Well obviously the answer is enough to support the on-going functions in the body. Water is often called the forgotten nutrient since many people take it for granted, but water is essential to life. We can live with less than enough food for weeks, months, even years, but take away our water and we last just a few days

But how much water should we drink? – let’s explore………

First of all, if we can imagine our body as a bag of water – with the bag being the micro-porous skin that covers our body. Inside this bag, is a collection of components made up of cells that combine to form all organs, muscles, bone, blood and lymph. These cells depend on this fluid to process food into vital nutrients and deliver it  to where it is needed for the body to survive. To operate this incredibly complex procedure we need a ‘conductor to lead the orchestra’. This is our brain – the vital computer that sends and receives messages from cell to cell (just like a telecom system) to maintain a balance (homeostasis) in the body systems, (called feedback mechanism).

So, to understand the brain’s complex system of communication in the whole issue of; do we have enough or too much water in the body, let’s explore the system of feedback mechanism.

Under normal environmental temperatures and activity levels, the average adult would require about 1 millilitre of water per calorie of energy intake. For the average adult female and male, this approximates to 2000 and 2800 respectively; this amount will help maintain adequate water balance in the body.

As we can see in the diagram below, body-water balance is maintained when the output of body fluids is matched by the input of water. A small amount of water is lost through the faeces and through the lungs in exhaled air while breathing. We also lose water through our skin in perspiration, which is not visible, and accounts for about 20% of the intake shown in this diagram. The largest output is through the urinary system and accounts for about 55% of the loss of water from the body.

Water Balance

This next chart shows how our body maintains homeostasis by balancing the water content, if this becomes out of balance the result could be either dehydration or oedema.

This is the feedback mechanism

Water balance is controlled by the release of the hormones ADH (antidiuretic hormone) and aldosterone from the posterior pituitary.

Hopefully that has gone some way to explaining how your body is constantly working to achieve a balance so that the body can function correctly.

We will move on now to some facts about where water is stored in the body and why, and how it is used.

Where water is stored

Guyton’s Textbook of Medical Physiology states that “the total amount of water in a man of average weight (70 kilograms) is approximately 40 litres.

Approximately 60% of the body’s total water content is contained inside the cells and makes up the intracellular compartment of the body – this means that we have 24 litres of fluid inside our cells and 16 litres of water outside the cells.

The brain is composed of 70% water, and the lungs nearly 90% water. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water by weight; body fat contains 10% water and bone has 22% water. About 83% of our blood is water, which helps digest our food, transport waste, and control body temperature.

Each day humans must replace 2.4 litres of water, some through drinking and the rest taken by the body from the foods eaten.

So, if we need to take in 2.4 litres of water over a day, then we must be losing about 2.4 litres, how?

Our body loses water via the skin by perspiration, via kidneys by urine, and via lungs by exhaled water vapour and via intestine by faeces – these are normal functions that eliminate water from the body. But if we add to that, hot humid weather or enough exercise to break into a sweat, then the amount of water needed to stay healthily hydrated, to avoid fatigue, light-headedness, nausea, and even heat stroke, can increase considerably. Water keeps your energy up, weight down, muscles strong, joints supple, digestive system smooth, your whole system in physical balance (homeostasis).

How water is used in the body

In fact water does many things as we can see in these lists:- it

• regulates body temperature
• makes up 83% of blood
• removes waste
• composes 75% of brain
• helps carry nutrients and oxygen to cells
• moistens oxygen for breathing
• helps convert food to energy
• protects and cushions vital organs
• helps body absorb nutrients
• accounts for 22% of bones
• cushions joints (synovial fluid)
• makes up 75% of muscles
• makes up 90% of lungs

• Digestion and metabolism – These are two functions we are particularly concerned with when it comes to controlling our weight. If you aren’t getting enough water, you risk impairing these two functions to a certain degree. Enough water ensures that both digestion and metabolism are working at their full capacity.

• Water’s filling effect – by drinking six to eight glasses of water, you can help curb your appetite. Water can fill you up so that you don’t overeat.

