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As the holiday season quickly approaches it’s easy to get overwhelmed  with the ever increasing demands on our time.  Holiday entertaining, events, gift-giving and charitable activities easily add up to a hectic, stress-filled holiday season.

This holiday, get your game on.  With a little planning and organization your holiday season can be all joy!  Here are a few of our favorite tips and ideas for making the most of the next few weeks.

This weekend get a game plan for your Thanksgiving activities.  If you are hosting a celebration, use this time to complete your shopping and prepare your home for the holiday.  If possible, plan for make-ahead items to lighten the load on Thanksgiving Day.

Entertaining Ideas:  Fill ice cube trays with Aquasana filtered water for delicious drinks.  Add lemon slices to ice cube trays for a refreshing addition to water and ice tea or make a citrus mint flavored water to compliment your meal:  Combine 3 sliced oranges and 10 mint leaves in one gallon of Aquasana filtered water.  Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

While you are recovering  from the holiday feast, make a list of all the holiday gift giving you would like to do.  Most importantly, identify those gifts that need to be given before the holiday to teachers, coaches, colleagues and holiday gift exchanges. With a little planning you can tackle these all at once and have them ready to go when needed.

Gift Idea: Stock up on Aquasana glass water bottles this weekend. Fill an Aquasana reusable glass water bottle with a holiday treat such as, gourmet coffee, tea, trail mix or pet treats.  Add a festive bow and gift tag.  Voilà! You have a fabulous, eco-conscious gift that will be appreciated and enjoyed throughout the year.

The weekend after Thanksgiving is the perfect time to take a few moments to plan out the remainder of the year.  You have six weekends before year end so make the most of them!  Make a list of all your commitments and plans and organize your schedule for the next few weeks.  If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to make reservations and purchase tickets for dining and entertainment in December.

With a little planning you can roll effortlessly through the holiday season.  Most importantly, stay hydrated, relax and remember….you can do this!

Today marks day 12 of drinking nothing but Aquasana filtered water, and I have to say, it has been quite a challenge indeed. Last week was rough. Starting the day without my morning cup of jo – rough. No relief for my mid-afternoon crash at work – rough. And forget about that evening or weekend libation – tough.

Now we are on week two of the Water Challenge here at the Aquasana office and everyone is already adjusting and feeling much better. The biggest change I’ve noticed so far is how well I sleep at night – like a baby! My body’s natural clock has kicked in and now I hit the sack by 10pm and wake up refreshed at 6am. I honestly can’t remember the last time I slept so well. It’s pretty interesting how much I used to rely on caffeine to get me going, but once cut out completely from my diet, I realize it’s really not a necessity at all.

In summary, I’m feeling great after just 12 days, so I know once I hit 21 days I’ll noticing other great benefits of healthy hydration. I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely looking forward to week three of the water challenge. How is everyone else feeling out there?

So you’ve bought yourself a brand new Aquasana under counter drinking filter system. Congratulations! You’ve taken that first step into a healthier life and a healthier family.

But how do you get the thing from the box into your kitchen?

Here’s a video that details how to get your new filter installed, followed by written instructions.

Installing the Aquasana under counter filters is really quite simple. Just follow these steps (and be sure to watch the installation video!):

1) Unbox all your parts and make sure you have everything. You should have
• A faucet
• A bracket
• A filter system
• 2 screws
• 2 screw anchors
• A brass T-fitting
• A small brass nut
• A plastic sleeve
• A brass insert
• A silicon o-ring
• A washer
• A large brass nut

In addition to these parts, you may need an adjustable wrench, a drill and Teflon tape (none of which is included) for installation.

2) Take the small brass nut and run it onto the orange line, threads pointing toward the open end of the line. Run the plastic sleeve down the orange line. Put the brass insert into the end of the orange line and press in firmly. Pull the plastic sleeve up to the end of the orange line, and then pull the brass nut up as well.

