Also, please be sure to check the expiration dates on the items in your first aid kits and replace anything used since the last time you checked.
If the aluminum didn't get there by ingesting salt containing aluminum as a free-flowing agent, leaching from aluminum cookware, absorption from antiperspirants, how did it get into the body? It is not a mineral needed by any biological form so had to be introduced artificially.
I say, "Better safe than sorry," which currently leaves me to decide - aluminum or sugar? I'll keep searching for sugar-free iodized table salt, but if worse comes to worse, I'll pick sugar over aluminum.
There were only three boxes of salt on the shelf, one of which contained dextrose.
I bought the other two boxes.
Score!
About storms - I keep my laptop unplugged during lightning storms so it won't get zapped and save the battery for use in case of emergency. Although I have a surge protector, I prefer to ensure I'm safe rather than sorry.
Mobile Survival Kit - I have all but hand sanitizing and insect repellent wipes which won't much change the current weight (under 5 lbs.) and bulk (approx. 540 cu. in.). I'd like to trim it down further.
Kindle - nothing's actually wrong. In fact, several things are much better. One thing is now Kindle ebooks are available for borrowing from participating libraries. Another is that user-documents are archived.
My issue is in order to use the new features, there's an update for which I have to go to the library to use the Wi-Fi. Normally, that isn't a problem. What makes it an issue for me is that somehow, I have an Audible book, a foreign language course, also waiting to download via Wi-Fi. I'll get the Audible book, whether I want it or not, when I receive the Kindle update.
Since I did not order the book, it must be a gift. However, gift Kindle books are supposed to be announced by an email stating who is the gift-giver and allowing the recipient the opportunity to accept or exchange it for a gift card. I did not receive the email.
Because I have several foreign language courses on CDs and already used up 1 Gb on my Kindle, I'm reluctant to receive the Audible book. As a result, I decided to try the sample only to discover to my dismay that the sample is also too large to be delivered except by Wi-Fi to my Kindle, not that I thought to try to request the sample be delivered to my PC in the first place.
At this point, I'm thinking I'll have to call Customer Service. But, wait! Look, there's a shiny thing!
What if I finally buy an MP3 player? I could put the Audible book on it thereby saving space on my Kindle and retrieve Kindle space by deleting the MP3 Bible's New Testament in favor of putting the entire Bible on the player.
So, I started shopping. I really like the idea of SanDisk's expansion SD slot because it means I can have my entire music collection, all my foreign language courses, the entire MP3 Bible, plus any Audible books I may acquire with me, conveniently, at all times wherever I may go. All I have to do is decide whether to buy a Fuze, Clip+, or Clip Zip and figure out how to write to an SD card from my laptop which doesn't have an SD card slot. I would probably have to take it to a computer shop for the transfer service or buy something external to do it myself.
When did they start doing that? My old box of salt has only salt, iodide, and something to keep the salt free-flowing.
It doesn't do much good for people trying to decrease the amount of sugar they consume to have it added to salt.
Since sugar is addictive and since there's no good reason to add sugar to salt, why did the salt companies add it? What were they thinking? Is it to keep people tied to their product who would otherwise decrease the amount of salt they're putting in their food?
Are we going to have to demand sugar-free salt?
I'm annoyed the Powers That Be advise us to buy bulky, expensive, specialty items we'll use infrequently, if not rarely, instead of inexpensive, easy to EDC items many people already use on a daily or other frequent basis.
Since N95 masks only filter out non-harmful particulates such as dust, more reasonable alternatives are cotton bandannas, those keffiyehs or shemaghs the military are finding so helpful in Iraq and Afghanistan, or cotton pareos. Shoot, when I encountered dust storms without protection, a dampened paper towel from the ladies' room held over my nose and mouth was enough although inconvenient because it wouldn't stay in place by itself.
(Not that I'd appreciate waiting around for 40 minutes now, either.)
It was too boring for words and the little electric piano the teacher had us using sounded terrible. There was absolutely no joy in the experience that I had eagerly anticipated and my parents never tried it again.
In my teens, I got myself an acoustic guitar, some instructional material, and tried to teach myself to play. I thought I was doing fairly well and enjoyed the sounds I was making but quit because I didn't know it was normal for fingers to hurt like crazy until calluses built up on tender skin.
I'll spare you other painful details with more instruments in the intervening years because those two examples should suffice for you to get the big picture.
During my road trip in 2007, I bought an instructional book by David Harp that came with a CD and harmonica from the REI store near San Diego. It was different because it didn't have songs like other music books but taught riffs for blues and rock songs. They were very easy to learn and I was imitating a train with whistle the first night. Maybe it wasn't music in the sense of playing a melody, but it sounded good to me and, most of all, it was fun!
Until I misplaced the book and CD.
Last year, I bought a book and recorder from the Wal-Mart children's toy section for about US$10. Being adult about it, I refrained from buying one of the translucent bright red or blue or purple recorders and settled on a solid, sedate, ivory; not that I wasn't tempted to get one that was more colorful.
