October 15, 2016
Water
You drink it. You bathe in it. It makes our vegetables grow and fills our pools for our entertainment. We all know that water is a necessity of life, but do we know to what degree??
As a fetus, you are composed of more than 80% water – continuously swallowing amniotic fluid for nourishment. As an adult, your body is 60% water. Our blood, tears and digestive juices are composed of primarily water. Waste is flushed out of our body via urine and sweat. Knowing this, how do we know how much to consume for optimal health? Will ANY fluid do??
The average adult needs 12 cups of water daily from various sources in order to stay properly hydrated. Approximately 4 cups worth comes from water contained in our foods such as raw fruits and vegetables, as well as the water released into our system during digestion. The remaining 7 cups needs to come from actual drinking. Our bodies have no way of storing water and therefore need fresh supplies every day.
If you incorporate coffee, caffeinated beverages and alcohol into your diet, these do not contribute to your 12 daily cups due to their diuretic effects on the body. They actually cause you to lose more water than you are taking in. Soda, juice and other sugary drinks also use our water store to break down the high sugar content when they enter our digestive tract.
Long term dehydration from lack of daily water intake can contribute to a host of chronic illnesses such as asthma, arthritis, heartburn, depression and high blood pressure. Ensuring we drink adequate amounts of water on a daily basis can alleviate symptoms for those already suffering from chronic pain such as joint pain – water helps keep cartilage soft and hydrated.
We are very fortunate to live in a country that has bountiful supplies of water for our consumption and a solid water purification standard. One quarter of Canada’s population and a tenth of America’s population drink from the Great Lakes basin. These beautiful lakes hold more than a fifth of the earth’s freshwater supply. Our tap water goes through a rigorous process to filter out the many toxins that lake water is unfortunately exposed to before it reaches us including chlorination to kill bacteria and fluoride to prevent tooth decay.
Many homes choose to invest in home filtration systems as well to ensure that there are no trace levels of toxic substance remaining. A popular system is a Solid carbon Filter. These systems purify the water while also leaving trace minerals behind which our bodies need. There are no proven studies to show the long term effects of ingesting trace toxic substances via tap water, so a good home filtration system gives added piece of mind.
While the average human knows that we need water to survive, they fail to recognize the amount that we need in order to be at our best health wise. Water heals – The common headache, sore throat and scrape can all be alleviated by increasing our water intake. Our bodies get used to what little water is provided and can survive at this level, however, long term positive results will ensue if this is increased.
http://www.watercure.com/medical_discovery/medical5.html
To help with those that just plain don’t like the taste of water, I’ll conclude with a helpful tip on how to add healthy flavour and reap the benefits!!
Lemon Water
Start your day with a glass of Lemon Water! All you need is a slice of fresh lemon in a glass of water to gain the benefits listed below.
1. Boosts you energy and Mood
Better than a cup of coffee, when the negative charged ions in lemons enter your digestive tract, you get a natural boost or energy!
2. Aids in digestion and detoxification
The acids in lemon juice actually have an alkalizing affect on the digestive track. They encourage your body to process the good stuff in foods more slowly meaning you get more nutrients out of your food. Lemons atomic structure tricks the liver into producing bile, which helps keep food moving through your gastrointestinal track smoothly. This also helps if you suffer from indigestion or heartburn.
3. Vitamin C!
Lemons are full of vitamin C which stimulates white blood cell production and helps keep your immune system in tip top shape. The antioxidants in vitamin C fight damage caused by free radicals and helps with collagen production.
Stay thirsty!!!
Chantal
