HYDRATION

Greetings lovely reader. I trust you have been and will continue to enjoy these weekly blogs. I wonder if you may share them with friends via email, or post them to your social media platforms if you like. Any means you can think of are helpful and appreciated. I wish for as many people as possible to receive the benefit of the information I share here, and for that reason I am passionate about wanting to circulate my blog far and wide. Thank you in advance for participating in this act of sharing and generosity, I appreciate you.

Without further ado let’s jump right in the water shall we? Specifically, let’s take a deep dive into hydration. At some point I will delve into each of the elements: fire, earth, air , water and ether. There is a whole lot to say about water and the many roles it plays on our earth, and in our lives and bodies. It is undoubtedly a sacred and indispensable element ( and nutrient). Without water all life on earth would cease to exist.

“Most of the human body is water, with an average of roughly 60%. The amount of water in the body changes slightly with age, sex, and hydration levels. “ (1)

Brain 80–85% , Kidneys 80–85%, Heart 75–80%, Lungs 75–80%, Muscles 70–75%, Liver 70–75%, Skin 70–75%, Blood 50%, Bones 20–25%, Teeth 8–10% (1)

Water plays a key role in cellular structure, the way proteins are folded and even the structure of our DNA.

Water accounts for 70% or more of total cell mass. Essentially, we need water for almost every known biological function. Not only do we need water, we are mostly water. As much as we can see that staying hydrated is a key component for our health, are we actually staying hydrated? It is no surprise that 75% of the U.S, population suffers from dehydration, especially when you consider that many people drink more soda than water. Most drinks that people opt for are slightly dehydrating. This goes for coffee (a diuretic ) and sugary beverages. “"Drinking sugary, sweetened beverages can actually make you feel more thirsty than normal," says Clair. "Naturally, it will increase your blood sugar levels. When our blood sugar or blood glucose rises, the body will draw water from our cells in an attempt to restore normal blood glucose levels. “ (2)

Considering the world’s current water crisis , it seems ( to me at least ) unfathomable that it is even permissible to waste water on beverages that not only dehydrate, but also create toxicity in our body and lead to complications such as diabetes and kidney disease. Before I divert my attention to the myriad complications of the world’s water footprint, let me get back on track. I have included a link below if you would like to take look at the global water footprint. I will surely return to this subject when I write a blog specifically on water.

Electrolytes and Hydration

Every cell, tissue and organ in the body needs water to function properly. While we can survive for a month without food, we can only survive three days without water. You may think that drinking water is synonymous with staying hydrated - but is it? The short answer is no. In order to stay hydrated it is key to make sure that the water you drink is making its way into your cells. Much of the water you drink has been stripped of its mineral content (electrolytes) . Electrolytes are electrical charges that play a key role in absorption.

In short, your body’s ability to stay hydrated is equal to your body’s ability to absorb. Sports drinks and electrolyte water are all the rage today, but they often come in a plastic bottle (another problematic beast) or contain far too much sugar ( which is actually dehydrating). What I do is add trace minerals to my water. If you are someone who typically does not enjoy water, you may enjoy it more once you add some minerals. It really does change the taste , making it almost sweet. I have included a link to the trace minerals I use in the Resource section below.

In case it is not obvious , I do want to mention that staying hydrated also allows your cells and body to eliminate toxins. Ample hydration assures consistent urination and regular bowel movements ( two of the ways our body eliminates toxins ). In other words, water and electrolytes help carry water and nutrients into your cells and toxins out.

The Importance of Water Quality

Humankind in its lack of reverence for water, and improper care of this sacred substance, has complicated this simple yet powerful element. The source of your water as well as what you contain your water in, is either contributing to your health or detracting from it. In this day and age you most definitely do not want to drink unfiltered tap water. Drinking unfiltered tap water means you are exposing yourself to a host of poisons including: heavy metals, pharmaceutical drug contaminants, arsenic, petroleum products, inorganic minerals, methane and other harmful toxins.

Drinking filtered water also saves your kidneys from having to filter these harmful substances which in turn can become diseased from repeated long-term exposure to these toxins. If you have the money to invest, you can get a universal filtration system for your entire house. If not, you can purchase a countertop filtration system. The last and possible weakest filtration system to consider would be a Britta water filter and even that should be filtered twice in my opinion.

I personally use something called a Berkey water filter. It is a countertop container with two charcoal filters in the upper chamber and tow more filters in the lower chamber that filter out whichever contaminants the charcoal filters don’t. Berkey Removes  or Reduces Pesticides & Volatile Organic Compounds to Below Lab Detectable Limits. (3)

If you go to their page ( see link below) and have a look at what their filters remove from your water, you are sure to be amazed by just how long the list is. If you have a countertop water filtration system that you are impressed with, feel free to share in the comments below so that other readers may have access to that important information. If you feel so inclined please provide a link as well. Berkey definitely sets a high bar for comprehensive and effective water filtration and they also have the test of time behind their business. A claim on their website says, “We provide a detailed analysis of exactly what and how much the Berkey water filter removes or reduces from your drinking water. “ (3) What does Berkey Filter? You can even send them a sample of your water and they will test it for you. Lab Test Results

Where do You Store Your Water?

