When people ask me what is one thing they can do right now to improve their health in a dramatic way, I almost always respond "DRINK MORE WATER"
Some of the health risks of not getting enough water are:
- Dehydration (obviously)
- Body Temperature Imbalance
- Chemical Imbalances
- Digestive/Gut Issues
- Inflammation
- Ulcers
- Joint Pain
- Illness
- Excessive Toxicity
- Premature Aging
In the US we have a major hydration problem. According to the CDC in 2005-2010, U.S. adults drank an average of 39 ounces of water on a given day. But, in an article on WebMD, Trent Nessler, PT, DPT, MPT, (managing director of Baptist Sports Medicine in Nashville) is quoted as saying
“In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.”
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. If you’re living in a hot climate and exercising a lot, you’d be on the higher end of that range; if you’re in a cooler climate and mostly sedentary, you’d need less.
Many health experts have echoed a similar statement for years "drink half your body weight in ounces per day MINIMUM!" But, according to that CDC study I just mentioned, the average adult was only drinking about 39 ounces per day. I would be willing to bet that the participants in this study did not all weigh 78 lbs. This is a major problem!
The average weight of an American man is about 198 lbs. and for women it is about 170 lbs. This means that the average man should be drinking at the very least 99 ounces per day and a woman should drink at least 85 ounces per day. But, you can do the math for your exact body weight.
Go ahead and calculate it real quick, I'll wait… :)
So, how are you doing today? Are you on track to hit the suggested amount?
I'm betting that most of us need improvement in this category.
Here are some benefits of getting enough water:
- Lubricates the joints
- Forms saliva and mucus and improves digestion
- Delivers oxygen throughout the body
- Improves skin health
- Cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues
- Regulates body temperature
- Flushes body waste
- Helps maintain blood pressure
- Your airways need it
- Makes minerals and nutrients accessible
- Prevents kidney damage
- Boosts performance during exercise
- Weight loss
What about water from food and other beverages?
You may be thinking about including the water you are getting from other sources like food, juice, tea and even coffee or soda (let's talk about soda another day). While these do contribute to your overall water consumption keep in mind that the "half your body weight in ounces" we are talking about is the minimum. Often times these sources (soda, coffee, juices...) can be filled with other chemicals and compounds that need to be flushed out of your system. So, to get an idea of your daily water consumption your best bet is to simply track your water. It's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available and any extra water you get from other sources is a bonus.
But wait! Before you go out and grab a glass from the nearest facet let's talk about water quality.
Did you know that a new report from an environmental advocacy watchdog group cautions that carcinogenic products in tap water may altogether increase cancer risk for thousands of U.S. residents over a lifetime. Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that 22 carcinogens were commonly found in tap water including arsenic, byproducts of water disinfectants and radionuclides such as uranium and radium, they report that these could cumulatively result in over 100,000 cancer cases over the span of a lifetime.
https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(19)35974-2
"So, if getting enough water in a day wasn’t hard enough now we need to make sure the water is not hurting us too?"
Yes, but thankfully there are many great filters on the market. Carbon-activated, ceramic, ion exchange, mechanical filters, ozone, reverse osmosis, UV light and water softeners. Some of these are better than others, but you will need to explore the method of filtration that is best for your area and lifestyle. From counter top units to whole house filtration you can contact local experts that have a better idea of your cities water and potential issues.
Getting contaminants out and enough water in each day will go a long way to improving health. We all live busy lives and sometimes the first things to go are the most basic. But, this is one way to dramatically improve health that does not cost a lot of money. It's simple and easy.
Someone once wrote:
"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water."
Maybe you are already drinking enough water each day. That’s great! Ready to take it to the next level? It may be time to look into Alkaline Water and Hydrogen Water.
EPA guidelines state that the pH of tap water should be between 6.5 and 8.5. But many times, tap water in the U.S. tends to fall below that -- in the 4.3 to 5.3 range - depending on where you live. Getting consistent PH that is on the alkaline side may have some additional health benefits.
Hydrogen water is pure water with extra hydrogen molecules added to it. This can be done with filtering or even tablets that you drop in your bottle or glass. This extra hydrogen may also have some additional health benefits too.
But, before you dive hard into taking your water to the next level, start with getting enough clean water down the hatch each day.
Until next time. Make good choices and stay healthy! 😀