• The thirst-hunger response – When you are dehydrated, your body may signal you to eat when what it really requires is water. It does the same thing for a variety of nutritional needs. For example, your body may need sodium, so it signals you to eat foods containing salt. But all you really need is the salt without all the additional calories in food. By meeting all of your nutritional needs, including your need for water, you can control artificial hunger.

• Better workouts – You can exercise more effectively and at higher levels when you are getting enough water.

• Muscle requires more water – Muscle is comprised of about 70% water, whereas fat is made up of far less water. One of the many benefits of exercise is that you maintain and even add muscle weight, which in turn burns fat. As you gain muscle, you require more water and need to replace more of it daily. So water becomes more important the more active you are. Think of it as a cycle: The more muscle you maintain, the more water is held by the body and the more calories are burned by that additional muscle. So the more muscle you have, the more water you must have available.

• Glycogen storage – Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate stored in your muscles. It can be used as energy when you exercise. The more fit you become, the more glycogen is stored in your muscles. Every gram of glycogen holds about 2.5 to 3 grams of water. So, the more fit you are, the more water your body will hold, and the more water you need each day. Being more fit also allows you to burn calories at a higher rate. In addition to this, as you begin to lose fat, your body increases its percentage of water. So the amount of water you need to drink each day increases; this is especially so, the more active you become. Your body is signalled to hold more water. It will usually let you know it needs more water by making you thirsty, but not always. “

So, hopefully you can see that your body needs water – a lot of water, and every day, more than anything else except oxygen. We can live without food for a week or more if necessary, but not without water. If your body has just 2% less than it requires, you’ll feel fatigued. A 10% shortfall can produce significant health risks. A week without water can be fatal. (See my acidity blog)

So, are we hungry or thirsty?

What most people don’t realize is that a large percentage of the population is severely dehydrated. The reason for this is that the thirst mechanism has been ignored or misunderstood for hunger for so long; you can no longer interpret the correct message. So often when you are thinking you are hungry, your body is really just craving water. Once you start to take in enough water, you’ll notice your thirst mechanism will start to kick in and actually begin functioning again.

The body may seek food as a source of water because about 37% of our daily water intake comes from food. Fruits and vegetables are typically 70 to 95% water. Cooked meat is roughly 50 to 60%. Even bread is made up of about 35% water. So your body may signal that it’s hungry in order to get more water through food. Because water is so important, the body gives off strong messages when it needs more, which is why, when the thirst / hunger mechanism becomes confused the drive to eat becomes compulsive. This would be fine if food didn’t contain calories as well as water.

Being able to understand that sometimes “I’m hungry” really means “I’m thirsty” can help you react more healthily.

Quality and quantity

It is obvious from the information above that not only is it extremely important to take in the required amount of water to balance the body’s needs, but, it is also important to take in the right quality of water.

If we only drink beverages containing water, the body first of all needs to deal with these other additives. This puts the body through a process of using energy (and water) to deal with these additives before it can utilise the water element within the body functions. As we have already discussed, if these beverages contain alcohol and caffeine then the body has to deal with these elements as toxic substances and get them through the body as quickly as possible; all of this will cause an increase of urine through the kidneys. This will now put the body into a deficit situation with regard to fluid and will start the feedback process to call for more fluid. If we now remember the thirst/hunger trigger you will probably end up eating to satisfy the demand – there is the danger of weight increase.

Another factor with regard to quality is the condition of the water that is consumed. It must be noted that most of the water that we drink contains more than just water. In some areas, water may contain substantial amounts of various minerals, including calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron and lead. Some minerals, like excess sodium and lead, may lead to health problems, whereas calcium and magnesium may be beneficial. But it is other factors with regard to our water supply that can be of concern such as, organic chemicals like pesticides and other pollutants from the atmosphere.

One way of overcoming this problem is to purchase bottled water, but be aware, not all bottled water is what it seems! Be discriminating with regard to the source. Another way is to install a water filter system from the main water supply to act as a guard against pollutants entering your water intake. A water-still can also be used to purify water before it is consumed.

I would like to add a note here about water in plastic bottles.

