Hydration and Other Leg Cramp Causes

A leg cramp, or a sharp, sudden contraction or tightening of the muscle in the calf, is a very common injury that most people experience at some time in their life. Proper hydration is a big part of combatting leg cramps, and our water filter systems at Kinetico can help ensure you’re properly hydrated.

What are some of the reasons you might be experiencing leg cramps?

Dehydration

Dehydration is perhaps the classic cause of leg cramps, and athletes or people who exercise often deal with them regularly. They’re especially common during dry months in the summer, as we lose more fluids while exercising.

Mineral Deficiency

When we sweat, we lose more than just water. We also lose electrolytes, another potential cause of cramping. Imbalances in sodium, calcium, magnesium or potassium can all lead to leg cramping. Sports drinks can help with sodium, as can a proper diet balanced with muscle-friendly minerals.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy raises the risk of leg cramps for expecting mothers, particularly during the second and third trimesters. Pregnant women should stay hydrated and consider magnesium supplements with a doctor’s approval.

Overuse

Even if you’re properly hydrated, overuse can still lead to cramping. This is usually caused by the nervous system becoming overexcited during exercise creating an involuntary cramp. Resting and stretching are important steps to avoid this.

Exercise and Fatigue

If you exercise regularly, be sure to make gradual increases if you’re looking to up your intensity level. Your body needs time to get used to the new intensity and movements, and cramps can take place if you over-extend them.

In addition, you’re more prone to leg cramps if you’re already tired. Consider when your leg muscles are already tired, and look to get them some relief.

Sitting or Standing

If you have to sit or stand for long periods of time, you may experience some leg cramping. Muscles need to move around, so make sure you take a break from repetitive activities.

Medications and Conditions

If none of the other items we’ve mentioned appear to be the cause of leg cramps, they could be due to medications you take. Speak to your doctor if you’ve just started a new medication and are experiencing leg cramps.

In addition, spontaneous leg cramps can sometimes be due to underlying conditions like peripheral artery disease or osteoarthritis. Again, check with your doctor if this is the case.

For more information on how our water filtration systems can help with hydration, speak to the pros at Kinetico today.

November 15, 2017

The Erin Brockovich Chemical is On the Rise

Made in the year 2000, the film Erin Brockovich documented one woman’s fight against contaminated drinking water, and a particular cancer-causing compound called chromium-6. While the film may have ended well, recent data from the Environmental Work Group shows that about 250 million Americans may have drinking water that’s contaminated with this chemical.

At Kinetico, our water filtration systems will help keep this kind of harmful chemical away from you and your family. Let’s look at some test results, possible explanations, and how you can identify if chromium-6 is present in your water.

Test Results

Based on test results obtained from nearly 50,000 local utilities, drinking water supplies are contaminated with chromium-6 for about 250 million Americans. For about 231 million of these, average levels of chromium-6 exceed the cancer risk level, which is one-in-a-million.

Somehow, though, this still may understate the total number of people exposed. Water from most smaller water utilities and private wells isn’t tested for chromium-6 at all, and there are no federal regulations on chromium-6 in drinking water or tap water.

Possible Explanations

A couple possible reasons why chromium-6 levels are higher in the recent study:

The EPA classifies utilities that purchase finished water from other utilities as consecutive systems, and testing requirements here are less stringent. This suggests that many consecutive systems are therefore buying water contaminated with chromium-6 from other utilities.
California is the only state with a public health goal and legal limits for chromium-6. The areas that fall under their testing requirements only serve less than 10,000 people.

Identifying Issues

Until national limits are instituted, you can find out about chromium-6 levels by using the EWG database to search your area.

For more on chromium-6, or to find out about our home water systems, speak to the pros at Kinetico today.

November 8, 2017

Natural Health Detox Tips

At Kinetico, we’re all about providing solutions for cleaner, healthier living. Our home water filtering systems will help you and your family enjoy pure, clean drinking water, that’s often the basis of a healthy life.

For many people, a detox is a great way to get healthier. Some people associate a detox with a long, arduous juice fast, but this isn’t necessarily the case – a cleanse can be anything that helps clear your body of toxins and release unwanted elements from the system. Here are a few healthy habits that can naturally detox your body.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Whole foods that are high in nutrients are best for keeping the body clean. Consider things like fruit, vegetables and beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, lean protein and probiotics. All of these can help with gut and liver function, cleansing your system. If possible, look to eliminate processed, fried and sugary foods and red meat.

