What About Water
One of the easiest things we can do to support a healthy body is to make sure we are getting adequate hydration. Water is the single largest substance making up the human body and it can be the difference between thriving and surviving.
Water's chief functions are to maintain a stable environment inside and around our cells, allowing us to acquire sufficient nutrition and aiding elimination of waste in cells.
Drinking water also gives you energy. Water is a key catalyst in digestion, enzymatic actions and energy production throughout the body.
Are you hungry all the time? If you find yourself constantly hungry, even after regularly eating what appears to be an adequate amount of food, you might not be hungry.....you might be thirsty. Dr. Batmanghelidj explains in his book, Your Body's Many Cries For Water, that hunger pangs are frequently a symptom of dehydration. Next time you find yourself opening the refrigerator door, ask yourself "am I really hungry or am I just thirsty?".
Dehydration is a common cause of internal stress. A reduction of as little as 1% water content in your central nervous system can cause significant psychological disorders.
When you drink adequately for your bodily needs, you are less likely to consume soda and pick-me up foods that generally throw your blood sugar levels off and cause stress on the body.
Need another good reason to drink plenty of water? When the body is dehydrated, the colon will squeeze as much water as possible from your feces and recirculates it back into the body. This results is both constipation and absorption of toxic fluids into the bloodstream. In short, when you are not drinking enough water, you are drinking the water out of your poop!
How much water is required for good hydration? Ideally you will want to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day (possibly more if in hot climates or exercising). For example, a 200 pound man would drink 100 ounces of water each day.
It is best to avoid drinking water with your meal, as this can dilute the Hydrochloric acid (HCl) in your stomach, making digestion more difficult. When possible, consume water at least 15 minutes prior to eating and keep water to a minimum during your meal. To aid absorption, consume water at room temperature. Cold water will sit in your stomach until it reaches body temperature.
There are many opinions as to what is the best type of water to drink. If you drink tap water, you might want to educate yourself as to what is in or being added into your water supply. Many public water supplies have chemicals like chlorine added, to kill bacteria. Unfortunately, chlorine kills all bacteria that are not immune to it, including the good gut flora in your digestive tract. As for the adding of fluoride into the water supply, that is a whole other topic for discussion and one to do your homework on.
Just because water is in a bottle, does not necessarily mean it is a good choice. Many companies have been caught bottling tap water and then there is the leaching of plastic into the water to be considered. Store water in a cool, dark area and in glass if possible. Do not purchase water from smoky plastic containers, because they can leak all kinds of chemicals into your water. If you are consuming water from a plastic container, make sure it is clear, and keep it out of direct sunlight. As for anything you put on or into your body, it is always best to "know your source". Take responsibility for your own health and support (buy from) companies whose business practices help make the world a healthier place to live.
~Ron, Holistic Health Coach