Studies have recently concluded that the average person in most western countries does not drink enough water. This can have both short and long term effects on the body.
Most people should drink at least 8 average sized glasses of water each day (64 ounces). Many people do not drink enough water and the consequences of this can be severe. People often think that drinking cups of tea, coffee or even alcohol makes up for not drinking water. This is incorrect. Instead of quenching your thirst these drinks can actually make you feel thirstier. Not only that both groups of beverages caffeinated and alcohols cause your body to lose water reserves instead of adding to it. Most of my patients believe that they can get away with juices or carbonated beverages as their water sources. This belief is also incorrect because these drinks may add some water to their bodies but only a very small amount of useable water while at the same time adding more harmful chemicals.
One of the causes of a hangover is not enough water. It's amazing how often a hangover can be avoided by simply drinking a good-sized glass of water before going to bed. This is due to the fact that alcohol inhibits hormones in the kidney from retaining water therefore allowing your body to lose its reserves.
Constipation is a sure sign of not enough water and is a good indicator that you should drink more. Lets face it; the main substance in the body is water. Not drinking enough water means the body has to take water from somewhere to try to digest foods and carry out the various chemical reactions that take place within the body. This then upsets the balance and can harm other parts and make you feel uncomfortable.
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Spring/bottled water
Many people drink bottled water. In my opinion this is the safest and most economical way to get clean pure water. Check in your area for who offers a good quality water that is delivered. Stay away from no name companies, regulation on what can be bottled and called drinking water is not to strict.
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Distilled water
While this is safe to drink it should not be drank continuously over a long period of time. Distilled water is empty water and it will help to draw out the toxins from the body. However prolonged usage will leach vital minerals and vitamins from the body. Anyone drinking distilled water for a prolonged period of more than a few days should very definitely take mineral and vitamin supplements but we do not recommend drinking this permanently.
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Fizzy water
Many people enjoy fizzy water but studies show that prolonged drinking of fizzy water and soft drinks can create problems for the body. Basically, fizzy drinks contain carbon dioxide in the bubbles. The body needs and requires oxygen and most carbon dioxide in the body is considered a waste product to be eliminated. Why add to the body's troubles by drinking carbon dioxide which the body regards as a poison?
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Filtered Water
Check whether tap water in your area is safe to drink. If it is safe I suggest you also filter the water before drinking. This will help to eliminate some of the toxins found in most water supplies. Be careful many companies sell filters and it can end up being pretty costly.
• 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
• In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
• Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
• One glass of water deters hunger pangs for 98% of the dieters observed in a University of Washington study.
• The biggest trigger of daytime fatigue is lack of water.
• Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease low back pain and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
• A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
• Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79%, and developing bladder cancer by 50%.