Why WATER should be a top priority for your health

I have been planning this post on water for some time and decided that since today is World water day it would be the perfect day to publish my thoughts on water.

“Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. The 2010 theme is water quality, aiming to raise quality as a crucial element of water management, alongside quantity.  Clean, safe, and adequate freshwater is vital to the survival of all living organisms and the smooth functioning of ecosystems, communities, and economies.”  Since 1993 the UN has declared March 22nd to be the annual day to generate a greater awareness for water quality, ecosystems, and human well-being. around the world.  To read more about the objectives of WWD take a peek here.  To see what people all over the world have been doing to celebrate WWD today check out the WWD site right here.

Before I adapted an alkaline lifestyle I certainly did not drink enough water.  When I did it always felt like a heavy lead weight in my belly.  I would feel incredibly full and used to joke that I could go on a water diet cuz I was never hungry after a glass of water as it seemed to just sit there and take it’s time to be processed by my body.  Looking back after all my education on water I recognize that the water I was drinking was not good water that my body could easily absorb.  Nowadays my water intake astonishes me.  I drink 3, sometimes 4 litres of alkaline water per day.  It’s on my mind most of the time and a water bottle is at my side most always.  Yet I don’t find that I am running to the ladies room that many more times than when I wasn’t drinking as much.  The big difference is that my body is using up the alkaline water and not just processing it thru to elimination.  This is what you want to happen.  Be aware if you find that your water is eliminated by your body too quickly as you may not be getting nearly enough absorption which is a bummer after all your efforts.  The study of water is extensive and complex but what I understand is that you must drink pure clean filtered alkaline water.  The tricky part is how do you know if it’s pure.  Often you don’t know since bottled water is not carefully regulated.

You need a system that will eliminate all contaminants including water born parasites, chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, bacteria and viruses.  Then you need to alkalize the water.  Some water filters do both, filter and ionize (alkalize) like the one I have. Check out this site for some models that range in price and also sign up for the water facts which are excellent reading. Gwen also has some interesting short interviews with Dr.Robert O. Young regarding the benefits of water that she will also forward to you.  If you already have a filter you can purchase a simple Alka stick that will then ionize and add valuable minerals to your water.  Now you’re in business.  Alkaline water is the purest, sweetest tasting water you will have ever had.

Here are four things you may not know about water but will be glad you’ve read today!

1.  You are probably dehydrated and don’t know it. We lose 2.5 litres of water per day thru average daily living. ( this will vary based on your activities, exercise, sweating or temperatures).  We replace most of it with our food and drink during the day but this depends on what fluids we drink and the water content of the food.  Most of us don’t eat enough high water content foods like veggies and fruits and the drinks consist of coffee, tea and sodas. These hardly hydrate, if anything they tax your system and halt the process of osmosis which allows the water to enter the cell.  Day by day you slowly deprive your body of water and symptoms of dehydration begin to appear such as stress, headaches, allergies, back pain, weight gain, high blood pressure, asthma and even Alzheimer’s disease. If you suffer from any of these or if you drink less than 2.5 litres per day you need to increase your intake.  Water gives you way more energy if you feel sluggish than coffee ever could so grab a cup of water in place of caffeine and try it out.  See if the yawning stops.  Check for these signs of dehydration—dry mouth, you are already deprived, your body is communicating;–feeling thirsty means your cells are already dehydrated;–dark coloured urine indicates severe dehydration;–if you are somewhat dehydrated it will be yellow.  A nicely hydrated body’s urine is colourless (unless you have just taken supplements).

