Water is a common chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of life. In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or state, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor. About 1.460 petatonnes (Pt) of water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface, mostly in oceans and other large water bodies, with 1.6% of water below ground in aquifers and 0.001% in the air as vapor, clouds (formed of solid and liquid water particles suspended in air), and precipitation.  Saltwater oceans hold 97% of surface water, glaciers and polar ice caps 2.4%, and other land surface water such as rivers, lakes and ponds 0.6%. Some of the Earth’s water is contained within water towers, biological bodies, manufactured products, and food stores. Other water is trapped in ice caps, glaciers, aquifers, or in lakes, sometimes providing fresh water for life on land.

Sometimes plain old water gets boring, and adding some flavoring can help you drink more. You can buy flavored water, of course, but I think it’s one of the most overpriced things in the store. Here are some ideas for drinking fluids that don’t include adding a bunch of sugar, or cost a bunch of money.

If you wish to stay far from the artificial additives and caffeine, you can mix some flavor to your water using the natural way:
• A twist of lemon or lime (or a little juice)
• A small piece of fruit
• A little unsweetened cranberry concentrate (look in health food stores)
• A cucumber slice (subtle, however refreshing)
• A mint leaf or two (“bruise” them a little to release the flavor
If you don’t mind some artificial sweetener or other additives, try adding:
• A little diet cranberry juice (not “light”, but “diet” — the light kind has more sugar)
• Crystal Light, Unsweetened Kool-Aid, or other sugar-free drink mix (but check carefully for hidden carbs in some)
• Make a limeade or lemonade by adding some juice (1 gram of carb per tablespoon) and sweetener
• Any of the above flavorings can be added to plain club soda, seltzer water, or diet tonic water.
• Buy flavored sparkling waters at the store.

You should replace milk and soda with water to drink when you are thirsty, but do not force yourself to drink water. Overhydration can cause cramps while exercising!

Buy a Pur filter for your tap water if you don’t like regular! It cleans out germs & makes it taste more fresh. You can also buy flavors for them like peach, strawberry, or raspberry to make your tap water fruity when desired.

Aquafina has a product called FlavorSplash. FlavorSplash is a product that makes water fruit-flavored. Try this if you don’t like tap water!

One creative way to make water more thirst-quenching is by combining a teaspoon of honey with a Tablespoon of apple-cider vinegar and just enough hot water to melt to the honey. Stir well and add enough water to make a gallon. Chill it and enjoy after that! (There are many experts who recommend apple-cider vinegar for over-all health.)

What is brown and green and grows on ropes in the ocean? You guessed it…a green-lipped mussel!

Green-lipped mussels are highly valued for their potent Omega 3s and lipids. In fact, green-lipped mussels are shown to have contain the highest amount of Omega3s on the planet. Not bad, hey!  

Green-lipped mussels are exclusive to the unspoiled coastal waters of New Zealand. The main producing area is the Marlborough Sounds. This is a beautiful part of New Zealand with deep, cool and unpolluted waters which makes it an ideal environment for farming mussels from spat through to harvest.  

All mussel farming and processing in the Marlborough Sounds is strictly controlled by New Zealand’s Ministry of Agriculture to enforce that the product meets the highest International quality standards. The shellfish’s health and the seawater purity are {monitored`audited} daily to ensure the long term viability of the mussel industry and the safety of the pristine waters.
 
Nowadays, green-lipped mussels are becoming more and more known for their powerful healing properties. As more people benefit from taking a green-lipped mussel supplement every day, they can also feel good knowing that they are grown sustainably and naturally in unpolluted waters. It’s a win-win situation! Green-lipped mussels contain eight kinds of Omega 3s, each of them essential to the human body.

Most people don’t realize how important Omega 3s are to their long-term overall general health and well being. Omega 3s play a significant role in heart health, joint strength and brain function development. Just google Omega 3 for an amazing list of movies and testimonials.

Omega 3s have also been known to greatly assist those people who suffer with ailments such as asthma, allergies, menstrual pain, multiple sclerosis, inflammation,gastrointestinal and bowel disorders, depression, dry eye, and the many various types of arthritis and skin conditions.
      
So, “I’ve got it covered, I’m taking a fish oil supplement,” you say. Fish oil has long been thought of as being a great source for Omega 3s, however, through newer research and knowledge we now know that it sometimes contains high levels of mercury.  Because of their habitat, and that green lipped mussels are only farmed at certified marine facilities, with no outside influences at all, the presence of mercury is eliminated.

Then there are those people who take Krill oil supplements. Because Krill are the tiny marine organisms at the bottom of the food chain they are also exempt from mercury. However, “commercial fishing of krill (a “foundation species”) is “very risky” to the delicate marine ecosystems of the Antarctic, and other vunerable ocean areas, and can actually “compromise the entire ecosystem.” says Dr. Boris Worm, Professor of Marine Biology at the Dalhousie University. The evidence is pointing squarely toward yet another unsustainable exploititive ocean harvest.

So if you’re trying to find a good Omega 3 supplement, or if you are currently taking a fish or Krill oil supplement, I strongly encourage you to do the research and think about the benifits of your Omega 3 source coming from the potent green-lipped mussels of the pristine waters of New Zealand. In doing so, you will be doing a favor to both yourself and the enviroment!