Several times last month, I watched "Australia" on HBO thinking more and more, "I can do that" whenever the boy played "Over The Rainbow" on his harmonica. So, I got my harmonica and copied the tabs for the song off the Internet.
Except the song doesn't sound right.
Getting another copy that doesn't sound right either, but in different places, I spent over three and a half hours one Thursday night with them and my harmonica making a third set of tabs that sound right to me.
My lips still hurt on Saturday.
This time, I know not to give up entirely as I did with the guitar, but what do I do in the meantime? I still want to make music and even my sporadic, paltry attempts are deeply satisfying.
Another thought that crossed my mind was, "What if I get another episode of Bell's Palsy?" although I've been at least 95% free of it since Christmas. With a minor sense of not being 100% okay, I decided that I need something else that's travel-sized to alternate with the harmonica. That way, should I lose control of one side of my mouth again, I could stick the mouthpiece into the other side and still be able to play.
I went back to the recorder and played through the lessons to see why I quit. Ah, yes, I remember. Lesson 7 introduces a note that requires me to uncover the thumb hole. That was the show-stopper.
You see, my thumb has a mind of its own.
When I tell it to cover the hole, by golly it's going to keep that hole covered no matter what. As a result, when I tell it to uncover the hole, it yields only with intense reluctance after much earnest protesting. When I tell it to cover the hole again, it yells at me to make up my [blinking] mind. There's no point to switching hands because both thumbs are in cahoots.
I hate being chewed out by my own body.
After a week of fighting over that single note, I'm thinking there's got to be something better for me.
My remaining options appear to be an ocarina or a tin whistle, also called a penny whistle although many are no longer made of tin and none cost only a penny anymore.
The ocarina is an old South American wind instrument that was made popular by Giuseppe Donati, an Italian brickmaker circa 1850. Issued to soldiers during World War I and II, ocarinas are having a revival because of "The Legend of Zelda" game series by Nintendo. Ocarinas are available in different styles, materials, colors, and prices starting at US$5 with the number of holes ranging from four to twelve.
The ocarinas with four finger holes that don't have thumb holes sound like they'd be the best for me. Those that have six or more holes may instigate more arguments with my thumbs.
Researching tin whistles is encouraging because they are reputed to be the easiest instrument to learn, don't have thumb holes (Hallelujah!), sound better than recorders, and are available in a wide range of prices. Since even professional musicians use whistles that cost US$25 or less, there's no snob appeal in having an expensive whistle. The thing that matters is whether or not you enjoy the way your whistle sounds.
The sole negative is that since the increased popularity of Celtic music that started back in the 1970s and because the majority of Celtic music is in the key of D, it's hard to find instructional material in the key of C even when it isn't Celtic music.
The good part about the soprano or high D whistles that beginners typically use is that they're easier to play than those in the key of C because they require less air. Because the holes are closer together, it's less of a stretch which may be a determining factor for the small hands of children.
Another good thing is that tin whistles all use the same fingering to produce the notes. Once learned, what one has to do to play in a different key is merely get a whistle in that key and get used to the whistle's different length and spacing of the holes which isn't that easy when it's something like a low D.
Learning on a whistle in a key other than D results in the student not sounding right only when playing along with an instructional CD or with other people unless they're also using instruments in the same or a complementary key.
Hannah Kate Kinnersley wrote in her Wall Street Journal article, "Music Lessons: Learning To Play The Tin Whistle," that learning to play a musical instrument is good for children because "Studies say that children who play an instrument score higher on math tests and show improved concentration. Adults who play score better in memory tests."
The advantages of getting an inexpensive, travel-sized, musical instrument is that you'll have something to entertain yourself and others during overly long waits, car and bus rides, hiking rest stops, or evenings by the camp fire; you'll be able to cheer and comfort yourself when you're lonely, and it won't cost much to replace if lost.
In addition to these advantages, it's ideal for your preparedness Grab & Go bag because it doesn't require batteries.
Even if you don't count relaxation or the sense of accomplishment that comes from making your own music, it's all upside. There is no downside to learning how to play a musical instrument.
All you have to do is select an appropriate instrument and find the method of learning that works best for you.
1. As we were getting ready to leave the office on the day before Thanksgiving 1999, my office mate asked me what I was planning to do on Thanksgiving.
"Write my letter of resignation," I replied.
It's hard to believe that was ten years ago. For a moment, I was despondent that I still don't have a book ready to submit for publication, but considering that I've been away from home for nearly six out of the ten years and learned a lot about the craft of writing during the rest of the time, it doesn't seem so bad.
2. I laugh at the TV commercials that say, "Black Friday starts on Saturday..."
3. If I didn't already have a good vacuum cleaner, I'd be tempted to buy the Shark Multi-Vac that's advertised during the infomercials played during the wee morning hours.
4. I don't think I'll miss the TV series, "Monk," but I will miss seeing Natalie Teeger, Captain Leland Stottlemeyer, and Lt. Randy Disher. I keep thinking of Hector Elizondo, the actor who portrays Dr. Neven Bell, Monk's psychiatrist, in the role he played in the movie, "Pretty Woman," so haven't gotten used to him in this role. I never did like Sharona.
