Monthly Love Frequency Newsletters

Water, Fascia & Muscle Building 

Aging Is an inevitable part of life and it may alarm you that sarcopenia, the loss of muscle due to aging, has shown to occur at 10%per decade, which can even begin at the early age of 30! Fortunately, like treating a chronic disease, we are able to ‘treat’ the natural deterioration of our bodies by reducing the muscle wastage our bodies experience over the years.

Skeletal muscle makes up roughly 30–40%of the human body and since muscle is a living tissue — as opposed to entirely dormant body fat — it requires blood and nutrients. Activities that bring movement into your life, like walking and standing, are helpful to reduce aging symptoms as it encourages blood vessels to dilate, which can reduce blood pressure. Ultimately though, to really put the brakes on muscle loss, medical professionals recommend performing regular resistance (strength) training.

In addition, another integral part of the body researchers are suggesting to reinforce is the fascial system, which can assist in the maintenance of our muscle growth. Surprisingly, fascia has only recently started to be scientifically studied and recent medical explorations have found that fascia is one of the most complex parts of the human body.

Fascia is Latin for “band” and is defined as the sheet of tough connective tissue that envelops every muscle, nerve, and organ in the body which separates and binds our structure, intertwines with muscle fibers, and continues throughout the tendon to the bony attachment. Basically, fascia is like our invisible second skin, like saran wrap for our guts, and is similar to ligaments and tendons although they differ in location and function.

The fascial system, as a network of tubules, is constantly responding to bodily movement and pressure changes. As a result, fascia has demonstrated its ability to be the ultimate communicator by taking inputs from one part of the body and reacting accordingly in another. Fascia is very responsive to movement patterns or lack of movement altogether.

Since fascia is made up of mostly gel water (70%) and the proteins collagen and elastin, hydration becomes a necessary prescription for its maintenance. When fascia becomes dehydrated, matted down, or toughened, it loses its ability to move freely and subsequently much less flexible and pliable, which causes physical symptoms such as stiffness and pain.

Studies have demonstrated that even consuming large quantities of water is often ineffective for hydrating fascia because the tissue simply can’t absorb it effectively. Hence, true hydration in the body is not defined by how much water one drinks, but by how much water the body absorbs. Essentially, you could drink all the water in the world and still have dehydrated parts of your fascia.

Fortunately, a study from several years ago determined that when muscles and fascia are stretched or compressed, water can be extruded just like a sponge, which makes the tissues temporarily more pliable and supple. For this reason, once connective tissue is squeezed and refreshed, it can be cleaned out to allow the full absorption of water (e.g. yoga, foam rolling, exercise, bodywork).  Hence, a potential solution to stiff joints and muscle loss from ageing may lie in the release of fascia and then immediately drinking good quality water.

Overall, in order to move and flex your muscles and to defeat this aging process, you need water. Furthermore, if your body is dehydrated, your muscles will be deprived of electrolytes and cramp. Since muscles are controlled by nerves, without the proper water and electrolyte balance, muscle strength and control will also be impaired. Therefore, it is essential that you stay hydrated if you want to build muscle and experience optimal performance.

Water is the single most critical nutrient for health, growth, and development as well as the key to balancing all the body’s systems, including the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and muscles. It is quite significant that estimates show 75% of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration. So with new aches and pains, maybe it is time to dive deeper and analyze if you are adequately hydrating your body and moving your tissues.

So remember if you’re on the way to the gym or to your local yoga studio, come by The Water Brewery to pick up a gallon of our super nutritious, restructured, and mineralized Aquae AMORE Water to properly hydrate your muscles and fascial system. Also, you may want to try our Magnesium Lavender Spray by Omica to replenish your body with needed minerals, magnesium being a key electrolyte for hydration and for muscle recovery.

It’s that time of the year again folks! Allergy season. 

Thanks to our trees, bushes, flowers, and weeds, that tiny grain that shoots into the air – pollen – begins its annual journey in spring ultimately interacting with our body’s defense mechanisms. Seasonal allergies can impose significant health burdens, with an estimated 10–30%of the global population affected. Certain allergy responses can also be attributed to higher levels of exposure to indoor allergens, like cockroaches, dust mites, or mold spores.

Let’s take a closer look. Your body responds to pollen allergens after contact with the airway mucosa in your nose and throat and then produces symptoms. In medical terms, this is called Rhinitis, aka Hay Fever (which is a misnomer as in most cases there is neither hay nor fever), or Pollinosis (allergy from Pollen). This allergic response includes symptoms such as congestion, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and general feelings of discomfort, which can make it difficult to relax and fall asleep or disrupt your ability to stay asleep, contributing to feelings of fatigue during the day. Other symptoms can be in the form of dermatitis (eczema) or asthma. 

Have you ever observed or wondered why each year your allergies feel like they are getting worse or receiving symptoms you never had in the past? 

Well, friends, with a warming climate particular to North America, scientific studies are finding that there is an increase in pollen concentrations and pollen seasons. Carbon dioxide (CO2), in addition to being the principal global warming gas, can also be thought of as plant food—it’s the source of carbon needed to make sugars during photosynthesis. When exposed to warmer temperatures and higher levels of CO2, plants grow more vigorously and produce more pollen than they otherwise would. For instance, a 2012 study demonstrated that ragweed plants grown in warmer soil exhibited an increase in the number of stems, total biomass, pollen diameter, and total pollen production.

Other experiments have demonstrated that doubling CO2 levels from current to projected future levels would result in a 30–90% increase in ragweed pollen production. Field studies also clearly show that ragweed has begun to flower earlier and produce greater amounts of pollen at urban locations where there are higher CO2 concentrations and temperatures in comparison to rural locations. Studies indicate that the introduction of new pollen into a region can lead to increased allergic illnesses in the population, even among people who did not have previous allergies to other pollen. 

Environmental Factors

There are at least three environmental factors that induce pollen allergen release in the air: 1) high relative humidity, 2) heavy rain, and 3) pollutants (e.g. carbon particles from diesel engine fumes). Even transcontinental transport of dust particles has been observed. For instance, during April 1998, the dust plume from two large dust storms over the Gobi desert crossed the Pacific Ocean and resulted in strong spikes in particulate matter concentrations ten days later along the west coast of the United States.

In relation to the first two aspects of humidity and heavy rain, hurricanes have been shown to impact allergic-related diseases. The most widely studied of these is Hurricane Katrina, where large sections of New Orleans were flooded for weeks, resulting in extensive mold growth in buildings. Hospitals in New Orleans reported an increased number of patients with allergy and cold symptoms, and doctors suggested that allergy to the mold and dust circulating in New Orleans made residents susceptible to respiratory illness, known as Katrina cough.

To address the third environmental aspect of air pollutants, some researchers hypothesize that the reason for the increase in urban allergic disease may be due to the role that air pollutants play in mediating the health effects of aero-allergens. In this process, the inflammatory effects of O3 with particulate matter and SO2 allow for easier penetration of pollen allergens into the airways. As a result, air pollutants can increase the release of antigens in pollen grains that leads to allergic responses. Pollutants can also absorb pollen grains, thus, prolonging the retention of the pollen grains in the body once inhaled. 

Throughout North America,especially Southern California, green spaces are a key element in the planning of today’s cities, since they favor the interaction between citizens and the environment, as well as promoting human health. Despite the benefits, the design of green spaces often uses non-native, ornamental species, which, unfortunately, is among the factors triggering one of the most widespread diseases in urban populations: pollen allergy! 

Other major causes of this extensive allergenicity include low species biodiversity at planting; the overabundance of given species acting as key specific pollen sources; the choice of male, pollen-producing individuals in certain plant species; the presence of invasive species; and inappropriate garden management. 

Due to the heavy toll allergies can have on your immune system, The Water Brewery recommends cultivating proper hydration to help flush out those environmental toxins and meet your cell’s needs. In addition, TWB recommends some of our supplements like Reishi, a medicinal mushroom and adaptogen, which supports the immune system to function optimally and lessen response to allergies. Also, try a batch of the Vitali-Tea, which synergistically alleviates inflammation and promotes immune system support and is highly recommended by Einar. Lastly, Fulvic acid may help to reduce reactions to pollen especially in regards to eczema as it enhances antioxidant activity reducing inflammatory responses.

2020 was a wild ride! Thankfully, we are still here and we couldn’t be more grateful for all of your support!!

As we enter this New Year of 2021 with aspirations of health and abundance, let’s reflect on how we can increase our awareness of what goes into our bodies, and the impact that our choices and actions have on this planet.

Our body is amazing and constantly adapts to its surroundings, it has an evolved detoxification system that works best when we stay properly hydrated. When toxins are not properly released, they get stored in fat cells, a variety of tissues, and even in our bones.

In this modern era, environmental toxins are everywhere and are nearly impossible to avoid. When toxins cannot be properly released, this burden on the body can disrupt our hormones and nervous system, crush our gut biome, and cause cell damage and inflammation. Now more than ever, detoxification is even more important than nutrition.

There are more than 84,000 chemicals registered for use in the United States, which often find their way into our water systems. These include pharmaceutical hormones and pesticides. According to researchers at the University of California San Diego, the percentage of Americans with traceable levels of glyphosate (a pesticide) in their bodies rose from 12 percent in 1972 to 70 percent by 2014!

Geneticists are even examining how toxins can be passed down through our DNA. Research has shown that lead, found in high quantities in water piping (e.g. Flint, Michigan), can be inherited in utero for up to four generations!

The world produces 300 million tons of plastic every year, half of which is thrown away after a single-use. More evidence from scientific research demonstrates that microplastics within the body may cause massive inflammation impacting our adrenals and endocrine systems. For the first time, scientists have found these microplastics in the placentas of unborn babies. These microplastics can range from microbeads in personal care products to microfibers in clothing.

Research is now showing that the air we breathe may contain microplastics as it leaves the sea. An example that hits close to home is exemplified at the Salton Sea. Due to the high amount of agricultural work in the Imperial County region, communities are exposed to increasingly poor air quality with particulate matter small enough to penetrate the lung-blood barrier, including toxins like arsenic and pesticides. Several studies claim that respiratory illnesses, like asthma, affect one in four elementary school children, which is about three times the national average.

 

The Water Brewery aims to provide easy access to highly-purified, restructured, and remineralized water that helps detoxify our bodies on a cellular level. We add over 70+ full-spectrum trace minerals that can strengthen and boost our body’s natural immunity. This is one of the easiest and most effective ways we can assist our body in its own detoxification process. To help reduce the amount of single-use plastic bottles, we offer a wide range of reusable glass and plastic bottles to encourage all of our customers to reduce their carbon footprint.

Let the chemicals of love flow between us instead of toxic chemicals stream within us.