Tuesday, August 5, 2008

The Critical Chemical Needed for Survival

By Samuel S. Peters


Twenty per cent of our atmosphere is oxygen. When this gas is united chemically with hydrogen gas, the result is water, our body's most important nutrient.

Water benefits us in many ways. It washes toxins from the body, keeps blood at the right viscosity, maintains body temperature, lubricates and cushions organs, transports nutrients, metabolizes body fat, and does many other things for the body. Water makes up 70%-80% of our body weight.

Everyone needs a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day, and more if you are physically active. Dehydration is the result of not ingesting enough water. When this happens, the body takes water from other places, like the blood.

One result of dehydration is that the body closes some capillaries. This makes the blood thicker, harder to pump, and more likely to clot. This in turn results in high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and possible heart disease. It has also been linked to arthritis, heartburn, and headaches.

Some have estimated that as many as 75% of Americans are dehydrated. Sometimes the body might seem to be saying, "I'm hungry," but it is really saying, "I'm thirsty." A drink of water also might temporarily eliminate hunger pangs and help to keep body weight under control by avoiding snacking.

We get water from the fluids we drink, from the food we eat, and from metabolism. Soda, tea, or coffee are pour substitutes for pure water. In fact, these can actually increase the need for water because the caffeine in them is diuretic. This means it actually forces from the cells the water they contain as well as some essential nutrients.

Dehydration is dangerous. Dehydration leading to a 2% loss of body weight may affect mental ability. Reducing water in the body as little as 5% can result in as much as a 20%-30% drop in physical performance; 10% reduction can make you sick, and 20% can mean death. With water pollution on the rise, it is best to drink filtered water whenever possible.

A number of ailments can be directly linked to the lack of water. Significantly, water can also provide the cure, at times better to any medication. Some of these ailments are headaches, stress, kidney problems, hypertension or high blood pressure, cholesterol, and ulcers. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day reduces the risk of breast cancer an incredible 79%, decreases the risk of colon cancer 45%, and makes a person 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Perhaps your body is craving water right now and you don't even know it. So go get a glass. But be sure it is pure first. Water taken from the tap will probably have impurities. So might even bottled water. Best is the water you purify yourself through a charcoal filter. You can trust it to help you maintain good health.

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