Is It Possible to Improve Your Health by Simply Drinking More Water?

To many people, this may seem a simplistic answer to a complex question: How can doing something so simple produce such noticable & quick results? Surely there must be some deep scientific & comlex way to improving health. The body, after all, is a very complex organism and scientists and health professionals have, over the centuries, espoused numerous ways of improving health, from specially fomulated foods & diets to drugs designed to fight obesity and reduce fat etc. What seems to have been largely ignored, until recent times, is that by merely increasing our water intake, a noticeable improvement can be made to people's mental & physical well-being.

A simple experiment at a school in the north of England has shown improved behaviour of its pupils by encouraging them to drink water instead of carbonated drinks full of sugar. They installed water fountains dispensing free chilled drinking water in the canteens and staffroom of the 700 pupil school. Below is an extract from the findings:

"Remarkable Results from drinking Water Trial"

In less than 2 weeks from installation the atmosphere changed Pupils were calmer in the corridors, and there was less "up the wall behaviour" at the end of the day.

Concentration and the ability to learn improved.

Drinking water regularly keeps the brain active.

Drinking water re-hydrates the brain rather than dehydrating it like carbonated soft drinks & caffeine (tea/coffee)

There was resistance at first, but now they happily drink water everyday and derive huge benefits.

Dehydration.

This word often conjours up an image of someone crawling in the desert, hovering vultures, with a shimmering mirage of an oasis on the distant horizon; but in reality, most of us are "dehydrated" to some degree. What are the symptoms of dehydration? You don't have to live in desert conditions to feel the effects of dehydration. Medical opinion differs on what percentage of water loss constitutes dehydration but research has shown that the body loses water from different parts at different rates e.g. the body cells (the basic building block of the body and its powerhouse, the Mytochondrion) lose around 66% water, 26% from extracellular fluid and only 8% from blood tissue (see 1) below). As the internal cell structure loses the most water, this consequently has the most drastic effect on our health, the signs of dehydration can cause reduced imunity to disease, lethargy, constipation, muscle weakness/cramps, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth, increased blood pressure as the body's drought management programs try to force more water into the cells. Other symptoms are increased likelyhood of kidney & urinary tract infections. The brain too, being 85% water, cannot tolerate even a 5% level of dehydration without impaired function. It is better to let the body get rid of a slight excess of water than to suffer the effects of a shortfall and have it ration and allocate water to vital organs of the body to the detriment of non-vital functions.

Childrens' Health.

Children are more suceptible to dehydration, having a lower body mass than adults and as they generally tend to exercise more in the school playgrounds etc. than adults, consequently, they lose more water. Enlightened teachers are increasingly concerned about the proliferation of soft drink vending machines in schools and are starting to have them replaced by water dispensers. Dr. Trevor Brocklebank of Leeds University medical school states that children who drank little or no water at school are likely to have kidney or urinary tract infections. He said, "I found that 50% of school children drank no water at school. It's desperately important that they start drinking more water."

Schools that are aware of this problem now tend to encourage pupils to take a bottle of water into classes and to drink as often as they like. The BBC has information concerning the positive effects of encouraging children to drink more water, around 1.75 lt per day for a 10 year old. One study reported by the Mail (May 10th 2005) sites a week-long study involving 45 children, aged 11-14, who were split into two groups. Half drank only filtered water, while the other half drank their usual soft or caffeinated drinks. After a week, the water drinkers reported better than normal concentration levels, from 9% before the experiment to 82% at the end, a ninefold increase. They also reported feeling more energetic, alert and exhibited calmer behaviour. Of the other half, who drank their usual fizzy drinks or nothing, half said they felt less alert than at the start of the study and only 5% said they felt alert at the end of the day. How much teaching time is wasted in our schools due to unresponsive or unattentive pupils?

General Health.

Not so long ago it was thought, and taught at medical schools, that water was merely a carrier of nutrients, and had no metabolic role in bodily functions. This has now been proved not to be the case. For those interested in further research I can recommend the excellent work done by Dr. F. Batmanghelidj (Batmanghelidj F. M.D. Your Body's Many Cries for Water; Global Health Solutions, Inc) See 1) at the bottom of the page. Bad breath is a classic sign that you need to boost your water intake. Saliva helps cleanse the teeth of bacteria and keeps the tongue hydrated. Lack of water dries the mouth, leads to furry tongue and prevents bacteria from being washed away, all of which can cause halitosis. When you have had a little too much alcohol the night before, you will have noticed a furry tongue the next day - a classic sign of dehydration. Alas, Hair-of-the-Dog will only delay the final reckoning! Alcohol depletes or prevents efficient absorbtion of just about every vitamin & mineral so, if you must drink, it is highly recommended that you take a good quality organic vitamin & mineral supplement afterwards along with plenty of filtered water.

