Water is the most powerful healing substance known to man!   The human body is primarily composed of water. Water is not only beneficial but also vital to life — only oxygen is more important to human survival. Water plays an enormous role in how well our body functions. Simply put the more fresh water we drink, the healthier we become. Water increases the quality and also the length of our lives! Try to drink the recommended 8 or more glasses of water daily.

Here’s how to figure out the right amount of water you need to drink daily to stay completely hydrated.

You need to drink half of your body weight in ounces daily. Let’s say you weight 200 lbs. You will need 100 oz. of water. Divide 100 oz. by 8 oz (a size of a glass) you get 12. You need to drink 12 (8 oz.) glasses of water a day to keep your body properly hydrated. This is a minimum. Your body performs at its best when it’s properly hydrated. We live in a such a lush world and yet you’re so dry inside our body because we don’t drink enough water.

Water helps to:

  • Relieve/Prevent: lower back pain, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, headaches, migraines, asthma, allergies, colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, hypertension, cholesterol, hangovers, neck pain, muscle pain, joint pain, bloating, constipation, ulcers, low energy levels, stomach pain,
  • Confusion and disorientation.
  • Maintain: muscle tone, weight loss, clear and healthy skin.
  • Regulate: body temperature, remove toxins and wastes, cushion and lubricate joints, decrease risk of kidney stones, protect tissues, organs and the spinal cord from shock and damage.
  • Assist In: the digestion & absorption of food, and in transporting oxygen and nutrients to the cells.

There’s no substitute for water!

Beverages that simply contain water aren’t good enough. Juice, soda, tea, coffee etc. counter the positive effects of water; some, in fact, may also be unhealthy. For example, drinks containing caffeine stimulate your adrenal gland and dehydrate and rob your body of important vitamins and minerals. Beverages containing lots of sugars stimulate the pancreas, boosting your insulin levels and taking your body out of its natural fat burning state. Sodas are a quadruple whammy. Colas, in particular, contain caffeine, sugar, sodium and acid that could eat through a dime. Have you ever tried the household remedy to a calcium and lime rusted toilet? Just let a bottle of soda sit in the toilet for a bit and presto — a sparkling toilet! I’m not saying that you should completely eliminate these drinks from your diet. However, you may want to replace them with water whenever possible and at least keep them at a low to moderate level.

Water and Weight Loss

Drinking water may be the most important piece to the weight loss puzzle. Water contains no calories, fat, or cholesterol and is low in sodium. It is nature’s appetite suppressant, and it helps the body to metabolize fat. Current research shows that low water intakes yield an increase in fat deposits. Conversely, a high water intake reduces the amount fat deposits. Without enough water, the kidneys cannot function properly. As a result, some of their workload is pushed off onto the liver, in turn preventing the liver from operating at peak levels.

How does all this tie into weight loss? Because metabolizing fat is a primary function of the liver, and because the liver can’t function at peak levels when taking on the added workload from the kidneys, less body fat is metabolized and more is stored. This leads to either weight gain or reaching a plateau of weight loss. When dieting, we restrict the calories we take in, to some degree. By doing so, we lessen the total amount of water available to our bodies since about 30% of the average person’s water intake comes from the food they eat. This gives us even more reason to raise our water intake.

Water and Water Retention

The best way to beat bloating is to give your body what it needs. Lots and lots of water! I’m always amazed to hear people say that they would rather not drink a lot of water because it “bloats” them or it makes them “retain water.” In fact, the opposite is true. These people are retaining water because they’re not drinking enough water! The human body functions in a “Primal Survival Mode” and it responds accordingly to anything it perceives as a possible threat to its survival. If you deprive your body of ample amounts of water, you are threatening its survival. In response, your body kicks into its “Primal Survival Mode” and holds onto every drop of water it possibly can for future needs and purposes. This water is often stored in extra-cellular spaces and appears as bloated hands, legs and feet.

If you’re currently using or thinking of using diuretics to decrease water retention, think again. With diuretics, the damage is two-fold. Not only is the “Primal Survival Mode” activated, where your body hoards as much water as it can, but you are also draining your body of valuable vitamins and minerals! You should eat a Banana, and raw vegetables to offset potassium loss. Check with your health care provider & Nutritionist before you change medication! If you have long-term water retention issues, you may be ingesting too much sodium (salt). Our bodies can only tolerate so much sodium. Thus, the more sodium you take in, the more water your body will retain to dilute the sodium concentrations. By simply cutting down on your sodium intake and drinking plenty of water, you’ll notice considerably less bloating. The water will carry the excess sodium along for the ride as it flows through the kidneys.

