Water and Health

I know that many of you have been told to drink water and I'll bet most of you don't know how much is enough. My clients tell me they drink anywhere from none to 2 quarts a day, but how does one really know when enough is really "enough" for your body? Clearly, none is not enough, and the standard 8 glasses a day is a good measure but we are all different, even though we are the same. The body needs enough water to flush out the toxins, which keeps the kidneys working like they are intended, but I'll bet you didn't realize that water is actually absorbed through the colon. Which is why most people who don't drink enough water are constipated. And if you haven't been drinking enough water for your body, the kidneys flush it out right away before it has a chance to be absorbed into your cells and organs. Yes, every organ, every cell needs water to survive, and when we deprive our bodies of the water it needs, the body starts to shrink itself, as a protective shield, it is just trying to get along in the terrain that you have given it to survive, kind of like the lizards in the desert survive by shutting down when water is scarce. I don't know how true that is, but it reminded me of how our bodies work when we are deprived of adequate hydration, we go into shut down mode until we are sure any water we are given is actually going to be lasting. There is an excellent book
"Your Body's Many Cries For Water!" written by Dr. Batmangheldhi, a medical doctor trained in London, England who had first hand experience with waters healing abilities when he became an unwitting political prisoner in Iran and was forced to treat fellow prisoners using only water. What he discovered was that giving the body adequate amounts of water could stop pain, improve energy, and help support the body to heal itself. He was so engrossed in his work at the prison that when the warden tried to release him, he asked to stay on another year to complete his research. This book is the result and is quite illuminating. Dr. Batmangheldhi developed a formula for determining how much water was enough for each person. Take your body weight, divide it by half equals ounces of water per day you should drink. The more you weigh, the more water you will drink. Is there such a thing as drinking too much water? Yes, if your kidneys are impaired in any way. You should always consult your doctor before making dramatic changes to your diet or water intake. You can order the book at www.watercure.com if you are interested or check your local library.

So back to Buddy, the 11 year old Greyhound, he instinctively began increasing his water intake when he took ill. Buddy was always a good water drinker, I never had to coax him to take his water in daily, he and Rocket both are on a good water drinking schedule. His water intake has increased dramatically though, as he listens to his body's cries for water. With humans, it seems we do the opposite. We get sick or busy or whatever and the last thing we want to do is drink water, it's too soon, it's too late, we don't want to interrupt our activities or road trip for a potty break, and soon the entire day has passed and all we've managed to drink is perhaps some coffee or soda, both actively dehydrate the body by the way, which further shrinks our cellular reserves.

What I did to start getting adequate hydration in my body was to rely on a hospital jug, you know the kind you get if you are hospitalized, it has a lid and a straw with measurements on the side so you can track how much you've taken in. Personally I go through 2 jugs a day and in the summer heat, I up it to 3 to compensate for perspiration and water loss through yard work and exercise. I drink 1 cup of organic swiss water processed decaf coffee a day (I order it through www.strictlyorganic.com and have it delivered to my door, it is the freshest coffee I've ever had. Richard, the owner doesn't know I am posting his site here, so he may be surprised when he starts getting busier than usual), I do not drink sodas but I do enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner once in a while. If you are lucky enough not to have been hospitalized or know someone who has who isn't using their jug, Weight Watchers sells a good one and a lot of sports stores are now carrying polycarbonate water jugs that would work just fine. If you are one of the folks who do not drink water, I can't emphasize enough how important it is for you to start, but start slowly. You don't want to overwhelm your kidneys, besides, you will be spending a lot more time in the bathroom at first as your kidneys start flushing, so just take it slow and easy. In no time I know you can build up to your level and the potty breaks will decrease as the fluid starts to enter your cells and hydrate your colon.

On my first post I said I would talk about the lesson I've learned from Buddy's illness. It is this: Listen to your body, open your heart to hear the message, drink water, even if you are not thirsty, love unconditionally, sleep when you are tired, and if the spirit moves you, run like the wind when you go outside to play. Namaste. Susan
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