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5 Tips To Help You Drink More Water Throughout the Day
Water gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements; it regulates our temperature, lubricates joints, and protects sensitive tissues.
To reap all the benefits that water has to offer you, here are some tips to help you stay hydrated throughout the day, every day:
1. Keep a bottle on hand
2. Add a dash of fresh lemon
Stay hydrated all day by dring a glass of water, followed by a warm lemon water glass. Try not to drink coffee before having at least one full glass of water.
3. Eat water-filled produce
Try to eat fresh produce with high water content such as watermelon and cucumber. Follow through with this habit during the winter months, and your hydration levels will go up, and your skin will look radiant and refreshed too!
4. Download an App
There are various hydration reminder apps out there, so choose what suits you best and start fueling your body with water. Push notifications are also handy when the day begins to get busy.
5. Make fruit-infused water
If water tastes too bland to encourage you to dring more often, try cutting up fruit and adding it to pitchers of water. Berries, pineapple, basil, lime, and ginger are perfectingredients to add a refreshing flavor to water.
How Much Water Do We Need To Drink Every Day?
Every day we lose water through breathing, sweating, urinating, and passing bowel movements. For our body to function correctly, we must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and water-filled foods.
So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? According to experts, adequate daily fluid intake is:
- About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men
- About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
These recommendations include fluids from water, other beverages, and food. About 20% of total fluid intake usually comes from food while the rest comes from drinks.
This content has been sourced and prepared by Codico Lab
Athens Unpacked Episode 8 - From Benefactors To Buskers
Thank you This is Athens for your contribution as an XpatAthens Partner.
5 Tips For A Healthy Lifestyle Brought To Us By Ancient Greeks
If you're wondering where to start, here are 5 tips on how to lead a healthier lifestyle, according to Ancient Greeks!
1. Eat meals in social settings & gatherings
If you've ever been to Greece, you probably know that Greek meals are very communal, and it's only natural to witness large groups of people coming together to enjoy their favorite Greek dishes. This was the case in antiquity too, when dinner was almost always a social affair. Ancient Greeks used to dine with their friends, and after their meal, they would hold a banquet, known as a symposium, that involved drinking, dancing, recitals, and conversation. Engaging in intriguing conversations during their dinner would help them eat less and slowly, thus preventing indigestion.
2. Drink wine
The ancient Greeks thought that wine was essential to good health, and they would accompany every meal with a glass of wine, often watered down to encourage moderation. Indeed, red wine is rich in phytonutrients that offer a variety of cardiovascular and cognitive benefits. According to studies, moderate wine consumption can reduce inflammation in the brain and help it clear away toxins, including those associated with various brain illnesses.
3. Embrace a healthy diet
You are probably aware of the famous saying: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Well, according to Hippocrates, this is completely true. The Father of Medicine famously wrote: “Let thy food be thy medicine", to emphasize the importance of nutrition to prevent or cure a disease. A healthy diet, as the Ancient Greeks perceived it, would include a variety of foods such as fruits and vegetables, as well as fish, legumes, and poultry, whole-grain products, and healthy fats from olive oil, nuts, and seeds.
4. Engage in physical activity
Ancient Greeks used to say: "A healthy mind in a healthy body." They believed that our mind and our body are directly linked, so, to maintain a healthy mind, it is essential to maintain a healthy body, and vice versa. Physical fitness is particularly beneficial since it helps maintain a healthy body by regulating the blood flow, increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, keeping organs active, and eliminating toxins.
5. Pay attention to your dreams
When Freud proposed his psychodynamic theory a century ago, he emphasized the importance of dreams. However, thousands of years before, Ancient Greeks had highlighted that dreams can indicate the overall state of one's health. Hippocrates analyzed dreams to help make diagnoses, while, according to Galen, dreams could reveal specific problems someone could be suffering from.
Athens Acropolis Becomes Accessible To The Visually Impaired
During the inauguration, Culture & Sports Minister Lina Mendoni noted that “equal access to cultural goods is a goal, an objective and a bet for the ministry and its services.”
The haptic course features 12 stops and 4 information points, with signs in Greek and English Braille and a tactile 3D model of the archaeological site of the Acropolis, also with Braille notation in Greek and English.
Accompanying the visit are guides in large print and in Braille in six languages, among several more types of aid, while guards on the site have been trained to assist visually impaired people with the available tools.
In addition, an app for Android and IOS cellphones is also available through the Ephorate of the City of Athens.