5. Although I still have a couple of stores to check, it looks like I'll have to order my toothpaste online because three local stores no longer carry it. My guess is that because so many people want whitening toothpastes, a gentle toothpaste such as Arm & Hammer Dental Care doesn't sell as well. Why people would brush their teeth with silica, i.e. sand, a high abrasive that contributes to the wearing down of enamel much more than baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), the mildest abrasive that also happens to be an excellent cleaner, is beyond me. It must be because they don't read the ingredients and don't know that sand is silica.
While I'm at it, I may as well mention that it's so much simpler and less expensive to swish with water after eating to rinse out sugars and acids than to use a so-called "restorative" toothpaste that may also, oxymoronically, have silica or hydrated silica as an ingredient.
I've thought about brushing with plain baking soda, like people used to do back in the old days, and using a fluoride rinse to prevent cavities until I read the label on a rinse that said "sodium fluoride" which is a toxic industrial waste by-product.
Unfortunately, sodium fluoride is also the active ingredient in my toothpaste and others which is the reason for the warning to immediately contact the Poison Control Center if more than the amount used for brushing is swallowed. (All you need is the size of a pea, not the long, toothbrush-covering strip shown in TV ads to persuade you to use, and subsequently buy, more of the product.)
Of course, we're not supposed to swallow toothpaste. However, I can't help remembering that the inside of our mouths are so much more effective at absorbing that sublingual tablets for everything from vitamin B-12 for energy to nitroglycerin for angina are used instead of pills that need to be swallowed.
And, haven't we all seen a movie scene in which a drug addict rubs cocaine on his or her gums?
No, please don't try to tell me we're not getting any sodium fluoride in our bodies because we don't swallow toothpaste.
I remember when stannous fluoride, the safer, quality fluoride, was used in toothpaste. When did the toothpaste companies switch to the toxic waste by-product? Was it when the type of fluoride for fluoridating public water supplies was switched from sodium fluoride to hexafluorosilicic acid that's considered to be even worse than sodium fluoride?
Maybe I should look for a toothpaste with stannous fluoride or sodium monofluorophosphate. The problem is that I haven't found any without silica or hydrated silica. What are the chances of my finding a toothpaste with one of the good fluorides that also doesn't contain silica?
So, either I put poison into my mouth or wear down my enamel with an ADA-approved product that's supposed to be good for my teeth that really isn't or let my teeth rot by not using a product with fluoride. Some choice.
Maybe it's a good thing that I drink tea that has fluoride naturally.
That's all I have. I hope your Thanksgiving was full of thankfulness for the blessings you have and that your holiday shopping is hassle-free.
But the left side of my mouth couldn't close around the straw.
I started to freak. Had I had a stroke?
I checked myself to see what else was different and prayed, "Lord, did I have a stroke? What do I do? What is it?"
The answer came back, "Bell's Palsy," in that still, small voice within my spirit.
Wanting to make sure it wasn't a stroke, I got on the Internet. Everything I read at the Mayo Clinic, MedlinePlus, the Merck Manual, WebMD, and other sites Google gave me said to go to an emergency room immediately. Feeling a check in my spirit for that course of action, I continued to study the pages and was gradually reassured.
Men are the usual victims. I have no family history of stroke or heart disease. I'm younger than the typical age range of those women who did have a stroke. I've never been diagnosed with hypertension. Most of all, stroke affects the lower left part of the face and is usually accompanied by the left arm and/or left leg being affected as well, while Bell's Palsy affects an entire side of the face, only, from forehead down, and from nose to ear.
Wondering what might have caused it, I checked the web sites for Bell's Palsy before calling my chiropractor for an adjustment. Everything fit.
However, my D.C., said there wasn't anything he could adjust to fix Bell's Palsy and he wasn't about to adjust my neck, anyway, because he didn't know that it wasn't a stroke and didn't want to make it worse, if it was.
Fair enough.
On Monday, I called my regular M.D. for an appointment to get an official diagnosis for Bell's Palsy. However, because of him taking time off, his appointment book is full until Nov. 10. The nurse asked a series of questions and relayed them to the doctor. When his answer came back, it was that he'll see me on Nov. 10th and if I wanted to get checked out sooner, I may go to the walk-in clinic he named.
Off like a shot, I arrived at the walk-in clinic and was given a five-page intake form to complete that inconsiderate, partial idiots must have designed. For example, instead of allergies to medicines being filled in on page 1 where doctors like it for quick reference so they don't prescribe something that'll kill their patients, allergies were to be listed on page 2...and page 4.
What the...?!
Yes, allergies were to be listed on page 2 and listed again on page 4 with the reactions. If I had been smart, I would have reviewed all five pages before starting to complete the form so I could list them on page 4 that wanted more information about the allergies and enter "See page 4" on page 2. But I didn't have that foresight.
Returning the clipboard to the receptionist, she reviewed my pages. "You didn't do this section," she said about the two-inch square box I had left blank.
I didn't appreciate her tone of voice. Was she copping an attitude with me?
"I didn't understand it," I replied.
