Day Two: Water Power
Yesterday, we spoke about the “bricks of change.” Today, the new brick, the small improvement that we will make is to drink more water. While some of you might be drinking the proper amount of water our guess is that most are not.
Since water is available to us in such abundance, we tend to overlook its importance as a critical chemical for the body. Don’t be surprised by that statement – chemists and physiologists treat water, H2O, as a chemical. In fact, water is one of the six critical nutrients for life. We read so much about the other five, (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals) that we often forget to drink enough of the sixth, water. One could argue that water is the most critical of all the nutrients since we could survive over 30 days without food but we’d die in 3-4 days without water.
We should all drink water, at regular intervals throughout the day, even when we are not thirsty. This is important due to the fact that water is centrally involved in nearly every bodily process and is the primary transporter of all nutrients. Additionally water helps maintain body temperature and is essential to carry waste material out of the body. Due to all these reasons, and more, replacing the water that is continually lost through sweating is very important. Unfortunately, most people only consume enough water to quench a parched throat, not enough to maintain health or increase fitness.
To maintain normal, adequate hydration, a simple calculation of bodyweight x 0.50 can be used. The answer will equal the amount of water a person should drink in ounces on a daily basic. For example, a woman who weighs 150 lbs, should drink 75 oz. (150 x .50) of water every day. If you are involved in strenuous activities, such as long-distance running or exercising in extreme heat, your water intake should be increased. In that case just multiply your bodyweight by 0.65.
The next question you might be asking is “what is the best water to drink”? In addition to tap water, there are so many different water filter devices and even more bottled water alternatives. It definitely can get confusing. Let us try to help.
There are many claims regarding tap water not being safe even though it is regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act and city water is filtered and treated to eliminate harmful microorganisms. If you are really concerned about your tap water then have it analyzed. You can find sources for this easily on the Internet. While there are certainly more dangerous substances in the average environment than tap water, we avoid drinking unfiltered tap water whenever possible. A carbon filter system might be your best long term solution as far as cost and ease of use is concerned.
Another question you might have is regarding bottled water, is it better than tap? While this can be debated back and forth, generally speaking, while bottle water is convenient for “on the go” its value is offset when you think about the plastic container, the environment and the cost. While we sometimes drink bottled water when filtered water is not available, it is not our first choice.
The bottom line is to assess the water source you use on a regular basis, make adjustments as needed and start creating the daily habit of regular, proper hydration.
On another note, you might ask if too much water can be a problem? Yes. Before you go off and drink all your water at one sitting, it is important to note that if more than 1 1/2 gallons of water is ingested within an hour of activity it can be dangerous! The best way to get adequate supplies of water is to drink a cup or glass a few times throughout the day.
Today’s small change: DRINK THE PROPER AMOUNT OF WATER. Without the proper amount of water, your health and fitness goals will suffer.