The special route for the blind was implemented in collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of the City of Athens and the Lighthouse for the Blind of Greece organization, with the support and sponsorship of the Onassis Foundation.
To read this article in full, please visit: greekreporter.com
The First Cat Cafe In Athens: A Feline Haven For Every Cat Lover
This innovative establishment, brought to life by a team with an unwavering love for cats, promises an unforgettable experience for visitors seeking a delightful fusion of relaxation and feline charm.
Guided by a set of core values—centered on animal welfare, compassion, and a commitment to innovation—the Cat Café Athens prioritizes the health, safety, and well-being of its resident cats while fostering an atmosphere of kindness and respect for guests.
Photo Credits: catcafe.gr
10 Years Of Celebration For Golf & Maritime At The Greek Maritime Golf Event
Teddy’s Speakeasy transports us back to the Prohibition era and invites us on a “hunt” for rare flavors. It holds the title of Habanos Specialist in Greece, offering a an extensive selection of handmade Cuban cigars.
Outlet Shopping Therapy
With the first ever Fall Sales only a few days away (1-9 Nov 2013), let’s face it, sometimes the best therapy is the shopping kind – even if it’s the ‘window’ shopping kind! So after a tough week of too much and too little time, the doctor ordered a trip to the shops. Except in this case, the shops came to me!
The other day I read an article by Nikola Georgiakodi about outlet/warehouse stores around Athens. I figured at least a few of you might be interested in this very important topic, so I’m including parts of the piece in English below… Original Greek article is here.
Here we go:
Local warehouse/outlet shops promise that we can go shopping for the new season without emptying our wallets in the blink of an eye. The majority of the discounts offered by these outlets reach 70%, but you may well run into some of the ten-day bazaars organized by products (eg. jeans, shoes, jackets) and get lucky with even greater discounts . Here are some of our favorite warehouse addresses in the wider Athens area for cheap autumn shopping.
Factory Outlet: www.factory.gr At their 2 big locations, on Pireos Street and at the Airport, they stock some of the most popular casual and sportswear brands at prices up to 80% off retail.
McArthur Glen: www.mcarthurglen.com/gr/mcarthurglen-athens/gr With lots of brands, including many more expensive names (Diesel, Guess, Lacoste, Moschino, Levi’s, Bodytalk, American Vintage, Notos Galleries, etc), McArthur Glen in Spata is part of an international chain of outlet ‘villages’ – an easy place to spend a day, with cafes and restaurants too.
Empoli Outlet: www.empoli.gr At their 2 locations (the larger one in Nea Ionia and another in Peristeri), you will find brands like American Vintage, Attrativo, Boss, Miss Sixty, Nautica, Nike and many more, again up to 80% off retail.
Notos Outlet (Meneksedon 6, tel: 211 188 7341) Notos Outlet in Kifisia stocks a large selection of clothing from brands like Trussardi Jeans, Ralph Lauren, Ecco Shoes, The Bostonians, Kookai, etc., at prices from 30%-70% off retail. At the Notos Perfume Bar at the same location, you will find a large selection of fragrances, make-up and skincare products from Clarins, Guerlain, Lancaster, Davidoff, Max Factor, Givenchy, Bulgari, Calvin Klein, Hermes, etc. at 30%-50% off. You can also find a number of home décor products discounted up to 50%.
And here are a few more warehouse/outlet locations!
Benetton – Sisley: Alatsaton 34, Nea Ionia, tel 210 271 7774
Berto Lucci Stock: Lenorman 254, Athens, tel 210 515 2576
Oxford Company Stock: El. Venizelou 231, Palio Faliro, tel 210 988 9043
Raxevsky Stock: Kolonou 1, Peristeri, tel 210 575 1188
Vardas Stock: Sof. Venizelou 59, Likovrisi, tel 210 283 7796
Puma Outlet: El. Venizelou 224, Palaio Faliro, tel 210 985 4582)
Nike Outlet Store: El, Venizelou 224, Palaio Faliro, tel 983 6021
Top Shoes: Leoforos Dim. Metaksa Aggelou 24-26, Oscar Shopping Centre, Glyfada, 210 894 5935
Orange Stores Outlet (men’s & women’s underwear): Ag. Paraskevis 10, Peristeri, tel: 210 578 5400
Kalogirou Shoes: Arkadias 36, Peristeri, tel 210 335 6406
Roccoco Stock: Ag. Paraskevis 32, Halandri, 210 682 4059
The North Face: Her. Polutexneiou 19, Halandri, tel 210 675 5785
Happy Shopping!
