One of the easiest and cheapest ways to help the body function optimally and remain disease-free is to keep it well hydrated with water. By drinking sufficient water throughout each day, we assist our body's ability to flush toxins and metabolic waste.

Chronic dehydration is thought to be a cause of many conditions including bowel and bladder problems, anxiety attacks, food intolerances, acid stomach, heartburn, muscle and joint pain, poor brain function, hot flashes, asthma, allergies, arthritis, angina, migraine headaches, hypertension, raised cholesterol, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, depression, and diabetes in the elderly. With prolonged dehydration, brain cells actually begin to shrink.

Water can also slow aging, kidney stones, constipation, arteriosclerosis, obesity, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes, hypoglycemia, lung problems and many other diseases.

You can feel a difference immediately, but you must drink a full 8 to 10 glasses daily.

Do not to confuse water consumption with fluid consumption. Caffeine, acts as a dehydrating agent. Tea, coffee, and sodas are not good substitutes for water. When your body cries out for thirst, you're likely to over feed it with food instead.

A dry mouth is not a reliable indicator of your body's water needs. The sensation of thirst and hunger are generated simultaneously to indicate the brain's needs. If you're not getting plenty of water, you'll likely eat more to satisfy your body's urge for water. When you feel hungry, try drinking a few glasses of water first. You may not be as hungry as you think.

Drinking a little to soothe a parched throat is not enough. As we age, the sense of thirst becomes dulled. We also have less reserve body water than we did when we were younger.

Filter your water
City tap water can contain chlorine, fluoride, arsenic, metals, other chemicals, bacteria, viruses and parasites, so drink filtered or purified water.

Detox the body
Lack of water causes toxins to build up in the system. Without water, we would poison ourselves with our own metabolic wastes. The kidneys remove waste products such as uric acid, urea, and lactic acid that must be dissolved in water.

Water carries nutrients and oxygen to cells through the blood. It keeps the lungs moist and is essential for breathing. If you don't take in enough, every bodily function will be impaired.

Water transports hormones, chemical messengers, and nutrients to vital organs of the body. When we don't keep our bodies well hydrated, they may react with a variety of symptoms, some of which, we would never think are related to our poor drinking habits.

Our bodies use many hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters to complete the digestion process. Without ample water intake, the pancreas is less efficient, acids in the stomach are not properly neutralized, and the functions of the intestine are inhibited. Over an extended period of time, this can lead to constipation, colitis pain, and false appendicitis pain.

The body is 75% water and 25% solid matter, and your body needs to stay well hydrated to operate at it's best. Not only will your body function more efficiently, but you also may avoid many health problems. And, since your brain tissue is 85% water, your brain functions rely heavily on an ample water supply.

Maybe you're not really getting old and forgetful; you just need more water.

Beverly Hartsfield,
www.earthincommon.com