The Healing Power of Water Gardens
The Healing Power of Water Gardens
If you experienced a day filled with running from one place to the next, one errand to the next, one meeting to the next, imagine a place where all your troubles can melt away. A place where the stressors of the day are nonexistent. A place where peace and tranquility are norm.Seem impossible? Incredibly, something such as this can exist right within your own home or office. It can be accomplished with something as simple as a tabletop or indoor fountain.An increasingly popular way to create balance in a busy life, the soothing sounds of gently tricking water is something that virtually anyone will enjoy. These are the sounds that melt away the pressures of the day.To add a sense of relaxation and serenity to any room in your home or office you can utilize the healing powers of indoor water gardens. Whether you choose a pre-made fountain or design one to your own unique tastes and needs, the healing powers of an indoor fountain have been long utilized in many cultures.The range of styles and prices varies as much as the people who have them. From a small, inexpensive plastic model, to a very elaborate rock and exotic plant custom made water garden, the healing properties can be as effective. You can easily accessories your fountains with stones, rocks, Bonsai trees and special lighting.Indoor water gardens and fountains are a place where young and old alike can find a safe place. A place to connect with their innermost self. Within seconds of allowing your soul to absorb the beauty of the water and the joyous sounds you will find your troubles melt away.In order to fully enjoy the wonders of the water, have comfortable chairs or pillows placed throughout the fountain area. Although some people enjoy listening to the gentle sound of music, you can derive much pleasure from the simple sounds of the trickling water.Allow yourself to drift to another time, another place. A place where life is simple. A place where you imagination is free to roam. A place where you connect with the very core of your spirit.Enjoy the sounds of silence in between to sounds of the water. The sounds that are there to heal your spirit. Water is one of the most life affirming substances we have. It allows for a cleansing in a way nothing else can.We all need beauty surrounding us. An indoor water garden or fountain is one such way to accomplish this.Copyright:
The Health Benefits Of Drinking Water – Is Bottled Drinking Water Healthier Than Filtered Tap Water? – Home-Improvement
The Health Benefits Of Drinking Water - Is Bottled Drinking Water Healthier Than Filtered Tap Water?
Water is a key ingredient in a healthy diet and lifestyle. There are many health benefits of drinking water. It helps flush impurities and toxins out of our systems. It aids in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients. In fact, nearly every system in our bodies relies on water for proper functioning. But what if your water is unhealthy?In past decades, concerns about tap water and its impact on overall health led some people to turn to bottled drinking water instead. In those days, there were few choices. You could pay to have a company deliver large bulky plastic bottles of water for the water cooler. Or you could purchase gallon jugs of distilled or "drinking water" at the grocery store.In recent years, there has been an explosion in the number of different bottled waters available, with big distributors such as Coke and Pepsi jumping on the bandwagon. But are bottled drinking waters like Coke's Dasani brand, Pepsi's Aquafina, or Wal-Mart's store brand really any healthier than your tap water? Or would you be better off with a drinking water filtration system?As we've learned more about the water we drink, the technology behind drinking water filters and purification systems has improved dramatically. There are filters to remove impurities, chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria and most every contaminant you can think of. With the right size and filter combination for your specific home, your water can be exceptionally pure and healthy.Cost ComparisonDrinking water filtration systems have also become more affordable and easy to use. Although the initial cost of a whole house system usually runs several hundred dollars, that cost is often less than $100 each year if spread out over the life of the system.There may be additional expenses to replace carbon filters, membranes in reverse osmosis drinking water filtration system, or lamps in an ultraviolet light water treatment device. These expenses can add another $100 or so to the annual costs of operating drinking water filters and purification systems.While some people may hesitate to spend two or three hundred dollars each year for clean, safe drinking water, they are probably paying more for bottled drinking water. Calculations show that at a price of $1 to $4 per gallon, bottled or delivered water costs an average of $400 each year, especially if you purchase individual bottles. And that doesn't take into consideration the gas needed to drive to the store or the environmental impact of all the empty plastic bottles.Health AspectsMany people who choose bottled drinking water understand that it is more expensive, but are willing to pay the extra money because they feel bottled water is safer and healthier than filtered drinking water. After all, bottled water is often marketed as "natural spring water" or "pure glacier water."In reality, few bottled waters come from natural springs, and most of them use municipal tap water. The companies are able to get away with this false marketing because the regulations and standards for bottle drinking water are less stringent than those for residential drinking sources.Bottled water quality is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while drinking water systems are typically regulated by State regulations or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This doesn't mean that the FDA isn't doing their job. It's just that the rules for bottled water only require it to be as good as tap water, not better.In addition, the FDA regulations only apply to bottled drinking water that is transported across state lines. If a company sells their bottled drinking water in the same state where it was bottled, the federal regulations don't apply. The result is that many bottled waters are not any healthier than filtered water, and in fact some are less pure.This was demonstrated in a study conducted in 1999 by the Natural Resources Defense Council. They tested over 100 brands of bottled drinking water and found that about 1/3 of