"It's your Family History." She read, "Father/Mother/Grandparents/ Brother/Sister..."
Yup, she had an attitude.
"I know that," I sniped back. "It's all those initials that I didn't understand."
"Oh!" She went on to interpret:
Heart disease.
(No.)
Stroke.
(No.)
Cancer.
(That must be the "CA" that I saw; the others still didn't make any sense to me.)
"You didn't sign this," she said in a better tone of voice, pointing to a signature block on the last page.
"Sorry, I don't sign for things I haven't received," I said.
She handed me a privacy policy statement and I signed, acknowledging receipt.
Sitting back down to wait, I couldn't get into "Judge Alex" on the TV although the case sounded really funny. What would Jesus do about this twit of a receptionist and the stupidly designed intake form? There are people who definitely should not be interfacing with the public and I don't subscribe to the "Turn the other cheek" philosophy because it's for a conquered people of which I am definitely not a member. Him raging in righteous anger seems more like it except flinging the receptionist's papers about and driving her out with a whip of cords (John 2:15) would be drastic overkill as well as get me arrested for assault.
One of my college professors who taught computer programming also functioned as a group therapist after hours. We had gotten close enough for her to invite me to Christmas dinner and one year she advised, "I can be angry and you can be angry, but it's a lot better for me if you're the one who's angry," as a way to deal with aggravating people.
Thinking about her advice, maybe I should have put the monkey on their backs by filling the Family History block with "NTIKOBIDUTFLAADKFWYL" ("None That I Know Of Because I Don't Understand The Freaky Little Abbreviations And Don't Know For What You're Looking") and let them sort it out.
Before I could calm down, the nurse called me in and took my blood pressure: 208/103.
The doctor saw me immediately.
After I explained what happened the week before and finished with what my doctor said that morning, the young East Indian doctor said, "You can't diagnose Bell's Palsy over the phone and with your high blood pressure, I'm concerned you may have had a stroke. I'm going to send you over to the county hospital emergency room and they'll do CT scans and an MRI..."
"To diagnose a stroke," I interjected having learned that from my research. You can't treat a stroke by yourself because it may be caused by either bleeding or a clot and incorrectly treating one will accelerate the other that actually caused the stroke and make things worse.
"No, to diagnose Bell's Palsy," she lied, not knowing that I already knew how Bell's Palsy is diagnosed.
I kept silent. I don't know what her background is, but she was sounding a lot like a couple of doctors who left the Canadian health care system to practice here in the U.S. who did nothing but prolong my pain some years ago. The first was a French Canadian orthopedic surgeon who ordered chest(!) X-rays when my hands suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome, a worker's comp case. I switched to another doctor, an American Chinese, as soon as I could.
The second was a few years after that, an English Canadian HMO (spit!) family practitioner who ordered three MRIs with a prescription for a narcotic when all I needed was a $35 chiropractic adjustment that I finally went and got for myself out of the network. After that, I immediately submitted paperwork to change to an American Hispanic doctor whom I'm still with although I'm no longer in an HMO.
The walk-in clinic doctor continued, "I'll call over so they'll expect you and we'll get an ambulance to take you there."
An ambulance to go two blocks? I don't think so! The one time I needed an ambulance, it cost me $400 and my PPO insurance didn't pay any of it.
"The problem with an ambulance is that I'll be over there and my car will be over here," I hedged.
"Do you have a friend that can get it for you?"
"No," I lied back at her. Bad form, I know, but expedient since I wasn't going to discuss my finances with her nor let her argue with me.
She had me sign a waiver for the ambulance and sent me on my way after making me promise to go straight to the emergency room. On my charge sheet, she had written "N/C" for no charge and "Bell's Palsy" for the diagnosis.
So, diagnosing Bell's Palsy needs CT scans and an MRI?
No, she had manipulated me because, my guess is, she didn't want me stroking out in her little clinic. At least, I didn't have to pay anything. I never did mention the receptionist nor the form.
At the hospital's triage station, I was relieved to see that their form was done right. Allergies to medicines right in front, up top. For complaint, I entered, "Referred by [name of walk-in clinic]: Bell's Palsy or stroke? High blood pressure."
I was seen right away. Blood pressure: 156/106.
After the doctor had me wrinkle my forehead and nose, smile and frown, check my eyes and ears, etc., he diagnosed Bell's Palsy, gave me a prescription, and instructed me to keep my appointment with my regular doctor on Nov. 10 for follow-up. No CT scans. No MRI.
Hah! Evidently, Bell's Palsy CAN be diagnosed over the phone if the right questions are asked.
About my blood pressure going over 200? "The 156 isn't alarming and blood pressure fluctuates, but you should discuss it with your doctor if you're worried about it," he said.
While waiting to get my prescription filled at Wal-Mart, I used the blood pressure check station that's next to the pharmacy: 149/85.
After I was done shopping, I checked again: 117/96.
Good.
As far as the Bell's Palsy goes, the cause is unknown. The facial nerve (Cranial nerve VII) passes through a tiny channel (facial canal) through the facial bone. The nerve gets inflamed which pinches it and causes paralysis on the side of the face where it is located. Most people recover spontaneously within a few days to six months. Some recover in a year. A few never recover. Corticosteroids such as Prednisone are believed to speed recovery.
