So, just how important is WATER to your Health?
Undoubtedly at many points in your life you’ve heard how important water is for you to drink and have likely heard from your Doctor, Trainer or parents… “Drink 6-8 cups of water a day.”
Many people, however, still don’t know just how important water is for your body and that a lack in quality water can lead to chronic injury, disease and generally prevent optimal health.
Here are a few important facts about Water:
- Humans are composed (or should be composed) of about 75% water.
- The main function of proper water intake is to maintain homeostasis, or a stable and healthy environment inside and around all our cells.
- Proper water intake allows us to take in proper nutrition, maintain a healthy metabolism, adequate hormone production and healthy organ function and reproduction as well as proper elimination to expel toxins.
- Water provides our muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons and bones the ability to move as designed and helps prevents soreness and injury.
- Water allows our spine, in particular the discs, to be lubricated. At birth, 80 percent of the disc is composed of water. In order for the disc to function properly, it must be well hydrated as it (specifically the nucleus pulposus) is the major carrier of the body’s axial load and relies on its water-based contents to maintain strength and pliability.
- The human brain is comprised of 77 to 78 percent water and our brains depend on proper hydration to function optimally. Our brain cells require a balance between water and many other elements to operate, and when you lose too much water, that balance is disrupted. Dehydration can impair short-term memory function and the recall of long-term memory. The brain dictates the movement of all other functions in the body, including the gut, disrupting gut function (our 2nd brain).
- Proper water intake helps keep our largest organ, our skin, healthy and glowing.
- New studies are even indicating that the Human Heart is not actually a pump, but a push and pull; negative and positive charge of water (very simplified explanation) and that a lack of charged water might actually be the reason behind heart disease.
- Our bodies are designed to drink Water only and there are many negative health results of displacing water with milk, soda, juice, coffee and alcohol.
Drinking enough good quality water on a day-to-day basis can be the simplest way to help solve a number of health problems that you might be experiencing, both physically and mentally.
Most people are not consuming enough water for just general well-being, let alone for optimal Health and how lucky we are to live in a country that we have water at our reach at all times and the luxury to be able to choose dozens of kinds of quality waters that can help provide us a life of wonderful health.
Here are Coach Seana’s Recommendations for drinking Water:
- Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of QUALITY Water daily.
- If you sweat, try and replenish with an additional 8 oz per pound of sweat lost.
- Add a pinch of Himalayan or Sea Salt to each liter you drink to maintain electrolyte and energy. – Many people also find that this helps reduce the frequency of urination.
- Drink quality water, filtered or bottled (glass if preferable) and check your sources, even if purchased as some companies have been found to be bottling tap water.
- Keep your water stored in a dark, cool area if possible and best if kept in glass or a labeled BPA free bottle.
- Keep your water away from your cell phone and other electronic devices.
- Filter your sink or shower water at home to avoid exposure to harmful toxins and even better is a whole-house filtration system.
- Consume your water at room temperature as cold water will shock the system, particularly after a workout and it will sit in your stomach until it reaches your body temperature.
- There are different waters for different occasions that vary in mineral content and carbonation and can be used in different ways, during varying meals and times and days and for different physical requirements.
- For fun, try different waters when you are are out in different areas. Learning about waters, their properties and various benefits is a lot of fun.
