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Did
you know?
Reverse osmosis is the finest water filtration method known. This process will
allow the removal of particles as small as ions from a solution. It is used
to purify water and remove salts and other impurities in order to improve the
color, taste or properties of the fluid. R.O. uses a membrane that is semi-permeable,
allowing the fluid that is being purified to pass through it, while rejecting
other ions and contaminants from passing.
This technology uses a process
known as crossflow to allow the r.o. membrane to continually clean itself. This
is the reason of why an r.o. element can last many years before clogging or
need replacement. This
water purification process requires a driving force to push the fluid through
the membrane, and the most common force is household water pressure or pressure
from a booster pump. The higher the pressure, the larger the driving force and
efficiency.
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Water
Can Heal
Did
You Know?
Water can prevent and alleviate many of our symptoms
Osteo-arthritis
and the pool...a perfect match.
Last one
in the water is a ... Remember this challenge from your childhood?
For today's
fitness-conscious adults, it has new meaning. There is a renewed focus
on aquatic exercise for strength and cardio training, flexibility, relaxation,
rehabilitation, and weight management. "We're seeing growth in both ends
of the spectrum [of aquatic workouts], from high-intensity exercises like
kickboxing and circuit training to mind/body workouts like tai chi, which
combines tai chi and shiatsu massage," says Julie See, president of the
Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA) in Nokomis, Fla.
"We're working
against a perception that aquatic exercise is just for old people, not
the young and fit. With younger people coming into the water, we're starting
to see a lot of sport-specific training and one-on-one personal training."
"If it's
been a decade or more since you had a water fitness class, you'll see
many changes," says Jane Katz, EdD, associate professor of health and
physical education, City College of New York. "Back then it would have
been traditional skills of breathing, floating and swimming, which are
still taught today, but with the addition of stretching and vertical exercises"
done in a standing position.
Another difference,
she says, is the abundance of exercise equipment. A lot of landlubber
gear has made its way to the pool: handheld weights, rubber tubing, even
bicycles and treadmills. Plus, the old aquatic stand-bys like fins and
kickboards are no longer "one-size-fits all." They're engineered in a
host of styles to suit specific applications.
Who Can Benefit
From Water Exercise?
Water exercise
can benefit virtually everyone, says Katz. A former Olympian, she teaches
fitness and swimming to New York City firefighters and police officers
and also has a special fondness for a class for women in their 60s, 70s,
and 80s. Athletes use water to rehabilitate after injury or to cross-train.
People with arthritis or other disabilities that inhibit land exercise
use water to improve fitness and range of motion and to relieve pain and
stiffness.
Age and
physical condition aren't issues in the water. Kids love to play in water
without realizing it's good for them. Seniors who rely on a walker or
wheelchair on land can stand in water with the help of flotation belts
and water's buoyancy. Water exercises provide less stress on the bodies
of pregnant women. Also not at issue is the ability to swim: Most water
workouts consist of exercise done in a vertical position (with the bonus
of keeping your hair dry). Water's buoyancy accommodates both the fit
and unfit. Water cushions stiff and painful joints or fragile bones that
might be injured by the impact of land exercises. When immersed to the
waist, your body bears just 50% of its weight; immersed to the chest,
it's 25%-35%; and to the neck, 10%.
In addition,
says See, the lower gravity promotes the return of blood to the heart
from the extremities. While water significantly reduces exercise's impact
to the back and joints, running and other vertical shallow-water exercises
do cause some impact. That's one reason experts advise wearing shoes.
"Initially, any type of shoe will work," says See. "You don't want to
invest a lot of money when you start an exercise program." For starters,
she suggests lightweight sneakers such as Keds. "Once you get hooked on
water, which usually takes a couple of weeks, invest in a better shoe."
Water provides at least 12 times greater resistance than air, and in every
direction.
"No matter
which way you move, it challenges you," says Katz. "You don't need equipment,
you don't need an Olympic-sized pool. All you need is your body." Water
cools your body and prevents overheating. See points out that even in
80- to 85-degree water, the recommended temperature for exercise, you
should warm up in the water before your workout to prevent injury. Just
as with a land workout, you will sweat during water exercises, so it's
important to drink water.
Intimidation
may not be the first thing you think of when you consider the differences
between land and water exercise. But it's important, because concern about
appearance or proper technique prevents many people from being physically
active. "Water is democratic," says See. "Once you're in the pool, we're
all the same. There's less intimidation than walking into an aerobics
studio surrounded by mirrors. You don't have to wear a swimsuit. If you're
more comfortable, wear Lycra pants and a T-shirt. And it doesn't matter
if you're on the wrong foot. As long as you're moving, you're getting
the benefit."
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