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Hydrating the Body and Eliminating the Toxins
For years, health professionals have advised us to drink 8-10 glasses of water daily. Generally, the rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight (pounds) in ounces of water. Most of us know that we need to drink water daily but we don’t really understand all of the reasons why this is essential to our well-being.
Drinking clean, filtered water has many benefits. Some of these are maintaining energy levels, optimal brain function, prevention of kidney stones and bladder infections, proper digestion and elimination, normalizing blood pressure, supporting weight loss, lubricating joints, and improving skin tone. Of course, it is particularly necessary in order to prevent dehydration, which can be very serious, especially in babies, toddlers, and the elderly.
Our body is made up of approximately 60-70% water. Much of that water is lost throughout the day through our body’s normal activity; through perspiration, tears, breathing, and elimination and must be replenished. With only 1% dehydration, mental performance and physical coordination is impacted before any thirst is experienced. Initially, you may become tired, have difficulty focusing, or feel a headache developing. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated and may have lost 2-3% of your body’s water content.
Water is also the key ingredient for eliminating waste products that can accumulate in your body. It supports the body’s emunctories, like the liver, kidneys, and skin, in flushing out toxins. Whatever isn’t removed must be stored by the body. Think of your home. If you don’t remove the waste, but instead, throw those green plastic garbage bags into your basement, eventually the entire house will begin to have a very unpleasant odour and the toxic material will begin to affect the upper floors. The same is true of your body. Toxins will initially be stored through the body’s wisdom but will accumulate and may eventually reappear via itchy skin, rashes, odour, unpleasant symptoms, like those similar to a cold or a flu, and, eventually, disease.
So, how do you know if you are drinking enough water? Some say, if the amount being consumed is equal to the amount being expelled by the kidneys, your water consumption is perfect. This is not always your best test. Take, for instance, a plant that is badly dehydrated. When you begin to water it, the water will run through the soil quickly with much of it ending up in the planter. But, after it is properly rehydrated, the water begins to be absorbed and dispersed to the leaves, stems, and the roots where it is needed for the plant to continue to grow and flourish. The same is true for our bodies when we begin drinking water after being dehydrated. Initially, the water will just run through you resulting in many trips to the bathroom. Eventually, though, it will be absorbed and assimilated by the body and dispersed throughout each organ and cell, as required for optimal health.
Check the colour of your urine. If you are drinking enough water, it should not be a dark yellow, but, rather, pale in colour. An unpleasant odour may also be a clue that something is wrong. Gently pinch your skin and then let it go. If you are hydrated, it should quickly return to normal.
In addition to drinking water, there are many other great ways to eliminate toxins and strengthen your immune system. Try Dry Skin Brushing, Castor Oil packs, Hydrotherapy, and Deep Breathing Exercises. These, in addition to your 2 – 3 litres of good quality water (we recommend Reverse Osmosis), will improve the integrity of most of the cells in your body.
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