The containers are made from polycarbonate plastic which contains Bisphenol A. This is reported to be an oestrogen disrupter which has led to the reports of polycarbonate water bottles causing breast cancer when exposed to heat. The Bisphenol A leaches into the drinking water, so purchase your bottled water in glass bottles – you will protect your health – AND THE PLANET.

The moral here is to be careful about the water consumed and to be sure to drink at least one litre and a half of good quality water per day, without any additives such as tea or coffee. The balance of the water intake can then come from neutral beverages and from food.

Situations involving our need for water

Dehydration:

We have to be careful of this in a lot of circumstances. When flying in an aeroplane, your body can become dehydrated.

Make sure you drink a glass of water for each hour you spend in the air.

When you have the flu, you need to drink plenty of water to replace the fluids you lose through sweating and vomiting.

Constipation is a sign of not drinking enough water.

Caffeine can also cause dehydration.

Very dark yellow urine is a sign of dehydration.

Sports & Exercise:

The body is about 60% water and it needs to be fully hydrated to perform optimally.

When the outside temperature or humidity is especially high, the body requires even more water because it must work harder to cool itself.

It may be necessary for sports persons to take an electrolyte formula to balance mineral content in the body.

Water retention:

Fluid retention (oedema) can be caused by excess salt intake – or a lack of potassium.

The sodium / potassium cycle is an important part of the kidney function – the cells in the body have to have both sodium and potassium to balance the interstitial fluid (inside the cell).

Use a very good mineral or sea salt – these have a balance of all the essential minerals – table salt is just sodium and chloride.

Drink plenty of water to help the kidneys to flush out excess sodium and other impurities in the blood, BUT be careful because excessive water intake can cause a sodium deficiency which can be life threatening (hyponatremia  - low sodium levels in the blood).

Digestion:

Water is also valuable as a digestive aid – from the mouth where we need fluid to digest carbohydrates – right through the GI tract water is needed to aid enzyme production to break down food – and the blood system needs to be fluid enough to absorb the nutrients and transport them to the cells.

Bad Breath:

This is a sign of toxicity in the body – can be caused by an overgrowth of negative bacteria in the mouth and the G I tract – but also can be the blood expelling toxins through the lungs on the outbreath.

Gallstones:

Water is needed to flush the liver and dilute the bile. Without enough water the bile secretions can turn into gallstones.  Drink six to eight glasses of water a day.  It flushes the liver and dilutes the bile secretions that lead to gallstones.

We have major problems at this time with gall bladder removal – this is a vital organ not something that can be discarded at will by the surgeon’s knife; there must be a very valid reason (life threatening) before this surgery should be performed.

Kidney stones: 

Water helps decrease the concentration of the stone-forming elements in the urine.

The kidney filters blood – if this blood is not fluid then the nephrons in the kidneys will not be able to filter correctly, leaving behind particles that can condense into stones in the urinary tract

Urinary tract infections:

People who get infections usually don’t get enough water. The urine sits in the bladder too long and bacteria can build up. Drinking lots of water will flush out the bacteria. Drinking water won’t cure an already established infection, but it can make urinating more comfortable and is a barrier to a recurrence.

Gout: 

Drinking lots of water keeps urine dilute and promotes the excretion of uric acid.

Gout is caused by the formation of sharp crystals of uric acid forming in the fluid of the joint – extreme inflammation.

Don’t forget your children

I am amazed when I see mothers giving juices that are full of sugar or  chemical sugar alternatives, plus other chemical additives, with only a very small percentage of real fruit juice added -  these are not only toxic to the body but also confuse the feedback mechanisms in the body and cause excess fat storage.

We are teaching our kids from birth into adulthood to drink ANYTHING but water – WHY do we do that?

Teach your kids to like and drink pure water! It is GOOD for them! Research has shown that children learn and maintain knowledge far better when they have water freely available during lessons.

Give them real whole fruits for the vitamins, from fruits instead of juices. Or better still make your own fruit juice from real fruit – but don’t forget they need their pure water as well.

I do hope this information has gone some way to make you think about the importance of water and how your health is dependent on you taking in the right quantity and quality

You must read my recent blog about acidity and alkalinity to understand the importance of having an alkaline food and water intake.