Be a Filter - or Buy a Filter!

Our tap water is safe to drink....well, up to a point. The Daily Telegraph reported in Aug. 2004 that the Environment Agency had found Prozac in drinking water. At least it would have a soothing effect on us while we read our water bills!

Who likes the taste of chlorine with their tea or coffee? Have you also ever noticed a TCP taste with your cup of tea/coffee? This is probably due to the close proximity of a washing machine connected close to the kitchen sink and Chloro-phenols from the rubber hose being "sucked" back while the cold water tap is filling your kettle! In East Anglia, where I live, my cat would not drink tap water until I fitted an activated compressed carbon block filter unit, with UV light, to the cold tap. Animals seem to be more discerning than us humans! Chlorine depletes a very important anti-oxidant vitamin E from the body, increasing the risk of cell damage by free radicals. Chlorine also reacts with organic matter in water to produce Trihalomethanes, such a chloroform, which is a cancer causing chemical (see 5) below). The Environment Agency provide a water quality testing service that can check for organic/non-organic contaminents, minerals & metals and anything else that might find its way into our water; maybe the fact that they have these testing procedures shows just what can be found in our tap water!

The Canadian Government has some interesting findings about the toxic effects of chlorine - see ref 6)

Fluoride

Then there is the long running controversy concerning the benefits, or otherwise, of adding fluoride to our water. Some researchers say it does more harm than good. Further information concerning reports by Bassin, and Cohn and their findings of increased bone cancer in young boys (see references 2 & 3 below) can be found at the link below.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the evidence on the body's requirements for water and how damaging just slight dehydration can be are pretty conclusive. If you are still not convinced that you need to drink about 2 lts of filtered water daily, then please examine all the evidence available on the Web; I have yet to see anyone extoling the virtues of drinking LESS water! You can replace a depleted filter but you can't replace yourself!

1) Batmanghelidj F. M.D. Pain: A Need For Paradigm Change; Anticancer Research, Vol. 7, No. 5 B, PP. 971-990, Sept.- Oct. 1987; full article posted on www.watercure.com

2). Bassin EB. (2001). Association Between Fluoride in Drinking Water During Growth and Development and the Incidence of Ostosarcoma for Children and Adolescents. Doctoral Thesis, Harvard School of Dental Medicine

3). Cohn PD. (1992). A Brief Report On The Association Of Drinking Water Fluoridation And The Incidence of Osteosarcoma Among Young Males. New Jersey Department of Health Environ. Health Service: 1- 17.

5) Drinking Water and Health, Vol. 2. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC. 1980.

Mike Jozefiak has only one body and aims to keep it purring along as long as possible!

4) http://www.health-report.co.uk/fluor iide_bone_cancer.htm

6) http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc /water/chlorinated_water.htm
http://www.trekking- hiking-outdoors.co.uk/food-for-potential-energy.html

---

Simple Easy Health and Home Fixes From The Days Gone By

How did we cure ourselves of many aches pains and illnesses in the past?Most of the remedies worked very well, were cheap and could usually be found in most homes.Did you know that?... Read More

The Danger of Curbing Hunger Artificially

Unhealthy eating is a harmful problem in America, and contrary to a very outdated perception, this harm is not limited to those who suffer from obesity[1]. In reality, according to the Directors of... Read More

Food thats Good for a Healthy Heart

Here's a conundrum: While experts agree that high cholesterol and blood pressure are crucial heart disease risk factors, many people who suffer chest pain or even heart attacks have levels that are perfectly... Read More

Eliminate Sugar and Lose Weight

If you want to lose weight, there is one thing you ought to eliminate from your diet?sugar.Sugar is a villain in your quest to lose weight. You are probably thinking, "Of course, everyone... Read More

Busting the Dairy Myth ? The Truth About our Health and Dairy

Millions of people around the UK consume dairy products on a daily basis. Our huge consumption of dairy is due not only to the convenience it brings to cooking and the habit of... Read More

Understanding Glyconutrients

You say you don't know what glyconutrients are? You are not alone. Perhaps you have heard a bit about glyconutrients but you don't really know what they are or how they could benefit... Read More

Eating For Success: Breakfast For The Busy Corporate

The first place that we cut corners when we are busy or stressed is our eating and in particular our breakfast. The food you eat forms the very building blocks of your body,... Read More

The Benefits of Iodine

Initially discovered as a new element in 1811 by Barnard Courtois, knowledge of this substance has come to include the host of benefits it brings to the body as an essential nutrient. For... Read More

Is It Possible To Follow a Strict Diet Program and Still Have A Normal Lifestyle?

