Why water matters
You’ve heard it over … and over … and over again … drink 8 glasses of water a day. Water, water, water.
You may not like drinking it (kinda boring, right?), but on average your body is 60% water so it’s clearly playing an important role.
What does water do in your body? Just about everything because it’s a necessary building block of new cells and a foundation for all of your other cells!
- it aids in digestion and elimination
- flushes out toxins in the body
- keeps joints lubricated
- minimizes muscle soreness/aches
- acts as a ‘shock absorber’ in the spine
- surrounds the brain and even babies in the womb
It’s not only your body that’s mostly water. Planet Earth is 71% water. It’s everywhere and integral to your life. I’m sure you’ve heard this statistic or something similar to it: you can go about 21 days without food but only last 3-4 days without water. Not only your physical body, but your home on earth (think big picture).
Water is such a healing force ~ which may be why it is everywhere! It can be soft (think a bath or a gentle drizzle) and flowing (a stream) OR it can be transformational and powerful (it’s ability to transform landscapes/rocks, etc or the general power of the ocean or a storm). It is nourishing for humans, animals, plants and the planet. Water is a cleansing and healing agent as well ~ flushing out your internal system and removing toxins while it can also help heal the body on all levels.
This is always my excuse for a long shower! It’s one of the things I do that isn’t eco-friendly. I just LOVE water so much (drinking it and being in it).
You may be one of the millions of Americans that is dehydrated! It is estimated that 75% of the American population is CHRONICALLY dehydrated.
How much water do you drink every day? Do you know, do you pay attention? Are you actively hydrating? Do you adjust your water intake based on exercise, weather and other factors (like alcohol, caffeine consumed)? I’m certainly NOT asking these questions to make you feel guilty (just say NO to that!), but to really get you thinking about what you’re doing or not doing. I’m asking you because I hope that you will start being more aware of your water consumption after this.
A simple way to start hydrating, drink 16 ounces or 2 glasses of water before you do anything first thing in the morning. Ideally wait 30 minutes before eating. You can use this simple strategy for each meal of the day. It’s better to drink water BEFORE you eat rather than drinking something with your meal. It may involve setting a timer before your standard eating times as a reminder. It’s a new habit which is simple, but not always easy.
Have fun with this process as you work your way towards hydration!