2. Water is critical to our digestion, circulation and elimination and these key processes cannot function properly without it or without enough of it. Our blood is 84% water, blood plasma is 98% water, our lungs 90% water and our brains 76% water.  No wonder we get a headache right away when we are dehydrated after drinking alcohol which stops our body from absorbing water.  No wonder sometimes we are not regularly eliminating or when we do it’s no easy task!  This is incredibly dangerous to fall into this routine as our bodies must be able to empty completely or we develop a compost that leaches back into our bodies creating massive problems leading to disease.  Our blood is the builder of healthy cells and the carrier of water to our entire body and if it is lacking water it can’t do it’s job to keep our cells plump (hydrated) and eliminate toxins from the body.  Ever wonder why some of us look so much more wrinkled as we age versus others that have amazingly plump smooth skin.  Water, water, water, it’s as simple as that.  I have noticed a dramatic improvement in my skin with the increase in water intake– no more fancy, expensive face creams for me!  Yeh!  Water is also 1/2 the reason I was able to eliminate my back pain- I washed the inflammation away and I hydrated the disk which plumped it up and gave me more disc space to stop the disc impinging the nerve and causing sciatica– phew… what a relief and what was the prescription?–water… for heaven sake, not drugs!  Consuming 3-4 liters of water that is alkaline with a pH of between 9 and 11 along with a healthy diet will first neutralize stored acid wastes ( toxins)  and then gently remove and flush them from your tissues.  Alternatively to an ionizer, adding pH drops to your filtered water will improve the alkalinity which is key.

3. Water can flush away fat cells. Over the first 90 days of becoming alkaline and increasing my water intake dramatically to 3-4  litres of water per day, much to my surprise, I lost 30 pounds!  I had no idea that this would happen so easily or quickly and it was not my goal to lose weight but to ease my pain so this was a wonderful benefit and the good news is that I have maintained my weight now 1.5 years later!  Part of the reason for the weight loss was the increase in veggies (high water content foods) and a decrease in concentrated foods (low water content foods like grains & animal proteins).  The flushing of my body with a continuous supply of pure clean alkaline water and these high water content foods literally washed my fat cells down the loo!  Drinking alkaline water with a good diet daily allows you to maintain a healthy weight year after year.

4. High water intake slows the aging process. Our bodies begin to break down when they have a build up of acidic waste.  Toxins that can’t be eliminated are deposited in our organs, the heart, colon, liver, pancreas, joints and even fatty tissue such as the breasts.  Symptoms of disease begin and the aging process is excellerated.  Imagine if you could continuously eliminate and flush out these toxins just by being consistent with your pure alkaline water intake.  You instantly increase your lifespan and quality of life on this planet!!  It’s really that simple.  Just drink more water.

I am currently reading this book Your Body’s Many Cries for WATER by Dr. F Batmanghelidj M.D. who believes that “You’re not sick: You’re thirsty-Don’t treat Thirst with Medications”.  He has treated thousands of patients in pain with only water by recognizing their degree of dehydration. Chapter one is titled “Why medicine doesn’t cure disease”.   His studies and findings are fascinating and worth reading.  You will learn;
•How to naturally prevent and reverse conditions such as asthma & allergies
•How to naturally eliminate pains including heartburn, back pain, arthritis, colitis pain & migraine headaches
•How to use water to prevent and combat premature aging
•How to lose weight effortlessly and naturally

Honestly, I could go on and on about water (since I have barely touched the surface of water) as I believe that it cured my pain and washed away excess pounds that were added pressure on my herniated disc.  I know that with continued hydration of my disc it will return to it’s normal state and lose it’s bulge altogether which most doctors would say is impossible without surgery.  I plan on having an MRI when I feel like it is perfect to prove that it can be done.  I am giving myself another year for this by taking it easy and when it’s perfect I am heading to the slopes for some skiing, then in the summer I’m slipping into a wet suit for some water skiing on the flat calm waters in the bay up at our cottage!!  Until then, I am giving my body the time it needs to completely regenerate healthy cartilage cells (they take a long time to renew) that will in turn increase my disc space, all the while hydrating consistently for optimum health.  I really believe that WATER should be a top priority for your health especially if you have any pain or are on any medications.  You may be able to eliminate the medications just like I did.  You’ll feel soooo much better and will notice the dramatic difference if you are consistent.  How much water do you drink each day?  Is it pure clean alkaline water?  Are you willing to give it a try? Do you have a success story to share? How would you feel if you could increase your life expectancy and your quality of life?  How about trying it for 10 days and see how your feel.  I’d love to hear your thoughts. Need to sign off as it’s time for another big glass of alkaline water:)

ps. In a pinch, when you are out in a restaurant always ask for lemon wedges as it will alkalize your water, improving it’s quality for your body!