The Right Drinks

If you’re detoxing your body, alcohol is something to avoid. Stick to water, as this will help the kidneys flush out toxins. Add some lemon to add electrolytes and help with digestion. If you’re sick of simple water, switch to basic green tea, which has been shown to protect against heart disease and cancer. Milk thistle may also boost liver function.

Eat Smaller Portions

Big meals lead to bloating, which puts the digestive system in an uncomfortable position. More frequent, smaller meals (while eating slowly) are preferable.

Exercise

Sweating helps with a detox by boosting circulation throughout the body. It also helps with stress, happiness and general energy levels.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep each night is great for many areas of health. Create a comfortable sleep environment that’s cool, dark, quiet and absent of screens. Try to set up a standard bedtime that you stick to every night, and that allows you to sleep for at least seven hours.

Proper Skin Care

Before you bathe or shower, consider dry-brushing your skin with a soft brush. This will exfoliate the skin, boosting circulation and possibly promoting the growth of new cells.

For more about how Kinetico home water systems can help, speak to the pros at Kinetico today.

November 1, 2017

Anti-Aging Benefits of Drinking Water

In today’s modern age, people are looking for ways to stop the inevitable progression of aging. People use everything from creams and serums to alternative medicines, but they often overlook one of the simplest anti-aging remedies available: Drink more water.

At Kinetico, we’re dedicated to providing highest quality drinking water. How can clean water from a water purifier help reduce the effects of aging and help you maintain beauty? Let’s take a look.

Hydrated Skin

Drinking water is one of the easiest ways to keep the skin hydrated. Hydrated skin will look younger and have a “glow”. In addition, water also helps fill in and plum the skin, which helps get rid of undesirable wrinkles and lines that may form in the skin. Skin appearance is one of the first signs of aging, so this is a valuable benefit of drinking water.

Redness and Acne Reduction

Cold water on the face has been proven to help reduce redness and the visual appearance of acne. Follow the simple process of first washing with warm water to open the pores in the face and follow that with a cold cloth over the skin. This will seal those same pores right back up and prevent clogging that can lead to acne.

Hair Growth

Drinking water triggers the circulatory system, which controls hair follicle stimulation which can enhance hair growth – some people who have growth issues can find benefits simply from drinking more water.

Nails

Another area the circulatory system controls is the growth of nails. More water will increase blood flow to the nails and make them grow stronger and healthier.

Toxin Flush

Water also helps flush toxins out of the body, and can help with skin appearance. Water intake can be one of the most significant factors in skin appearance for many people.

For more on how clean drinking water can benefit your anti-aging remedies, or to learn about our water filtration system, speak to the experts at Kinetico today.

October 15, 2017

Water Facts You May Not Have Known

At Kinetico, we’re all about water. Our water softening and filtration systems allow us to bring you and your family soft, clean, pure water.

Nearly 85 percent of households in the US receive their water from public facilities, with the other 15 percent supplying their own from wells and natural springs. With water on the brain, here are a few interesting facts about water that you probably didn’t know.

The average adult human body is made up of somewhere between 50 and 65 percent water. This is even greater for newborns, where the average is about 80 percent.
A huge portion of the earth’s surface is covered by water – between 70 and 75 percent, to be precise. This totals up to about 326 million cubic miles. In addition, there is more water floating around in the earth’s atmosphere than in all the rivers on the planet put together.
A single gallon of water weighs about 8.34 pounds, with an entire cubic foot of water weighing about 62.4 pounds. An inch of water spread out over an acre of land will add up to an amazing 27,154 gallons, and will weigh an incredible 113 tons.
The United States use an average of 346 million gallons of fresh water per day. The average American uses about 75-100 of these gallons per day. The typical American household uses about 100,000 gallons of water each year.
On the flip side, there are an estimated 748 million people on earth without access to clean drinking water, a number that’s about 10 percent of the world’s population.
A healthy person can consume about three gallons of water per day, including both actual water drank and water contained in certain foods. Nearly every food or drink has at least some water content.
The average bathroom faucet is able to flow 2 gallons of water per minute. A dripping faucet leaking just a single drop per second can waste up to 3,000 gallons a year.
Pure water has a pH level of 7, meaning it is neither acidic nor basic. Water can also dissolve numerous substances and pH will often change as this happens due to the addition of minerals, chemicals and nutrients.