The major concern is that without a full blink and not being able to close my eye (other people may not be able to open the affected eye), it may dehydrate and sustain permanent damage. My Rx included over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops for the day and an OTC ointment for while I sleep to ensure protection and hydration.
Living with it is inconvenient and awkward, but bearable as long as I don't have to talk too much since I can't enunciate as clearly as before.
The doctor also prescribed an eye patch to keep my eye closed while I sleep. The nurse recommended using paper tape instead. The nurse was right. The eye patch doesn't keep my eye closed although it does protect my eye from dust and other flying objects since I can't blink or close my eye to protect it while I'm out and about.
The moral of this story? At this point, I'm not really sure. All I can say is that I'm getting more prejudiced against non-American doctors who are practicing in the U.S. and know only that God doesn't lie.
Of that, I'm utterly convinced.
If the H5N1 strain of influenza mutates to the point where it can spread from human to human (currently, it goes from animal to human to no more than one additional human), predictions of the number of fatalities, based on the flu pandemic of 1918, are high enough to affect our infrastructure. Although some people are saying "if" it comes to the U.S., even though the American continents are protected by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Asian Avian Flu has spread so far that "if it arrives" is now "when it arrives."
From the CDC's "Current H5N1 Situation" webpage:
"(WHO) has reported human cases of avian influenza A (H5N1) in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, Europe and the Near East. Indonesia and Vietnam have reported the highest number of H5N1 cases to date. Overall mortality in reported H5N1 cases is approximately 60%. The majority of cases have occurred among children and adults aged less than 40 years old. Mortality was highest in cases aged 10-19 years old."
The potential for infrastructural disruption is so severe that, for example, if you take a sick relative to a hospital, it's possible for the nursing staff to be so depleted that you should expect to have to stay there to provide nursing care for your relative yourself, under the direction of whatever medical staff remains.
Other areas of concern would be if your place of business shuts down, schools and stores close, and public transportation services are interrupted. Would you be able to work from home? What will you do for money if you can't or if banks close? Do you have enough educational and entertainment materials at home to keep your children up with their schooling and entertained during a long-term confinement at home? Will you have enough food, water, medicine, and sanitation supplies to last for at least two weeks? How will you get around if you currently rely on public transportation and don't have your own vehicle?
Being proactive might prove to be the best and simplest way of protecting yourself and your family from the flu itself. If everyone does it, we'll have a better chance of avoiding wide-spread societal repercussions from the get-go.
First, the practice of good sanitation helps prevent the spread of any disease. Wash your hands frequently and ensure that your children do the same, especially before handling food or clean laundry or touching their faces.
Second, ensure that everyone's inoculations are current. While annual flu shots won't deter avian flu - it will take several months to develop a vaccine after it mutates to a human contagion form - developing a resistance to seasonal flu will enhance overall good health and help a victim survive. Because most flu-related deaths are due to pneumonia, getting a pneumonia shot is also recommended especially for those over 65 or with diabetes or respiratory afflictions such as asthma.
Third, if you have acreage with a body of water on it, let your dog(s) help keep your livestock safe by encouraging them to chase off wild migratory fowl that want to drink and feed on your property.
Finally, when the pandemic arrives (may God forbid), we should be prepared to wear surgical face masks or N95 respirators whenever we're out in public. Considering that I've worked with people who wouldn't stay home when they were sick and contagious, and women who blew off washing their hands after using the bathroom (Pot-luck lunches at work? No, thank you! Ignoring the fact that food service workers have to wear gloves, one woman didn't believe she should have to wash her hands because restaurant employees can't be trusted to wash theirs.), wearing protective gear at work or school might be a good idea, too, and may prove effective at preventing transmission in the home as well.
Psalms 91:
1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
One bottle, actually.
I reused the same bottle for the past five years because I like the push-pull sports cap and the small size is perfect for be-bopping around town running errands as well as for home.
I washed it only a few times during the entire period, too, by dripping a few drops of dish-washing liquid into it, filling it with hot water, and shaking it vigorously before rinsing it out. The sports cap got washed frequently because I lost the dust cap the first week, but not the interior of the bottle itself. I've rinsed it, but why would it need to be washed? I kept the cap closed except while drinking, only clean water's ever been inside, and there's no bacteria from my mouth entering on the backflow because it's never touched my lips, nor anyone else's for that matter, and anything on the opening of the cap got rinsed away while I was drinking. That's the beauty of using a sports cap.
Using a sports cap saves lipstick, too.
I've even repeatedly filled it halfway and frozen it. However, I didn't use it this past winter and when I got it out to use again last week, it smelled funny. I thought about it and got rid of the bottle. It was time.
Now, I need another water bottle. I can't get another small bottle of water because I've found those with sports caps sold only by the case. That's too many.
I could get the smaller 12 oz. version of the Nalgene ATB that I got for hiking that has a sports cap with a permanently attached dust cover, but before I do, I want to know: What other options are there?