Water and Metabolism

Water, also known as the body’s solvent, regulates all bodily functions including the activities of circulating and dissolving. Every enzymatic and chemical reaction of the body occurs in the presence of water. Water also transports hormones, nutrients, oxygen and antibodies through the blood stream and lymphatic system. In addition, our bodies’ proteins and enzymes are more efficient in solutions of lower viscosity (i.e., diluted), thus making drinking water a must.
Water and Digestion

Digestion of solid foods has to happen in the presence of large amounts of water so that proper digestion occurs. Water and muscle tone Desired muscle tone can be maintained through adequate water intake. Water not only helps the muscle achieve a better contraction, but it also prevents the sagging of skin that sometimes follows weight loss. Finally, water maintains clear, young and healthy skin.

Water and Waste

During weight loss, the body has much more waste to expel in the form of metabolized fat. Since water helps digestion and rids the body of waste, it only makes sense that more water is better.
Water and Constipation

When the body doesn’t get enough water, it takes what it needs from internal sources. The colon is a primary internal source. When this happens, constipation usually follows. Normal function commonly returns along with proper hydration.
Water and Body Temperature

Water helps us maintain our body temperature through perspiration. Perspiration dissipates excess heat and cools our bodies. Without water, this delicate balancing act of the body is disrupted.

Water and Asthma

Histamine is a major factor in regulating the way we use and distribute water. It also helps control the body’s defence mechanism. Asthmatics’ histamine levels increase with dehydration, mobilizing their body’s defence mechanism to close down their airways. Knowing this, we can draw the conclusion that asthma could be relieved through increased water intake.

Water and the Kidneys

Our kidneys remove wastes like uric acid, urea, and lactic acid to name a few — all of which are dissolved in water. When there aren’t adequate amounts of water, these wastes aren’t removed effectively and kidney damage may result.
Water and Joints

Cartilage tissues between the vertebrae of the spine and at the end of long bones retain a lot of water. Cartilage needs water for the purpose of lubricating the body’s joints during movement. When the cartilage is well hydrated, the two opposing surfaces glide freely and minimize damage to the joint caused by friction. Conversely, dehydrated cartilage increases friction forces to the joints, resulting in joint deterioration and pain.

Water and Back Pain

Minimizing back pain can be as simple as hydrating your body! The water stored in your spinal disc core supports approximately 75% of the upper body’s weight. Your spine is dependent upon the hydraulic properties of water.

Water and Muscles

Muscles are primarily composed of water. Therefore, it’s only logical to drink lots of water if you want to have more muscle mass. Furthermore, water removes wastes from and transports nutrients to the muscle cells, decreasing recovery time. Water also ensures that a proper muscle contraction can be achieved so that the working muscle is properly exhausted. Finally, bodybuilders tend to ingest a lot of calories, supplements and proteins, really taxing their kidneys in the process. Water takes some of the strain off the kidneys.

Water and the Brain

85% of brain tissue is water. The brain is about 1/50th of the body’s total weight and it uses about 1/20th of the body’s blood supply. Dehydration causes energy generation in the brain to decrease. In fact, studies have linked depression and chronic fatigue syndrome with dehydration.

Water and Migraines/Headaches

Dehydration is a major factor in causing headaches and migraines. In times of “heat stress” migraines are often signs of dehydration. To further complicate the matter, dehydration brings on stress and stress brings on dehydration.

Water and Pregnancy

Morning sickness is common in the first trimester of pregnancy. One reason for morning sickness is dehydration. It’s a signal being sent by the fetus and the mother’s body to the mother. What’s the message? We need more water! When the mother isn’t drinking enough water, she’s dehydrating the baby and herself. This is a result of the mother being the provider of water to the fetus during the intrauterine stage of cell expansion.

Water & Detox

Think of the most toxic substance you can imagine. What is it? Arsenic? Cyanide? Dioxin? Now, which would present less danger to you: a single drop of poison in a glass of water or a single drop of poison in the Pacific Ocean? Obviously, it would be the ocean. Why? Because water dilutes toxins.

The amount of water in the human body at birth may be as high as 80 percent of the body weight. At death, it can drop below 40 percent for men and women in their 70s and 80s. If water is life, then in a sense, dehydration is death. Now, I know it is more complicated than this. But, stay with me; if your body is mostly water, doesn’t it make sense that water plays an important role in how long and how well you live? It certainly does!

Metabolism

Your metabolism depends on water. Metabolism describes the way you convert food into energy. Most food contains enough water for the plant or animal to live; however, there is not enough water in most foods to metabolize them. You can help by eating foods high in water, including most fruits and vegetables.

High water content fruits and vegetables are also high in antioxidant content. To be healthy, you need to eat 5, 7 or 9 servings of fruit and vegetables daily, depending on age and gender. Low water content foods should be kept to a minimum and supplemented with pure water for proper metabolism.

Detoxification

Detoxification depends on water. This begins at the cellular level and ends when waste has been detoxified and eliminated.

Most toxins from inside your body (endotoxins) are water soluble. These substances mix readily with water and are eliminated. Three-fourths of all the toxins created in your body are eliminated in the water vapour from your lungs as you breathe. The remaining toxins are eliminated through the urine, stool, sweat and mucous. Every route for detoxification is dependent on pure water.

