Have you heard of the secret drug!?
Would you believe me if I told you I had something that could help with the following list:
Headaches
Fatigue
Chronic pain
Menstrual cramps
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Skin disorders
Heart burn
Bladder or kidney problems
Constipation
Joint pain or stiffness
Unwanted weight
Autoimmune diseases
Premature aging
High Blood Sugar
What if I told you it’s all around you, but many don’t know the importance of it. It’s the most abundant nutrient in you, comprising approximately 70% of the human body. The truth is, the list above are symptoms associated with the body being deficient in this nutrient which is vital for optimal health. Have you guessed it yet? That’s right…water. I call it secret because it’s simple, yet oft times the last thing people think of. Water is an essential nutrient that is involved in every function of the body including digestion, absorption, circulation and excretion. Since water is the primary transporter of nutrients throughout the body, it is necessary for all building functions in the body. (1)
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys and bladder regulate the fluids in our bodies and make up the Water Element. Our kidneys are fantastic removers; they remove excess hormones, vitamins, minerals, and foreign toxins such as drugs, chemicals, and food additives. From experience I have also seen that a body full of toxins cannot let go of excess fat. When one’s body has a toxic overload, it increases the number of fat cells and stuffs them with toxins as well as fat. This is why we see such rapid weight loss as we detox the body. For example my father dropped 20lbs in just 21 days on a purification program I had him follow which included increasing water intake while eliminating toxic foods from the diet.
According to a study in the American Journal of Public Health published 2015, more than half of American Children and teens are dehydrated.(2) Could something this simple help our children with symptoms of fussiness, cognitive impairment and headaches? A study in the British Journal of Nutrition concluded that mild dehydration in men induced adverse changes in vigilance and working memory, and increased tension/anxiety and fatigue.(3) According to another study published in the journal of physiology and behavior, dehydrated drivers made twice the amount of errors than hydrated drivers, equivalent to driving drunk.(4)
You might be thinking “I drink a lot of beverages throughout the day and get plenty of water”. I must warn, coffee and soda are typically high in caffeine, which act as a diuretic leading to further dehydration. Worse yet, sodas, fruit juices and other sweetened beverages are a primary source of fructose, which will also deteriorate your health. The same goes for artificially sweetened beverages, so the key is to drink pure water.
I have made it a point to share the research and educate on WHY it would be a good idea to drink more water. But this makes no difference unless we decide to act on this knowledge. Let’s break it up and figure out HOW to apply it.
How much should I drink? Our water requirements may differ according to our body composition, physical activity, age, and weather conditions. But you might ask, isn’t our body equipped with a thirst mechanism telling us when we need to replenish our water supply? I have found that for many of us that mechanism is faulty and thirst ends up being the first sign of dehydration. Therefore until drinking enough water every day becomes natural and instinctive, I recommend listening to your body’s warning signs, that you’re not drinking enough water.
You feel fatigued and moody: Fatigue and headaches are among the first signs of dehydration.
You feel hungry, even after eating: Water is filling and helps regulate your appetite.
Your back or joints ache: Water is the main lubricant in the joints, and it cushions the discs in your spine.
Your skin looks dull and fine lines are pronounced: The skin is the largest organ in your body, and water consumption habits have a visible effects on the clarity and condition of your complexion.
Infrequent urination; dark, concentrated urine, and/or constipation: dark urine and constipation is a sign that your kidneys are retaining fluids in order to maintain body functions.
The last noted indication I would suggest is among the most important marker of hydration. You should be drinking enough water to turn your urine a light yellow. Keep in mind supplementing with synthetic vitamins such as B2 found in most multi-vitamins, will turn your urine a bright yellow making it difficult to judge by the color of your urine. Frequency of urine is also a helpful indicator as the average healthy person urinates seven to eight times a day. (4) For those who like numbers and a daily goal; the most agreed upon recommendation is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water/day. For example, let’s say you weigh 160lbs. That would make your daily water intake goal at 80oz. I have found this to be a good measure if you are at or near your ideal recommended weight for your height. Keep in mind that aiming for balance is key; more is not always better. Over-hydration can lead to electrolyte imbalance, headaches, muscle spasms, insomnia, fatigue, low body temperature, suppressed metabolism, and weight gain.