3) Thread the O-ring onto all three water lines and push it up against the bottom of the faucet. Thread all three water lines into the hole in your sink, and firmly seat the faucet, making sure the O-ring is inside the channel under the faucet.

4) Thread the washer onto all three water lines under the sink, and run it as far up the line as it will go. Thread the large brass nut onto all three lines, and screw it into the underside of the faucet. Tighten the nut.

5) Turn off the cold water line (usually on the right). Unscrew the cold water line, and screw in the brass T-fitting. You may find that wrapping the threads with Teflon tape reduces leaking. Tighten the fastenings, but do not over-tighten. Screw in the brass nut on the orange water line to the 90-degree outlet on the brass T-fitting. Tighten, but do not over-tighten.

6) Measure and drill holes in the wall for the bracket, leaving at least ten inches of clearance above the bottom of the cabinet. Insert the screw anchors. Remove the adhesive backing from the bracket, and place the bracket on the wall under your sink. Screw in the screws to secure the bracket to the wall.

7) Hang the filter unit on the bracket. Take the supply lines from the faucet, and insert the blue line into the blue cap and the white line into the white cap, pushing down firmly.

8 ) Turn on the cold water line again, slowly, and check for leaks. You may need to tighten screw connections or put Teflon tape on the threads to eradicate all leaking.

9) Turn on the faucet and flush the filter; the water will sputter at first. Run the water for 10 minutes to prime the filter cartridges, and then you’re ready to drink clean, fresh water!

If you experience difficulties, please give our customer service line a call. They are happy to answer any questions you have about your new filter, and troubleshoot the installation process: 866.662.6885.

1. You’ll drink more water: It’s easier to drink filtered than unfiltered water. Unfiltered water often tastes kind of funny, depending on where you live and what your water source is. So you drink soda or bottled water (which we will discuss in a minute), or possibly turn to tea and coffee as an alternative. Filtering does two things: it removes contamination that makes your water taste funny and maintains the healthy minerals (calcium, potassium and magnesium) that your body craves along with its water. If you’ve ever tasted distilled water or water from a reverse osmosis system, you may notice that it tastes kind of flat. Drab. Almost dry. That’s the lack of minerals. Often drinking this water fails to quench your thirst, so even if you’re full, you still have a craving for something wet. Why do people turn to sports drinks and soda? They both contain minerals your body needs—that’s both their value proposition and the mechanism that satisfies your thirst when you drink. By drinking filtered water that maintains healthy minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium, you feel more satisfied and less thirsty, and won’t hanker so much for a soda, either.

2. Your water will be cleaner: Filtration gets rid of the majority of your water’s contamination while preserving the healthy minerals that hydrate you better and relieve thirst better than some of your other options. Tap water is all right: It generally contains all the minerals in it you need, along with a good dose of contamination that you don’t. Some cities are better than others—get your local water report to learn where your city ranks—but even after treatment, the city pipes and water delivery system most likely contains some kind of contamination that gets back into the water before it gets to you. Heck, the pipes in your house are probably not all that clean, either! To be sure, a point-of-use system that attaches to your faucet goes a long way to easing your mind about the quality of water you consume.

3. You’ll have more control: Filtration gives you more control and insight into what’s in your water. It’s just always better to KNOW what you’re eating or drinking. Look no further than the spate of governmental rules and regulations food and beverage manufacturers must comply with to see that not only is it good to know what’s in there, but you have the legal right to know what’s in there. Filtering your own water once it enters your house offers a fine level of control over the quality of your drinking, cooking and bathing water.

4. It’s convenient: Really, what all the above reasons amount to is a higher level of convenience in your life. One more thing you don’t have to worry about, you don’t have to think about or wonder when you’re shopping in the grocery store. “Do I need to stock up on bottled water? Oh, no—I have better at home!”

5. It’s cheaper: Filtering is cheaper than bottled water by a mile. It’s even cheaper than pitcher filters. With Aquasana drinking filters specifically, you get almost twice as much bang for your buck than many pitcher filters, and over thirty times more than from bottled water. If you’re looking to save money in 2012, quitting the bottled water habit and choosing to filter is a long step in the right direction.

