FUELING UP ON
WATER
Dr. Batmanghelidj, M.D. Stated in his book "Your Not Sick, Your Thirsty", that you are already in dehydration mode if you wait until your mouth tells you you're thirsty.
It's our body's vital fuel, a health drink
from mother nature. It's calorie-free,
inexpensive and easily obtained. Yet few
people follow the old fashioned advice to drink eight glasses of water a day.
Most people drink when they are thirsty,
but the beverage of choice tends to be some other drink besides water. Americans drink two or three glasses of plain
water a day, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey conducted in
the late 1970. Based on an analysis of
all fluid intake by adults, it is said to total about two quarts of water a
day, and this includes water from foods and from other beverages. It's not usually necessary to actually
swallow two quarts of plain water every day.
However, people with special problems such as kidney conditions might be
exceptions.
Americans drink eight gallons of bottled
water a year, roughly two ounces or a quarter-cup a day, according to the
International Bottled Water Association.
Californians drink three times the national average of bottled water,
downing 24 gallons a year, or nearly a cup a day. Climate and seasons of the year play a role
in one's thirst also, and just as we tend to perspire more in the summer
months, we also tend to drink more water.
Boosting intake of plain water makes good
sense, many experts concur, because water eases digestion and regulates body
temperature.
Water also bathes
the cells and accounts for about 60 percent of body weight. And it can help us exercise longer and more
efficiently. Drinking water can ward off
constipation and maybe even crankiness.
An since it's a natural appetite suppressant, water can help us lose
weight and keep it off. It can help keep
skin healthy, although it won't necessarily banish acne.
Who should drink water? We all should, but pregnant women, nursing
mothers and athletes should be especially careful to drink a sufficient
amount. When it is hot or humid, upping
water intake is also wise. There are
certain workers who seem to have a more difficult time developing the
water-drinking habit. Among those who
don't normally drink enough water are teachers, airline attendants and nurses.
Drinking fluids, particularly, water,
during exercise reduces cardiovascular stress and improves performance. After a strenuous workout, you have to
replace the fluids you have lost.
Otherwise, you will suffer chronic dehydration. Drink water before, during and after
exercising, and remember that water reduces body temperature thus making the
whole exercise process safer.
Water can be especially helpful for people
with a history of kidney stones because it dissolves calcium in the urine,
reducing the risk of stone formation.
Among physicians, urologists are probably most likely to extol the
virtues of water, And it has been documented that drinking water mostly before
6 P.M. can reduce the likelihood of nocturnal bathroom visits.
It is interesting to note
also that water helps prevent urinary tract infections, both for men and for
women. Too busy to count how many
glasses a day you drink? There are other
ways to calculate if your intake is sufficient.
Dark-colored urine often suggest you aren't drinking enough water. Get into the habit by starting with a glass
of water with every meal, then work in a cup between meals. Among physicians, urologists are probably
most likely to extol the virtues of water.
I'll have more about the importance of water in later posts.