Lets start with Water. Aw, aqua.....refreshing, cleansing, thirst quenching and just overall AW-MAZING! We can only survive days without water, that just shows how important it is to our lives, it is the MOST important nutrient in the body. The list of roles water has in our body could go on and on but here are just a few of those roles.
- Improves oxygen delivery to cells
- Cushions bones and joints
- Improves cell-to-cell communication
- Transports nutrients
- Empowers the body's natural healing process
- Enables cellular hydration
- Flushes toxins
- Removes waste
- Regulates body temperature
Not only those but water can improve skin, help with weight loss and give you more energy!! These are great bonuses when we up our water intake.
The body is capable of producing about 8% of its daily water needs through metabolic processes. The remaining 92% must be ingested through the foods we eat and the beverages we drink. It is essential that we are getting enough water on a daily basis. The best way to know how much water you are drinking daily is to divide your weight by 2 and drink that many ounces in water daily.
In an ideal world we would be getting more than enough water from our diets without even trying but these days most the foods and drinks we are ingesting are diuretics which are dehydrating. Coffee, soda, alcohol, caffeinated teas and even some fruit juices filled with sugar are all diuretics. Anytime you drink one of these add another 12-16 ounces of water to your daily intake.
I may once and a while partake of a diuretic beverage but all things in moderation and remember if you do indulge in one just up your water for that day. Try not to make a habit of it though. I find that if first thing in the morning I drink a large glass of water it makes me feel energized and is a great start to a hydrated day.
There are a lot of early signs of dehydration that we don't even link to the fact that we may simply just not be getting enough water. Fatigue, anxiety, irritability, depression, cravings, cramps and headaches could all just be your body's way of telling you that you're dehydrated.
Also, with hydration it is also important to be getting adequate electrolytes back in you system as we lose them daily as well through perspiration and urine. Unrefined salt is a way to get electrolytes or an electrolyte solution.
So do a little research find the freshest purest water you can in your area and start hydrating your body today, you'll be happy you did.