6. It’s green/sustainable: Going along with cheaper, filtering is also a very sustainable method of treating your water. Reverse osmosis wastes quite a bit of water, especially as a household solution (as opposed to a larger scale operation). Basically, you get a bit of clean water, but concentrate the contaminated water and send it back into the environment. Distillation requires electricity and also wastes water. Bottled water, aside from its health concerns, fills landfills with tons of plastic waste each day. Most bottles are not recycled (up to 80% are simply tossed in the garbage), despite their eligibility for recycling, and end up clogging rivers and land when they’re not actually disposed of “properly” in a landfill. Filtering can remove up to 4,000 bottles a year from landfills. Also, filtering is removing contamination from water—meaning less ambient contamination in general (not just for your drinking pleasure). And carbon—the chief material used in filtration—is good for the environment even once you’re done with using it to filter your water.

Have another great reason to filter your water? Let us know in the comments!

Have no fear, the Rhino is here!

Buying a point of use filter system like a countertop drinking water filter or shower filter, while not an impulse buy, certainly is not quite the financial commitment that a whole house filter can be. Most people decide to purchase one of our whole house filters because it ends up being a cheaper option in the long run, it takes less maintenance, or they need a customized solution for specific water problems like well water or high iron content. But the process doesn’t end with buying the system. Then you have to install the thing!

Warranty and Satisfaction Guarantee

As you may be aware, our Rhinos come with a 3-year warranty and a 90-day Satisfaction Guarantee. If you’re not pleased with your purchase, we’ll refund your money and pay to have it shipped back, no questions asked. But in order to keep your Rhino under warranty, you must have a certified plumber install it.

Finding a plumber

If you don’t already know a local plumber you trust, give us a call. We use Angie’s List to find reputable, knowledgeable plumbers in your area to install your system.

Installation

In the video below, we used Excalibur Plumbing in Round Rock, Texas. The house we used already had a water softener in place in the garage, so there was a water loop in place and we did not need to have one created. We had them come out and do an estimate first, and the cost of installation will vary based on where your water comes into your home, what kind of preparation the plumber needs to do, and the plumbing company rates for hours, etc. The installation in the video cost $380, to give you an idea of pricing.

Installation

Here’s the video version of how to install the Rhino.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Whole House Rhino filter

Q: How do I know when to replace the filter tanks?
A: According to the EPA, the average American household containing four people uses 100,000 gallons a year. The tanks will filter up to 300,000 gallons, so that means you should replace them every 3 years. Keep an eye on your water meter to determine how much water you use, or you can have a plumber install a gallon meter on your Rhino (they usually cost around $240).

Q: Do I have to replace the tanks every 3 years?
A: We recommend you replace the tanks every 3 years or 300,000 gallons. There’s nothing saying you have to, but the warranty expires after 3 years, so it’s a good idea to keep up to date. Also, once you hit 300,000 gallons, the filters don’t work as well. When you purchase a new set of filter tanks, the warranty starts over again for 3 more years, and your filter will remove the bad stuff at the optimum rate.

Q: Can I put the filter outside?
A: The filter must be installed away from direct sunlight, and the unit must be protected from extreme cold or heat. For best results, install it indoors (garage) or build a cover for it outside.

Q: Do I need a plumber to install it? How about to replace the filter tanks?
A: Yes, a certified plumber should install your whole house filter. If someone else installs it, your warranty is void. Your replacement tanks and pre-filters, however, do not need to be installed by a certified plumber: you may replace them yourself.

If you have more questions, ask in the comments, and we’ll answer them!

Unfortunately, studies and records show that eczema, particularly in babies and children, is becoming a more common and widespread problem. The good news is that it’s not always a life-long affliction for kids (they often outgrow it by 5 years old), but it’s still painful and frustrating to treat as a parent (and no picnic for your wee one, either). 

