If we are what we eat (and drink), then water is a most important nutrient, even more than food.
Next to oxygen, water is the element that is most important to our survival. Our bodies can go for over a month without food, but just a few days without water. The body weight of a normal adult is 60% to 70 % water! Blood is mostly water, and our muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Water is needed to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all our organs. Water also transports oxygen and nutrients to our cells. It removes waste and protects our joints and organs. Water is the medium for the chemical reactions of metabolism in every cell of our body. To fill our need for water, we drink- straight water as well as other beverages. But food is mostly water too – even meat, poultry and fish. A daily general guide for water intake is about 8 glasses for women and 12 glasses for men- that includes water and other beverages and food intake. When a person is physically active for prolonged periods, especially in high heat and humidity, water loss will increase and the need for water intake will likewise increase.
Usually, if you satisfy your thirst, you will be well hydrated. However, as people age, they may lose their sense of thirst and become dehydrated before we feel thirsty.
Symptoms of mild dehydration include chronic pains in joints and muscles, lower back pain, headaches, and constipation. A strong odor to your urine, along with a yellow or amber color, indicates inadequate water intake.
On the other hand, it is possible to drink too much water. Water intoxication can dilute the body’s electrolytes causing confusion, coma, and death. It may be the cool thing to do, but walking around with your designer water bottle may only send you to the “necessary” more frequently!
Water minerals
The best source of water is plain, pure drinking water. There has been an ongoing debate among scientists about the mineral content of drinking water in the U.S. For almost thirty years, a group of scientists have been trying to get “hard water”, rich in magnesium and calcium, as a standard for public water. Even mineral water in the US, has low magnesium and calcium. The ideal bottled water should be rich in magnesium and calcium and have low sodium content. Because there is great variation in the mineral content of commercially available bottled waters, the actual mineral content of bottled water should be considered when selecting one for consumption. The best would be natural spring water at the source. European bottled water is typically higher in desired minerals than those bottled in the US. Because of the possibility of high mineral content, mineral water should probably not be given to infants and children. However, for adults, mineral water can be a good source of both magnesium and calcium, both of which tend to be low in American diets.
Local municipal water suppliers can provide information on the hardness level of the water they deliver. If you have a private water supply, you can have the water tested for mineral content. Magnesium levels in municipal drinking waters vary; for instance, they are much higher in Arizona and New Mexico and lower in Florida. Water as a source of magnesium could be valuable, since so many diets lack of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The increase in consumption of processed foods and phosphates in cola drinks has substantially reduced magnesium intake.
So what else besides water should we drink for health? We have already discussed why moderation should be used (especially by children) in the consumption of fruit juices because of the high natural sugar content in juices. We also know that not only children but adults should try to have at least three servings of milk and dairy products daily. Later we will be discussing why soft drinks, whether regular or sugar free, should be limited. So what is left?
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
