by Susan Trost

 

Water is the essence of life. More than 70% of your body is water, your brain is 75-85% water and your blood is 50%. Water is so important to all the functions of your body and your cells, that without water you will die. Water helps maintain key bodily functions - circulation, assimilation, digestion, elimination of toxins, metabolism, and temperature control, plus it gives you energy.

Dr Batmanghelidj wrote a book called "You are not sick, you are thirsty. Water: For Health For Healing, For Life." He believes that most chronic conditions and disease are a result of chronic dehydration. We don't drink enough water nor do we drink enough good water to support our body in its daily healing and repair work. Plus, it does not help that we are one of the most acidic countries in the world due to our diets. Dehydration accelerates aging too. Look at the difference between the skin of a child and an elderly person. Hydration is critical as it enables the cells to detoxify.

Chronic dehydration signals from "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" by Dr Batmanghelidj:

Sinus problems, allergies and breathing problems

Joint discomfort and pain (back, neck, knee, etc.)

Obesity and digestive problems

Headaches

Heart problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure

Sleep disorders

Impotence

Depression

Brain dysfunction

Want to make a big improvement in your overall health and energy? There is no fancy secret here. Just drink enough water to keep you well hydrated and your body functioning at its peak. The amount of water needed on a daily basis depends on your lifestyle. A rule of thumb is normally ounce per pound of body weight. Athletes and people in hot climates might need more. Everyone is different, but remember water (just like anything) can be dangerous if too much is consumed.

Water is an amazing substance. There are big difference in water quality. The bioavailability and absorbability are critical components. After all, it is not how much you drink that matters, it is how much your body absorbs.

Options for water - Which is best?:

1. Tap Water:

Unfortunately, the quality of tap water can vary greatly. Most areas use chlorine for water treatment which is a known carcinogen. While it kills bacteria, it does nothing to remove the dead bacteria from the water. Fluride and calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and potassium carbonate are also used to purify water. All of these substances are unhealthy for us. Pharmaceuticals wind up in the water supply (either flushed or excreted) and there is nothing in place for water treatment facilities to deal with this problem at the moment. Further, pesticides, animal waste, toxic waste, lead, oil and chemical runoff, fertilizers, cleaning chemicals, arsenic, flouride and even rocket fuel has been detected in tap water. As water delivery lines age, there is a buildup of mineral, biological and chemical deposits. Tap water is not something you want to be putting in your body.

2. Bottled Water:

There are too many unknowns with bottled water. What is the source? Over 25% of bottled water is just tap water. If it is filtered, how often are the filters changed? How long did it sit on a dock? What kind of heat was it exposed to (chemicals from plastics leach into the water at temperatures above 80)? How long did it sit on the store shelves (florescent lights change the water)? What about the environmental impacts of all the plastic bottles? It takes 1.5 million barrels of oil to produce the plastic bottles in the US alone each year, not to mention the environmental costs of disposal and recycling. If it is a reusable bottle, what kind of process was done to purify the bottle? If it is in your office, does anyone ever clean the water unit? Most importantly, this is the most expensive kind of water you can buy - even more expensive than gasoline! If you drink the required amount of water, you'll spend about $1400 annually!

3. Reserve Osmosis Water:

The good thing is reverse osmosis takes everything out. The bad thing is reverse osmosis takes everything out including the minerals your body needs in water. The process wastes water. It takes about 3 gallons to get 1 gallon of water. The resulting water is more acidic too.

4. Distilled Water:

This water is very acidic and is technically dead water. Do not drink distilled water.

5. Water Softening:

Water softening can be very expensive. There can be additional health problems resulting from the added sodium. It also does not remove organics, metals and microbes.

6. Purified or Filtered Water:

This is the best option. It gives you the ability to know exactly when the filters need changed and know exactly the quality of water you are getting. It is also the most ecomonical option and is environmentally friendly.

Filtration of your drinking, cooking and fruit/veggie washing water is very important to your health. In the next part of the water series, we will explore what to look for when selecting a water filtration system. It is important to be a good consumer to benefit both your health, your pocketbook and the environment.

Susan Trost is our healthier living expert. For more info, visit www.livinghealthiernow.com.