It is made up of two gases, two atoms of hydrogen, and one of oxygen. When they are combined chemically, they produce the body’s most important nutrient, water!
Water benefits us in many ways. It washes toxins from the body, keeps blood at the right viscosity, maintains body temperature, lubricates and cushions organs, transports nutrients, metabolizes body fat, and does many other things for the body. Water makes up 70%-80% of our body weight.
Everyone needs a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day, and more if you are physically active. Dehydration is the result of not ingesting enough water. When this happens, the body takes water from other places, like the blood.
When the body gets dehydrated, it closes down some of the capillaries. The blood becomes thicker, more likely to clot, and it is harder for the heart to pump it through the systems. This results in high blood pressure, heart disease and high cholesterol. Dehydration has also been linked to heartburn, headaches, and arthritis.
Some have guessed that up to 75% of Americans suffer from dehydration. At times the body seems to be asking for food when really it is needing water. A drink can also satisfy the stomach’s cravings and thus help to keep proper body weight.
Our bodies take in water three ways. We get it from the foods we eat, the fluids we drink, and as a by-product of metabolism. It is always better to drink pure water instead of soda, tea, or coffee. These products may actually increase your need for fluids because most contain caffeine, which is a diuretic. Diuretics force out stored water along with certain essential nutrients, a reverse osmosis of the cells.
Dehydration is dangerous. Dehydration leading to a 2% loss of body weight may affect mental ability. Reducing water in the body as little as 5% can result in as much as a 20%-30% drop in physical performance; 10% reduction can make you sick, and 20% can mean death. With water pollution on the rise, it is best to drink filtered water whenever possible.
A number of ailments can be directly linked to the lack of water. Significantly, water can also provide the cure, at times better to any medication. Some of these ailments are headaches, stress, kidney problems, hypertension or high blood pressure, cholesterol, and ulcers. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day reduces the risk of breast cancer an incredible 79%, decreases the risk of colon cancer 45%, and makes a person 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.
Perhaps your body is craving water right now and you don’t even know it. So go get a glass. But be sure it is pure first. Water taken from the tap will probably have impurities. So might even bottled water. Best is the water you purify yourself through a charcoal filter like the Royal Berkey. You can trust it to help you maintain good health.
If you’re interested in not only the health but savings benefits you can receive from purifying your own water, check out the Berkey Water Filters – the most powerful and economical personal water purification systems available.