Water-A Pillar of Health
Water is a basic pillar of health. It is involved in every function of our body . When we drink water, we are keeping our five vital organs hydrated and ready for action: the brain, heart, lungs liver and kidneys. As a result, these organs will work properly and the other organs can work properly as well and we can lead a healthier life.
When we do not drink enough water, our body sufferers. Many health problems can be reduced simply by drinking good water. If your joints hurt and have arthritis, it might be that all you need to do is drink more water. You see, the cartilage in your joints is made of 80% water and it might just be that they are not hydrated enough. If you have high blood pressure, maybe your body is sending you a signal that you need more water because your blood vessels are being constricted. Dr. Colbert says that many of his patients have lowered their blood pressure simply by drinking enough water. So you have digestive problems? Water keeps the digestive juices supplied and helps your body create all the acid it needs to kill the H. Plyori bacteria that causes ulcers, and improvements digestion. So, maybe all you need to do to make your digestive system run smoother is drink more water.
HOW MUCH should we have?
Here is a simple formula that Dr. Don Colbert, author of The Seven Pillars of Health, gives us: Just divide your weight in pounds by two. That is how much water you should drink every day. So, if you are 120 pounds, you should have 60 oz of water; if you weigh 200 pounds, you should have 100 oz. However, that does not mean you have to drink it all. When you eat lots of fruits and veggies, you also are supplying your body with fluids since they are made of mostly water. Depending on how many fruits and vegetables you eat a day, you might be able to add up to a half quart or even a quart of the daily fluid you need.
Is it possible to drink TOO MUCH water?
The answer is "yes". My brother and sister-in-law told me there was a girl on TV that was doing some sort of contest with her friends to see who could drink the most water before having to go to the bathroom. Well, this girl who won the contest lost her life! Can you imagine? So much for more water is better!
The reason for her death was probably that her body was depleted of potassium and electrolyte levels because she had drunk too much water . When we drink excess amounts of water, we can get a condition called psychogenic polydipsia, which causes potassium and electrolyte levels to become dangerously low. This may lead to your death. We do not usually drink TOO MUCH water, but I just want to make you aware of the consequences if you do that since some people always think that more is better when MODERATION is always the key.
WHEN should we drink the water?
Well, contrary to normal belief, it should not be mostly at meal times . At this time you should only have 4-8 ounces and make sure it is room temperature. Any drink that is extremely cold or has ice in it makes it harder for your body to digest your food.
Dr. Colbert suggests in his book "The Seven Pillars of Health" that we should drink most our fluids two hours after meals and up to 30 minutes before meals. You do not have to get all your fluids from water either. Like I said earlier, eating lots of fruits and veggies can count to up one quart of fluid, so that means if you need to 4 quarts of fluid a day, you can make it only 3 quarts of just plain water or tea, or other drinks that are not highly sugared or have filled with caffeine. Coffee counts, as long as you do not have more than 2 cups a day.
Is all water equal?
No, it is not. There is better water than others. It used to be that here in the US we could drink tap water and it was good for us. Unfortunately, that is not the case anymore. There are many contaminants in it that municipal treatments can either detect nor remove from the water supply, even though the EPA does check the water daily.
Not only are there chemicals and microbes in tap water, but, unfortunately that things that put in it to help "purify" the water is dangerous to us. Some cities put in chlorine to kill microorganisms; however, chlorinated water has been linked to birth defects and spina bifida. Chlorinated water can also destroy nutrients that our body needs: vitamins A, B, C and E, and fatty acids. This water also causes chronic skin diseases like acne, psoriasis and eczema. When you take a shower in chlorinated water, it causes your hair to be brittle and your skin to dry out.
Another thing is added to tap water is fluoride , even though fluoride is proven toxic. Dr. Charles Gordon, past president of the American Medical Association, says "fluoride is a corrosive poison that will produce serious effects on a long range basis."
One more element that I want to talk about that is added to the water is aluminum. Aluminum is linked to Alzheimer's disease.
In order to remove chemicals from tap water, it is important to purchase a good filtration system that will do that. Tap water is good to water your lawn and flush the toilet, but it is not good to drink it. The best water filters are alkaline water filters. Your body thrushes on an alkaline environment since it is able to detoxify a lot more efficiently than in an acidic environment.
Certain bottled waters are also alkaline, but not all of them are. Make sure that when you drink bottled water you buy one that is alkaline like Evamor, Abita and Arrowhead. Dr. Colbert says that the best bottled water is called Penta Water and you can get in a health store near you.
So, keep the water coming, but do not drink too much ! Use the simple formula to calculate how much you should have and aim toward that amount. Make sure you eat lots of fruits and veggies too – those count towards your daily "water" take =)
Live healthy! Drink water instead of soda, diet soda, juice and milk; it's the best thing to quench your thirst =) But make sure you drink most of your water between meals, not at meal times.