Boost Your Creativity and Lower the Risk of Heart Diseases with a Glass of Water

You can 'boost your creativity and lower the risk of heart diseases with a glass of water' and it is true. Drinking water has some benefits which we forget living in a dehydrated world of carbonated beverages, caffeine and alcohol.
We forget that water is important for our health and well being. Everything your body does it does better with a healthy supply of water, every system in your body depends on water.

 Adequate water intake prevents dehydration, cleans out the body, and promotes healing processes. Substituting water for beverages high in calories can also help control weight.
Loma Linda University researchers found that drinking five or more 8-ounce glasses of water a day could help lower your risk of heart disease by up to 60 percent - exactly the same drop you get from stopping smoking, lowering your LDL (bad) cholesterol numbers, exercising, or losing a little weight.

Consistent failure to drink enough water can lead to Chronic Cellular Dehydration. This condition where the body’s cell are never quite hydrated enough leave them in a weakened state, vulnerable to attack from disease. It weakens the body’s overall immune system and leads to chemical, nutritional and pH imbalances that can cause a host of diseases.                                
Increased water consumption can help you control weight by preventing you from confusing hunger with thirst. Water will also keep your body systems, including metabolism and digestion, working properly and give you the energy (and hydration) necessary for exercise.
A glass of water can boost your creativity as well. If you’re properly hydrated you’ll have more energy, you’ll feel healthier, you will become more alert and aware of your surroundings. If your brain is functioning on a full reservoir it will function at full capacity and you’ll think better and faster.
A glass of water is a great boost to your creativity. You’ll find ideas are easier to come up with and they’re likely to be more unique. Your mind will work easier and it won’t seem like such a strain. All that and it’s one of the simplest changes you can make in your life.

Bring Instant Increase in Brain Power by drinking water:

• First thing in the morning have a glass of water.
• Around lunch, have another glass of water along with whatever you planned for lunch. Then grab a glass around 3:00 or somewhere in there, especially if you’re starting to feel like you’re slowing down.
• One glass of water with supper. It is important to know that the body can only absorb 4 ounces of water every 10 minutes, so like many things in life, it is important to be proactive with drinking water. 
• Aim to drink one glass of pure water every hour you are awake. And make the process enjoyable.
• Drink water before, with and after every meal; it will help you to prevent overeating and obesity. Eat slowly, drink water and you will get satisfied with less food.

Benjamin Franklin said: “There can’t be good living where there is not good drinking.”

Useful posts:

* 10 Reasons to Drink More Water

* Need to Increase Your Brain Power?

* How to Drink More Water Every Day?
First published at 'knoji'

Drink enough water to keep you healthy and fit

The average person needs about 8 glasses of water per day. But that is just an average. Some people need more, and some people need less. However, there are also times when the body temporarily needs more water.
 
There are also certain times when people may need more water than usual, whether it is a health condition, or an environmental concern. 

 We should take more water:

--- When on a high protein diet

Did you know that uric acid in meat could cause gout? That said, people on a high protein diet require more water than a regular eater, as the water will flush out things like uric acid, caused by the extra protein. Another risk of high protein diets that can be combated with water is that, if you're not eating carbohydrates, your body breaks down fat cells and then produces a buildup of toxic chemical compounds, called ketones in your blood. When there are too many ketones in your blood, your body eliminates them in your urine. Eliminate too many ketones, and you also eliminate too much water. Without replacing it, you can suffer severe dehydration and the risk of abnormal heart rhythms

---- When on a high fiber diet

Constipation can be an uncomfortable side effect of high fiber intake. That is because fiber, although good for your health, can absorb fluid from your intestines. Drinking fluids help prevent constipation in those who are eating high fiber.

--- Having an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea are signs of dehydration. Drinking more water will keep the body hydrated during this illness, and also prevent that vomiting and diarrhea that goes along with it. It is suggested that someone with these symptoms, most likely from the flu or another virus, to drink 2-3 quarts of water per day.

--- Being more physically active

The more active someone is, the more they will perspire. When you exercise, your body builds up heat, and sweat brings your body temperature back to normal. As sweat evaporates from your skin, your body cools. But, through the cooling process, can lose four cups of water every hour during exercise. As a result, more water is lost. Drinking more fluids will combat that water loss by replenishing the body. Whether this activity is during a workout or during work, keep drinking.

--- Exposed to warm or hot conditions

As people are exposed to warmer conditions, their body temperatures will rise as a reaction to cool the body, resulting in more perspiration. This can happen whether they are being active or not. Without proper fluid intake, this change in climate could leave people having the uncomfortable effects of dehydration. That is not something someone on a vacation wants to experience! Carry around a water bottle while in warmer conditions. Also, warmer conditions could be in a workplace. If that is the case, always make sure that you are paying a visit to the water cooler, or have a water bottle at your workstation.

