Acknowledging thoughts that are blatantly ignored!
The body needs water everyday to function. Let me clarify this statement. The body needs a required amount, according to its size, to function optimally. We all know this, right? We know we can’t live without it. So why don’t we manage or monitor the amount of water we drink?
Because we have been taught that water is only an option and it can be replaced by other fluids? Unfortunately, this is absolutely wrong. Water is necessary for the body to functions at its best. How much do we need to drink? The intake of water is in direct relation to how much you weigh. So everyone needs a different amount of water per day. It’s not just a cup or two; it’s more like 60 to 100 ounces per day. This is a known fact. But for some odd reason, it is difficult to accomplish this goal. This seems simple enough. This seems simple enough, then why are most people chronically dehydrated?
If we all know this than why do most of us including myself wait until our body’s tell us, “Hey, I’m thirsty!” At this point it’s too late, there is already internal damage occurring. It might be small, but over time it becomes significant. Felling thirsty is a sign and symptom of mild to severe “Dehydration.” This is not just an individual problem; it’s national problem.
Being thirsty is a warning sign that the body is starting to malfunction. Medically speaking, when the body is craving thirst, it is already too late and has reached the point of deficiency throughout the body. At this point the body is functioning below its physical and mental potential. Don’t quote me on this but I think it’s three to five percent below its potential.
Let me put this in perspective. This is like driving your car until the Oil warning light starts flashing and thinking, “it will be okay, I’ll check when I get home”. You may make it and you may not make it. Do you want to take that chance? Some people do this, I don’t recommend this. But to keep your car running at top performance, we proactively change the oil every 1 to 3 thousand miles, or for newer cars we refer to the owners manual.
The owners manual for the body (all anatomy and physiology books) state the body is made up of around 60% of water. It is a necessity to keep it hydrated. Because it keeps the blood flowing smoothly and clean, transports oxygen, hormones, and nutrients throughout the body. This is also another name for maintaining “Homeostasis.” If the blood gets thick due to dehydration; it becomes sluggish; it becomes less efficient at transporting these items to their perspective destinations. Hence, dehydration is one of the main causes in the development of a disease process.
The general Rule of Thumb for drinking water is: Drink half of your body weight in ounces. For example, a 200lb men should be drinking 100 ounces of water per day if he is sedentary. If he is active and doing physical labor he needs to be consuming 4 to 6 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during the activity. This is in addition to the 100 ounces needed to sustain a health life style. So drink water and stay healthy. Oh, by the way, most hunger cravings are the signs of dehydration and thirst not food. So drink water throughout the day and in between meals. Most of your minor aches and pain will vanish. Don’t take this flavorless, hydrogen and oxygen chemical compound, H2O, for granted!