Glass bottles are the best for health, good taste, and no odor plus they're 100% recyclable. I see that Aquasana has a Mother's Day special of free shipping for their set of six 750 ml glass bottles, but the size is too large, there's no sports cap, and glass is fragile and among the heaviest of the available water bottles.
Aluminum is another option and it would be fun to pick out one from SIGG. Aluminum is lightweight and durable, except for being easily scratched and dented, but may impart a metallic taste and odor and can't be squeezed for sports caps. For the people who suck on a sports cap like a straw, not being able to squeeze the bottle isn't a concern although they'll have to suck really hard unless they loosen the cap which may cause it to leak. For those who use sports caps to direct the downward flow of liquid into their upturned mouths as I do, not being able to squeeze the bottle will preclude this method of drinking.
Another inconvenience is that a SIGG bottle can't be frozen or put into ice as in a cooler because it may be damaged to the extent that it splits. It's safe to chill one only in a refrigerator.
Also, I've been told there are no health issues related to aluminum, but I doubt the couple that vouched for its safety in regards to Alzheimer's because, from what I know, the jury's still out. The insides of the SIGG bottles are supposed to be safe because they're lined with a water-based epoxy called Rezin, but if the liner is scratched or otherwise damaged, we're back to the issue of health and aluminum since unlined aluminum bottles leach Bisphenol A (BPA).
Our third option is stainless steel. Being metal, it shares similar properties with aluminum such as temperature transference and the possibility of getting expanded out of shape when frozen with even a small amount of water. Even so, it's the better choice over aluminum although it's twice as heavy as a plastic bottle and gets scratches and dents despite its durability. That it can be washed only with a mild detergent because chlorine can corrode stainless steel is not an issue for me.
An odd consideration is that any metallic taste experienced with stainless steel might be neutralized by using a plastic cap.
Those allergic to nickel may want to avoid it, since nickel is a component of stainless steel. However, bottles made with 18/10 stainless steel have low amounts of nickel in the alloy and may be safe.
Klean Kanteen is one of the best-known stainless steel water bottles and Nalgene, famous for it's many leakproof containers, has teamed up with Guyot Designs so we may have stainless steel bottles that are the same size as Nalgene's popular polycarbonate bottles which are being discontinued over the next several months to eliminate any customers' concerns about BPA. This ensures that our Easy Sippers, bottle clothing, filters, etc., will still fit our water bottles even though they're new bottles made of metal instead of plastic.
That brings us back to plastic. What kind? With the news of this and that plastic leaching health hazards, which plastics are safe and how do we tell them apart?
Plastic items that can be recycled if proper facilities exist have an international recycling resin identification code inside the recycle symbol of three arrows chasing each other around in the form of a triangle. This symbol may be found on the bottom of plastic bottles and other items.
Following are the symbols for the various categories for plastic and a discussion pertinent to each code:
Also labeled as PET, is polyethylene terephthalate. These containers are almost the best for flavor and odor. Common uses are beverage bottles from .5 liter water bottles to 2 liter soda bottles, shampoo bottles, jars for food such as peanut butter, plastic film, and microwavable packaging. PET bottles have the most common resin used in disposable bottles, are the most recyclable, are able to substitute for coal in power plants, and the recycled products are able to be used to make clothing such as Polar fleece. The myths about them are flying indiscriminately.
One baseless rumor is that PET bottles should be used only once because they can leach chemicals such as DEHA, a known carcinogen, and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), a potential hormone disrupter. The problem with this is that DEHA is not in PET bottles, at all, yet even respected publications such as National Geographic's Green Guide are helping spread the rumor. The other part of the myth, about BBP, isn't mentioned in any credible source that I've found. Because those that warn against it are the same that warn about DEHA, until I learn otherwise, I'm going to believe it's another myth, an instance of guilt by association especially since another Green Guide article says that PETE bottles do NOT leach toxins.
The other reason we shouldn't reuse PET bottles that I've read and heard about, and seen on various television programs is because bacteria builds up and they're hard to clean. Strangely enough, none of the advisors ever say the same thing about other bottles such as plastic canteens or other bottles that are similarly shaped. Along with other things I've learned, it's as though they want to keep us buying these bottles continuously for some reason (company profits?), wasting our money, and disregarding the horrendous amount of pollution that results.
A valid concern that isn't mentioned as often as the myths is about antimony. Antimony trioxide, a catalyst often used in the production of PET, remains after production and migrates out of a bottle into food and drinks. Even though its toxicity is low, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health and, several years later in 2006, a team of geochemists at the University of Heidelberg headed by William Shotyk, investigated the amount of antimony migration. Both studies found that small amounts of antimony migrate from the PET bottles into water, but that the health risk is negligible compared to the tolerance level set by the World Health Organization.
What's important to us is that antimony continues to leach out over time. That means it's actually safer to reuse PET bottles than it is to consume the original liquid because they've been sitting for a while as antimony leaches out and accumulates. For this reason, we need to be sure to check the expiration date to ensure the original beverage hasn't been in the container too long and discard the liquid if it has. It's ironic that the conventional advice is to use a PET bottle only once, yet it's that first time that is most likely to contain the largest amounts of what we don't want to ingest.
