We cannot live without water. Proper hydration is vital for our health and the optical functioning of the body. It makes up about half of our overall weight and is necessary for every cell, tissue, organ and system.
Water is a living thing, a macronutrient that maintains body temperature, removes wastes, moistens joints and cleanses skin. Because we lose water during our daily activities like sweating, breathing and urinating, we must make a conscious effort to replenish. If not, dehydration strikes leaving us feeling tired, grouchy, hungry and cranky!
Why is water so important? Here is a quick review:
1- It maintains the balance of fluids in our bodies.
2- It helps you lose weight. Water is a natural appetite suppressant. Often when we are hungry, it’s actually just thirst. Plus, water has no fat, calories, carbs, sugar or toxic ingredients.
3- It keeps the skin looking fresh.
4- It energizes you. Drink up to feel alert and energetic.
5- It flushes out the kidneys. (A good indicator of hydration is if your pee is light in color!)
6- It helps you poop! Drinking water keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation.
7- It assists pregnancy. Hi mamas! By drinking enough H20, you avoid preterm labor and miscarriage as well as producing sufficient breast milk.
How much should we drink?
There are many different recommendations for daily water intake. The most well-known is drinking 6-8x 8-ounce glasses of water each day – a very reasonable goal. Another great option is to drink half your bodyweight in ounces per day. However, different people require different amounts to stay hydrated. Listen to your body and do what feels best! Keep in mind that fruits and vegetables (juices too), milk and herbal teas as well as soups all count.
What kind of water is best?
Anyone who knows me know that I am against bottled water. Unless I am traveling in a foreign country, I do my best to avoid it. Why? Bottled water is a $100 BILLION dollar industry that makes false claims about bottled water being healthy. In fact, rapid worldwide privatization of water supplies are forcing it to become a commodity, being referred to as “Blue Gold.” Exploding populations, urbanization, climate change and industrial pollution are causing fresh water to become the world’s most precious resource.
Plus, bottled water is much less regulated than tap. The Environmental Protection Agency requires testing of public water supplies while 70% of bottled water goes unchecked. A recent test by the EPA discovered that 38 contaminants where found in 10 brands of bottled water including caffeine, arsenic, industrial chemicals, Tylenol, nitrates and bacteria. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it?
If that wasn’t enough, 80% of plastic bottles are not recycled. In the U.S. alone, more than 67 million plastic water bottled are thrown away per day! This has greatly contributed to the large swirling mass of plastic in our oceans known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch that continues growing.
But before you go slurping from under your faucet, I do recommend filtering your water at home too. Municipal water, although checked frequently, can contain chemicals, traces of prescription medication, fluoride and other chemicals.
So what can you do to ensure you are getting the highest quality water for your health?
I personally recommend using Propur filters on both kitchen sinks and shower heads. These are reasonably priced, require new filters every six months and are attached directly to the faucet. This is great for cooking and drinking as well as showering and bathing. I noticed a difference immediately – the water was softer and tasted better!
The Sink Filter The Shower Filter
I also am a huge fan of Mountain Valley Spring Water, a company that sources natural spring water since 1871. They do not allow anything near the 2,00 acres of forest protecting their watershed and check the water, stainless steel holding tanks, pipes, bottle and caps daily for quality control. It is filtered and ozone is added to ensure no biological contamination. Plus, it is the most delicious water I have ever drank AND it comes in glass bottles. No plastic here!
We also use the Berkey at home and when traveling. We like this option because if ever the counter filter busted and we had to filter contaminated water, this is the best option. Plus, they have a travel size Berkey that is awesome when venturing overseas.
Once you have clean, pure, filtered water, invest in a stainless steel, BPA-free thermos or water bottle (my favorite is Sigg or Klean Kanteen. Carry it around with you to ensure adequate hydration all day long. Your body will thank you!