 We are born alkaline

We perish acid

If the answer is yes to any or all of these then it is more than likely that your body is acidic.

The definition of pH (acidity)

I think it is important to understand what this symbol means before going any further and the implications of an imbalance.

pH = potential of Hydrogen – Hydrogen is the fuel of life.

Oxygen burns hydrogen in the living system, releasing the energy that runs our bodies – the pH adjusts according to the food and liquids we put in our system and the stress load in our lives.

Hopefully you have already started to see an important link to pH balance and health.

Chemical makeup of the body and link to hydrogen

Our body is just a bag of chemicals made up in the following order:-

We can see that Hydrogen is one of the big four in the human body and plays a role as a component of water and most organic molecules, also an electron carrier (involved with ATP – our body energy).

Hydrogen and Oxygen ( H2O)  play a major role on this planet in the makeup of water generally, and the body composition – water makes up to <78%> of our body – that means it’s pretty important don’t you think?

Correct pH in the body

The human blood pH should be slightly alkaline (7.35 – 7.45).  Below or above this range means homeostasis (balance) of the body is compromised and various symptoms and diseases will be evident.  A pH of 7.0 is neutral.  A pH below 7.0 is acidic.  A pH above 7.0 is alkaline.

An acidic pH can occur from, an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions, or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients.

The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals i.e. calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and potassium.  If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a build-up of acids in the cells will occur. Another point to consider is that if these important minerals are missing the body will have to find them from internal sources to achieve balance in the body  – hence bone degeneration that is very evident in our society

Outcome of an acid/alkaline imbalance

Another issue right now is that our lives are so fast and this is resulting in an acidic body and damaging the vital organs such as adrenals, liver and kidney.

Stress of any kind influences the adrenal glands ultimately sending us into a high gear catabolic state, breaking down more tissue and reserve energy and producing an excess of acid – this is our fight and flight response.

This condition is so exhausting that we look for a quick fix solution – normally coffee, tea, alcohol or fast food and sugar intake. All of these will cause a rise in acidity in the body

The link here is that when we get stressed the adrenals produce higher amounts of cortisol to increase blood sugar levels, it supresses the immune system and aids the metabolism of fats carbohydrates and proteins.

If we look at what is happening here – the body is now going into hyper vigilance but no real physical energy is being used – it is all internal.

The pancreas has to work harder to produce insulin, adding to the body stress, to get the extra glucose out of the blood. Because the glucose is not being used physically, the body will convert it to a triglyceride and store it in the fat cells – this body reaction has been linked to a symptom called insulin resistance.

Now it gets interesting here, because some bodies are so hyper vigilant that the metabolism used to keep them in that state will use all the extra energy created, and therefore does not need to store it in the fat cells – but when the body is forced to slow down due to dis-ease it converts the extra energy to fat, hence the weight fluctuation that people experience.

The digestive system is affected by cortisol elevation resulting in slowing of digestive action (peristalsis). This causes food to take longer to transit through the gut causing bacterial overload and damage to the ultra-sensitive epithelial tissue (villi) in the small intestine (ilium). The affect here is a lack of absorption of major nutrients causing ACIDITY levels to rise.

So, is this overworked statement correct? – “YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT”

I don’t think so, I think it should read – “YOU ARE WHAT YOU ABSORB”

An acidic imbalance will decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease energy production in the cells and its ability to repair damaged cells and decrease its ability to detoxify heavy metals.

Therefore an acidic body can make tumour cells thrive because of the lack of oxygen, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness.  A blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma and death.

The reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the typical diet, which is far too high in acid producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkaline producing foods like fresh vegetables.

Additionally, we eat acid producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks.  We use too many drugs, which are acid forming; and we use artificial chemical sweeteners, which are extremely acid forming.

One of the best things we can do to correct an overly acid body is to change our diet and lifestyle.

The adrenal connection

Another issue right now is that our lives are so fast and this is resulting in an acidic body and damaging the vital organs such as adrenals, liver and kidney.

