Tip of the week 30

The real "Fountain of Youth" might be found in a glass of water.

We all know the recipe. Just mix two parts Hydrogen with one part Oxygen.

Viola' Water! Water is a common chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of life. In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or state, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor. About 1,460 teratonnes (Tt) of water covers 71% of the Earth's surface, mostly in oceans and other large water bodies, with 1.6% of water below ground in aquifers and 0.001% in the air as vapro, clouds (formed of solid and liquid water particles suspended in air), and precipitation. Some of the Earth's water is contained within man-made and natural objects near the Earth's surface such as water towers, animal and plant bodies, manufactured products, and food stores. Did you know:

· water makes up more than two thirds of the weight of the human body

· without water, we humans will die in a few days.

· the human brain is made up of 95% water, blood is 82% and lungs 90%.

· a mere 2% drop in our body's water supply can trigger signs of dehydration (symptoms are short-term memory loss, reduction in cognitive function, and difficulty focusing on smaller print)

· Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue.

Consequently, it should be pretty easy for us to understand why water is so important to the mechanics of the human body. The body cannot work properly without it, just as a car won't run without gas and oil.

In fact, all the cell and organ functions made up in our entire anatomy and physiology depend on water to function.

· Water forms the fluids that surrounds, lubricates and cushions our joints and muscles. And athletes have long recognized that even mild dehydration can produce muscle cramps.

· Water regulates body temperature, as the cooling and heating is distributed through perspiration. During exercise, if you drink 12 ounces of plain water, your body will absorb 8 ounces of it within 15 minutes.

Water is the nutrient your body needs the most. Between 55 and 75 percent of adult body weight is water, and it is critical in regulating all body organs and temperature.

· Water helps alleviate constipation and flush toxins from the body - by properly moving food through the intestinal tract to eliminating waste. Water is essential for proper digestion, nutrient absorption and chemical reactions. The carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream.

Also, Our kidney system is unique in its filtering capabilities and totally dependent upon water in order for it to work. Daily fluid intake is essential to its efficient operation, particularly because there is some decrease in function with age.

· Water regulates metabolism - Proper hydration helps to reduce your risk of heart attack.

Researchers at Loma Linda University in California studied more than 20,000 healthy men and women and found that people who drink more than five glasses of water a day were less likely to die from a heart attack or heart disease than those who drank fewer than two glasses a day.

On average, most adults lose about 10 cups of fluid a day through sweating, exhaling, urinating, and bowel movements. Even minor dehydration can cause impaired concentration, headaches, irritability and fatigue.

· Water improves the appearance of our skin -

Save your money and skip the skin products, because nothing will improve the appearance of your skin better than consuming enough water. Water is the single most important element for cellular integrity. Drinking water moisturizes your skin from the inside out. Water is also essential to maintaining elasticity and suppleness and helps prevent dryness.

· Water is essential for proper circulation in our body. The levels of oxygen in the bloodstream are greater when the body is well hydrated. The more oxygen the body has readily available the more fat it will burn for energy. Without the presence of oxygen the body cannot utilize stored fat for energy efficiently. Not only will the body burn more fat when well hydrated but because there are increased oxygen levels you will also have more energy.

· Drinking more water everyday will help us think more clearly. Research has repeatedly shown that staying hydrated is necessary for the human brain, which is 85 percent water, to function at optimal levels. That is why many school systems throughout the country now encourage students to keep a bottle of water at their desks and to drink it throughout the day.

· Proper hydration lowers our risk of disease and infection. Consistent failure to drink enough water can lead to Chronic Cellular Dehydration. The body's cell are never quite hydrated enough leaving them in a weakened state, vulnerable to attack from disease. The body's overall immune system becomes weak leading to chemical, nutritional and pH imbalances that can cause a host of diseases.

Chronic Cellular Dehydration causes our cells to start drawing the extra water they need from the bloodstream. When this happens, the heart has to work harder because blood becomes sludgy, and the body starts to redirect blood away from less vital areas. Dehydration can set in even before we start to feel thirsty and causes great strain on the body. Dehydration impairs kidneys in their function of purifying blood and helping rid our bodies of toxins.

Recent research has shown that the incidence of cancer in the urinary bladder was reduced significantly by a high fluid intake in a ten-year study involving nearly 48,000 men.

· Proper hydration helps our body burn more fat and build more muscle. Dehydration decreases protein synthesis, the way our body builds muscle. Protein synthesis is an energy costly process. When you suppress protein synthesis, fewer calories end up building proteins and more calories end up in your fat stores.

It's elementary my dear Watson: calories only have two fates - they get burned, or they get stored. When more of the calories you eat get burned, less will get stored.

Increased water consumption can help you control weight by preventing you from confusing hunger with thirst. Water will also keep your body systems, including metabolism and digestion, working properly and give you the energy (and the hydration) necessary for exercise)

· To get well - "drink plenty of fluids? when you're sick!" This traditional prescription still holds strong. Water helps control a fever. Water replaces lost fluids, and thin mucus.

So, how much water should one drink?

COMMON RULE OF THUMB: Your weight divided by two equals how many ounces of water you should drink each day.

For example, I weight 225 pounds. So, that means I need to drink 112.5 ounces of water each day. Whew, that means I have to down fourteen and one half 8-ounce glasses of water per day.

Whew!

It is ok to drink iced tea or lemon water to substitute for plain water. But don't substitute flavored carbonated waters for plain water. Also stay away from plain tap water as it also can contain harmful toxins including lead and fluoride.

Instead, drink either distilled water or artesian water, which is the purest water there is, and can truly cleanse your body of the harmful toxins it holds.

Water is the substance of life. Life can't exist without water. Proper hydration can sometimes be a miracle cure for many common ailments such as headaches, fatigue, joint pain, and much more.

So, by all means, lets lift our water glasses; raise a toast and drink to good health and a long life.

Disclaimer: I am NOT a medical or healthcare professional. The information contained in this week's tip is a compilation of materials culled during my research on hydration. Anyone who feels they may not be drinking enough water should immediately consult with their healthcare professional for individual guidelines on proper water consumption.

Wow, all this writing made me thirsty -- I think I'll get up and go get me a cool drink of, you guessed it ……..WATER!

Till next week, Cheers!