Source of information: 'Free drinking water.com'

Sodas and soft drinks replacing water intake and its harmful effects

 With the increasing use of soft drinks and sodas, we are replacing it with water which is a natural and safe need of human body. Our kids and teens are becoming addicted to the soft drinks, rather than taking enough water which is essential for their health. What are the harmful effects of taking too much sodas in spite of water?

Not only can soda pack on the pounds, it can also deteriorate the body as well.
The sugar in soda, usually containing 9 teaspoons, can over time cause you to pack on the pounds. Also, did you know that that much sugar can compromise the immune system for up to 12 hours? Drinking diet cola? Have you heard about that artificial sweeteners are linked to brain tumors? Caffeine is another major issue for not just soda drinkers, but coffee and energy drink buffs as well. Caffeine consumption can cause dehydration and when not consumed, terrible headaches, shakes and irritability. While a morning boost may not have serious long-term effects, constant consumption will indeed take a toll on the body.

The biggest, most important reason to steer clear of the fizzy beverage is mineral depletion. The long term the effects of colas are devastating to the body. Acidity, sugars, and artificial flavors and sweeteners can actually shorten your life. There is enough acid in a can of soda to kill, that is, if our body did not contain mechanisms to neutralize it. But, that means our bodies' precious minerals, such as calcium, are being used for this instead of what they are intended for! Did you know that it takes 32 glasses of water to neutralize the acid from one 12 oz. cola or soda? Wow!

Sports drinks are arguably said to be a good choice by athletes needing to replenish minerals. However, people should caution themselves to not drink them recreationally. Many times parents will let children drink them because of the "cool" flavors. One Baylor University study of sports drinks said there was one case of irregular heartbeat was reported in a football player who consumed too much potassium per day by drinking too much of a sports drink. Sports drinks also contain sodium, as well as a significant concentration of carbohydrates and calories. If people are drinking sports drinks, not because they are working out and losing minerals through sweat, than they are not very good for you!

Other drinks that cannot be replaced by water are coffee and tea. Much has been said about coffee drinks as a source of fat and empty calories. Many of these coffee specialty drinks have become more like desserts and should be treated as such, not drank on a regular basis. Coffee may be a great way to wake up in the morning, but after 8 hours of sleep, bodies need to be hydrated again, not dehydrated, as coffee will do. 

Need to wake up? Replenish your body with water and do some stretches or go for a walk or run to get the blood pumping.

Reading about the harmful effects of these drinks should shed some light on the benefits of our great natural resource: water!

How to know the water we are using is safe and healthy for us?

In our daily lives we not only use water for drinking purposes but we bathe, brush our teeth, wash our clothes with it. Farming, ranching, food processing and a multitude of manufacturing processes use a great deal water, as well. The water we use for regular daily needs is treated on a huge level to make it safe for us. This post helps you learn how the water is purified to make it safer for humans.

We all know that water is an essential part of our life. Just a few lines to remember that

Importance of Water:

- Regulates body temperature

- Serves as a solvent for minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other small

molecules, aiding their assimilation into the body carries oxygen to all parts of

the body

- Lubricates the areas around our joints (especially important for athletes, people

with arthritis and those with chronic challenges, like back pain.

- Is necessary for chemical reactions in the body

- Acts as a shock absorber inside the eyes and spinal cord removes the waste products of our metabolic processes

Do you know the water we are consuming for drinking or cooking is safe and healthy for us?

The only way to know what is in your water is to have it tested. Water water treatment professionals can perform on-site tests for; hardness, iron (rust), pH, total dissolved solids, nitrates, chlorine and temperature.

If a city, water utility or other regulated system supplies your water they can provide you with the results from government mandated tests they’ve completed for a variety of contaminants. Keep in mind that they are not required to test for all contaminants.

While bad odors, unusual colors or metallic tastes usually indicate a drinking water contaminant, some contaminants are not so easily undetected. Lead is tasteless, odorless, and colorless and can find its way into your water via soldered pipe connections. Lead-based solder was used in homes built as recently as the late 1980s. How old is your home? What type of plumbing pipes do you have?

Even though cities generally use chlorine to disinfect water to prevent illness and disease, chlorinating is not a “foolproof” method. Unexpected outbreaks of microorganisms can still occur. And although it has been treated, city water may pick up contaminants as it travels through miles of distribution lines before it reaches your home.

The ways to make water safe for humans are:

Carbon Filters: Activated carbon can reduce chlorine, VOCs, tastes, odors, and in some cases, lead. Carbon filters are available in a wide variety of sizes and styles, from mini-filters that can be attached to the end of a faucet to in-line systems connected to a home's plumbing. Filter cartridges must be changed regularly to ensure optimum contaminant reduction. Note: Faucet mounted mini-filters may be less than effective. Mini-filters are one area where price may well indicate quality and level of protection.