For more interesting facts on water, or to find out about our water filters and home water systems, speak to the experts at Kinetico today.

October 1, 2017

Hard Water and Your Skin

Numerous factors can contribute to common skin conditions like acne, dryness, itchiness and even wrinkles that may be impacting your family. One factor many don’t consider is the effect hard water can have on our skin. The vast majority of the water in the U.S. is hard, which means it has a high mineral content which may contribute to the clogging of pores and the formation of acne and other skin conditions.

At Kinetico, we provide soft water systems and other water filtration solutions that can help with skin issues. Here are some of the basics about the way water can impact various skin conditions.

Water Basics

According the U.S. Geological Survey, over 85 percent of the water in the United States is hard, meaning it has high levels of calcium and magnesium dissolved into it. Hard Water interacts with soap and leaves an extra, soapy layer on the skin after showering or bathing. This layer can clog the pores and irritate the skin, causing itching, flakiness and overall skin dryness.

Hard water may also be connected to other skin disorders, such as eczema, because calcium and other minerals found in hard water may cause the skin to lose moisture.

Metals in Water and Your Skin

What’s actually happening is a chemical reaction in the skin’s natural oils. These oils change consistency from a liquid to a wax, and this wax is what clogs the pores and leads to acne. In addition, these same impurities can act as free radicals, bonding to healthy skin cells and destroying them – this can lead to wrinkles and lines forming on the skin.

Various metals appear to lead to different skin issues. Iron is likely the most detrimental because it can be energized by the sun, and this can be linked to cases of skin cancer. Calcium and magnesium are the most damaging for breakout-prone people, although – iron and the minerals in hard water all form the kinds of wax we mentioned above.

For many, installing a water softener will provide much needed to relief.

Try an Experiment

A simple way to see if the water may be contributing to your skin issues is to wash your face with distilled or reverse osmosis water for a few days. If you choose to use reverse osmosis water make sure the bottler hasn’t added minerals back into the water. If so, the experiment won’t work properly because the mineral added to the water is usually calcium, which means you will be washing in hard water.

If you notice that washing your face in distilled or reverse osmosis water is helping your skin to heal and feel better than you will benefit from soft water.

To learn more about water and the skin, or to find out about any of our water filters or other systems, contact the experts at Kinetico today.

September 15, 2017

What is Hard Water and Soft Water

If you are wondering what is hard water or what is soft water and how can you tell the difference keep reading. Hard water contains high levels of calcium and/or magnesium which leave white stains on plumbing fixtures, cause dry skin and soap to not lather and work properly. Soft water, on the other hand, refers to water that is free of these minerals, either naturally or that’s passed through a water softening system to remove these minerals and “softens” the water.

At Kinetico, our water treatment solutions include various water softening options. If you’ve been around hard water stains before, they appear in the form of chalky buildup, white rings in toilets, white stains in the sinks and tubs. Let’s look at their common causes plus how you can remove them.

How Does Water Become Hard

Water is naturally soft and as it comes in contact with the soil, either by running through streams and rivers or as is percolates through the earth, it absorbs minerals, including calcium and magnesium. These minerals actually dissolve into the water and will not settle out or evaporate.

Why do Hard Water Stains Develop

When hard water is allowed to evaporate or is heated to high temperatures, as in a water heater, the minerals will come out of their dissolved state and are left behind in the form of a white chalky residue. Some types of metal in pipes also will attract the minerals and will get a lot of build up in them.

Removing Hard Water

There are a number of cleaning products that can help remove hard water stains, but you have to be careful with these products. They are generally extremely powerful, and may contain acids. Make sure to wear gloves and use these products only in a well-ventilated area.

Soft Water

The best long-term solution to hard water is installing a water softening system, which will remove these minerals before they make their way into your home. Soft water will lengthen the lifespan of your appliances and plumbing fixtures, saving you hours of cleaning each week scrubbing unsightly stains from your kitchen and bathrooms. You will also have spot free, sparkling clean dishes and silverware, softer skin and hair and significantly reduce the cleaners and soaps used in your home.

To learn about our soft water systems or any of our other home water treatments? Speak to the pros at Kinetico today.

September 1, 2017

Sodium and Soft Water Basics

A common question for families considering installing a water softener is “how much salt does a water softener add to my drinking water?” Particularly those who suffer from high blood pressure are concerned about adding sodium to their diet.

