WATER: The Fountain of Health and Life
In 1980, when I was 16 years old, my father was driving my sister and me home from our grandparents’ home in Brooklyn to Long Island. He told us about an article he had read on the health of our intestines. (Ok, my father was an incredibly interesting, fun and terrific person. He was seriously the first person I ever thought of as “healthy”. So this kind of conversation from him to a 14-year-old sister and 16-year-old self was very par for the course!)The essence of the article warned that if a person eats lots of red meat and flour products, the lining of their intestines could become blocked and make it difficult for vitamins and nutrients to be absorbed. It could also lead to cancer of the colon! My father further went on the say the article suggested that if a person drinks enough water the blockage to the lining of the intestines could loosen and be flushed away. I was petrified. I wasn’t the healthiest person at this point in my life. Although I was very physically active, my diet wasn’t that great. Lots of pasta, pizza, red meat, bread, cake, cookies, candy, etc. But the worst part was I seriously didn’t remember EVER having had a glass of water! I’m sure I had, but not on any kind of regular basis. I mainly drank fruit juices, coffee, tea and Pepsi by the 2-liter bottle! Although I did eat lots of spinach, broccoli, cherries, apples, green beans, etc. too, I was now worried that if the nutrients in those healthy foods weren’t absorbed because of all the flour and meat that might be blocking my intestines.When I got home from that car ride, I immediately started drinking a large amount of water every day. I think I started with 32 eight ounce glasses every day. No, I’m not kidding. I used to walk around the house with a pitcher of water and a glass with a straw in it (because I never learned to drink out of a glass without spilling water all over myself or choking...this is still the case). I eventually calmed that quantity down to the minimum I am at now, which is 16 eight-ounce glasses a day.I recommend the first thing you should do when you wake up in the morning is drink to a 16-ounce glass of water. If you think about it, overnight you have been getting increasingly dehydrated. I do not recommend drinking much water within 90 minutes of going to sleep so that your sleep is not interrupted. This would mean you haven’t had anything to drink for close to 10 hours! Try drinking a 16-ounce glass of water as soon as you get up for one week. I promise you will notice the difference in how fast you feel awake and clear headed. WATER IN THE HUMAN ADULT BODY:
60% overall
83% of the lungs
73% of the brain
73% of the heart
80% of cartilage
WATER BENEFITS:LUBRICATION OF THE JOINTS:If you feel stiffness in joints, drinking water can definitely help ease discomfort. It helps your back feel looser as it lubricates the vertebrae of your spine.DIGESTION:Helps balance saliva and digestive juices. Breaks down food for absorption in intestines.SKIN:Being well hydrated definitely helps clear skin problems such as acne, dryness and wrinklesCONSTIPATION:By keeping the intestines lubricated, water can ease problems with constipation.WEIGHT LOSS:Drink one glass of water before every meal. You will eat less and the water will help break down the food faster. FUN FACT: the reason you feel hungry after eating Chinese food it is because your brain is misinterpreting being thirsty from the sodium in the food. You are really THIRSTY. So, the next time you eat Chinese food or anything really salty, pay attention to if you feel hungry too soon afterward. Then have WATER instead of more food.CLEANS BLOODSTREAM:Water flushes toxins, bacteria and fat from the bloodstreamBRAIN FUNCTION:Drinking enough water definitely helps you think more clearly. It also helps ease and prevent headaches. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:If you exercise regularly, you know that not drinking enough water affects your ability to get a good workout.KIDNEYS:Water flushes the kidneys and prevents kidney stones from forming.HANGOVERS:If you consume alcohol, drink one glass of water between every glass of wine, beer, cocktail. You will also likely drink less alcohol! But the water will help keep you hydrated, which often can lead to a hangover.FAQ:BUT I DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO URINATE TOO FREQUENTLY?The more water you drink, the more your body gets used to holding more water in your bladder.I often pop into department stores or hotels to use the restroom. I have even paid coffee shops $1 to use their restroom. Try to use the restroom whenever you have the chance. Even if you don’t feel like you have to. Better to be safe than sorry!HOW WILL I KNOW IF I’M DRINKING ENOUGH?In general, you should drink one half - one ounce of water for every pound you weigh. Increase this amount in hot weather, when you exercise and anytime you are sweating. If your urine is light yellow, you are drinking enough. If it is dark yellow, you are dehydrated.CAN I DRINK TOO MUCH WATER?This is rare, but not impossible Your kidneys can handle 5 -7 gallons of water per day and one liter per hour. Don’t drink more than that, or you could experience hyponatremia, which is bad and can be fatal. BUT I DON’T LIKE THE TASTE OF WATER!Really? Ok, so add some lemon or lime juice. DOES SELTZER COUNT?I don’t think the jury is out on this one yet, but in my personal non-medical opinion, I think yes, it counts. But I worry about too much carbonation in the body. I do drink seltzer, but no more than 2 - 3 12-ounce cans per day.Water is such an essential part of well being, I cannot stress it enough. Please share your experiences and thoughts!