Stress of any kind influences the adrenal glands ultimately sending us into a high gear catabolic state, breaking down more tissue and reserve energy and producing an excess of acid – this is our fight and flight response.

What can we do to balance acidity/alkalinity

We need to take a step back and start to understand the whole reason that the body needs food; it is to gain the nutrients to run this highly complex and sensitive machine (body), and that not only means putting in the right ingredients, but to make sure that the food is broken down into its component parts – that means to eat peacefully and to chew the food slowly and completely so that the digestion system can disperse the nutrients into the blood and lymph system via the gut wall.

There is a Buddhist saying – “drink your food and eat your drinks”

What does “drink your food” mean?  We should chew each mouthful of food 32 times to make it into a semi-liquid and to drink it. That would ensure that the carbohydrates are absorbed sublingually before moving down to the stomach, where the stomach acid and enzymes can break down the protein element of the food, it is then on to the ilium as a liquid chyme for the final stage of breakdown before absorption.

The other part,  “eat your drinks” means to take water slowly; drinking water too fast can wash many vital nutrients through the gut too quickly limiting absorption.

To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods.  To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.

Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.

Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes.

The other important ingredient is clean water – we need to drink approximately 1.5 to 2 litres a day. Tap water comes complete with Fluoride and chlorine so it is best to filter these out before drinking.

I have given a link to a site I found interesting, it will certainly make you think about the importance of water in the quest of balancing acid/alkalinity of the body.

Conclusion

Here are some ideas to balance the acidity/alkalinity

• Chewing food well, especially carbohydrates, since their digestion is aided by saliva which begins in the mouth.
• Eating food raw – juicing is excellent
• Not cooking food too much – steaming is best
• Prayer/Meditation/Contemplation
• Calmness (anger makes us acidic)
• Minimizing adrenaline – reduce the stress in your life
• Drinking water with a negative polarity
• Drinking water with alkaline-forming minerals in it
• Eating most fruits and vegetables, especially those low in sugar
• Eating less sugar, candy bars, white rice and white flour (which are acid-producing)
• Eating less fats (which are acid-producing, due to fatty acids)
• Eating less protein (which is acid-producing, although plant protein is less so)
• Avoiding most legal and illegal drugs (which are mostly acid-producing)
• Avoiding stress and anger (these are extremely acid-producing)
• Body manipulation, such as acupressure (deep massage can be acidifying when acids are released so lots of water must be consumed after each session)
• Limiting very strenuous exercise (which can produce large amounts of lactic acid)
• Harmonious music
• Most alternative healing methods

James Lebeau – in his book Balance Your pH states;

“Taking vitamin and mineral pills or any kind of food supplements without balancing your pH is like forgetting to add the yeast to your chocolate cake recipe.”

I would also like to add food to that list – because as your body is mainly water it would be like an acid lake – you do not see fish surviving in that environment, therefore what about the very vulnerable enzyme and hormone structures that we need to break down the food to absorb?

There are some good books available to understand more about this very complex subject.

I hope that I have exposed you, in a very small way, to this very important subject that will determine the health of you and your family; and the planet if we are able to listen?

Suggested books:

Cancer is not a disease, it’s a survival mechanism – Andreas Moritz

Acid and Alkaline – Herman Aihara

Health Defence – Dr Paul Clayton

The miracles of Magnesium – Dr Carolyn Dean

http://www.watercure.com/wondersofwater.html

Do you believe that in your life right now you “do not have enough” – there’s not good health, not enough good food, not enough water, not enough energy, not enough money, and so on? …….

It is so easy to see the world with not enough – especially when you see the world news radiating at you from the television and newspapers showing poverty and world disasters – especially now with the world facing a challenge from the financial crisis affecting many people around the world.

If you follow the fear,  you are succumbing to the idea of scarcity thinking – now look at that word ‘scarcity’ and see the word ‘scare’ in there and then see the idea of how this word cultivates fear.

The opposite of this thinking is ‘abundance thinking’ But – If you look at the world right now you do not have a problem with either scarcity or abundance, in fact nearly every problem that you as an individual, or a nation or the planet face at this moment boils down to a distribution problem.