Following a diet program of any sort can sometimes be restricting depending on different circumstances. A Strict diet program can be hard to stick to and the best diet programs are the diet... Read More

Whats Missing Could Be Making You Sick

Here's something you probably don't know. The fruit and vegetables you eat today are not as nutritious as the food from fifty years ago.Who says so? The USDA. When you compare the Food... Read More

Combat High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol with Soybeans

You may have heard of the "Portfolio Diet" wherein it has been clinically accepted that increasing the intake of soy based foods can reduce levels of LDL cholesterol as much as some statin... Read More

When Is The Penny Going To Finally Drop For People?

Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt to many of you. Our body's function very similar to a motor car and I see so often many many people over complicating... Read More

MonaVie Acai Berry Juice - The Tree of Life from Amazonian Rainforest...

What ancient tribes and people of the Amazon have known for centuries, the world is just discovering. That an ancient berry, called the Acai Berry, may cause a sexual sensation. This mysterious berry... Read More

Gift Basket Idea for Senior Citizens

Evidence for the importance of fruit and vegetable intake to health and quality of life with aging is widely recognized. Consuming fruits and vegetables can reduce an individual's risk of cardiovascular disease and... Read More

What is Organic Food?

"Organic" has some quite specific legal definitions in most developed countries.In the U.S, all farms or products claiming to be "certified organic" must be guaranteed by a USDA-approved independent agency to be meeting... Read More

Poor Dental Hygiene May Account for Poor Health

Bright white teeth and fresh breath does not necessarily mean you have a healthy mouth! General health is directly related to gum health. Gum disease has been linked to several medical conditions... Read More

Autism and Nutritional Supplements

Unfortunately, it has been proved beyond doubt that a large percentage of the United States population suffers from nutritional deficiency. Studies show, 30% of the general population has a marginal level of Vitamin... Read More

Reasons to Eat Organic Food

Your healthOrganically grown fruit and vegetables are not covered in a cocktail of chemicals ? even after washing, a conventionally grown apple may have 20 chemicals on its skin.Conventionally grown fruit and vegetables... Read More

Set Your Fat Thermostat at a Healthy Level

Have you ever watched someone who appears thin and healthy eating a piece of chocolate cake and wondered how they stay thin? Part of the reason is that they have a set-point in... Read More

Exposing the Best Source of Protein Myth

An American culture that is marked by a chronic lack of time and the need to achieve is often in pursuit of the "best" something or other. These "best" lists tend to improve... Read More

You Are What You Eat

Your magnificent machine is, in fact, a symbiotic collection of diverse, yet related sub-systems, coordinated and operated by a three pound mass of wrinkled gray matter known as your brain. Yes, our bodies... Read More

The New Food Pyramid: Another Attempt At Providing Easy Answers

The Food Pyramid, first introduced to the US in 1992, just experienced a major overhaul. Why? Perhaps proper education about nutrition isn't as easy as picking out food from a colorful chart. Last... Read More

Fish Oil Data-some new facts about Fish Oil

According to the renowned research scientist and inventor of the Z one Diet Plan Dr. Barry Sears, studies are increasingly focusing on high dose fish oil. Actually, fish oil has been studied for... Read More

The Minefield Of Eating Out On A Gluten Free Diet

Eating out when you are on a restricted diet always has the potential for difficulty. Only yesterday I was reminded of this when we went out for a late Sunday meal.As always we... Read More

Clues for Fibromyalgia Relief

Fibromyalgia is a chronic and potentially life-altering disorder with symptoms such as extreme muscle pain, extraordinary fatigue and multiple tender and painful points. Fibromyalgia itself tends to be similar in many aspects to... Read More

Organic Eating - Why Bother?

Originally, all foods were "organic" ? grown and prepared without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, irradiation to prevent spoilage, and microwave cooking.Our food these days, whether of vegetable or animal origin, is not... Read More

Preventing Heart Disease: What Not To Eat

About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease.1.1 million Americans will experience a serious heart event this year.One in four Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. Every 34 seconds one American will... Read More

Reading Labels:Understanding Fiber, Fat, Carbohydrates, Etc

Since 1994, food manufacturers have required the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include food labels on all packaged food items. Labels can be a tremendous help in controlling our diets-but only if... Read More

Most of Us Talk and Think About Nutrition and Exercise as a Distant Activity to be Started Some Day!

If you do not take time to stand back at your nutrition and exercise habits then be ready with a big paycheck for those hospitals bills and some loans because you will not... Read More