Although safe, acetaldehyde may be unpleasant. Normally a colorless gas that forms in PET through the "abuse" of the material such as high temperatures and high pressures, acetaldehyde remains dissolved in the walls of the container and then diffuses into the product stored inside, altering the taste and aroma. It is safe, fruit juice has it naturally, but since water has no other flavors to conceal it, acetaldehyde in water simply tastes bad.
High Density Polyethylene containers are considered to be safe and non-leaching. They're freezable, translucent or opaque, and somewhat firm. They're used for things such as gallon jugs of water and milk and detergents.
Also labeled as PVC, polyvinyl chloride or vinyl should NOT be considered as safe for food or beverages because it has been linked to occupational cancers. Vinyl chloride is recognized by the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a human carcinogen.
Use one of the safe plastics instead of #3. It is no longer used in children's toys in many places although some adult toys are still made of it. If you've heard or read about the dangers of plastics and dioxins and phthalates, this is it, Number 3, vinyl or PVC. It's commonly used for plumbing and building materials such as plastic pipes, electrical conduits, and gutters. It's been ubiquitous in children's toys and teethers, and is in everything from cosmetics to outdoor furniture, including shower curtains, shrink wrap, water bottles, foods such as salad dressing, and liquid detergent containers.
If you find it as a water bottle or other food or beverage container, don't buy it because traces of the deleterious chemicals can leach out into food. Stores such as Target won't sell anything with PVC, and the state of California is considering banning it from being used for packaging consumer products. The European Union has already banned the most widely used plasticizer used in PVC, DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate).
[Edited on May 13 to add this Note: I deleted Wal-Mart as a store that won't sell anything with PVC because I went to Wal-Mart last night, 5/12/08, and saw that the camping department has several rain coats and rain ponchos for children and adults that are made of PVC.]
Low Density Polyethylene is considered to be safe and non-leaching. It is flexible, almost unbreakable, and may be either translucent or opaque. Some of the many uses are dry cleaning bags, produce bags, trash can liners, food storage containers, water bottles, and computer components.
Polypropylene is also considered to be safe and non-leaching. It is used for such common items as bottle caps, drinking straws, yogurt containers, cooking and eating utensils, and food, food storage and water containers. Also, appliances and car bumpers.
Polystyrene is not considered as one of the safe plastics because it can leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, into food. It is also suspected of disrupting hormones and affecting reproduction. The U.S. EPA monitors this toxin in America's drinking water. It is not easily recyclable and is blamed as being the second greatest pollutant behind aluminum. Several cities around the world, 20 in the U.S., have banned extruded PS. PS is commonly made into disposable cups, plastic tableware, meat trays, and carry-out food clamshell containers as well as packing peanuts and cases for cassettes and CDs. Extruded polystyrene is recognizable as Styrofoam and non-extruded PS, also known as expanded PS, is clear.
Since this covers everything not in #1 through #6, labels such as AS, PC, PLA, and SAN may be found instead of "Other." Be careful with this category because it contains both safe and unsafe plastics. I know of only four used for food or beverages of which three are considered to be safe:
1. AS (acrylonitrile styrene) is one of the plastics considered as safe. Despite its name, it has not been found to leach styrene. Being a plastic that's stronger, more rigid, resistant to temperature and chemicals, AS is commonly used in kitchenware such as dishes, bowls, utensils, and for dental products such as toothbrushes, as well as battery cases.
2. PC (polycarbonate), also sold as Lexan®. This is a great plastic because it is virtually unbreakable, is temperature-resistant, conveys and retains no flavors or odors and is available in a myriad of colors for many products ranging from baby bottles and sippy cups to water bottles to eyeglasses to riot shields to CDs to epoxy linings in tin food cans and some dental sealants. However, on April 14, the National Toxicology Program issued a Draft Brief on Bisphenol A (BPA) calling for comments by June 11, 2008.
On April 18, Nalgene bowed to its customers who have been concerned about reports of BPA leaching and is discontinuing its PC products in the next several months as is Playtex.
[Frankly, I suspect the NTP Draft Brief on BPA had more to do with Nalgene's decision because it had been defending its products containing BPA up to that point.]
Also on April 18, supposedly in response to Nalgene's announcement according to CNN, Health Canada announced that BPA is potentially harmful and may ban its use in baby bottles as well as take other measures.
As for retailers, outdoor co-ops, MEC in Canada and REI in the U.S., have pulled PC water bottles from their shelves and websites. Wal-Mart announced that it will discontinue selling BPA products for babies in Canada immediately. For the U.S., it will be in the following months. Both Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us expect the baby products they sell to be BPA-free by the beginning of 2009.
The debate on BPA leaching from polycarbonate has raged for a number of years and the bottom line appears to be that if you want a PC container for food or beverages, you better hop to it and get what you want while it's still available.
Please note that when people or articles say, "Nalgene bottles," they're referring to the #7 PC bottles that leach BPA. But, Nalgene also makes containers out of the #2 HDPE, #4 LDPE, and #5 PP plastics that are considered to be safe, so there's no need to throw out the baby with the bath water.
