Health & Fitness
The importance of water
Second only to air, water is a primary physical need for survival, clarity of thinking, and proper function of the brain and body.
Sit down and drink a glass of water as you read this!
Our bodies are made up of about 70-80% water. Every living cell requires water, just as it does nutrients and oxygen. Communication between cells depends on water. All biochemical reactions that cells undergo in order to produce their energy, proteins, hormones, neurotransmitters, etc. require water. Water is a solvent in the body and the purer it is - free from softeners and pollutants – the more toxins can be released into it and the more nutrients it can carry to the body cell.
Water is important for:
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Nerve Transmission ~ there are small waterways or microstreams along the full length of neurons. These allow the sodium-potassium pump to operate and guide the action potentials towards the axon terminal endings. When the body is dehydrated, nerve transmission is compromised and brain function is strongly diminished.
Muscle contraction~ water is required for the sodium, potassium and calcium ions that are involved in skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation to be transported within the muscle fiber.
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Free radicals~ when the body’s tissues are dehydrated, free radicals are produced. Effective hydration removes free radicals faster than any other therapy. Taking supplements to reduce free radicals is ineffective when the body is dehydrated because the supplement cannot work effectively.
Lung function~ lung dehydration is considered a significant factor in respiratory diseases.
Cell division~ dehydration is a major producer of stress in the body and it alters the balance of amino acids which allows DNA errors.
Lymphatic and immune issues~ dehydration also profoundly affects the movement of lymph through the body and causes the lymph to clog up and malfunction. Proper hydration of the body is an important aspect of being able to ward off bacterial and viral infections, cope with allergies, and deal with toxins that have come in contact with the body.
Since reading this, I now drink a BIG glass of water and a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon in it…..before that cup of coffee in the morning. I continue through the day to hydrate myself. Remember that coffee and tea dehydrate the body.
Eileen Sullivan
