Water is Life

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

Last week we began our journey to Finding a Healthier More Vibrant and Beautiful You by incorporating the habit of deep breathing into our daily routines. We learned that filling our lungs with life-giving oxygen and exhaling toxins from our body has many healthful benefits.

The next essential, second only to oxygen, is WATER. Amazingly, there are many people that drink everything but a glass of water.  I can relate to that because for many years I drank very little water. In fact, I was absolutely sure that I disliked it. My usual day consisted of sugar-laden juice for breakfast; hot tea while at work (a diuretic); and Diet Coke after lunch with a Tylenol (Yikes! what a toxic cocktail!). Looking back, I’m sure the headaches I had every day were due to dehydration. The only water I did drink was with meals, and that was only if there wasn’t any soda in the house. I honestly don’t remember when I started to realize that I needed to change my drinking habits. It was interesting that the more water I drank, the more my body thirsted for it. I gradually weaned myself off of soda and caffeinated drinks altogether. Recently, I created a water chart with rows of blue smiley faces and I check them off as I drink my water requirement each day J.

Today advertisers tempt us with fruit juices, sport drinks, energy drinks, fitness waters, carbonated beverages, coffee, tea, lattes and flavored waters to name just a few of the diversions.  Sadly, most of them contain:

                Sugars

                Caffeine

                Flavorings

                Colorings

                Artificial sweeteners (chemically processed)

                Phosphates in colas (bind with calcium and weaken bones)

                Additives (if you can’t pronounce their names, you probably

                      shouldn’t be ingesting them)

                PLUS Calories galore!

If you’re substituting these drinks for water, you have just annihilated any health benefits of a glass of water! Check out these amazing benefits attributed to pure and refreshing water: 

• Helps your body detoxify
• Fuels metabolism for energy
• Improves your skin’s appearance
• Aids in weight loss

Can denying my body water make me fat?  If your body is starved for water, it will begin to misinterpret thirst signals as hunger. A good way to see if you’re really hungry is to drink a glass of water and wait to see if your hunger pangs subside. If they do, after ten to fifteen minutes, then you were just thirsty. Just imagine how many calories you could save by drinking a glass of water instead of reaching for an unnecessary snack!

What if my city's water is treated with chlorine? It is vital that you drink purified water, if your local water is treated with chlorine. According to the U. S. Council of Environmental Quality, “The cancer to people who drink chlorinated water is 93% higher than those who don’t.” Invest in a good water filtration system that guarantees removal of the chlorine and other harmful ingredients such as lead and mercury. Another option is purchasing bottled water that is purified.

How much should I drink each day? Calculate your water needs by using this simple formula: Divide your weight in half and use this number for the ounces you should drink. Example: Your weight is 140 lbs. divided by two equals 70. You will need to drink 70 ounces of water a day. Be sure to increase your water intake if you’re exercising; the weather is hot and humid; you are ill; pregnant (10 cups per day); and breast-feeding (13 cups per day).

I challenge you to track your water consumption to see if you're consuming enough of this life-giving liquid each day.