3. PLA (polylactide acid) containers are safe plastics made from renewable resources such as corn and anything else with a high starch content like potatoes and sugar cane. They are everything that's good about plastic with only one negative: They melt when they get too hot. For example, you don't ever want to leave them in a car in warm weather or you'll return to a melted mess. In the same vein, you must follow instructions to hand-wash only because putting these in the dishwasher will cause a melt-down.
Although plant-based plastics can't be recycled, they may be composted in your backyard compost heap or in a city landfill. It takes about twelve days for PLA containers to decompose. Compare that to petroleum-based plastic which doesn't biodegrade and would take 100 years to photodegrade if it wasn't buried in landfills where it doesn't get the light and air needed to disintegrate.
4. SAN (styrene acrylonitrile) is the final plastic on this list that's considered to be safe. As with AS, the word "styrene" in the name does not mean that SAN products leach styrene. For example, Brita pitchers made of SAN have been tested by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and there's been no evidence of leaching. As with AS, SAN is a higher quality plastic that's stronger, rigid, and resistant to chemical and high temperatures such as boiling water. Common uses are kitchenware, dishes, bowls, other food containers, toothbrushes, packaging material, computer products, and optical fibers.
To recap, the plastics that are bad for food and beverages are #3 V/PVC, #6 PS, and #7 PC.
#1 PET/PETE is bad because the original and subsequent beverages may sit long enough for antimony to leach out.
The plastics known as being safe are #2 HDPE, #4 LDPE, #5 PP, and #7 AS, PLA, and SAN.
I sincerely hope this helps. After reviewing everything and considering my needs, I ordered the 12 oz. ATB (#4 LDPE) bottle from Nalgene.
[On 5/22, I called about my order and was informed that PC products designed for children are no longer being sold, including the mini-ATBs that have PC only in the dust cap. I wrote to protest. In the meantime, I'm using a .5 liter stainless steel Thermos® that I bought six years ago for my hot tea.]
Like every other story with a beautiful princess, our princess met her prince who is a mighty warrior and leader of men. Naturally, our princess and her warrior prince got married, planning to live happily ever after with their family yet to come.
Unbeknownst to them, however, a jealous witch cast a spell over them, calling upon an invisible dragon to take the life of their first-born, because the witch hated that the princess was living her dream come true.
Time passed and eventually a precious baby boy was born to our royal couple. As might be expected in a tale with a dragon sent by a wicked witch casting spells, the invisible dragon tormented the infant prince with its talons bearing down on his mother's belly while he was still in the womb, forcing him to be born prematurely. The tiny prince struggled valiantly for his very life under the blasts of the dragon's fiery breath, but, despite prayers and the best medical care, expired after only two days, leaving his parents bereft with grief.
Following the axiom that what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, our princess and her prince regained strength after the death of their beloved son, joining other families and individuals who have bonded together all across the land, vowing to march against the dragon so other parents won't have to suffer through the loss of their own children.
Spies have been hired to hunt down the wicked witch who has cursed other families in similar ways and troops are battling the dragon even as you read this true-life tale. With all the villagers helping to defeat these enemies, this story, too, will have a happy ending.
Please help Erica and Jim Davel honor Matthew's brief life by supporting their participation in their local March of Dimes March for Babies.
Did you know?
- Premature birth touches half a million babies and their families every year.
- Babies born prematurely are more likely to die or have lifelong disabilities.
- 120,000 babies are born with serious birth defects every year.
- Every baby deserves someone in their corner and the March of Dimes is there for them whether they are healthy or need help to survive.
Please join the Davels in the battle against premature birth and birth defects by walking with them or making a donation; the dragon and the wicked witch must be defeated.
For information on how you can help, please visit Matthew's team website:
http://www.walkamerica.org/matthewdavel.
Thank you.
[In response to Roxie's comment, I edited this post on April 5, 2008 to add the following:]
The March of Dimes maintains that it is neutral on the issue of abortion, that it does not see abortion as a solution to the problem of birth defects, and will not pay for abortions, directive abortion counseling, or abortion research.
However, according to the several entries I read on Google, some of which included copies of letters or policy statements from the March of Dimes, the March of Dimes believes that safe and legal abortions need to be available as every woman's right and that "therapeutic" abortion is an option, that is, aborting babies that prenatal testing determines to have birth defects, disabilities, and other abnormalities.
Because of the conflicting statements and actions, those who are opposed to eugenics and all abortions no matter what the reason, the March of Dimes is not likely an organization you'll want to support.
For those who sanction abortion only in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother, please be aware that some local chapters of the March of Dimes have ties to local health centers of Planned Parenthood which supports abortion for any reason. One watchdog stated that grants given to Planned Parenthood have been "for prenatal education services" which may or may not include abortion counseling.
If you wish to contribute to the cause, but not to the March of Dimes, please consider an alternative, pro-life, organization such as The Michael Fund or your local Children's Hospital.
To search the March of Dimes website:
http://search.marchofdimes.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe.