Some of you reading this are probably thinking right now – that’s right, I do not have enough – but there are others with plenty.

Perhaps there is the key – where is their mind-set – are they thinking, “I do not have enough” or are they thinking “I have plenty”?

It is so easy to drop into the action of fear – let’s take the word F-E-A-R and break it down to see what it means:-

Fantasised: the idea in your head is a fantasy

Experience: it is not an actual experience just a very vivid video playing   in your head of what you think is going to happen

Appears:     this video is so real that it appears …….

Real:           so real in fact that your adrenals start to produce the hormone adrenaline which it turns spikes your cortisol and then you are in an imagined state of fight and flight – but it is so real your

whole body is reacting – this is so damaging to your body putting extreme pressure on the adrenal glands, the pancreas, the liver and the intestinal organs. This creates an acid environment within the body (watch for my future blogs on acidity)

BUT NOTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENED – YOU created the whole scenario in Your heads!!

So what steps can you take to move away from this damaging FEAR and into the feeling of LOVE?

There are some simple steps to Come From Love, Even If It Doesn’t Seem to Make Any Sense to You Right Now:

Two simple steps to start to acknowledge what you do have, it’s easy to focus on what you don’t have – but what about the things you do HAVE?

• Every morning before rising be grateful for all the things you do have

• Before sleep be thankful for all the things you have been given and have been able to do over the day – In other words feel the gratitude – Become ‘thankful’

It is so important that you not only SAY “Thank you,” but you BECOME “Thank you”. That means to truly realize how precious and fragile this life really is.

You often don’t realize what you have until it’s gone.

Don’t wait for things to be gone before recognizing what you have and what you should be grateful for.

‘At one time when I was in this state of fear I suddenly realised what I had here and the fragility of life on planet Earth’ – think about it you are on a ball that is spinning at 1038 Mph at the equator, around a ball of fire in a universe that is full of debris that could collide with our planet at any time – I think that is pretty fragile don’t you?

So as Buddha said – be thankful for every moment – feel the gratitude and the love for all we have right now.

Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “If the only prayer you ever pray is ‘Thank you,’ it will be enough.”

Discover your true Value.

The two steps above deal with your Inner Game of Enough (Love). These last two deal with your Outer Game.

If you want more of the thing called money for example, you have to first discover the Value you add to others. Because money is only given when Value is perceived; you have to have an exchange.

What is the main Value you love to give?

That’s your first clue as to how you’re going to make more money doing what you love.

‘My mantra is - to do what makes your heart sing’.

We have altered the word love to mean many things – in many relationships love means – “I will love you if ………….” – we see most problems arise in relationships when the other person does not fit in with the perceptions of the others boundaries and realities – suddenly there is no love.

Let others share your values

We’re often told, “Do what you love and the abundance will follow.” But if that were true, everyone would be paid for lying on the beach!

Here’s the way it REALLY works:

• You start by doing what you love and getting really good at it.

• You show people how, why, and that they will benefit from you doing what you love – then, and only then, does the abundance follow.

That second bit is called sharing with others our experiences and knowledge. And it’s the foundation of the Outer Game.

That’s why it’s important to apply what you have learnt so you can show other people how, and why we all benefit when you share your gifts.

Think about it – who would you do business with?

Someone who just wanted your money?  Or someone who was interested in what you wanted and needed and then worked with you to find a solution? And if that happened for you would you go back to them? And would you recommend them? And would their income improve?

I think the answer is yes to all those

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

This whole theme can be applied to many issues in life – so while it may be easy to blame the boss, the government, the banks, it’s not a great place to be in “not enough” its certainly not what I would call fun!!

And yes it might take a little more effort to come from having enough (Love), but do it anyway. Work at it for a while and see how your life changes from fear to love.

Oh, and by the way – don’t watch the news or read the newspapers they are only cultivating fear and scarcity (scare-city? Interesting when you break this word down) and I don’t know about you but I would rather not live there!!

See you in the place that has enough (love) for us all and is without fear.

Best wishes

Peter Gray

17^th June 2011