The Importance
of Water
Water!
Why drink at least two quarts a day?
Because
that's roughly how much water we lose normally through
perspiration, waste removal and other functions. Add
sultry weather or enough exercise to break a sweat and
the amount of water needed to stay healthily hydrated
- not to mention avoid fatigue, light-headedness, nausea,
and even heat stroke - quickly climbs. The body loses
water via the skin by perspiration, kidneys by urine,
lungs by exhaled water vapor, and intestine by feces.
Additionally, water keeps your energy up, weight down,
muscles strong, joints supple, digestive system smooth
-- your whole system in physical balance.
Water:
- 1)
regulates body temperature
-
2) makes up 83% of blood
- 3)
removes waste
-
4) composes 75% of brain
-
5) helps carry nutients and oxygen to cells
- 6)
moistens oxygen for breathing
- 7)
helps convert food to energy
-
8) protects and cushions vital organs
-
9) helps body absorb nutients
-
10) accounts for 22% of bones
- 11)
cushions joints
- 12)
makes up 75% of muscles
-
13)makes up 90% of lungs
-
14)Your body is roughly 60 % water!!!
It really depends on the person and their activity level
as well as the weather. I find the more I drink the
less I actually retain with my activity level and climate.
Additionally because of diuretic effects of caffeine
drinks you should have 1 8-ounce glass of water for
each 8-ounce glass/cup of these you drink to minimize
the effects. On the other hand however, there is a thing
as too much water. If you drink in excess of 8 liters
without getting the proper other nutrients your body
will actually start depleting itself of those nutrients.
So, do not be one of those people who gets too "water
obsessed" and drinks a gallon a day either.There is
a fine balance in all parts of woe.
Water
is VERY important and you should get enough each day,
but too much or too little is not good. I suggest 10-12
eight ounce glasses a day, more if you are in hot weather,
exercise, or have been drinking alcohol. Also, "Are
you Hungry? Many of us mix up food pangs with water
cravings! By Malcolm Stewart, PhD As a clinical and
health psychologist, I work with many people who want
to lose weight for personal or medical reasons. It's
not uncommon to hear complaints of intense hunger between
regular eating times, no matter how satisfying their
meals.
For
some people, it's puzzling, irritating hunger that makes
them want to pick at food constantly. Others describe
sharp cravings that demand immediate satisfaction. Regardless,
the effect is the same: Despite increasing their physical
activity (perhaps the key weight loss technique), they
can't lose unwanted pounds. But a little-known fact
both helps explain these food pangs - and provides a
means to deal with them: Sometimes thirst masquerades
as hunger. So you may think your body is asking for
food when what it's actually asking for is water. Your
body needs water - a lot of water, every day - more
than anything else except oxygen. WE can live without
food for a week or more if necessary, but not without
water. If your body has just 2 percent less than it
requires, you'll feel fatigued. A 10 percent shortfall
can produce significant health risks. A week without
water can be fatal.
Adults
need six to eight 8-ounce glasses (about 1 ½ to 2 quarts)
every day, more if you're large or physically active
and even more if you drink much coffee, tea or cola,
because the caffeine in these is a mild diuretic.
Why do we sometimes feel hungry when in fact we're thirsty?
For one thing, many of us seem to have learned to interpret
some signs of thirst as signs of hunger. For another,
the body may seek food as a source of water because
about 37 percent of our daily water intake comes from
food. Fruits and vegetables are typically 70 to 95 percent
water. Cooked meat is 50 to 60 percent. Even bread is
made up of about 35 percent water. So your body may
signal that it's hungry in order to get more water through
food. And because water is so important, the body gives
off strong messages when it needs more, which is why
thirst masquerading as hunger can be so compelling.
Which would be fine if food didn't contain calories
as well as water.
Being
able to understand that sometimes "I'm hungry" really
means "I'm thirsty" can help you react more healthfully,
starting with drinking eight glasses daily. This takes
a conscious effort for most of us, but it's easier if
you make a habit of drinking water every time you do
a particular activity - for instance, each time you
go into the kitchen or whenever you're about to make
a phone call. You can also up your intake by using a
larger glass or drinking a refill. Some people find
"sipper bottles" convenient. Now apply this to dealing
with hunger between meals (which can be translated as
"reach for water, not the ice cream"). If you feel hungry
when it's not meal time, first have a large glass of
water, then get busy doing something - keep at it for
at least 20 minutes before you consider eating anything.