Most toxins from your environment (exotoxins) are not water soluble; they are fat soluble. Exotoxins must be converted into water soluble substances before they can be eliminated. This happens in a 4-step process involving enzymes. The most common of these detoxification pathways uses cytochrome enzyme (CYP or CYP 450).

Step 1
In the CYP pathway, toxins are isolated in various tissues, such as the liver, intestines and kidneys. The CYP enzyme stretches the toxin like taffy and spreads it out until every molecule is exposed. Now, the toxin looks more like a sponge and less like a brick.

Step 2
A sponge has a larger surface area than a brick. During step 2 the toxin is soaked with antioxidants. Now the toxin is exposed and the “sponge” is fully saturated with antioxidants.

Step 3
Enzymes open the chemical bonds of the toxin to accept a little water. The fat-soluble toxin is now bathed in antioxidants and surrounded by a gel-like substance that makes it water soluble.

Step 4
The final step in detoxification is elimination. This would not be possible without water, as all elimination pathways out of your body require water. The solution to pollution is dilution!
This simple trip through your body illustrates the absolute importance of water to life – your life! You need water to fuel metabolism for energy. You need water to detoxify waste.

The more toxic you are and the more toxins you are exposed to, the greater the need you have to vigorously apply the second of the 10 Essentials, “Drink Pure Water”!

Take Control of Your Health

Drink plenty of water every day. To calculate your daily water needs, use the simple formula below.

Example: A 150-pound person would need to drink about 75 ounces of water per day. 150 ÷ 2=75 ounces

Eat water-rich fruits and vegetables every day; 5 servings per day for children, 7 for women and 9 for men. Some fruits and vegetables you can easily include in your diet:

  • Broccoli
  • Spinach
  • Cucumber
  • Bell peppers
  • Cabbage
  • Asparagus
  • Cauliflower
  • Carrots
  • Oranges
  • Watermelon
  • Apples
  • Cantaloupe
  • Bananas
  • Blueberries
  • Grapefruit
  • Grapes
  • Tomatoes

Don’t obey your thirst!

The bodies “Thirst Reflex” is the last signal of excessive dehydration. By the time you become thirsty, the damage has already been done. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty! Constantly drink throughout the day! How much water should I drink? The non-active individual needs 1 oz. per pound of bodyweight, per day. For the average person who weighs 160 lbs. that comes to ten 8oz. glasses per day. This is just an average; you’ll need to adjust these numbers to your activity level, environment, bodyweight, and diet. For coffee drinkers, add 2 glasses of water for every cup of coffee you drink daily. If you drink more than 6 cups of coffee per day, you should be drinking a lot of water!!

WATER
#1. 75% of North Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population.)
#2. In 37% of North Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.
#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism by 3%.
#4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
#5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
#7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?

COLA
#1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of cola in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
#2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of cola and it will be gone in two days.
#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of cola into the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in cola removes stains from vitreous china.
#4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in cola.
#5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour can of cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
#6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
#7. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of cola into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run-through a regular cycle. The cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

#1. The active ingredient in cola is phosphoric acid. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.
#2. To carry cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial trucks must use hazardous Material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
#3. The distributors of cola have been using it to clean engines of the trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, would you like a glass of water? or cola?

Shocking Facts about Wasting Water?!

  • 5 billion gallons of water are flushed each day in the U.S.
  • Typically 4 to 6 gallons of water are used for every toilet flush
  • On the average, a person uses 2 gallons of water to brush his or her teeth each day
  • A 10-minute shower uses about 55 gallons of water
  • A leaking faucet can waste up to 100 gallons of water a day
  • It takes about 39,000 gallons of water to produce the average domestic auto, including tires
  • Each day, the sun evaporates 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) tons of water. (United States Geological Survey)
  • At least 1 billion people around the world must walk three hours or more to obtain drinking water
  • Households turn on water faucets an average of 70 times daily
  • About 1.2 billion gallons of potable water are used in New Jersey each day
  • It takes about 1 gallon of water to process a quarter pound of hamburger
  • It takes 2,072 gallons of water to make four new tires
  • Automatic dishwashers use about 15 gallons per load
  • Washing one load of clothes in an automatic washer uses about 45 gallons
  • The average bath takes about 36 gallons of water
  • The average individual uses about 125 gallons of water per day
  • An average residence uses 107,000 gallons of water per year
  • About 340 billion gallons of water are used every day in the United States
  • It takes 1,500 gallons of water to process 1 barrel of beer
  • It takes about 800,000 gallons of water to grow an acre of cotton
  • Ten gallons of water are needed to refine one gallon of gasoline
  • Cutting one minute off your shower time can save about 700 gallons of water per month

Conserve Water which is essential for survival.. It is more precious and scarcer than Gold..