Water: Drink It For Your Health

Summertime is officially here and we need to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated in the hot summer sun.
Did you know that after oxygen, water is your highest priority for attaining optimum health? Why? It’s quite simple-your body is over 70% water. Your brain is over 85% water. So it makes sense that you can’t drink too much water – pure water. Staying hydrated is absolutely crucial for optimum brain function and optimum health.

Your brain-the highest maintenance organ in your body and the one which controls all of your physiological functions-is the most devastated by dehydration. In fact, the number one cause of memory loss, at any age, is dehydration.

 

Adequate hydration is not only essential for optimum brain function, it also:

•  Maintains your body temperature

•  Aids in digestion

•  Metabolizes fat

•  Lubricates and cushions your organs

•  Transports nutrients throughout your body

•  Flushes toxic waste from your body

•  Keeps you looking and feeling young

How much water do you need and when?

The general rule of thumb is: Drink at least 8 to 10 eight ounce glasses of pure water every day. A more sophisticated formula is: Your body weight (in pounds) divided by 2. This is the minimum amount of pure water in ounces you should consume every day.

Thirst is not a good indicator of your hydration level. By the time you experience thirst you are already dehydrated. When you have reached this point, your energy levels have already diminished by 20-30%.

What is considered pure?

Distilled water, with about 1-14 parts per million contaminants, is rated by the National Science Foundation as the purest source of water. This is the same water you put in your iron and your car battery! It’s funny that distilled water has been around forever and is the cheapest, yet most of you do not drink it.

Next best is filtered water-reverse osmosis filtered being the best. Third best is bottled water. With distilled water you know exactly what you are getting. But with bottled water there are question marks as to content. Some bottled water is quite pure. Others are simply purified tap water.

Drinking enough pure water is absolutely essential to maintaining optimum health, and has significant impact on the length and quality of your life. So make it your number one focus this summer and enjoy the results.