WATER One of Life's Most Sustaining Elements
75% of the human body is compromised of water, but far too often we fail to give the body this nourishing treat. Dehydration is one of the most common ailments I see in practice today. Some people just don't seem to "like" water and substitute it with coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices, and alcohol. There is a world of difference between these choices though.
When Lance Armstrong won the tour de France, he gave away his secret for winning: super hydrating (drinking a gallon of water a day) for two weeks prior to the race. I thought this would ignite America and start a trend of increased water drinking. Unfortunately, it fell on deaf ears, because we are still unaware of exactly how good water is for us.
There is a simple rule of thumb: DRINK HALF YOUR BODY WEIGHT IN OUNCES PER DAY!
So, if you weigh 150 lbs you should drink 75 ounces of water per day. A person weighing 250 lbs requires 125 ounces per day, everyday. If you drink coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices or alcohol, an additional 6 ounces of water is recommended. Now, that is different than what we have been told...maybe our mother's don't know everything!
BENEFITS OF WATER
Flushes toxins out of the body.
Produces healthy skin.
Keeps the bowel moving and regular.
Helps control body temperature.
Lubricates joints.
Decreases risk of cardiovascular involvement.
Helps burn fat and builds muscle.
Maintains homeostasis of fluids.
So fill your glass with H2O and drink up, it does a body good.
Dr. Theresa Pigott, DC