After drinking one glass, you may immediately want another.
This is your body saying, "Yes! That was want I really
wanted - give me more!" If you still feel hungry after
20 minutes, try having another glass of water, then
get busy again.
People often feel like they're "bad" or "weak" if they
feel hungry at times they think they shouldn't be. However,
once you are aware that thirst can masquerade as hunger,
you realize that hunger pangs often are a legitimate
request by the body - but for water rather than food.
This isn't a cure - all for curbing hunger, but I've
learned from my practice that it can go along way toward
beating between meal eating. And that can mean weight-loss
success. " and An excerpt from Oprah's book, Make the
Connection, by Bob Greene: "Water is essential to life.
Without it, we would survive maybe two or three days.
That makes it our most important nutrient. Water surrounds
and is a part of each and every cell in your body, and
it's needed or involved in virtually all body functions.
About
60 percent of your body weight is water. We lose a lot
of water each day through basic body functions. By exercising,
you lose even more water depending on the type, length,
and intensity of exercise and the climate you work out
in. Your body must continually regulate the amount of
water that it holds. You become dehydrated when your
body's water supply cannot meet its demands. This can
cause a variety of complications, including heat exhaustion
and heat stroke.
Although
less life threatening, dehydration also affects the
body's ability to digest food and metabolize fat. Needless
to say, having enough water is essential for your body
to function at its optimum. As far as weight loss and
weight maintenance are concerned, drinking enough water
is extremely important. There are at least six basic
reasons why replacing water on a daily basis is important
for controlling your weight.
1)
Digestion and metabolism - These are two functions we
are particularly concerned with when it comes to controlling
our weight. If you aren't getting enough water, you
risk impairing these two functions to a certain degree.
Enough water ensures that both digestion and metabolism
are working at their full capacity.
2) Water's filling effect - by drinking six to eight
glasses of water, you can help curb your appetite. Water
can fill you up so that you don't overeat.
3) The thirst-hunger response - When you are dehydrated,
your body may signal you to eat when what it really
requires is water. It does the same thing for a variety
of nutritional needs. For example, your body may need
sodium, so it signals you to eat foods containing salt.
But all you really need is the salt without all the
additional calories in food. I call this phenomenon
artificial hunger. By
meeting all of your nutritional needs, including your
need for water, you can control artificial hunger.
4)
Better workouts - You can exercise more effectively
and at higher levels when you are getting enough water.
5)
Muscle requires more water - Muscle is comprised of
about 70 percent water, whereas fat is made up of less
than 25 percent water. One of the many benefits of exercise
is that you maintain and even add muscle weight, which
in turn burns fat. As you gain muscle, you require more
water and need to replace more of it daily. So water
becomes more important the more active you are. Think
of it as a cycle: The more muscle you maintain, the
more water is held by the body and the more calories
are burned by that additional muscle. So the more muscle
you have, the more water you must have available.
6)
Glycogen storage - Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate
stored in your muscles. It can be used as energy when
you exercise. The more fit you become, the more glycogen
is stored in your muscles. Every gram of glycogen holds
about 2.5 to 3 grams of water. So, the more fit you
are, the more water your body will hold, and the more
water you need each day. Being more fit also allows
you to burn calories at a higher rate. In addition to
those six reasons, as you begin to lose fat, your body
increases its percentage of water. So the amount of
water you need to drink each day increases. This is
especially so the more active you become. Your body
is signaled to hold more water. It will usually let
you know it needs more water by making you thirsty,
but not always. "
Water
is often called the forgotten nutrient since many people
take it for granted, but water is essential to life.
We can live with less than enough food for weeks, months,
even years, but take away our water and we last just
a few days. Water makes up about 60 percent of the average
adult's weight. It is the medium the human body uses
for nearly every activity it performs and has many functions,
including: · Carrying nutrients in the body · Cleansing
the body's waste products · Acting as a solvent, dissolving
minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and other
substances · Being involved in the chemical reactions
in the body · Lubricating joints · Acting as a shock
absorber for many organs · Helping to regulate body
temperature Since water is so important, its balance
is delicately monitored by a number of mechanisms.
