Most of us today do not realise the importance of water to our overall health. True health cannot occur without proper hydration of the body.
Your body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs. When the body does not receive a constant, reliable supply of fresh water, it has to ration what's available and cut back on certain functions in order to make the supply go round. Essential systems like the brain are prioritised, others are impaired or cut back until the brain has had its needs met. The skin, being the least important, is rationed the least amount of water. Chronically dry skin and/or dandruff are signs of advanced bodily dehydration, as are asthma and hyperventilation. Other signs of mild dehydration include chronic pains in joints and muscles, lower back pain, headaches and constipation. Constipation is a sure sign of water starvation, as the body's intestinal peristaltic action extracts every precious drop of water from your food, to save losing it, creating gridlock. Another sure sign to the lack of water in the body is a strong odour to your urine, along with a dark yellow or amber colour indicates that you may not be getting enough water. Note that riboflavin, a B vitamin, will make your urine bright yellow. Thirst is an obvious sign of dehydration and in fact, you need water long before you feel thirsty.
- 75% of us are chronically dehydrated.
- In 37% of us, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
- Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
- One glass of water deters hunger pangs for 98% of the dieters observed in a University of Washington study.
- The biggest trigger of daytime fatigue is lack of water.
- Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
- A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic maths, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
- Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79%, and developed bladder cancer by 50%.
Most of us have become CHRONICALLY AND DANGEROUSLY DEHYDRATED (especially the elderly), since we have decided that water is too bland to drink and instead replace it with tea, coffee, beer, wine, sodas, flavoured water and other chemical-laced water alternatives. These alternatives do not hydrate the body as many are diuretic (water expelling) in their effect because of their chemical composition. Water experts mention that asthmas, allergies, diabetes, arthritis, angina, stomach upsets, chronic intestinal complaints and certain others degenerative illnesses are the bodies many cries for water, complaints which are dramatically improved with a consistent and long-term intake of fresh, clean water. Dr. Batman's bestselling book has helped thousands quash long term health problems effortlessly and inexpensively. Flushing the body with a constant long-term supply of good clean fresh water, is a superb way to assist with detoxification and hydration and is especially important for anyone with cancer. Your body requires approximately 8 glasses (2 litres) of water a day for optimum health. A great time to start your daily intake of water would be in the morning, a glass or two about ½ an hour prior to breakfast, as the body is detoxifying and repairing from 4am until 12 noon. Drink a glass of water half an hour before a meal and then may be two glasses around three hours afterwards for optimum health. So it would make sense to get into the habit of drinking plenty of clean water on a daily basis, get your kids into the habit for without this essential habit you simply will not be healthy. If you drink tap water ensure that a carbon filter is attached to produce chlorine and solvent free water to drink. Avoid plastic bottled water which can be contaminated with chemicals from the plastic. Mineral water in glass bottles is fine. In the event that you live in a fluoridated area, reverse osmosis or back wash filters should be used to remove the fluoride poisons.