Many people have large BPA-free plastic jugs and bottles which they fill up at a store. That is certainly better than many alternatives, although even BPA free plastic is questionable and not ideal. For this reason I like my Berkey water filter because it is metal. Glass jugs are great if you are getting your filtered water outside the home, but they do tend to break from time to time. Many of us have a water container that we use on a daily basis and we carry it with us throughout the day. I personally use metal as I avoid drinking from plastic as much as possible.

Without judgement of anyone who buys and drinks individual plastic bottled water, I will say you are certainly not doing your kidneys or the environment any favors. Over time it is cheaper, healthier and more environmentally friendly to invest in a filtration system or buy filtered water at the store and bring it home in your own reusable container. Whether you use glass or plastic, it is important to clean your containers out frequently to prevent: bacteria, biofilm, algae and other opportunistic organisms from growing in your container which can lead to poor gut health.

The True Cost of Bottled Water

“Plastic is everywhere. It's in bowls, wraps, and a host of bottles and bags used to store foods and beverages. But in recent years more people have been asking whether exposing our food (and ourselves) to all of this plastic is safe.”

“Studies have found that certain chemicals in plastic can leach out of the plastic and into the food and beverages we eat. Some of these chemicals have been linked to health problems such as metabolic disorders (including obesity) and reduced fertility. This leaching can occur even faster and to a greater degree when plastic is exposed to heat. This means you might be getting an even higher dose of potentially harmful chemicals simply by microwaving your leftovers in a plastic container.” To that I would add, drinking from plastic bottles. If you do regularly drink from plastic bottles, I beg you, please, DO NOT drink any bottled water which has been sitting in your car in extremely hot temperatures, it is a total assault on the health of your kidneys.

•  481.6 BILLION plastic bottles were used worldwide in a single year. That’s 40 billion per month and 1.3 billion per year.

• Only 9% of plastic is recycled (this number is declining) due to China no longer accepting US plastics.

• More than $1 billion worth of plastic is wasted each year.

• The recommendation to drink 8 glasses of water a day equals about $.49 per year; that same amount of bottled water is about $1,400.

• America’s demand for plastic water bottles uses over 17 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel 1.3 million cars for a year. This stat does not include the oil used for transportation. (4)

Is Bottled Water Better than Tap Water?

Most bottled waters are highly acidic ( including Smart Water, Dasani and Aquafina ). It is good if your water is neutral or alkaline. “In simple terms, pH is a scale from 1 to 14 that measures the acidity or alkalinity of a liquid. In the middle of the scale is pure distilled water, with a neutral pH of 7. Anything with a pH below 7 is an acid, and anything with a pH above 7 is an alkali, or base. The pH of water may make certain elements in it, such as minerals and metals, more or less available to the body. Heavy metals in water with a lower pH tend to be more toxic, as they are more available to the body. A high pH would make heavy metals less available, and, therefore, less toxic. The pH may also be a sign of other contaminants or bacterial life in a liquid. “ (5)

“Americans drink more bottled water than coffee, tea, milk, soft drinks or any other beverage — billions of gallons a year in all, according to industry statistics. Consumer Reports recently tested 47 bottled waters — including 35 noncarbonated and 12 carbonated options — and found levels of “toxic PFAS chemicals” in several popular brands that were above a limit recommended by some experts.PFAS are found in drinking water, nonstick cookware, pizza boxes, stain repellents and household products like paints, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. There are almost 5,000 different types of PFAS — some studied more than others — and they can accumulate in the human body over time, which “may cause serious health conditions. “ (6)

Hydration: A Summary

In summation hydration is an indispensable key component of overall health. The quality of the water we consume is very important. Absorption is the key to hydration and for that we need electrolytes. Electrolytes play a key role in carrying water into the cells and carrying toxins out. The vessels we store our water in and drink our water from are also very important. How we consume and source our water can contribute to a healthy planet and ecology or have powerful ill effects. If you are interested there is a Nestle rabbit hole you can go down regarding scandal and water rights , I will leave the link below. Also , we must consider how much water is wasted in the bottled water industry (specifically plastic bottle production) yearly. It is equally important to consider how much water is wasted yearly on unhealthy sodas and junk food beverages that could be put to good use elsewhere.

Next week we will discuss the body’s many signals of dehydration and what long-term dehydration does to the body. Further down the road, in a blog specifically on water we will address: water scarcity and availability, modern day challenges related to water , issues like Flint, Michigan and ways we can connect to and protect sacred water everywhere. I hope you have learned something new here and I pray you will keep your body well hydrated from a pure source and vessel. How blessed are we to have access to clean potable water - not everyone does.

Talk to the water you drink, the water you clean with and the water you find in nature. Water is life, water is memory. Build your relationship with water, for you are water and water is you. Your cells record all thought, word and action - they are primarily made of water. Your cells and the water within are listening - so be kind - kind to yourself and kind to the water, one of our greatest allies.

Sources & Resources

• The Average Percentage of Water in the Body. (1)

• 15 Benefits of Drinking Water.

• Berkey Water Filters (3)

• Book: Your Body’s Many Cries for Water

• Drinks that Dehydrate You. (2)

• Water Footprint Calculator

• Great Ted Talk ( What would happen if you didn’t drink water ? - 5 minutes long).

• Trace Minerals

• Habits of waste (community change - plastic bottles ). (4)

• Water pH (5)

• Forever chemicals in bottled water (6)

• Nestle and water rights (CA)

• Nestle drains precious aquifers