Our brain signals us to drink when the sodium concentrations
in the blood become too high or when blood volume drops
too low. Unfortunately, by the time this thirst mechanism
kicks in, we are already in the beginning stages of
water deficit. That's why nutritionists recommend drinking
before you are thirsty. This is particularly important
for the elderly population because as we age we become
less sensitive to our thirst mechanism. At the same
time, our percentage of body fluid drops, so it's easier
to become dehydrated faster.
Young children are also at a higher risk for dehydration,
but for another reason: Their thirst mechanism is not
yet fully developed, nor are they always able to recognize
when they are thirsty. Water needs vary with each individual,
but in general, nutritionists still abide by the old
rule of eight glasses - - 64 ounces - - or more of fluid
a day. Water is your best bet, but it is certainly not
the only way to get fluids. .
Alcohol
and caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee do not
count because they are actually diuretics, meaning they
cause you to lose fluid rather than retain it. How much
water do you need? The old standard suggestion of 6
to 8, 8-ounce glasses of water a day is still good.
But people who exercise may need more like 2 or 3 quarts,
especially when it's hot and humid outside (and during
illness). Get in the habit of carrying a water bottle.
It's easy to measure, handy to cart around especially
during workouts, and saves waiting in line at the water
fountain - - where it never seems polite to guzzle what
you really need when others are waiting.
Drink before you're thirsty. People who drink to satisfy
thirst replace only about half of what they need. An
intelligent, by the book, "hydration schedule" for a
workout looks something like this: · 17 ounces of water
2 hours before your workout · 8ounces or more 15 minutes
before your workout · 4 to 8 ounces every 10 to 20 minutes
during your workout · another 8 ounces after your workout
" By now, I am hoping you see how important water is
to weightloss and also to your health! It is a wonderful
beauty secret we should all adopt as part of our new
healthy lifestyle!
I am repeatedly appalled that we are teaching our kids
from birth on to drink ANYTHING but water!!! WHY do
we do that? People erroneously think juice is better
for kids, but it is almost all sugar and only a precentage
of real juice anymore and studies have shown kids who
drink too much juice have stunted growth and do not
develop enough growth hormones. When the juice is taken
away,the body then makes more growth hormones, giving
the child a chance to grow normally.This is espeically
true with any "failure to thrive child".Teach your kids
to like and drink yummy water! It is GOOD for them!
Give them real whole fruits for the vitamins from fruits
instead of juices. Now,remember -drink 64 ounces minmum
of water EVERYDAY. Some say 1/2 your body weight in
ounces and some 64 ounces plus an additional 8 ounces
for every 25 pounds you need to lose.
I
find most people lose well with around 80-96 ounces. I
have a brita filtered pitcher and I LOVE it! I highly
recommend getting one or something like it. There are
tap filters also and the price range varies. -Drink
all your water before anything else each day. Other things
do not count as water. Unsweetened green tea is also
fine according to Dr A. When you drink enough water,you
actually promote the production of MORE ketones.This
means more fat is being burned! YES! If you do not drink
enough water, your stix might show a color, but you
might not lose, because if you do not get enough water
to flush out old ketones,then new ones cannot be generated
and old ketones just keep recirculating.
Caffeine, artificial sweetners, citric acid and other ingredients
in drinks will most times hinder your success.You want
to drink extra water anytime you drink something like
that.It is best to drink only water and green tea. The
occassional diet rite might be fine too. But, remember
it has citric acid and that hinders people also. It
is sweetened with splenda, so is a better choice than
other colas. It
comes in many flavors and I find it at my superwalmart.
There are some flavored seltzer waters that might also
be ok for a once in awhile change. CVS has one that is
sweetened with splenda also. The best kind are ones
that are completely unsweetened and sodium free. Check
all labels. Not just the nutriton facts, but the fine
print ingredients too! So, drink up and WHOOOSH!!! You
can do it!
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