HEALTH BENEFITS OF WATER

[CelticWolf]

HEALTH BENEFITS OF WATER
How 8 Glasses A Day Keeps Fat Away

Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single
most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off.
Although most of us take for granted, water may be the only
true "magic potion" for permanent weight loss.

Water supresses the appetite naturally and helps the body
metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in
water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an
increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.

Here's why: The kidneys can't function properly without enough
water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their load is
dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is
to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But
if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work it can't
operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat
more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops.

Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention.
When the body gets less water,it perceives this as a threat to
survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is stored
in extracellular spaces (outside the cell). This shows up as
swollen feet, legs and hands.

Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. They force out
stored water along with some essential nutrients. Again, the
body perceives a treat and will replace the lost water at the
first opportunity. Thus, the condition quickly returns.

The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to
give your body what it needs -- plenty of water. Only then will
stored water be released.

If you have a constant problem with water retention, excess salt
may be to blame. Your body will tolerate sodium only in a
certain concentration. The more salt you eat the more water
your system retains to dilute it.

But getting rid of unneeded salt is easy -- just drink more
water. As it's forced through the kidneys it takes away excess
sodium.

The overweight person needs more water than a thin one. Larger
people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is
the key to fat metabolism, it follows that the over weight
person needs more water.

Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles
their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration.
It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows
weigh loss -- shrinking cells are buoyed by water which plumps
the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body
has a lot more waste to get rid of -- all that metabolized fat
must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out the waste.

Water can help relieve constipation. When the body gets too
little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources.
The colon is one primary source. Result? Constipation. But
when a person drinks enough water, normal bowel function usually
returns.

So far, we've discovered some remarkable truths about water and
weight loss:


* The body will not function properly without enough
water and can't metabolize stored fat efficiently.

* Retained water shows up as excess weight.

* To get rid of excess water you must drink more water.

* Drinking water is essential to weight loss.

How much water is enough? On the average, a person should drink
8-ounce glasses every day. That's about 2 quarts. However, the
overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds
of excess weight. The amount you drink also should be increased
if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry.

Water should preferably be cold. It's absorbed into the system
more quickly than warm water. And some evidence suggests that
drinking cold water can actually help burn calories. To
utilize water most efficiently during weight loss, follow this
schedule:

Morning: 1 quart consumed over a 30-minute period.

Noon: 1 quart consumed over a 30-minute period.

Evening: 1 quart consumed between five and six o'clock.

When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally,
it's fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, you have
reached the "breakthrough point." What does this mean?

* Endocrine-gland function improves.

* Fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost.

* More fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to
metabolize stored fat.

* Natural thirst returns.

* There is a loss of hunger almost over night.

If you stop drinking enough water, your body fluids will be
thrown out of balance again, and you may experience fluid
retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst. To
remedy the situation you'll have to go back and force another
"breakthrough."


From: http://www.highvibrations.org/archive3/water.htm

 

[CelticWolf]

The human body, which is made up of between 55 and 75 percent water (lean people have more water in their bodies because muscle holds more water than fat), is in need of constant water replenishment.

Your lungs expel between two and four cups of water each day through normal breathing - even more on a cold day. If your feet sweat, there goes another cup of water. If you make half a dozen trips to the bathroom during the day, that's six cups of water. If you perspire, you expel about two cups of water (which doesn't include exercise-induced perspiration).

A person would have to lose 10 percent of her body weight in fluids to be considered dehydrated, but as little as two percent can affect athletic performance, cause tiredness and dull critical thinking abilities. Adequate water consumption can help lessen the chance of kidney stones, keep joints lubricated, prevent and lessen the severity of colds and flu and help prevent constipation.

Health benefits of water
Water is crucial to your health. It makes up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry on normal functions. Even mild dehydration - as little as a 1 percent to 2 percent loss of your body weight - can sap your energy and make you tired. Dehydration poses a particular health risk for the very young and the very old. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:
Excessive thirst
Fatigue
Headache
Dry mouth
Little or no urination
Muscle weakness
Dizziness
Lightheadedness

How much water do you need?
Every day you lose water through sweating - noticeable and unnoticeable - exhaling, urinating and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you need to replace this water by consuming beverages and foods that contain water. So how much water, or more precisely fluid, do you need?

This isn't an easy question to answer. A healthy adult's daily fluid intake can vary widely. Most people drink fluid to quench thirst, to supply perceived water needs and "out of habit." At least three approaches estimate total fluid (water) needs for healthy, sedentary adults living in a temperate climate.
Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is 1.5 liters a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your fluid intake, so you if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups), along with your normal diet, you can replace the lost fluids.

Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" - drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Though this approach isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.

Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine recommends that men consume 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. These guidelines are based on national food surveys that assessed people's average fluid intakes.

You can choose any of these fluid intake approaches to gauge your fluid needs. But your current total fluid intake is probably OK if you drink enough water to quench your thirst, produce a colorless or slightly yellow normal amount of urine, and feel well.

Factors that influence water needs
You may need to modify total fluid intake from these recommended amounts depending on several factors, including how active you are, the climate, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.
Exercise. If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you'll need to drink extra water to compensate for that fluid loss. Drink 2 cups of water two hours before a long endurance event, for example, a marathon or half-marathon. One to 2 cups of water is also adequate for shorter bouts of exercise. During the activity, replenish fluids at regular intervals, and continue drinking water or other fluids after you're finished. During intense exercise involving significant sweating, for example, during a marathon, sodium is lost in sweat, and you may need a sports drink with sodium rather than just water.

Environment. You need to drink additional water in hot or humid weather to help lower your body temperature and to replace what you lose through sweating. You may also need extra water in cold weather if you sweat while wearing insulated clothing. Heated, indoor air can cause your skin to lose moisture, increasing your daily fluid requirements. And altitudes greater than 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) also can affect how much water your body needs. Higher altitudes may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which uses up more of your fluid reserves.

Illnesses or health conditions. Some signs and symptoms of illnesses, such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, cause your body to lose extra fluids. To replace lost fluids, drink more water or oral rehydration solutions (Gatorade, Powerade, CeraLyte, others). When water loss can't be replaced orally, intravenous water and electrolytes may be necessary. Increased water intake is nearly always advised in people with urinary tract stones. On the other hand, you may need to limit the amount of water you drink if you have certain conditions that impair excretion of water - such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver, adrenal and thyroid diseases.

Pregnant or breast-feeding. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding need additional water to stay hydrated and to replenish the fluids lost, especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (nearly 10 cups) of fluids a day and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.

Beyond the tap: Many sources of water
You don't need to sip from your water bottle all day to satisfy your fluid needs. Your diet, including the beverages you drink, can provide a large portion of what you need. In an average adult diet, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake. The remaining 80 percent comes from beverages of all kinds.

Fruits and vegetables - besides being good sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber - contain lots of water. For example, oranges are 87 percent water, and cucumbers are 95 percent water. Milk, juice and other beverages also have large amounts of water. Conversely, dried fruits, nuts, grain products and baked goods generally contain less water.

Make it count: Meet your water needs through food and beverages
Alcohol - such as beer and wine - and caffeinated beverages - such as coffee, tea or soda - can contribute to your total fluid intake. But your best beverage is still water. Water is calorie-free, inexpensive when drawn from a faucet or fountain, and readily available in and out of your home.

Thirst not always a reliable gauge
If you're healthy and not in any dehydrating conditions, you can generally use your thirst as an indicator of when to drink water. But thirst isn't always an adequate gauge of your body's need for fluid replenishment. The older you are, the less you're able to sense that you're thirsty. And during vigorous exercise, an important amount of your fluid reserves may be lost before you feel thirsty. So make sure that you're sufficiently hydrated before, during and after exercise.

Increased thirst and increased urination, both in volume and frequency, can be signs and symptoms of diabetes. With diabetes, excess blood sugar (glucose) in your body draws water from your tissues, making you feel dehydrated. To quench your thirst, you drink a lot of water and other beverages and that leads to more frequent urination. If you notice unexplained increases in your thirst and urination, see your doctor. It may not necessarily mean you have diabetes. It could be something else. And some people consume large amounts of water and experience increased urine output not associated with any underlying disease.

Diabetes - Staying safely hydrated
Make a conscious effort to keep yourself hydrated and make water your beverage of choice. Nearly every healthy adult can consider the following:
Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal.
Take water breaks instead of coffee or tea breaks.
Substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks at social gatherings.

If you drink water from a bottle, thoroughly clean or replace the bottle often. Every time you drink, bacteria from your mouth contaminate water in the bottle. If you use a bottle repeatedly, make sure that the bottle is designed for reuse. To keep it clean, wash your container in hot, soapy water or run it through a dishwasher before refilling it.

Though uncommon, it's possible to drink too much water. Drinking excessive amounts can overwhelm your kidneys' ability to get rid of the water. This can lead to hyponatremia, a condition in which excess water intake dilutes the normal amount of sodium in the blood. People who are older, who have certain medical conditions such as congestive heart failure and cirrhosis, or who are taking certain diuretics are at higher risk of hyponatremia.