Many cases remain of undetermined origin, but there are some environmental and genetic variables that can play a part:

• Skin too dry (dehydrated or not enough natural oils, excessive sweating)
• Diet
• Exposure to physical allergens and irritants
• Plain old bad luck (genetics)

Recognizing it

In babies and young children, eczema shows up initially as red or swollen—sometimes pebbly or rough—skin, especially in skin folds that tend to stay damp: armpits, behind the knees, and in the groin area. Sometimes there are blisters or raised red bumps, and sometimes the scratching and dryness can get so bad the skin cracks and leaves open sores. Fussy, irritable babies with tender skin who dislike bath time might have a problem with eczema.

Treatments

Treatment invariably depends on the cause, which is not always obvious. Please consult your pediatrician or a dermatologist in order to get direction on the proper course of treatment.Your doctor will evaluate your kiddo, and ask a lot of questions about his or her environment. Why? If your child’s skin reacts to the laundry detergent you use, resolving the issue could be as simple as switching brands or going to a “free and clear” version. Children’s skin often responds to diet changes as well; removing things like dairy, nuts or soy can improve eczema symptoms a surprising amount. There are lotions and creams, acupuncture and other homeopathic treatments, and even UV light treatments. Here are the biggies:

• Filter your child’s bath water (I can personally attest that this does help, as I have adult eczema, and it helps me!)
• Change laundry detergent, and dress your wee babe in 100% cotton clothing to allow the skin to breathe
• Perform an allergy test and identify possible contact or internal allergens (we’re looking at you, cow’s milk!)
• Remove certain Big Allergens from your kid’s diet (or stop eating them yourself, if you’re breastfeeding): cow’s milk, soy, nuts, eggs, fish, shellfish, and wheat
• Try keep your baby in a warm (not hot!), dry environment to minimize sweating (sorry, fellow Texans, you will fail this one)
• Try OTC hydrocortisone cream (though I’m not a huge fan of chemicals)

Those are just some of the remedies available. There are a lot of them out there on the web, but please be careful when trying them out! Always test first on yourself, and if there’s no reaction, a small part of your baby (with something handy to wipe/remove the solution if it’s not well received).

Does your child have eczema? What have you found works to help alleviate the symptoms? Share in the comments!

The pimple. The zit. The third eye. You go to bed thirty-something and wake up a teenager. You scream to yourself, “Why do I still have acne?” and that snarky little guy on your face just smiles back. Well, take comfort in the fact that you’re not the only one that seemed to have taken a swim in the hot tub time machine. Adult acne is very common. It affects 25 percent of adult men and 50 percent of adult women. Dermatologists are seeing more adult acne patients than ever before given a recent study that shows it’s increasing and lasting longer . Although the causes are unknown, possibilities include hormones, cosmetics, stress and an increase of resistant bacteria. But which treatment is the best one for you to keep your skin looking beautiful?

1. “Acne surgery.” It’s basically squeezing pimples. You get immediate results, but without the risk of infection, scarring or spreading.
2. Skin care products. But which do you buy without gawking down a whole aisle having to spend an hour reading every product on shelves? That depends on the type of acne you have. A trip to your dermatologist may save you time and money. Why spend a fortune trying different over-the-counter products when one prescription will do?
3. Topical retinoic acid. It’s a form of vitamin A and a safe alternative to Accutane. New slow-release forms have greatly reduced irritation.
4. Other treatments include: azelaic acid cream, alpha-hydroxy acids, benzoyl peroxide, topical antibiotics and birth control pills.

Not a stranger to these treatments? Why not try these…if you’re brave.

1. Number One Plus. It’s a sexual lubricant used in Cambodia for condoms. When applied, it dries out acne lesions.
2. Toothpaste. Be sure to use a white paste, not blue, clear or a gel.
3. Nightingale droppings. This is an ingredient used for facials and is performed by an Asian-inspired salon.
4. Egg white mask. Just rub on your face, let dry, then rinse. It leaves your skin smooth and supposed to have soothing, therapeutic effects on the skin.

