Sure, those nifty plastic bottles are convenient, but when’s the last time you actually stopped to think about what’s in your bottled water? Not only is it usually as contaminated (or more) with harmful chemicals as tap water, and its damage to the environment is beyond repair, but now a recent study is giving us one more reason to avoid bottled water.

Researchers in Canada found that the bacteria levels in more than 70 percent of bottled water samples exceed the recommended safe levels for humans to drink, and in some samples they found over 100 times the recommended safe levels of bacteria…yikes!

Now, I know it’s impossible to remove 100% of the bacteria from water—it just can’t be done. Bacteria are everywhere, but at very low amounts they pose no threat to our health. It’s when the levels of bacteria are much higher that we need to worry, especially folks who are more vulnerable to bacterial infections, like infants, older adults, pregnant and nursing women, and people who are immunocompromised (that is, their immune systems are weakened because of illness or treatment). 

The general consensus is that a good home filtration system is best, and if you need water on the go, do yourself a favor and invest in a stainless steel or BPA- and phthalate-free water bottle that you can fill up at home and carry with you. Yes, convenience is usually a good thing, but I think I speak for the majority when I say that our health and the health of our environment are much more important.

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We all know how uncomfortable constipation can be, so imagine what it must feel like for little kids…ugh! That’s why a recent study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology caught my eye.

The study suggests that a combination of two things may be involved in higher incidences of constipation in children: 1. introducing gluten in the first year of life, and 2. an allergy to cow’s milk.

This is not surprising when you consider that the digestive tracts of infants are still very sensitive, especially in the first months of life. Not only that, but their immune systems are weaker, which means they are more susceptible to pretty much everything.

So the bottom line? When it comes to little tummies, it’s better to wait on the gluten and cow’s milk until they are more ready to handle it. And yes, some children may eat it and be fine (or appear fine), but I say better safe than sorry! There are plenty of substitutes for gluten and cow’s milk these days, even for infants.

All this is important because childhood constipation has been linked to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults, so if your child has chronic constipation, be sure to take a look at his or her diet. Other dietary factors to think about are fiber intake (since fiber helps promote regular bowel movements) and intestinal balance. In babies who are not breast fed, who were delivered by cesarean section, or who have been treated with antibiotics, there is a greater risk for an altered intestinal flora balance, so a daily probiotic supplement may be helpful in these situations.

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You know how I feel about toxins, right? Right. So when I heard that the FDA had finally updated its warning about one of the most harmful toxic chemicals out there today, I thought to myself, “It’s about time!”

The folks at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have been dragging their feet for some time now on the issue of bisphenol A (or BPA for short). BPA, which I’m sure you’ve heard of by now unless you’ve been living under a rock, is one of the most prevalent chemicals in use today, and it’s found in 90% of the population—which means yes, it’s probably inside you right now!

BPA is used in the lining of canned foods and in many hard plastic products like those reusable water bottles you see everywhere. One of the most concerning uses of BPA, however, is its presence in plastic baby bottles and ‘sippy’ cups, as well as in containers for infant formula and food.

Whereas before they said BPA was ‘safe’ for infants, the FDA has since changed its tune. Now when you go on their website and research BPA, you can see that their new statement says they are concerned about the “potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and young children”. So as a result the FDA is now supporting the removal of BPA from containers that are used by infants. Well, thank goodness!

But still, let’s not forget how BPA affects adults too—another study just came out that confirmed the link between high BPA levels and cardiovascular disease, showing that people who have the highest amounts of BPA in their urine also had the highest rates of heart disease. How’s that for a wake-up call? Just something to keep in mind the next time you consider buying canned foods or filling up your water bottle.

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