Why is drinking "water" so important to our health?

Yesterday I said that drinking water was important for our digestive system. Well, today let's talk about just how important water really is.

Your body uses water in all its cells, organs and tissues to help regulate its temperature and maintain other bodily functions. Now . . . because the body loses water through breathing, sweating and digestion, it's important to "rehydrate" by drinking fluids and eating foods that contain water every day.

Water carries nutrients to all cells in the body and oxygen to our brain. Water also allows the body to absorb and assimilate minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other substances. Water flushes out toxins and waste, all while regulating body temperature.

Water is even required for breathing. Did you know that? . . .

Water actually moistens oxygen for breathing. Drinking water helps to thin the mucus lining of your airways and lungs. Dehydration can cause that mucus to thicken and get sticky, which slows down over all respiration and makes you more susceptible to illness, allergies and other respiratory problems.

So why does this apply to us? . . . Well, 75% of all American are "chronically " dehydrated. And 37% of all Americans have a "thirst mechanism" that is so weak that it's often mistaken for the feeling of being "hungry".

And a mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. And lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Water makes up who we are because our blood is 92% water, our bones are 22% and our muscles are 75% water!

So as we can clearly see . . . drinking an ample amount of water per day is imperative. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon caner by 45%, decreases the risk of breast cancer by 79% and bladder cancer by 50%.

And what about joint pain and arthritis? Well, drinking 8 - 10 glasses of water per day would significantly help reduce suffering by 80%.

We've all heard that when dieting we need to drink more water . . . drinking one glass of water 30 minutes before bed can shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of dieters. Even "mild" dehydration will slow down the body's metabolism as much as 3%

Okay . . . so I said yesterday that water helps digestion . . . Well . . . water aids in digestion and is essential for good health. Water breaks down food so that the body can absorb the nutrients. Water also softens stool, which helps prevent constipation.

However . . . for proper digestion, you must drink one glass of water 30 minutes before a meal to help with this digesting process. If you drink water or any beverage "with" a meal . . . the liquid will "dilute" the digestive juices and enzymes making them less effective for breaking down our food.

Now . . . drinking too much water or the wrong quality of water can also be dangerous. Over hydration can lead to water intoxication. Or drinking a poor quality of water can affect the amount of salt and other electrolytes in the body .

Tomorrow we'll talk about electrolytes and their important role in optimal health.

As always, feel free to contact me here.