Not that brave? Try this daily regimen:

What are your favorite acne treatments and regimens?

Oh, rashes. We’ve all encountered them in some form, mostly from an allergy or something we touch. Growing up on 10 acres of wooded land, I found myself adventuring outside to “explore” (usually poison ivy). I then got to explore the rash that would form on my skin, along with all the scratches I collected on my legs from stepping in briars, and all the itching that ensued. Rashes are a common skin condition that many children and adults experience and they are utterly annoying to deal with.

Rashes, also called dermatitis, are often caused by things that your skin touches (contact dermatitis) such as:

• Chemicals in elastic, latex and rubber
• Cosmetics, soaps and detergents
• Jewelry (like all women, I’m allergic to fake gold)
• Dyes and other chemicals in clothing
• Poison ivy and poison oak

Common symptoms include:

• Red rash or bumps
• Itching
• Dry, red patches
• Blisters and draining fluid in severe cases
• Pain or tenderness

Irritant and allergic contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis fall into two categories: Irritant and allergic. Irritant contact dermatitis is more common and caused by repeated contact with a substance that – wait for it – irritates the skin! Bleach is a substance that can cause this after just one exposure, as it removes oil and protective barriers in the skin. Allergic contact dermatitis is caused by a reaction to substances (allergens). The resulting rash, and sometimes blisters, is your body’s response to the allergen. It can take several years to develop
an allergy, which will then last for life.

Self-help

Most the time you have to ride out the rash, which is the most annoying part of developing a rash. After taking antibiotics, I developed a rash that lasted for two weeks and the only remedy that significantly soothed my itching was olive oil. Olive oil has healing and renewal properties and helps restore moisture to the skin. The only thing more annoying than having to apply this on my skin is the craving of bread that followed. Other self-help remedies include:

• Witch hazel
• Oatmeal
• Aloe Vera
• Calendula Essential Oil
• Baking Powder
• St. John’s Wort
• Chamomile
• Jewelweed
• Wild Pansy

Complications

Prolonged scratching may increase the intensity of the itch and lead to Neurodermatitis, so it’s best to keep your skin as moisturized as possible. The chlorine that is in your shower water can exacerbate itching, as it strips your skin of its natural moisture. Installing a shower filter that removes chlorine, as well as other contaminants, is one of the best things you can do for persistently itchy skin.

When to see a doctor

Some rashes may require a visit to your dermatologist or family doctor. See your doctor if:

• You’re so uncomfortable that you’re losing sleep or daily routines are interrupted.
• Your skin is painful
• Your skin becomes infected
• Self-care has failed
• You feel the cause is job-related

We all know we should use sunscreen to help ward off the harmful rays of the sun. Sometimes there are so many choices, however, that it’s hard to know where to start. At the most basic level, there are lotions (the old stand-by) and the newer sprays and spray lotions. Do they do the same job? Do they both give the same amount of coverage and protection? There are lots of articles out there that go into the science of the debate, which I (not being qualified to) will not do here. But people tend to have a great deal to say about which sunscreen they like better (just ask—there are some pretty big opinions out there!).

For your skin, lotion might be the better way to go. To me, the sprays tend to lose at least 75% of their liquid to every chance wind that gusts up right when you hit the button. But sprays undeniably go on faster. But what’s in them? Lots of chemicals and questionable ingredients that may provoke a negative reaction. Not that lotion is any better—it’s goopy and white and “takes FOR-EVER, MOM” and is hardly attractive. So after sifting through several blog posts and discussion posts on forums about the issue, I have boiled it down to the major pros and cons for each (as told by others).

So which is better? I’d say that whatever works for you and your family is the better choice. And there are, as I mentioned before, lots of studies and reviews to help you choose:

Environmental Working Group list of Best Sunscreens

Environmental Working Group sunscreen report

9 truths about sunscreen

And here’s a list of lotion-based, chemical and hormone-free sunscreens

In the end, whichever route you choose, there are a few rules of thumb when dealing with sun exposure:

1. 1. Apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes prior to sun exposure, to give the ingredients a chance to activate.
2. 2. Cover every inch of exposed skin (I know lots of people who apply it naked before dressing, to avoid missing those little slices of skin at your clothing lines).
3. 3. Reapply regularly (every 2-3 hours at most—more often if swimming or sweating profusely).