Distillation Systems: Distillation systems boil water to reduce contaminants, then condense the steam that results and collect the water in a storage tank or pot. Since certain substances (including many contaminants but not all) don't vaporize they don't rise with the steam and are left behind in the boiling chamber. Note: While most distillers do not remove volatile organics, adding a carbon filter can provide a more effective system. Distillers use a great deal of energy, radiate a great deal of heat and must be cleaned regularly.

Note: When water is “soft” or “softened” prior to distillation the need to clean the distiller is greatly reduced.

Important: Distilled water most often has a low pH value (acid). My doctor does not recommend drinking low pH (acid) water. She tells me that most disease processes can not live in an alkaline body environment. She recommends drinking water with an alkaline pH, except. . . she does recommend drinking distilled water for people who are “stone” formers.

Ultraviolet Systems (UV): UV systems destroy microorganism’s ability to reproduce by exposing them to intense ultraviolet light… as a result, they die. Since they “disinfect” water rather than remove contaminants, UV systems should be installed with other filters; a sediment pre-filters and carbon post filter are common. UV bulbs must be changed regularly (generally once each year, depending on conditions) for the system to function properly.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems:

RO systems are recommended by the US Department of Health & Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the most effective ways of protecting residential drinking water. The best systems utilize a combination of carbon filtration and a semi-permeable membrane to reduce contaminants. Water is first filtered, then forced against a dense membrane, a portion of it passes through, while contaminants are left behind to be carried away by the effluent. These membranes are very similar to those used in kidney dialysis. Think “fresh squeezed” water when you think of reverse osmosis.

Reverse osmosis effectively removes dissolved salts (naturally occurring, as well as, from water softeners), suspended solids, dissolved chemicals and a wide variety of other contaminants that cannot be seen by the naked eye. When choosing an RO system, look for a unit with a high recovery rate (recovery rate = amount of water produced divided by amount of water used). Generally, a rate of 25% is considered efficient. R O filters should be changed, generally, every six (6) months and the membrane every two years, depending on what is in your water and the amount of water used.

Source of information: 'Natural Health Techniques'

Importance of water for human beings

More or less we all know that water is an essential part of our life. We can live for weeks without food but without water we can live only few days. Water is essential for our whole body. When our cells lose water they lose their shape.

Water plays an important role in digestion and absorption as well as circulation and is essential in the regulation of your body temperature, lubrication of joints and the texture of our skin. Water is the carrier of nutrients through the body and essential in the removal of metabolized waste material.

If you're active and exercise regularly, you should be drinking at least the minimum of 8 glasses of water a day. (2 liters) If you plan to engage in prolonged and strenuous exercise you should drink 500mls of water two hours before exercise to allow time for adequate hydration and excretion of excess water. While exercising vigorously, you should be drinking 150 ml to 350 ml of water every 15 minutes to match sweat loss. After all, sweat is 90-99 percent water.

Let's know how much of our water we retain in our bodies?

Between 55 and 65 percent of the human body is made up of water.

* Our blood is 83% water.

* Our brain is 75% water.

* Our muscles are 76% water.

* Our liver is 70% water.

* Our kidneys are 82% water.

* Our skin is 70% water.

* Our bones are 22% water.

* Even our fat is 20% water.

Why we need to drink enough water?

Because water regulates body temperature.

* serves as a solvent for minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other small molecules, aiding their assimilation into the body
* carries oxygen to all parts of the body
* lubricates the areas around our joints (especially important for athletes, people with arthritis and those with chronic musculoskeletal problems)
* is necessary for chemical reactions in the body
* acts as a shock absorber inside the eyes and spinal cord
* removes the waste products of our metabolic processes

What happens when we are dehydrated?

Dehydration increases muscle glycogen use, which leads to premature fatigue. A slight 3 - 5% decrease of water in the body can lead to light-head ness, headaches, dizziness and nausea. In fact, when you're dehydrated by just 4.3 percent, your performance drops by 22%. A 7% decrease can lead to hallucinations or worse, major organ stress.

Dehydration also raises the body's core temperature, which can lead to delirium, heat stroke or in extreme cases, death. The solution, of course, is to keep hydrated and drink plenty of water.

With two thirds of the earth's surface covered by water and the human body consisting of 75 percent of it, it is evidently clear that water is one of the prime elements responsible for life on earth. Water circulates through the land just as it does through the human body, transporting, dissolving, replenishing nutrients and organic matter, while carrying away waste material. Further in the body, it regulates the activities of fluids, tissues, cells, lymph, blood and glandular secretions.

An average adult body contains 42 litres of water and with just a small loss of 2.7 litres he or she can suffer from dehydration, displaying symptoms of irritability, fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, weakness, headaches and consequently reach a state of pathology. Dr F. Batmanghelidj, in his book 'your body's many cries for water', gives a wonderful essay on water and its vital role in the health of a water 'starved' society. He writes: "Since the 'water' we drink provides for cell function and its volume requirements, the decrease in our daily water intake affects the efficiency of cell activity........as a result chronic dehydration causes symptoms that equal disease..."

