Today's LHH Tips - Kombucha, Plastic, Food

All right, so I'm sure I'm not the first person to blog about the health benefits of drinking Kombucha, but I don't care. For those of you who don't know, Kombucha is a fermented tea used traditionally for medicinal purposes. It supports, among other health benefits, digestion, metabolism, immune system, appetite control, weight control, liver function, body alkalinity, anti-aging, cell integrity, healthy skin and hair. I started drinking Kombucha about two months ago, and, although I can't tell you any major noticeable improvements in my overall yet, it's one of those drinks that just feels good to drink. And it's actually pretty darn tasty too! The Synergy brand of Kombucha (bottled out of Beverly Hills) comes in several flavors. My favorites so far are Mystic Mango, Trinity and Gingerade. Look for it at your local farmer's market or just go straight to Synergy's website if you're interested. Synergy Kombucha comes in a great 16 oz. glass bottle, I like to save mine and use them as water bottles.

You should drink water out of glass as often as you can, by the way. The plastic of practically every water bottle brand = no bueno for your body!
*SIDEBAR*
 You know the little number inside the triangle on the bottom of plastic bottles? It's not for recycling purposes. That number tells you the chemical make-up of the plastic. Although any kind of plastic is bad for you, the worst numbers for you are 3, 6 and 7. 
1 Polyethylene terephalate (PET)
2 High density polyethylene  (HPDE)
3 Unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) or Plasticised polyvinyl chloride (PPVC)
4 Low density polyethylene LDPE
5 Polypropylene (PP)
6 Polystyrene (PS) or Expandable polystyrene (EPS)
7 Other, including nylon and acrylic

So, why are these bad for you? The chemical make-up of these plastics, especially 3, 6 and 7 can break down easily, and leach out of the plastic and into the water. This is also why you should never wash or re-use plastic water bottles. Whenever plastic of any kind is exposed to heat, it changes the chemical make-up, and causes the plastic to break down easily. These chemicals are harmful to your body and can, to be perfectly blunt, royally screw up your system. Besides, everyone knows water tastes better out of glass! :) Ok. Sidebar over.

For all you Phoenicians out there, if you have not yet checked out The Phoenix Local Market, I highly encourage you to do so! Not only does it have an awesome, retro vibe, it's got some of the best tasting food you'll ever find. Living in downtown has really opened up my eyes to the jewel that is local farming and marketing. Buying and selling locally is one of the most important things we can do for our community - and it's one of the most important things we can do for our health! The food you buy locally is guaranteed to be the best for you (unless you grow your own food) because it is fresh, and hasn't been produced in bulk. QUALITY NOT QUANTITY.