Charity: Water (Bringing Clean Water to the World)

The brain child of New York City photojournalist and night club promoter Scott Harrison, charity: water is a non-profit initiative based in NYC focused on bringing clean, safe drinking water to people of developing nations.  Founded in 2006, it has to date helped fund 2,906 projects in 17 countries, benefiting over 1,277,430 people.  Overall, the organization has sent more than $10 million to developing countries as of February, 2010.  For Harrison, the path to charity: water began in 2004 when he committed eight months of his life to the poor and marginalized of Africa through volunteer service in Liberia, with Mercy Ships (the global charity organization founded by Don Stephens and Deyon Stephens). While in Liberia, Harrison was exposed to the harsh living conditions of the impoverished people and traced problems surrounding education, safety, and health back to the water, proving that 80% of all the diseases they encountered were attributable to unsafe water and poor sanitation.  Wanting to commit to a life of service, Harrison decided that the lack of clean water facing the poor of the world was something he could do something about it.  Read more . . .

The Water/Weight Equation: How Water Affects Diet

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, or just plain health-conscious, here are some important facts about the “water-weight” equation you’ll want to know.  In addition to the many essential health benefits water provides the human body, scientists say it has a direct effect on how our body reacts to weight-loss dieting.  Water suppresses appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat.  Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will actually cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water can reduce fat deposits.  Read more . . .