WATER,
THE FORGOTTEN NUTRIENT
When
it comes to taking control of your health, spare some thought for water.
Water
is one of the most life-giving substances available to us. Without it,
we would die within a few days. No life can exist without water –
there would be no animals and no plants in the absence of this precious
liquid.
I
like to think of water as the forgotten nutrient as we are seldom
alerted to its importance. We seem to know a great deal about the
vitamins and minerals that sustain our health, yet without water we
would simply not be able to utilise any of these nutrients effectively.
As our bodies are made up of approximately 60 per cent water, it is
perhaps the single-most important ‘nutrient’.
Sadly, it is often the most neglected one too.
Why
do we Need Water?
Water
is an essential component of both protoplasm and blood. Cells must be
bathed in fluid at all times to do their work so correct hydration is
vitally important at cellular level. Cancer is thought by some
researchers to be the result of continual dehydration at this basic
cellular level.
The
body relies on water to flush away waste products like urine. Without
water to moisten the surface of the lungs, there can be no intake of
oxygen or expulsion of carbon dioxide. For food to be digested, absorbed
and carried to all parts of the body, water is needed every step of the
way. In fact, even if you are eating sufficiently, dehydration (or a
lack of sufficient water) can lead to malnutrition.
Water
is essential for temperature maintenance, for many chemical reactions in
the body, and for lubrication and protection of joint surfaces. It also
helps to maintain the necessary pressure in certain parts of the body,
such as the eyeballs. And, of course, it is responsible for maintaining
comfortable levels of lubrication in the eyes and for producing tears.
Muscles
consist of 75 per cent water and need this vital fluid to relax and
contract efficiently, and to maintain strength and tone. Good muscle
tone protects your body and muscle activity helps to strengthen your
bones. Water is also necessary for keeping the skin supple and elastic
– dehydration can contribute to the ageing process.
Water
is vital for effective brain function. In fact, many courses on
maximising your brain capacity encourage you to drink a glass of water
at least every hour, as dehydration can lead to mental confusion and
emotional stress and is detrimental to retaining information (memory).
The
endocrine or hormonal system, which influences every aspect of our
health and well-being, is totally reliant on water for almost every
chemical reaction. With adequate water, all the systems in your body
work at optimum levels to the benefit of your health.
Correct
Hydration
Dehydration
can have a serious impact on your physical health and state of mental
well-being. The central nervous system is the first to show functional
changes when the body is not sufficiently hydrated. One of the very
first signs is usually tiredness (constant yawning), followed by a
headache and an inability to concentrate. Thirst and dryness of the
mouth will alert you to the fact that you need to up your fluid intake,
but if you ignore these messages other symptoms will soon manifest.
These include uncooperative or sullen behaviour, weakness and lassitude,
and at a later stage mental confusion. In severe cases the cheeks become
pale and the lips dry and blue; the skin loses its elasticity; the
eyeballs have a sunken appearance and dark circles appear under the
eyes; and loss of weight is not uncommon. Dehydration during prolonged
exercise (after more than one hour) encourages cardiovascular drift - a
condition where the heart beats faster but less blood is pumped out.
This obviously puts tremendous strain on the heart and should be avoided
at all costs.
It
is interesting that the first thing we reach for when we are tired is
usually caffeine in some form or another - tea, coffee, colas or
chocolate – but this just contributes to further dehydration because
more fluid is needed to expel the toxins from the cells. For every glass of
dehydrating fluid (and that includes that refreshing glass of beer on a
hot summer’s day!) you need to drink at least 1-2 glasses of pure,
clean water to ensure that your body remains hydrated at cellular level. A litre bottle of clean filtered water on your
desk will help you to consume the minimum intake of water that you
require in a day.
But
learn to listen to your body – simply forcing water down your throat
for the sake of it will put unnecessary strain on your kidneys. New research by Professor Tim Noakes of the Sport’s Science
Institute (for which he has won an award) indicates that over hydration
(or hyponatraemia) is no joke. It causes the body and brain to swell and
this can lead to convulsions, heart failure and the cessation of
breathing, as well as fluid retention. So drink only when you are
thirsty and not because someone has told you that you need to down eight
glasses of water a day.
How
Much Water do we Need?
As
water is so vital to our physical health and mental well-being it makes
sense that our diet should contain a high percentage of water. We need
at least five to six glasses of water every day to ensure that we meet
the body’s basic fluid requirements. It is interesting to note that
the more raw fruit and vegetables you consume the less water you will
need to drink, but the more protein and processed foods you consume the
more water you will need. People on a 70 to 80 per cent raw food
diet (which is ideal for vibrant health) find that they tend to drink
less water naturally, as their diet provides most of the fluid they
need. Very few people manage this however, so you should aim at drinking
between one and two litres of water daily.
There
will be times when you need more water than others. We need to increase
our water intake when we are sick (when we are running a temperature, or
have excessive mucus discharge or if we are suffering from diarrhoea,
for example). We also need more water when we are exercising or if we
lose a lot of fluid through perspiration. If your diet is not as healthy
as it should be, particularly if you eat animal protein more than once a
day, your body will require more water to function properly.
Generally
the best advice I can offer is that you should drink a glass of water if
you are thirsty, and only then go on to a hot or cold beverage if you
really feel like it. I am constantly amazed at parents who tell me that
their children will not drink water. The only reason for this, I
believe, is that these children were not given water right from the word
go. If you find that you are one of those people who hate water try
adding some 100% pure juices like Liqui-Fruit or Ceres to the water to
give it a flavour. You can also use the juices to make ice cubes and add
that to your water, children in particular will drink water with
coloured ice cubes. Just make sure the juices are genuinely pure and
contain not additives such as sugar or preservatives. I have personally
checked out the Liqui-Fruit and Ceres factory from one end to the other
and can recommend them wholeheartedly.
The
body is designed to quench its thirst with water and this is what should
always be offered first.
I
would go so far as to say that when you feel hungry, drink a glass of
water before you reach for something to eat. Very often we confuse the
signals for hunger and thirst and you might find that your hunger pangs
are nothing more than plain thirst after all. Only once you have sipped
a glass of water, decide of you still really need to eat. This will also
help you to learn to interpret the body’s signals correctly.
What
Water is Best?
Municipal
tap water is contaminated with many harmful substances (for instance, it
picks up heavy metals like lead in the piping system). It is chlorinated
to kill bacteria and hopefully neutralise faecal matter, but the
chlorine combines with naturally occurring organic substances forming
highly carcinogenic trihalomethanes or chlorinated hydrocarbons. (For
more detailed information on this subject, please refer to my book The
Natural Way.)
Filtered
water is a far better option, but it can still contain bacteria if the
system is faulty. There are some very good filtration systems available
which do prevent bacterial growth. I use Brita water filters for all my
drinking and cooking water – they are good quality, reliable filters,
available in the widest range at the best prices.
We
are designed to deal comfortably with water that has a neutral pH level,
as it neither leaches minerals from the body (as a more acid pH will do)
nor leave behind inorganic mineral deposits (as is the case with water
that is too alkaline). Mineral loss can contribute to osteoporosis and
heart disease, and inorganic mineral deposits are associated with kidney
stones and have been linked to stiffening joints and even arthritis.
Ideally water should have a pH not greater than 7.2 and not less than
6.8. You will find that water at this pH level actually tastes sweet and
quenches your thirst adequately.
Tips
for Healthy Hydration
Water
is God’s gift to all growing things. There is a vitality contained in
fresh water that is as mysterious as life itself. If you want to take
full control of your physical health and mental well-being it is
important to include this precious fluid in your daily routine.