Until next week,
Jack
In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…
Cilentio, One Of The Most Chic And Trendy
3 Matzarou St. & Solonos St, 106 72 Kolonaki, Athens, Τ: 210. 3633144
cilentio.gr
Do you have a recommendation or recipe to share? Send it to us at ideas@xpatathens.com!
Small Underwater Town Found Off Delos
Remains of an ancient town were discovered on the bottom of the Aegean Sea off the island of Delos, according to a Ministry of Culture announcement. The ruins of an ancient pottery workshop prompted archaeologists to say that this was in fact an ancient settlement. The findings lay at a depth of only two meters on the northeastern coast of Delos, near the popular island of Mykonos.
According to Greek mythology, the god Apollo and goddess Artemis were born on Delos, making it a sacred island. Hence the famous Temple of Apollo on the island.
Archaeologists found 16 terracotta pots and remains of a kiln embedded in the sea floor, similar to workshops found in Pompeii and Herculaneum, according to the ministry. The large stones in front of the workshop probably mean that they belong to the settlement’s waterfront.
Other lined stones suggest walls of structures, reinforcing the theory that this was indeed a settlement. In the past, archeologists believed that the ruins were port facilities.
The new search that was conducted by divers from the National Hellenic Research Foundation and the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, led to different conclusions. Rather than a dock, a pottery workshop and other buildings were once there. The structure remains were found in shallow waters, less than one meter deep.
To read more, please visit greekreporter.com
By Philip Chrysopoulos
We Suggest A Mediterranean Approach To Sea Bass
“Maybe the otolith?” another scientist suggested.
“Ah,” Panopoulos said, “the otolith.”
He worked a knife into the fish’s head and removed the pearly ear bone. Then, using his glass as a primitive magnifying instrument, he counted the otolith’s layers, which accrue like rings in a tree. “I see four,” Panopoulos said, “and they are uneven. This fish is four years old and wild.”
That the fish before us was indeed wild is a rarity in modern Greece. Never common, wild European sea bass are today one of the more overfished creatures in the Mediterranean. So rare that when you want to say you “hit the jackpot” in Greek, you say you “epyase lavraki” — you caught a sea bass. But as is increasingly the case with prized sea creatures, the end of a fish in the sea does not mean its disappearance from the plate. In fact the diminishing of a wild population is often the trigger that starts research on a new species’ domestication.
Sea-bass farming has been a long time in the works. It was piloted in France and Israel in the 1960s, and it took years to decode the biochemistry behind reproduction and diet. A final element — the warm, protected inlets of coastal Greece, turned it into a commodity.
In Greece it began, as it should, with a man at sea. In 1982, Thanasis Frentzos set sail from Kefalonia, an island some archaeologists believe was Odysseus’ Ithaca. Frentzos bears a certain resemblance to Homer’s protagonist, and so it follows that when he traveled to Sicily to purchase 100,000 inch-long sea-bass juveniles, his return trip was interrupted by a fierce gale known as the donkey mistral, and 90,000 bass perished in the storm. He installed the surviving bass in a pen and grew them to maturity. From this first farm (now called Kefalonia Fisheries), Greece came to dominate world sea-bass production, and the Selonda company has emerged as an international leader, with exports to the United States growing to more than a million pounds in 2004 from 10,000 pounds in 2000.
American appreciation of foreign bass has risen in inverse proportion to the decline of our own domestic striped bass. Similar in shape to European sea bass, American striped bass were recently found through DNA analysis to be so closely related as to share a common genus (Morone). With their meaty white flesh, “stripers” were a favorite from the Carolinas to Maine all the way back to Colonial days. Fishing pressure on stripers mounted progressively until the mid-’70s, when the catch plunged. By the early ’80s, just as Thanasis Frentzos was sailing for Sicily, conservationists were suggesting stripers for the Endangered Species List.
But while Europeans generally turn to the farm when fish go missing, Americans tend to look to the wild. In a major conservation act, a consortium of states halted striped-bass fishing in the ’80s, and a program was introduced to rebuild the breeding stock in the Chesapeake Bay. One scientist the government engaged was Yonathan Zohar, an Israeli-born biologist at the University of Maryland at Baltimore who helped decode European sea-bass reproduction. Zohar, who refers to himself as an “OB-GYN for fish,” got wild striped bass to spawn in captivity in a predictable manner. Supplementation combined with fishing moratoriums yielded results. Today striper populations are listed as “fully rebuilt,” and the fish has once again appeared on seafood menus — alongside branzino.
To read more, please visit nytimes.com
By Paul Greenberg