them. As Astrid Barqué pointed out, ‘we not only should watch the quality of our food, but also the quality of our containers and the conservation methods’, ‘the danger is not direct, but is in long term’.

The best way to avoid contamination is:

• using plastic containers BPA free or made with glass
• Don’t heat the food directly in the containers
• Don’t was classic plastic containers in the dishwasher
• Don’t refill the classic plastic bottles neither leave them under the sun

THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER

It’s one of the most given advice in the world. Stay hydrated, drink water… We, health coaches don’t get tired of reiterate it. Water is essential for our health. First thing in the morning we should drink a big glass of water, to rehydrate after several hours of sleep. Many times,when you feel hungry is just because you are dehydrated.

Emma Roca, elite athlete, explain very well the importance of drinking, not just for runners or sport people, but for everyone.’When we feel thirsty is because you are already dehydrated’ she said.

What she described, tallied exactly with what I remembered from childhood, as a kid I hardly ever drink water at school, if you were thirsty you should ask permition to go to drink. Can you believe it? 5 hours or more without having any drop of liquid in the system, imagine the impact that this can have in the growth of a child. As she suggested, we all should stick to our hand a safe bottle of water, without toxics or BPA like the ones that Nalgene commercialize.

THE DANGEROUS OF BISPHENOL A (BPA)

BPA is an industrial chemical used to make plastics. It’s found in polycarbonate plastics and is used in food containers, plastic bottles, baby bottles, plastic containers, to coat the inside of food & beverage tins and cans, antiahderent pans of teflon, in paper tickets and even carton pizza boxes.

When you use, reuse, heat and reheat those containers, BPA seep into the food and beverages keep in those plastics. So you are literally eating plastic.

Researches has shown that BPA is a hormonal disruptor and that an exposure to BPA cause adverse health effects on the mammary glands, cognitive functions and metabolism on humans.

Few years ago, in France and Spain, was forbidden the use of BPA in infants products. But what happen with the rest of humans?

Finally, last June, The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) identified BPA as a substance of very high concern (SVHC), what means it has cancerigen effects, mutagenics and toxics for our reproduction. I identify this as a first step to definitely forbidden BPA from our lives!

Joaquin Elcacho is a Spanish journalist, specialized in environmental and science issues and a big wise about the concerns of BPA. ‘Nalgene, is one of the first companies manufacturing products free of BPA, with his proposal of corporate responsibility at the service of quality of life and health of citizens’.

Although Spain is far behind all these subjects, he is positive. After the announce of the ECHA, many multinational companies affirmed they are taking care of the BPA, and also, the Spanish Association of Bottled Drinking Water Companies Water remembered that ‘the plastic used in the manufacture of mineral water bottles in Spain, doesn’t contain BPA.

NALGENE

Nalgene is an American company which aim is to help people’s lives while conserving the environment. They have different campaigns to research and study the impact of the plastic consumption, the petrol used to produce the bottles or even the CO2 emissions when transporting them.

Nalgene commercialize BPA free reusable water bottles and containers. They have many different models, sizes, colors… and all so pretty! There are mini bottles for kids, hard bottles for climbers, flexible and also plastic containers for food like cereals and seeds.

They high quality of its materials make them nearly indestructible. You can fill them with hot drinks, wash them in the dishwasher o put it in the freezer.

One of the greatest thing is that they are taste and odor free which it’s great for my fresh savoury waters!! I just love to add fresh herbs and fruit to make the water more exciting 🙂

I can’t imagine a better way to help our planet and our health!!