WATER

Your body goes down fast without water, second only to oxygen in importance for health and just a few short days without it can be fatal. Every cell is regulated, monitored and dependent on an efficient flow of water, making up almost 3/4 of our body. Messages in our brain cells are transported on waterways to the nerve endings. Water transports minerals, vitamins, proteins and sugars around the body for assimilation. Water maintains your body’s equilibrium and temperature, it lubricates tissues, flushes waste and toxins, hydrates the skin, acts as a shock absorber for joints, bones and muscles, and adds needed minerals. When your body gets enough water, it works at its peak. Fluid retention decreases, gland and hormone functions improve, the liver breaks down and releases more fat, hunger is curtailed.

Dehydration plays a role in elimination ailments like chronic constipation and urinary tract infections, peripheral vascular problems like hemorrhoids and varicose veins, kidney stones, even many degenerative diseases like arthritis.

Should you drink more Water?

Here’s how your body uses it up every day. Your kidneys receive and filter your entire blood supply 15 times each hour! If you become overheated, your 2 million sweat glands perspire to cool your skin and keep your internal organs at a constant temperature, using 99% water. You use a small amount of water during breathing and through tear ducts that lubricate the upper eyelids 25 times per minute. Crying and hearty laughter release water from your eyes and nose. Even. Even normal activity uses up at least 3 quarts of replacement water each day. Strenuous activity, a hot climate or a high salt diet increases this requirement.

When you don’t get enough… A chain reaction begins...A water shortage message is sent from your brain, your kidneys conserve water by urinating less (constipation and bloating occur), at 4% water depletion, muscle endurance diminishes and you start to get dizzy; at 5% water loss, headaches from mild to quite severe begin and you get drowsy, lose the ability to concentrate and get unreasonably impatient; at 6% water loss, body temperature is impaired, your heart begins to race; at 7% water depletion, there is a good possibility of collapse! Dehydration Symptoms: headaches, dizziness, irritability, impatience, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, dry skin, chapped lips, appetite loss, constipation, swollen hands/feet (water retention), dull back pain and weight gain. Urine should be pale straw yellow-colored, if dark—drink more water!


Thirst is not a reliable signal that your body needs water-by the time you feel thirsty, you are probably already suffering from some degree of dehydration. Thirst is an evolutionary development, controlled by a part of the fore-brain called the hypothalamus (controls sleep, appetite, satiety & sexual response) designed to alert us to severe dehydration. You can easily lose a quart of water during activity before thirst is even recognized.

Remember:

· Alcohol is diuretic,
increasing urine flow

· Caffeinated Beverages are
Diuretic

· Sweetened Juices increase water needs

· Milk increases water needs

· Sodas leach several important minerals from your body & compromise your immune response for 12 hours!

Your digestive processes alone, yield as much as a pint of water a day for metabolism. Replace electrolytes with Alacer’s Emergen-C or Bragg’s liquid aminos.

Plain cool water is the best way to replace body fluids, but other healthy liquids besides water count as replenishment. Unsweetened Juices; Fresh fruits & vegetables are 90% water; whole grains are 35% water; LIVE food!

RULE of thumb: Drink 1/2 of your body weight in water ounces daily!