From: http://www.shapefit.com/water-benefits.html

 

[CelticWolf]

Drink to Your Health . . . With Water!
Mother Nature's Healthy "Cocktail"
Some nutritionists insist that 80% of the country is walking around dehydrated. We drink too much coffee, tea, and sodas containing caffeine, which prompts the body to lose water. More troubling is that fact that when we are dehydrated, we don't know what to drink.

The answer is simple: drink water!

Water is pure liquid refreshment and accounts for a large percentage of what makes each of us "human." The average 150 lb. adult body contains 40 to 50 quarts of water. Almost 2/3rds of our body weight is "water weight":

Blood is 83% water

Muscles are 75% water

The brain is 74% water

Bone is 22% water


The Fountain of Youth, Health, and Everything Else that's Good

Water is necessary for your body to digest and absorb vitamins and nutrients. It also detoxifies the liver and kidneys, and carries away waste from the body. And when it comes to digestion . . . it's just not happening without water. Fiber alone cannot aid proper digestive function by itself. In fact, without water as its partner, good fiber goes bad, causing constipation and extreme discomfort.

If you're dehydrated, your blood is literally thicker, and your body has to work much harder to cause it to circulate. As a result, the brain becomes less active, it's hard to concentrate, your body feels fatigued, and you just "poop out."

Water - The Miracle Worker

Simple water -- when it's pure and free of contaminants -- is truly a "wonder drug." Without chemicals, additives, or anything unnatural, a steady dose of 8 glasses of water a day (ideally ½ your body weight in ounces of water) will:

Improve Your Energy

Increase Your Mental and Physical Performance

Remove Toxins & Waste Products from your body

Keep Skin Healthy and Glowing

Help You Lose Weight

Reduce Headaches and Dizziness

Allow for proper Digestion

Help to keep you more Alkaline

Drinking Water is Heart-Healthy

The findings of a six-year study of more than 20,000 healthy men and women aged 38-100 in the May 1, 2002 American Journal of Epidemiology found that women who drank more than five glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period than those who drank less than two glasses. The protective effect of water was even greater in men.

Drinking Water and Weight Loss

Water is a natural appetite suppressant, so developing a good water drinking habit can be a long-term aid in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Doctor F. Batmanghelidj MD, author of "Your Body's Many Cries For Water" says most times your “hunger” is your body asking for water – not food.

It's also important to remember that when the body is dehydrated, fat cells get "rubbery" and cannot be easily metabolized. This means that it's harder to lose when you don't drink your water.

Who Can Benefit From A Water Regimen? Everyone . . . including YOU!

Water is especially important for pregnant women and nursing mothers. For athletes and work-out fanatics, drinking water reduces cardiovascular stress and improves performance. And, since water reduces body temperature, it makes the whole exercise process safer and more effective.

Water is also an important "healing tool" for people with a history of kidney stones. Since water dissolves calcium in the urine, downing at least 8 glasses daily reduces the risk of stone formation. Drinking water is also valuable in preventing urinary tract infections in both men and for women, flushing impurities out of the system.

Even mild dehydration makes you more susceptible to viruses. For someone like me, with an immune system compromised from my battle with terminal cancer, water is a powerful weapon in my war on colds and other illnesses. I've also found that water helps me recover more quickly.

When your body is hydrated, drainage from allergies and colds doesn't stick and collect in your throat and lungs, and your cough is more "productive". Even cold sores that appear on the lips are minimized by drinking water because those eruptions tend to favor dry areas on the body.

Dave’s Tips for Drinking Water

I know how hard it can be to remember to drink enough water every day, but I also know how hard it can be to bounce back from the effects of being even mildly dehydrated. So I'd like to share a few easy tips to help you reach your "water mark" every day:

You are naturally thirsty i.e. “dehydrated” in the morning . . . help your body flush out the toxins it has been processing all night and take advantage of this thirst to get a “leg up” on your daily water requirements by drinking a glass of water first thing.

If you are cold drink warm water instead of dehydrating coffee & tea.

Don't wait until you're thirsty to have a drink – you are already dehydrated if you feel thirsty.

Set a timer to remind yourself to establish a habit of drinking water and keep a bottle of water with you at all times.

Compensate for diuretics . . . thieves that steal water from your body. If you drink coffee, tea, or sodas with caffeine, you'll need to drink a few extra glasses of water to make up for the water that these diuretic beverages "leech" from your system.


My personal choice is ionized alkaline water. The Jupiter water ionizers conveniently produce gallons of alkaline water each day for cooking and drinking. I get all the known benefits of pure water with the added advantages of micro-clustered water.

From: http://www.betterwayhealth.com/drinking-water.asp

 

[Sasa]

Great post man

 

[KajedAnimal]

Great info bro, thanks for sharing...

 

[Elvis]

great read i never knew it lowered your chances of dieing from a heart attack!