Drinking enough water can boost your brain powers

Water is involved  in all bodily functions: digestion, assimilation, elimination, respiration, maintaining temperature (homeostasis) integrity and the strength of all bodily structures. Your body, being primarily water, requires sufficient daily water replacement in order to function efficiently. 

Important factor is the amount of water necessary for our body to function at its peak performance. Bearing in mind again that your body is about 75 percent water it is easy to understand that water must be your body's most essential daily ingredient. Your body looses each day about 2-3 litters of water through elimination, urination, perspiration and respiration. However, this may increase during illness, high performance, exercise, pregnancy and nursing. The beverages most people choose to consume are often counter-productive in promoting hydration. Coffee, tea, alcohol, soft and sugary drinks are all diuretics and will cause not only the loss of water the are dissolved in, but they will also draw water the bodies reserves. In normal conditions your body needs to replace the fluids it has lost throughout the day. Most of fluids should be replaced by drinking pure water. The rest you should get from fruit, vegetables and their juices. 

Attention must be given that the elderly and children are meeting their daily requirements. Dry mouth is not the only indication of dehydration, in fact it is the last sign. You need to acquire the habit to drink water even when you think you don't need it and eventually your true thirst mechanisms will be reawaken. Signs to look for that identify with dehydration are constipation, headaches, indigestion, weight gain, fluid retention, dark and pungent urine, and their associated pathologies colitis, kidney stones, bladder and urinary track infections to name only a few.

Loma Linda University researchers found that drinking five or more 8-ounce glasses of water a day could help lower your risk of heart disease by up to 60 percent - exactly the same drop you get from stopping smoking, lowering your LDL (bad) cholesterol numbers, exercising, or losing a little weight.

How drinking water can boost your brain powers?

A glass of water can boost your creativity as well. If you’re properly hydrated you’ll have more energy, you’ll feel healthier, you will become more alert and aware of your surroundings. If your brain is functioning on a full reservoir it will function at full capacity and you’ll think better and faster. A glass of water is a great boost to your creativity. You’ll find ideas are easier to come up with and they’re likely to be more unique. Your mind will work easier and it won’t seem like such a strain. All that and it’s one of the simplest changes you can make in your life.

Bring Instant Increase in Brain Power:

1. First thing in the morning have a glass of water. Go ahead and have your coffee or whatever afterward, as I said we’re not making this hard core.

2. Around lunch, have another glass of water along with whatever you planned for lunch.

3. Then grab a glass around 3:00 or somewhere in there, especially if you’re starting to feel like you’re slowing down.

4. One glass of water with supper.

More related articles:

* 10 Reasons to Drink More Water

* I Drink, Therefore I Am: Water - the Elixir of Life

* Need to Increase Your Brain Power?

Drink enough water to keep you safe from back pain

Water is the most important nutrient which we need to live healthy. We all know the bad effects of dyhydration for health but dehydration can worsen your back pain as well. It is strange to hear that water can help you overcome your back pain easily and naturally but it is true.

Low back pain and ankylosing arthritis of the spine are signs of water shortage in the spinal column and discs - the water cushions that support the weight of the body. These conditions should be treated with increased water intake - not a commercial treatment, but a very effective one.

Effects of disc dehydration on back pains:
Like most other body systems, the discs in the back require lots of water to work properly. The body must be well hydrated for water to leave other vital areas, like circulation or the brain & enter the discs. Our body weight is supported by 23 discs & 24 vertebrae along the spinal column.

The discs, in addition to other parts of the spinal column, hold water which stabilizes them & allow them to support body weight. When the weight press squeezes out water from the disc and the water is not replaced disc dehydration occurs. Dehydrated discs are then less able to support body weight.

Dehydration & sciatica:
Dehydrated discs become less stable. So they start to shift in the spine. Eventually they press on the sciatic nerve causing intense, radiating pain, pain that is often felt down one or the other leg.
Sciatic pain is the more serious phase of disc dehydration. It is also a sign of impending chronic pain.

As disc dehydration continues, problem is increasingly exacerbated. Here too, the typical back pain guide fails to include dehydration as involved in the development of sciatica.

In addition to dehydration’s involvement in back problems, muscles that aren’t properly conditioned can result in serious back problems.

Well-developed, flexible back muscles help the spinal column absorb shock and help keep the discs stable during stressful movements.

Our bodies are more than half water. We must replace, on the average 80 to 96ounces of water per day that is used or lost by respiration, urination, and perspiration. We can get some water by eating foods that are high in water. but most of our water will come from drinking eight to ten cups of water per day.

Source: Back pain guide

Related post: