The Importance of Staying Hydrated

This is the time of year that many people are stressed out trying to get everything ready in time for the holidays and it can take a toll on our health.  One of the most important steps you can take to ensure you stay healthy through the holidays is to drink more water.  This might be hard to believe but after reading  “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water” by Dr. F. Batmanghelidj through my masters program in nutrition, I don’t quite look at water in the same light. It is such a fascinating book for many reasons, but the Dr. makes recommendations on how to naturally prevent and reverse such conditions as; asthma and allergies, eliminate pains such as heartburn, back pain, arthritis, colitis pain and migraine headaches.  I would really recommend you read this book when you have a moment!

            Dr. F. Batmanghelidj is an expert on the role of chronic dehydration in disease.  He states that “The most important life-giving substance in the body, and the one that the body desperately depends on, is water.  The body is comprised of approximately 75% water and is found both outside and inside the cells, and is the basis for all bodily fluids: blood, lymph, saliva, digestive juices, urine, and perspiration. [1] Because water is the regulator of all of the body’s functions, it is equated with life.  Water is the main source of energy transport for every cell in the body, conducting electrical and magnetic energy that supplies the power to live. [1]

            One of the ways staying hydrated can help one with allergies is because the sinuses drain better when they are well hydrated and their mucous membrane is more resistant to infection.  According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, most people unknowingly suffer from chronic dehydration.  This can wreck havoc on your health because it contributes to a toxic overload in the body, which can lead to a hyperactive immune system and cause or contribute to a variety of diseases. [1]

            Okay, so now we know most probably need to drink more water!  Myself included!  The Dr. states that the best time to drink water is one 8-ounce glass 30 minutes before taking food (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and a similar amount 2 1/2 hours after each meal. This is the very minimum amount of water your body needs.  He also recommends two more glasses of water taken around the heaviest meal or before going to bed.  After a few days of drinking six to ten (yes ten!) 8-ounce glasses of water he suggests you start to add good, quality sea salt to your diet – especially if you suffer from muscle cramps at night, a sign of salt-deficiency.  The reason for this he states is because “the body is under a constant drive to retain salt and keep water inside the system” and “increased water intake alone causes the body to lose salt.”  Also, make sure to drink some orange juice or bananas for their potassium content.  The standard recommendation for children is between 6-8 glasses (1.5 – 2 liters) of water a day. 

I carry my water bottle with me at all times and try to remember to refill it at least four times a day when I am out and about.  And when you start to have that lull mid-day – try to drink a glass of water before you go for the caffeine and you just might find you have more energy!  

What are some ways you remind yourself to drink more water?

References:

[1]. Goldberg, Burton. Alternative Medicine – The Definitive Guide. Second Edition. Celestial Arts.

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