Other pro tips:

• Cover with lotion in the morning, then reapply with spray during the day (because it’s quicker).
• Remember to get the back of your neck, your ears, your hands and feet (even the soles, if you’re planning on lying on your tummy for any length of time), and very carefully under all the hems of your clothing.
• If you begin to feel over hot, or if your skin turns a markedly different color when you press your finger into it, get into the shade for a little bit and drink some water!

As much as possible, wear protective clothing to block as much sun as you can: hats, shirts, and loose clothing.

Which do you prefer? Spray or lotion? We had the discussion in the office, and everyone has an opinion and a reason! What are yours??

When most people think of dermatology, they probably think of beauty. No longer are dermatologists known for removing embarrassing warts or moles, but for chemical peels and Botox. They are the go-to person for making skin beautifully flawless. But dermatologists also engage clients to help them deal with some of the more unsightly dermal concerns: skin abnormalities, rashes and cysts, among other things.

My own first meeting with a dermatologist was over a cyst. Cysts are a common abnormality that often appear on the face and neck, but can appear anywhere on the body. They’re just plain ugly, and coming from personal experience, I can assure you that they’re embarrassing and made me feel self-conscience. I even had people ask if I had cancer!

So…

What is a Cyst?

A cyst is a noncancerous, closed pocket of tissue that can form anywhere in the body and is common on the skin. Skin cysts develop due to an infection, clogging of sebaceous glands (also called oil glands), and may form around foreign bodies in the skin, like piercings. Certain factors increase the possibility of developing a cyst such as:

• Acne
• Gender
• Age (30s or 40s)
• Damaged hair follicles (skin abrasions or wounds)
• Trauma (skin is crushed or broken from an injury, such as hitting your finger with a hammer)
• Birth Defects

Common Skin Cysts at a Glance:

Cysts are usually noticeable and tend to be slow-growing, painless and can be rolled under the skin. Some of the most common types of skin cysts include:

• Epidermoid cysts (which men are twice as likely to have): the most common type of skin cysts (this was the type I had) and are often mislabeled as sebaceous cysts, which are a rare type of cyst. Epidermoid cysts range in size from ¼ inch to 2 inches (Mine was about an inch).
• Lipoma: a fatty lump that tends to grow slowly over time and is usually discovered accidentally.
• Pilar cysts: form from hair follicles and commonly occur on the scalp.
• Milia: tiny white bumps or small cysts on the skin. These cysts are common in newborns, which then are called Epstein’s pearls, and go away on their own.
• Pilmatrixoma: a slow-growing, hard mass found beneath the skin. Occurs most commonly on the face and neck and is seen mostly in children under 10.

Treatments

The treatment of most cysts depends upon cause, size and location. Removal of the cyst is done at your doctor or dermatologist’s discretion, as some cysts can be drained or aspirated, or injected with a cortisone shot (My dermatologist gave me a cortisone shot, which resulted in an infection, so instead of a smallish size cyst, I had what looked like a goiter. I went back and it was drained – yuck! – and removed). Some cysts disappear on their own without treatment. Most people elect to have their cyst drained or removed for cosmetic reasons or to prevent further growth of the cyst. Pilmatrixoma cysts are removed surgically as an outpatient procedure.

Prevention

Some skin cysts can be prevented by keeping your skin clean and avoiding skin irritation. Using a shower filter that filters out harsh chlorine to keep your skin soft and less dry may help reduce irritation. Use gentle, oil-free cleansers, wear soft, cotton clothing, and adjust anything that may rub against your skin.

Need a little less skin irritation in your life? Check out our shower filters to keep your skin soft and from drying out! Click here to receive half-off during July 2011!