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Small Changes: What You're Drinking #1

This is a hard one to write because it's really hitting everyone. The first thing I want to share with you is that your body is 50-65% water, depending on your size. It makes sense after knowing that, that you need water. 

Let me say that again.

You. Need. Water.


It cleans you, helps you move (in more ways than one....), hydrates you, keeps you alive. You can live for a long time without food, but not without water.

What is the first thing that happens when someone is taken to the hospital? They're usually hooked up to an I.V. with a saline/water solution. It's been reported that disoriented people will perk up soon after this. This is because they were dehydrated. If your brain needs a boost, drink water. 

Water is also one of the quickest ways to get oxygen into your system. Several years ago we took a trip to Pike's Peak, we slowly drove up and once at the top went into the gift shop/rest center so the men in the family could use the bathroom. I was there with my daughter who was about 9 years old. I remember starting to feel dizzy and faint. I bent towards the floor as low as I could because I didn't want to pass out in the midst of a crowd of strangers and leave my daughter unattended. An employee noticed my behavior (I'm sure they see it hourly) and told me to drink water as soon as possible, that it was the quickest way to get oxygen back into my system. As soon as the man emerged from the restroom he bought me a bottle of water and I downed it in seconds. Rested a few minutes, took some pictures and then got back in the car and away from the high altitude sickness.

Nothing else can do for your body what water can. I have friends that tell me they don't like water. That's only because they don't drink it. One young man we know recently had kidney problems because the only thing he was drinking was Mountain Dew. He had no idea why he felt so miserable.

Ideally you should have half of your body weight in ounces of water per day. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink 75 ounces of water each day.

This does not include tea or coffee. This is plain water.  

One way to tell if you're getting enough is to look at your urine. If it is almost clear then you're well hydrated. If it is yellow then you need more. If it is deep yellow then you need some immediately. 

There is so much more to this subject that I'm going to split it up into several posts.

Until next time, drink water! Your body needs it to thrive.

    

Comments

  1. I used to get physically sick when I would drink just water, especially on a hot day. When I worked at the Park, they would say drink plenty of water, as we were standing out in the sun all day, when I did, I spent a lot of time in the bathroom and not at my ride. If I drank a sports drink, I'd be fine. As I have gotten older and have been trying to lose weight, I have forced myself to drink a lot of water. I have gotten used to it, it no longer makes me gag. :) I actually enjoy drinking it now....although I'd still prefer tea.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm going to talk about sports drinks and electrolytes soon! Glad you're able to drink the water now. I love my tea too. I make sure I drink more water than tea though, and on cold days, that's a lot.

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  2. I love water, and add a bit of lemon or lime for variety. Its very refreshing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I try to drink lots of water. Lots of water = lots a bathroom breaks, though. I don't have a lot of time for those at work. lol

    ReplyDelete

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