the waters contained contamination in the form of chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic. The study also found that up to 40% of bottled drinking waters come from a city water system.How To Tell If Your Water Is HealthySo how do you tell if the water you're drinking is healthy? With tap water, it's relatively easy. If you water comes from a municipal source, the suppliers are required by law to provide annual water quality reports. If you have a well, you can have an authorized lab test your water. It may cost $100 or more, but it's a small price to pay for peace of mind. Or you can purchase a kit and test it yourself, although the results are not as conclusive or reliable.When it comes to bottled drinking water, it can be more difficult to know what you're getting. Start by checking the label or the bottle cap. Some may tell you that the water comes from a municipal source or "community water system," which means tap water.If the label doesn't give any information, you can call the bottler and ask. But don't be surprised if you get the run around and are transferred to several different departments. Some states have a bottled water program that tracks bottled drinking water and can tell you the origin of the source water as well as other information.Safe and healthy drinking water has become big business. Thousands of companies are vying for your hard earned cash, and some are not always honest about what their products offer. The initial investment for a home drinking water filtration system can seem expensive at first, but over time, it is usually less expensive than bottled drinking water. And with a water filter, you at least know where the water you drink came from and how it was treated.Before going out and spending your hard earned money for bottled drinking water that may be no better than your own tap water, it's a good idea to do some research. You're likely to decide that a drinking water filtration system and/or purifier is the healthier choice and provides the best value as well.About the Author:
C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for Water-Filters-N-Purifiers.com, providing consumer information on
water purification systems such as whole house and
under sink water filters. She found out about comparing the
health benefits of drinking water years ago when she learned that the
bottled water she was buying came from a municipal system in a nearby city.
Water Ponds and Wildlife – How To Attract More Animals to Your Backyard-Gardening
Water Ponds and Wildlife - How To Attract More Animals to Your Backyard
Wildlife require water just as humans do. Water is essential for life. Songbirds use it for bathing and preening; waterfowl and shorebirds for finding food and escaping predators; and muskrat, mink and beaver for every part of their existence.Providing water can be as simple as a bird bath or small fiberglass water pond or as complex as the construction of a large, excavated wetland with an artificial or clay liner.The simplest method of providing water is a bird bath. The structure need not be elaborate, an old pie tin works as well as a prefabricated concrete structure. Make sure the water is no deeper than three inches and that smooth bottom baths are enhanced with some type of structure or objects for perching. To cut back on maintenance, simply hang a garden hose above the bath and allow water to drip into the bath at a slow rate.Birds also require water in winter. By providing open water, you may potentially attract more birds for viewing. There are a variety of options including dog and poultry water heaters as well as commercial water heaters designed specifically for bird baths.It is important that you always keep placement in mind both for the bird's safety and for your viewing enjoyment. Keep the bird bath near a favorite viewing location but at least ten feet away from vegetation or other cover. This will help in preventing neighborhood predators such as domestic cats from killing birds.Small backyard ponds with artificial liners are another method of providing water for wildlife. Choose a location that receives sun part of the day to stimulate plant growth. Begin pond construction with a pre-fabricated fiberglass shell or similar item such as a kid's wading pool or old washtub. A good option to both of these methods is utilization of 20 mil black plastic.If you begin with a child's wading pool or washtub, it should be lined with 10-30 mil black plastic. This will insure water does not leak from the pond and will give a more natural background color than that of a wading pool or other structure.Begin by excavating soil out of an area roughly equal to the size and shape of your liner. Remember, the location of your pond should be where you can view it from your house. You should also consider keeping it within reach of a garden hose for filling purposes or and electrical supply for powering any pumps or aerators. A pond need not be more that ten feet long and two to five feet wide. Providing varying depths from a few inches to a couple feet will increase chances of different wildlife using your pondAfter fitting the liner, field stones, flat rocks or timber can help hold and hide the edges of the plastic liner. Adding soil over the top of the positioned liner will allow future planting of aquatic vegetation. An alternate method to lining the entire pond bottom with soil is to put aquatic plants into pots and then submerge the pots in desired locations within the pond. Stabilize pots with rocks or other means to prevent tipping. Plan to have enough aquatic plants to cover 30-40 percent of the surface area.Provide areas for birds and turtles to make use of your pond by adding log perches or a rock island. Creating a sandy, gravel beach in one corner can provide the grit birds require for digesting food. A sandy substrate also makes looking for wildlife tracks an educational experience. After you have completed all the necessary preparations, fill the pond with water. If using tap water rather than well water, let stand for a week to let chemicals like chlorine dissipate.You may choose to see if plants will come naturally. This could occur through transfer of seeds on bird's feet or from their droppings. Another method to introduce potential plant and invertebrate life is to scoop muck from an existing wetland and transfer it to your pond.Keep an eye on your pond often and log the plant growth as a family activity. And be sure to keep watching for new wildlife to your new oasis.This article is courtesy of D.R. Ray, owner of the Water-Pond-Guide.com website. Learn more about backyard and patio ponds at Water-Pond-Guide.com.