Are You Drinking Enough Water For Your Health?
BENEFITS OF WATER
Water cannot be stored in the body, unlike fat, so daily consumption is essential for health.
We can live 8 weeks without food but only days without water. It is the number one nutrient for our body, yet we tend to forget about it.
Water has numerous roles in our body. It transports nutrients but also removes waste through the bowels, sweating and urinating. These 3 things are key to getting rid of toxins.
Without enough water, constipation occurs, which will create toxins in our body. Water helps to lubricate joints as well as cushions the bones. It also absorbs shock to joints and organs. So when you are feeling achy and arthritic try drinking more water.
Water regulates body temperature, improves oxygen delivery to cells, hydrates cells, improves cell communication and maintains normal electrical properties of cells. We are made up of trillions of cells, and without water could not function.
Water empowers the body's natural healing abilities. It sure sounds like an amazing elixir!
In order to make sure you are getting enough water, take your body weight in ounces divided by 2 and that is how many ounces you need per day. If you drink caffeinated beverages or alcohol, you will need even more than your usual amount.
Water is the most important nutrient in the human body, but it is also the most common nutritional deficiency in America. What is going on here? Americans on average drink less than 5 cups of water per day. They are also drinking a couple cups of coffee, tea, soda, fruit juice and alcohol which act as diuretics and depletes water from the body resulting in an even more dehydrated body! There are so many side effects of dehydration but many people are not aware that they are caused by lack of water. So instead of simply hydrating with clean water, most people will pop a pill for a headache, lash out at loved ones or eat a bag of cookies they might be craving. Tune into your body and see if you need more water. Instead of grabbing that second cup of afternoon coffee why not try some water to fight off afternoon fatigue.
SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION
EARLY SIGNS:
-Fatigue
-Irritability
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Cravings
-Headaches
-Cramps
MATURE SIGNS:
-Heartburn
-Joint Pain
-Migraines
-Back Pain
-Constipation
-Fibromyalgia
-Colitis
Clean Water & Electrolytes
If your body's water content drops by just 2% it will cause fatigue! What's even scarier is if it drops by 10% it will cause cardiovascular, immune, digestive and musculoskeletal issues. Beyond 10% can cause death!
Research what's in your water. Most city tap water has been chlorinated and has added fluoride along with other chemicals that have not been filtered out. It is important to drink pure water. Well water can also pose a threat with pesticide run off and other pollutants.
Having a filtration system for your drinking water as well as your shower head, (you can easily purchase a $30 shower filter which attaches to your shower head) is important as the your skin will absorb whatever toxins are present in your water.
Remember that along with soda, coffee, tea, and alcohol, fruit juices are also diuretics' so watch what your children are drinking. The elderly are also vulnerable to dehydration and can easily develop urinary tract infections which lead to disoriented thoughts, nausea, light headedness and other serious effects.
You can also have too much water which will deplete your electrolytes. Water depends on electrolytes for proper absorption. They are minerals which help to maintain the bodies pH system, carry electrical currents, muscle contractions and nerve function. Types include: sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, hydrogen phosphate, chloride and bicarbonate. Create your own electrolyte drink with a pinch of sea salt and squeeze of lemon juice.
Drink pure water, not distilled water which has had all of the minerals removed from it. Do not drink out of plastic water bottles, which leach toxic PCBs and other pollutants into your water.
These PCBs can mimic estrogen which will throw off your hormones and wreak havoc on your body. Also stay away from imitation water with "natural essences and flavors in them" there is nothing natural about these chemically made ingredients.
Do the best that you can do each day, but be aware of what is in your water and what comes out of your shower.
There are many pleasant ways to get your daily water in, check out the recipes below!
WATER RECIPES TO ADD TO YOUR JUG OF WATER
-Lemon
-Raspberry
-Squeeze of Lime & Blueberry
-Mint
-Lavender & Lemon
-Sliced Strawberry
-Lemon Balm
-Combine Coconut water and sparkling water for a mocktail & natural electrolyte drink
-Add Splash of Apple Cider
Vinegar, honey & Cinnamon
-Eat fresh watermelon
-Add sliced Cantaloupe and Lime
-Try herbal teas