Water Power

Water is the most important liquid we have to drink. The following will let you know how important water is.

Why Drink Water?
WATER constitutes about two thirds of the weight of the adult body and is present in every tissue. Body fluids are the most obvious carriers of water. Between 4 and 5 quarts of blood circulate in the body, and digestive secretions make up about 5 to 10 additional quarts of fluid. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. Because water dissolves so many substances, water makes possible most chemical reactions in the body, the movement of food along the digestive tract and removal of waste products through the organs of excretion.

How much water is necessary?
A person should drink eight (8 ounce) glasses every day. The overweight person needs one additional glass for every twenty five pounds of excess weight. The amount should be increased if you do a lot of exercise or if the weather is hot and humid.

When should the water be consumed?
Drink water over the course of the day and not all at once.

What are 10 benefits of drinking adequate amounts of water?
1. Improves endocrine gland function
2. Alleviates fluid retention, swollen feet, legs and hands.
3. Necessary for proper kidney function.
4. Dilutes sodium and flushes it through the kidneys
5. Lessens hunger when attempting to lose weight
6. Corrects constipation problems
7. Detoxifies and helps the kidneys flush out waste.
8. Helps to maintain proper muscle tone.
9. Prevents sagging skin, plumps it up, keeps it resilient
10. Helps the body to metabolize stored fat in the liver.

What is the best kind of water to drink?
If the town or city that you live in has "good water" drink that. You can call to find out about the purity and contents of water in your area. When choosing your water, be careful that the sodium content and the impurities are low. If there are problems with local water, drink bottled spring water, not distilled water.

What about drinking coffee and tea?
Coffee and Tea are not substitutes for pure clean water. They should be limited to no more than 2 cups per day. Caffeine can stimulate the appetite, can cause sleepless nights, anxiety and bladder symptoms in some individuals. Eliminate them completely, if you can. Good substitutes are decaffeinated coffee, green and white tea and other herbal teas.

What about soft drinks?
Decaffeinated soft drinks contain excessive amounts of sodium and can cause fluid retention. High levels of phosphates in diet drinks can interfere with the body's absorption of calcium. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame can cause headaches, stomach problems and other nasty symptoms in some people. Regular soft drinks contain sugar, salt and phosphates as well.

Conclusion: Have water as your main liquid and be very moderate in choosing other liquid refreshment.