A Closer Look: Water

"I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man." Henry David Thoreau

"Mom! I have a headache." My mothers reply? "Did you drink any water today?" "Mom, I don't feel well." Again, "How much water did you drink?" At a young age, water seemed to be the magic solution for everything. If I was dizzy, if I was tired, hungry, in pain, moody, you name it, (ok, maybe not moody. But you get the picture.) water seemed to be my mother's answer. As you could imagine, water quickly became my favorite drink (it probably helped that that was only drink we ever had on hand, with the exception of a juicy juice every now and then). I would love the feeling of refreshment after a full day of neighborhood sports or after a invigorating dance performance. Lucky for me, my mother was establishing in my mind at a young age a healthy relationship with one of our most precious needs. Water.

On average, people can go up to 21 days without food.  But water? Most of us would be lucky enough if we last past the third day. Physically your body starts to shut down. Why? A form of protection. As most of us know, our bodies as a whole are made of 75% water. Our blood? 82%. Lungs contain 90%, brain-70%, skeleton-22%, and cells-

90%. You, literally can not function without water. 

A little over eight years ago I attended a theological internship. At the time, my friends and I were a radical group, wanting to physically encounter God in a new way. We thought a three day water fast would get us there. (Could you tell I was an "all or nothing" 18 year old?) Thankfully, leadership stopped us in the evening of the first day, informing us on how detrimental that would be to our health. I'll never forget the side effects of going the first whole day without liquid- first came the chapped lips, then a dry mouth, sore throat, and dizziness that kept me from thinking properly. While our motives were pure (extreme yes, but pure) the result could've been fatal.

Water has the ability to rid the body of toxins, remove bloat caused by sodium, supply our organs with oxygen from the blood, keep our brain and heart properly functioning, aids in repairing muscle fatigue, & regulate bodily temperature are just some to name a few. Maybe there would be less cases of disease if we supplied our bodies with the proper amount of water we need?

I was curious to know what system controlled the water that our bodies kept and what was chosen to be eliminated. As I looked into WebMD I read an article which stated, "through our pituitary gland, our brain communicates through our kidneys to tell what to excrete through urine and what to hold onto for reserves. As well as triggering when you are thirsty." 

Answering thirst: I love to carry water with me everywhere I go (or you could keep some in the car). May I suggest a glass water bottle verses a plastic one? Or how about a BPA-free one?  The toxic chemicals from the plastic can seep into the water, making it a not so healthy drink. Some of those chemicals are, but not limited to: BPA, phthalates, vinyl chloride, dioxin, and styrene. As scientific research shows, too much consumption of these chemicals could lead to cancer. 

How much water should I consume? The calculation is: your weight divided by two is the ounces you should consume, divide that by 8 and you get how many cups you need on a daily bases. As I stated before in my previous post, too little water won't work but too much could be dangerous, resulting in water intoxication or water poisoning. Definition of water intoxication: a potentially fatal disturbance of brain functions resulting in the lowering of electrolytes. The lowering of electrolytes can lead to dizziness, cramps, irregular heart beat, and mental confusion. However water intoxication is rare, (no need to freak out if you over drink) but it is something to be aware of. In other words: No need to go sign up for a water drinking contest.;)

You may be thinking, "but I don't even like water!" My response to you would be, "have you ever tried well water? " What a difference there is between well and city water. No, I'm not saying go out and dig a well so you can enjoy water, but it's in the power of how you talk to your self. If you tell yourself something isn't good, then you will probably never get into the habit of this beneficial practice. We have city water at our house and use a good filter to be able to enjoy our water. Also, if you miss flavor, try adding slices of lemon, apples, oranges, berries, cucumber, ginger, or mint leaves etc. 

Did you drink any water today?

Happy drinking,

B 

I will be doing a 5 part series on the bullet points I made in my first blog post. Series will be called "a closer look". My next blog will be on the need for sleep. Stay tuned. 

Instagram: danzagirl016 for food blogs and nutritional fun

*disclaimer: I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist, just a girl with a passion for health. Before trying any of my recommendations, please consult a professional.