Water is THE most essential building block of life.
We are surrounded by it, yet we take it for granted…
It’s a fact, our bodies need water!
We could live for months without food, and there have been reports of prisoners going on hunger strike and they continue to live, but we can only live for two days without water.
It is essential to every cell in our body, they need water to communicate with each other. Our bodies are made up of up to 80% water, so consuming enough water every single day is one of the most important thing we can do for our health!
And as we get older the amount of water decreases!
A Naturopath friend of mine told me recently there was a study on Alzheimers and Dementia and the amount of water they were drinking… There have also been a lot of reports on patients going in to hospital and deteriorating quickly. A link was made to the fact that they weren’t being given enough water due to staffing levels and not being able to take patients to the toilet (not sure if these statements are true or not).
Did you know, water is important for:
Regulating body temperature
Cushioning and lubricating your joints
Protecting bodily tissues and organs
Helping to keep moist various bodily tissues, such as nose, eyes and mouth
Carrying oxygen and nutrients to your cells
Aiding in digestion
Helping to protect your central nervous system, spinal cord and brain 2
Helping to dissolve nutrients, including minerals, to make them accessible to the rest of the body
Helping your body clear out waste through perspiration, urination and bowel movements
Reducing the burden on the liver and kidneys by washing out waste
Water is essential for everyday functioning. Usually, we are able to get enough water, but certain situations can make getting enough water difficult. Situations where the body needs more water:
In hot and/or humid climates
When doing physical activity
When feverish
When vomiting
With diarrhoea
When pregnant
When ill
When breast-feeding
When taking certain medications
When you have burns, like extensive sunburns
At high altitude (which causes increased urination and breathing rate)
Those with chronic health issues, the elderly, infants and young children are all more sensitive to dehydration
We lose water when we sweat and urinate, and even when you exhale. It’s important to keep our body in equilibrium when it comes from water by replacing all the water that we expel.
How often do you look at the colour of your wee?
Your urine should be the colour of straw and should have no smell – Dark urine is an indication of being dehydrated, how often do you check the colour of your pee?
Other signs of dehydration:
No tears
Sunken eyes
Less urine than usual
Dry mouth
Lack of saliva
Fast heart rate
Cool, dry skin
Fatigue or lethargy
Impaired mental functioning
Sunken fontanel, or soft spot, in infants
Listlessness or coma in severe cases
Stay hydrated, make sure you drink fluid throughout any physical activity, and drink water before and after activity.
Drink before you feel thirsty, when you start to feel thirsty you are already getting dehydrated! Lips are another good indicator, if they are dry and cracked this could be a sign to take on more water. The amount of water you need depends on many factors, including:
General health
Diet
Age
Percentage body fat
Air temperature
Activity level
The average woman needs about nine 8-oz. cups of water a day, while the average man needs thirteen 8-oz. cups. Some people, like those with kidney disease, have fluid restrictions. Therefore, it is always recommended that people follow the advice of their medical physician first and foremost.
Drink more water every day, especially if they are in hot climates, working outside, doing vigorous activity or are older or younger.
Be mindful, drinking may quench your thirst, fruit drinks will contribute to your hydration, but they are processed as sugars, make sure you drink water. If you drink tea and coffee, remember they are diuretics, so the make you pee… Drink a glass of water for every cup of tea or coffee or other diuretic drink you have!
Spring Retreat April 2016
