Water: The Super-Nutrient!

What if someone told you there was a new product on the market that could help you reduce allergies, lessen heartburn, make your skin softer and more youthful looking, help regulate your digestion, and even help you lose weight?  What if this new miracle product was even shown to reduce arthritis symptoms and lower your blood pressure?  Would you believe it?  Well, there isn’t a new product that does all that.  In fact, it’s a very old ‘product,’ and you have some in your home at this very moment.  It’s water!

As is so often the case with our bodies and in nature in general, one of the most critical steps we can take toward good health is also one of the simplest – to ensure we’re well-hydrated.  It’s a fact that some of the most common physical complaints for which people seek medical advice are the results of some degree of dehydration.  And the kicker is that these folks often do not feel thirsty.  In fact your thirst is unfortunately a poor indicator of hydration. If you lose as little as 3% of your body’s fluids, your thirst can become unreliable.

So what’s the deal with water anyway? How much do we really need, and what does it do for us? There are a lot of misconceptions about water, so let’s look at the facts:

It’s often stated in the media and other unreliable sources that our bodies are 70% water, just like the Earth.  The fact is, we start out as infants at about 60% water, and get into the 40% range as we get older.  Most adults hover around the 50% mark.  One of the reasons keeping our bodies in the higher end of the range is important is that chronic dehydration can lead to loss of intervertebral disc space, which is one reason people often get shorter with age.

It’s also often believed that when you buy bottled water, you’re drinking water from a fresh mountain stream.  The fact is, unless it says “purified by distillation” or “reverse osmosis”, it’s basically tap water, with a picturesque image on the label.  For more information on this, take a look at the movie, “Tapped.”  It’s a little controversial, but it does spell out the truth about bottled water.

Another common tendency is to think that if you’re sweating a lot, because of heavy activity or being out in the sun, you need to drink as much water as possible. This is kind of a tricky one. While it’s true that we lose water at an amazing rate when we’re out sweating in the heat, we can’t absorb it as quickly. The problem is that when you take it in too fast, it stays in your intestines, and this can cause you to get cramps, diarrhea and dangerously low sodium levels. The bottom line is that no matter how hard we sweat, we can absorb no more than 22-28 ounces per hour. So, don’t go under or over this amount when out in the heat.

Thirsty for more information about water? Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

1. Urine color is the simplest indicator of hydration. Here’s a handy picture depicting urine colors. 1-3 represent good hydration, and higher numbers mean you’re dried out.  Throughout the day, adjust your water intake based on your results when you urinate.  After a while, you’ll know how much you need in a day to get the desired results.

2. Purified water is best for day to day use. Be sure filters are changed at least twice each year or per schedule.  And use stainless steal or glass containers when consuming this water. Avoid plastic. Trace amounts of plastic residue have been shown to promote breast and prostate cancer, cause thyroid disease and disrupt male and female fertility.  Also avoid tap water for cooking and making drinks.  In all cases, purified water is best.  So invest in a good home water filtration system.

3. Not all liquids are good hydrators. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means you pee out more than you get, and sugar makes fluid absorb poorly.  So if you’re drinking coffee and soda to re-hydrate, you’re doing more harm than good.  On the other hand, herbal teas and soups can help your water intake.

4. Run your water for 30 seconds before showering. Wastes concentrate in your water lines when they sit overnight.

Now you know the facts about water.  It’s an incredible substance, and one we don’t appreciate enough.  So what are you doing still reading this? Go drink a glass of water!

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