Everything You Need To Know About Water Article

	1888 Articles Home \| Health Articles	Health RSS
Everything You Need to Know About Water

A detailed overview on what water does for the body, how much our bodies are made of water, common signs of dehydration, how much water you need, and the best kind of water to drink.

Author: Christina Makley

Article Tools:

Water is our most valuable resource and is part of every cell, tissue and organ in our bodies. Yet 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated! It's time that we treat water as the vital commodity it really is, and take advantage of it's life-giving properties.

What water does for the body

-Aids in digestion
-Regulates body temperature
-Lubricates and cushions your joints
-Protects your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues
-Provides a medium in which biochemical reactions such as metabolism occur
-Sends electrical messages between cells
-Eliminates wastes from the body through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements

How much of our bodies are made of water?

Humans are about 95% water when they are born, and only about 55% water in old age. But on average during the course of our lifetime we are comprised of the following percentage of water:

Body = 60-70%
Bones = 22-35%
Blood = 83%
Liver = 90%
Brain = 70-75%
Lungs = 90%
Fat = 10%
Lean muscle tissue = 75%
Eyes = 93-95%

Common signs of dehydration

Contrary to popular belief, extreme thirst is not the main or only sign of dehydration. Our thirst mechanisms are actually quite weak and do not kick in until we are already dehydrated. Also, when we feel hungry, sometimes we are actually thirsty instead of hungry but for whatever reason our bodies can't tell the difference. Look out for these common signs of dehydration:

-Headaches
-Dry skin
-Dark urine
-Dry mouth
-Fatigue
-Nausea
-Chills
-Head rushes
-Skin flushing

How much water you should drink?

Your body loses approximately half its weight in ounces through normal everyday functions like perspiration, exhalation, urination and deification. Therefore it is recommended that you drink a minimum of half of your body weight in ounces daily in order to replace the water lost and to prevent dehydration. If you are physically active, in a hot climate, running a fever or having diarrhea or vomiting it is recommended that you drink even more to keep up with the extra water loss.

What is the healthiest water you can drink?

The healthiest, most hydrating, eco-friendly water you can drink (besides straight from a waterfall) is alkaline ionized water from a water ionizer which uses electrolysis to produce two streams of water - alkaline and acidic. The ideal pH of drinking water is 9.5, and it's almost impossible to get it without an ionizer (tap water is about a 7 on the pH scale, while most bottled waters hover around 3.5). Additionally, ionization causes the water molecules to microcluster which allows them to penetrate your cells deeper to aid in detoxification and hydration. Alkaline water also has antioxidant properties, while acidic water can be used for eco-friendly disinfecting and skin care. The benefits you will receive from a water ionizer are well worth the upfront investment when you consider how much you will save on bottled water, skin care products, and household cleaning products as well as how much you will reduce your water footprint and potentially save on doctors visits. Visit www.chansonwater.com for more information

About Author

Christina Makley has dedicated her lifesyle and focus to health and wellness through an alkaline diet, educated herself with extensive research, and written dozens of articles on the topics of alkaline living and consumption of alkaline ionized water. She is a strong advocate of Chanson ionized water and owner of the blog H2o Alkaline Living.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-christina-makley-48650.html

Everything You Need to Know About Water