Is this concern justified? Let’s look at the true amounts of sodium in soft water – and how Kinetico can help you lower or even eliminate the presence of sodium in your drinking water.

How Much Salt is added to the Water?

When hard water flows through a softener, sodium ions replace the hard minerals that cause the white build up on glass shower doors, faucets and anything else the water comes in contact with.

Typically, the sodium in a glass of water softened is less than the sodium found in a single slice of bread. It is far less than the amount found in a can of Diet Pepsi, which is considered a low-sodium beverage. So while sodium is definitely present, it’s not in particularly egregious amounts.

If you know how hard your water is there is a simple formula to determine the actual amount of sodium added to your water through the softening process. Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon (gpg) and anything less than 1gpg is considered soft, 3.5gpg is hard, 7gpg is very hard and 10.5gpg is extremely hard.

For every 8oz glass of water 1.89mg/l of sodium is added for each grain per gallon of hardness. If your water is 10gpg the water softener will add 19mg/l of sodium to an 8oz glass of softened water. As a comparison an 8oz glass of milk contains 120-125mg/l of sodium. A slice of white bread will have about 170mg/l of sodium.

Drinking Water without Added Sodium

There are a few ways to reduce or completely eliminate the salt from your drinking water. A reverse osmosis system, like our Kinetico K5 Drinking Water Station, will remove virtually everything from the water, including sodium. Another option is to bypass the cold water in the kitchen, so it stays hard water. This will allow water in the rest of home to be softened and the drinking water will not.

Want to learn more about soft water, or drinking water filters? Speak to the pros at Kinetico today.

August 1, 2017

Hydration Tips for the Hot Summer

As your go-to experts in water filtration and water softeners, we at Kinetico know how vital water becomes over the hot summer months. Hydration is especially important in the dry deserts of Utah.

Here are several tips for staying hydrated over the hot summer.

Water Bottle

Drinking water regularly is vital for summer hydration, and one of the easiest ways to do this is to carry a water bottle with you throughout the day. Keep it with you from morning until heading to bed at night, and if you want to be extra diligent, track how many times per day you refill it.

Set a Timer

For some people, proper hydration involves reprogramming the mind to develop better habits. Setting a phone or other timer for once an hour can really help – every time the timer goes off drink a small cup of water. You can adjust this technique depending on your specific needs.

Add Minerals

You need proper mineral balance to stay hydrated. Many people find success adding unrefined, raw sea salt – this increases absorption of water and helps with hydration. It can also help with adrenal and thyroid function, which brings more natural energy.

Dehydration Factors

Finally, one of the most important parts of staying hydrated over the summer involves avoiding beverages that dehydrate you. For many people, these are soft drinks, coffee and green tea – they are fine in moderation, but look to balance them with hydrating liquids.

To learn more about summer hydration or how our water purifiers can benefit you, speak to the experts at Kinetico today.

July 1, 2017

Health Benefits of Drinking Pure Water

At Kinetico, the primary goal of our drinking water filtration systems is to supply you and your family drinking water that’s clean and pure. In fact, the Kineitco K5 Drinking Water Station is certified to remove more impurities than any other water purifier.

In addition to tasting better, drinking pure water has several specific health benefits, let’s look at 5.

Keeps You Young

A consistent supply of pure drinking water will help you have a more youthful appearance. Proper hydration helps keep skin moisturized, and goes a long way to preventing fine lines and wrinkles on the face and in other visible areas.

On the flip side, if you don’t drink enough water – or if water isn’t pure, and contains contaminants that reduce the actual hydration effect – your body will try to retain water whenever possible to conserve resources. This makes the skin puffy, and can lead to wrinkling and bloating.

Helps Lose Weight

Pure water acts as an appetite suppressant for many people. It also prevents fluid retention, which helps you keep a slim, trim look without extra water weight.

Removes Toxins

Without enough water, the heart is forced to work harder pumping fresh, oxygenated blood to the organs. This can lead to toxin formation, and eventually to significant health issues. Proper hydration will help prevent this.

Helps Build Muscle

Staying hydrated with pure water allows muscles to work harder and longer before they become tired. Carrying pure water with you everywhere is a great way to make sure your body is never thirsty.

Improves Joint Health

Joints need moisture to remain strong and flexible, to keep movement smooth and pain free. Pure water helps keep you hydrated better than other drinks, and will help keep your joints young and strong.

To learn more about what pure drinking water can do for you, or for details on our water filtration systems, speak to the experts at Kinetico today.