Water Consumption

In these times, there is much concern about what one should and should not eat, but water, an absolutely fundamental substance for bodily function and well-being, is grossly overlooked. There is much confusion about what is the best water to drink and many believe that any liquid qualifies as hydration. The excuses for not drinking water vary. “I’m not thirsty.” “I’ll just have to go to the bathroom if I drink all of that water.” “Water doesn’t do anything for me; I will just grab a coke.”

The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) and for women 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. Some nutritionists actually advise that just because the average person needs about two liters of water a day, to replace what is lost through normal biological functions, does not mean that they need to drink two liters of water a day. In fact, you do not have to drink any water at all because you can easily get a liter or liter and a half of water just from the food that you eat, especially if you eat lots of fruits and vegetables.Meanwhile, books and medical-journal articles have declared there’s no scientific evidence for claims that “8 x 8” — eight ounces of water, eight times a day — can bring a wide range of benefits, from speeding weight loss to ridding the body of toxins, fighting constipation, fatigue, dry skin and hastening recovery from colds and flu. Headlines have jeered that 8 x 8 “doesn’t hold water” and “water advice doesn’t wash”, according to the Wall Street Journal.

So what is it? All this information and misinformation about the benefits and the consequences on health of not drinking enough water, its hard to know what is correct. Let us take a hard look at the facts.

The human body is about two-thirds (66%) oxygen, which fluctuates with environment, activity, state of mind, and water and food intake and elimination. Oxygen is absolutely vital to human survival; most of it we get through our lungs but a majority of it is stored in the water that makes up our cells and tissues.

When oxygen levels diminish and the body’s pH becomes acidic, the acid strips blood cells and fatty acids of their negative charge; vitamin and mineral absorption and assimilation are compromised and the spiral toward dis-ease begins. It is interesting to note that whenever any cell is denied 60% of its oxygen requirements, it too becomes cancerous, (Dr. Otto Warburg won his first Nobel Prize in 1931, for work proving that cancer is caused by a lack of oxygen respiration in cells, it then thrives in an acidic environment).

 

Just six elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus, compose 99% of the mass of the human body; most of the body is made up of water. We start life being 99% water, as fetuses. When we are born, we are 90% water, and by the time we reach adulthood we are down to 70%; if we die of old age we will probably be about 50% water. The brain is composed of 85% water, and the lungs are 80% water. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water by weight while body fat contains 10% water and bone has 22% water. In an average full grown healthy adult, the volume of water averages 60% of total body weight, 40% is intracellular fluids (in the bones, muscles and tissues), and 20% is extracellular fluid. The volume of blood is about one-eleventh (9%) of the body weight. About 83% of our blood is water, which helps digest our food, transport waste, and control body temperature.

From mouth to anus, the total volume of fluid is approximately eighteen liters (4.75 gallons). The operative word is fluid. This fluid, which nourishes the entire body, is the basis for all the cells, blood and tissues. Fluids dissolve the food and convert it into its various elements that other fluids carry to the parts of the body where it nourishes and builds up the entire system. Other fluids carry back the broken-down tissue and waste-matter of the system, and expel it by means of other fluids. It is all the work of fluids. The cells composing the body are actually marine organisms capable of existence only when surrounded by a solution of saline water. The blood, as well as the bile, the gastric juices, the pancreatic fluid, and the saliva are all fluids of which pure water is the base.

Every day, the digestive system secretes seven liters (1.85 gallons) of fluid and more than half a gallon of water passes from the body as perspiration and urine. We must replace a minimum of approximately 2.4 liters (.63 gallons) of water daily. The only way to supply the body with water is by consuming it. A portion of what is required comes from the liquid parts of foods ingested, but the majority of our supply comes by means of the water we drink.

Every organ of the body bathes and lives in fluids, and water is the base; without a sufficient supply of water, they cannot properly function. If enough water is not consumed, the body is compelled to draw upon the fluids of the system for the deficiency and all parts of the body, particularly the nerves are affected. Intestinal fluid solidifies and deoxygenates, becoming acidic and nutrient deficient. Well-being and health decline. Many common diseases arise from insufficient water consumption. Warning signs like constipation, an inadequate blood supply, the juices of the system becoming thin and dried, liver and kidney dysfunctions are all a result of insufficient water consumption. It may be the number one nutrient inadequacy for everyone. Next to air, water is one of the most urgently demanded of Nature’s supplies for life. Regardless of age, gender, religion, ethnicity, locale, etc., if deprived of air for more than three minutes, or water for more than three days, one will soon perish.

Nature’s great remedy is pure water, yet few make an intelligent use of it as a matter of habit in daily life. It is possible to survive on just the water you incidentally consume from food and beverages, so the 8 x 8 water advice is a good “one-size-fits all” recommendation, but the reality is every system in the body depends on pure water. It is the basis of all the important juices of the body; the oil that keeps the human body running smoothly in every way, a key element for efficient body functioning, and optimal health and well-being.

So, what do you expect from your body? How do you feel? Are you thriving or surviving?

Cultivate a ONE GALLON PER DAY habit and constipation will vanish, digestion will improve, the cheeks will take on their rosy hue, there will be more blood in the system, fewer aches and pains, mental clarity, increased energy and less dis-ease time.

An excellent habit is to drink water at room temperature, the first thing after arising in the morning, and again just before retiring at night. Then drink a number of times during the day. It may require conscious discipline at first, but persevere; it will soon become a natural habit.

by AsebastianB, Copyright © 2012 All Rights Reserved

 

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