Wendy’s Picks

Fancy Waters

Why drink something other than tap water?
Some walkers may not like the taste, or lack of taste, of tap water or bottled spring water. Or they may want some promised extra benefits from fancy waters. Entrepreneurs are responding with a wide array of waters with various promises designed to entice you choose their beverages instead of the old water fountain.

—Wendy Bumgardner
www.walking.about.com

e-water™ e-water™ provides a dose of 50-plus electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, lithium, calcium, and vanadium, to name a few. e-water™ also contains fulvic acid, “ancient China’s Golden Medicine,” which the company claims helps absorption of the electrolytes. The water tastes good; no flavor, but with enough added dissolved salts to refresh. Athletes may not get enough electrolytes from this water to use it as a true electrolyte replacement sports drink, as the salt level appears to be 1/6 of that recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine. But if you don’t sweat much or if you have salty snacks, this water would work fine. It definitely was the best tasting of the bunch I tried. www.enjoytherush.com
Jana Skinny Water Drinking a bottle of water before a meal has long been used as a diet trick to reduce your appetite and make you feel full with less food. To boost the claim that Jana Skinny Water is an appetite suppressant, the company adds “Super CitriMax,” or hydroxycitric acid, to the water. This chemical is naturally extracted from the fruit of Garcinia cambogia and is said to be an appetite suppressant. The water is a little too “soft” in flavor for me, but a lemon-flavored version is also available. Does Jana water suppress appetite more than drinking a bottle of any water? Jana cites a research project that says yes, but you can decide for yourself. www.janawater.com
Potenza Caffeine- Enhanced Spring Water If you don’t like coffee, tea, or cola but want a caffeine jolt, each bottle of Potenza contains as much caffeine as an average cup of coffee: 100 mg. The water itself comes from Oregon’s Coast Range. The problem is that caffeine is bitter, and my palate detected a slight harsh or bitter flavor to the water. I like the idea of carrying around caffeinated water, and a good sales point is that it doesn’t give you “coffee breath.” Caffeine is a performance-enhancing drug for most people, but it also can act a diuretic, so be sure to know where the restrooms are on your walk. www.drinkpotenza.com
MetroMint Water Pure spring water enhanced with mint from the Yakima Valley: What could be more refreshing? No calories, no sweeteners, just a natural mint aftertaste to refresh your breath, provide some energy aromatherapy, and maybe even help your digestion. If you like mint and don’t like plain water, this is a good choice. www.metromint.com

Book Review
The Dog Lover’s Companion Trip Planner

Looking for a great place to hang out with Fido? Author Val Mallinson gives you the scoop in her book, The Dog Lover’s Companion to the Pacific Northwest.

Mallinson conducted research with her faithful dachshund companions Isis and Cooper, identifying the best places to “ruff” it in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Top hot spots covered include off-leash areas, parks, hiking trails, forests, and beaches, plus dog-friendly hotels and hangouts,
all rated from a pooch’s perspective on a one-to-four paw scale. Detailed maps and driving directions make this a perfect trip planner.

The book is available for $19.95, published by Avalon Travel Publishing, ISBN:1-56691-733-5. For more information visit www.dogloverscompanion.com.

Track Your Walk and More

One of the newest entrants into the already-crowded field of pedometers is the DashTrak, made by WalkStyles, Inc. The device is small, weighing in at less than one ounce.

The DashTrak is a snap to set up and use and offers the same basic functionality as its brethren. It tracks steps, distance, calories burned, timed events, pace, and even comes with a heart rate transmitter strap, eliminating the need to wear a separate heart rate monitor.

Say good-bye to fiddling with tiny batteries; the DashTrak comes with a rechargeable battery, plus wall adapter. It can be recharged by connecting the unit to a powered-up computer.

What sets the DashTrak apart is its USB-enabled microprocesser that uploads your walk data via your computer into your DashTrak subscription, allowing you to keep an online walking journal and access other fitness information. The subscription costs $9.95 per month and is a good idea for new walkers, goal-oriented walkers, or walkers needing extra encouragement to stay educated and motivated.

The DashTrak retails for $129. The heart rate transmitter is an additional $40. For more information, visit www.walkstyles.com.

KEEN Footwear Foundation Funds Two Portland Groups

The Keen Footwear Foundation recently awarded funding to two Oregon-based non-profit organizations: Friends of Forest Park and the Youth Outdoor Legacy Fund.

Friends of Forest Park is an organization dedicated to maintaining, preserving, protecting, and improving the more than 5,000-acre park located within Portland city limits. The foundation has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the organization’s annual fundraiser, the Walk/Run for the Wildwood.

The combination of urban sprawl, shifting family structures, and the increasing popularity of video games and other passive forms of entertainment, has created a generation of young people who are less active. The Youth Outdoors Legacy Fund offers young people a chance to explore the outdoors and develop an appreciation for the environment.

Founded by Dennis Madsen, retired president of REI, the goal of the Youth Outdoors Legacy Fund is to create an endowment which in turn will fund other youth-oriented organizations, such as Trip for Kids, Outward Bound Adventures and Earth-Corps.

Founded in 2003, Keen Footwear recently relocated its headquarters to Portland.