When is the best time to drink water? This is a running debate which I am going to keep quite simple. Ideally drinking around 12oz first thing in the morning before breakfast, and drinking continually throughout the day. Large amounts of water are best limited to at least thirty minutes before or one hour after meals; otherwise digestive enzymes and secretions are diluted, and food nutrients are not effectively absorbed into the body.
Is the quality of my water important? Finding high-quality water is becoming a difficult task, and one of great debate. The most controversial of all would be fluoride because it’s purposely added to water. Personally I ask; should everyone be receiving some people’s medicine? Visit http://fluoridealert.org/ to read the research on fluoride in drinking water. Here I will give a brief overview of the different options for drinking water from most toxic to highest quality. •
Tap water is most often contaminated by toxic substances that have been dumped into the ground soil over the past many decades. Some common toxins that are dumped by the millions of pounds into soils every year are: herbicides, pesticides, estrogen-mimicking hormones, drug residues, and heavy metals. The main chemical used to disinfect the tap water you receive at your house is chlorine. The levels of chlorine disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that are produced by this process are both dangerous and alarming. Therefore in most areas of the country, avoiding tap water would be a wise choice.
Bottled water is estimated to be 40% tap water which may or may not have received additional filtration. Plastic bottles also contain a chemical called bisphenol A or BPA, which is a synthetic hormone disruptor that has been linked to serious health problems.
Pitcher water filters like the Brita are less expensive than other filter options upfront, but require frequent filling and cartridge replacement making them more expensive in the long run. Such filters will improve the taste and are affective at removing chlorine, but do not remove most other toxins such as heavy metals and fluoride.
Carbon filters are excellent at removing chlorine and large particles such as lead, PCB’s, pesticides and herbicides, gasoline, dry cleaning by-products, radon, and small amounts of pharmaceutical drugs while leaving behind essential minerals. They are often more affordable to purchase and can be available in a faucet water filter, a pitcher water filter, and under-sink water filter, or a countertop water filter.
Reverse osmosis (RO) filters separate water molecules from other molecules by forcing the water through a semi-permeable membrane. Because the membraine’s pores are so small, they can effectively reduce or remove a much wider range of contaminants than a carbon filter can including fluoride. One disadvantage of traditional RO is that many naturally accruing minerals are also removed in the process. Yet doing my research I have found the best of both worlds. A under sink filtration system that uses the carbon block to remove the larger contaminants first, then RO filter that removes contaminants down to .0001 microns, and an alkaline remineralization filter that restores healthy minerals and brings back a natural alkaline balance. I have no affiliation, but here is the system I own myself and recommend. iSpring 6-Stage Reverse Osmosis System
Mountain spring water is some of the healthiest water on the planet because it is "living water". Living water, like living food is in its raw, natural state the way nature intended. Gravity-fed spring water is alive in much the same way. When you take this vital energy into your body, you are re-charging it with health and encouraging it to return to a whole and balanced state. Companies like The Mountain Valley Spring Water can deliver this water to your home, though it can be pricey.
In conclusion, there’s no doubt that one needs adequate water intake for optimal health. Yet increasing the amount of toxic water intake can do more harm then good, so make sure the water you are drinking is pure. To confirm your source of drinking water is clean, I recommend purchasing a water quality tester like the one linked here from amazon.
What’s the best way to learn this for yourself? Try it! I extend a personal challenge to you; for one week replace all beverages with purified water, pay attention to your thirst mechanism while also drinking enough to make your urine a light yellow. Keep a log of your symptoms and see what impact adding this “secret drug” can have on your life.
References:
1- Balch, Phyllis A. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. 5th ed. New York: Avery, 2010.
2- Erica L. Kenney, Michael W. Long, Angie L. Cradock, and Steven L. Gortmaker “Prevalence of Inadequate Hydration Among US Children and Disparities by Gender and Race/Ethnicity: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009-2012” American Journal of Public Health Vol. 105 August 2015
3- M.S. Ganio, L.E. Armstrong, D.J. Casa, B.P. McDermott, E.C. Lee, L.M. Yamamoto, et al. Mild dehydration impairs cognitive performance and mood of men Br J Nutr, 106 (2011), pp. 1535–1543
4- Loughborough University April 2015 5- Dr. Mercola “How Do You Know if You’re Drinking Enough Water?” Dec. 2014
