By Dr. Mary Jayne Rogers
I am just back from a meeting in Florida where I took the opportunity to swim with the Dolphins in Key Largo. Talk about the epitome of ‘water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink’! As you know, dolphins are mammals and require fresh water to survive.
Just like humans, salt water will kill a dolphin. It had never occurred to me that living in salt water, dolphins have to get their hydration primarily from food sources.
Dolphins in a protected environment tend to live longer than those in the wild. This is of course due to a variety of reasons including better health care and no predators.
But I was struck by the fact that the ‘treat’ the dolphins often receive to reward good behavior is ice - a.k.a. frozen fresh water. The trainer shared with me that they supplement the dolphins with about 5-7 liters of fresh water per day. They LOVE it! I have to believe that this is a main contributor to their health and vibrancy in captivity.
If you have been reading my stuff for any period of time, you know where this is going…That’s right!
FRESH WATER
Dolphins need it. YOU need it.
Water is SO important to both your physical and mental health that I devoted a whole chapter to it in my book. I have included a fun excerpt from my water chapter below – just to help provide an appreciation of why we need plenty of water every day.
“When we talk about all the body functions that require water, we really cannot even list them all because every function of the human body requires water. However, just for fun, lets list some that you may know about and feel are important and maybe some that are important that you may not know about. Here we go!
Benefits of water A to Zit:
- A – Asthma. Water (staying hydrated) not only helps prevent asthma attacks, drinking water can help avert or diminish the severity of an asthma attack.
- B – Brain. Because water is vital to all of our cellular processes, when we do not have enough water our brains suffer. Concentration, alertness, memory and the ability to do basic math are all brain functions impacted by mild dehydration.
- C – Circulation (aka blood -which is a B word too). The circulation of blood delivers oxygen and nutrition to the cells and carries away waste.
- D – Digestion. Drinking plenty of water helps prevent constipation and keep “things” moving.
- E – Enzymes. Enzymes are catalysts for all of the chemical reactions that take place in our body and that are necessary to function. While enzymes can do their jobs without water, water helps provide a body-climate that allows enzymes to function optimally. Some examples of enzyme actions in the body include: breaking down food for digestion, DNA replication and regulating metabolism through energy production.
- F – Fat & Fatigue Fighter. Drinking pure water helps increase metabolism, which burns calories and thereby fat! Water also helps fight fatigue. Fatigue, in fact, is a symptom of dehydration. Feeling sluggish? Down some H2O!
- G – Gallbladder. Drink six-eight glasses of water a day to keep gallstones at bay!
- H - Hair. Dehydration can affect your hair, causing brittleness and reduced shine. It has also been associated with hair loss.
- I - Immune function. Dehydration suppresses your immune system. Additionally, drinking water may flush viruses from your throat to your stomach where they can’t survive in the acidic stomach environment.
- J – Joints. Water helps to lubricate the joints. Often people with joint pain report relief when drinking six-eight glasses of water per day.
- K – Kidney. Drinking two liters of water per day can help prevent kidney stones.
- L – Longevity. F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. proclaimed, “You’re not sick. You’re thirsty.” In his book "Your Body’s Many Cries For Water" Dr. Batmanghelidj chronicles the relationship between dehydration and many of the diseases we face that shorten our lives. Drink appropriate amounts of water to achieve maximum longevity.
- M – Mood. Even mild dehydration can cause a downturn in mood, especially for women.
- N – Nutrients. Water-soluble vitamins must dissolve in water in order to be absorbed.
Also, plenty of water helps to excrete overdoses of these vitamins via urine.
- O – Organs. Water cushions and protects vital organs.
- P – Pregnancy. Water is critical to accommodate the increase in the mother’s blood volume, to produce breast milk and to form the amniotic fluid that surrounds and protects the baby.
- R – Respiratory system. The key word here is: MUCUS. As yucky as it sounds, your respiratory system needs water to keep its mucus moist. This not only helps in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide but also in the prevention of diseases with bacterial origin (bronchitis/pneumonia) as well as reducing symptoms of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and cystic fibrosis.
- S – Skeleton. Bones, cartilage and connective tissue all need water for strength and flexibility.
- T - Temperature. Water is essential for regulating your core temperature. U - Urinary Tract. Drinking adequate amounts of water helps keep the urinary tract free
- of bacteria and reduces the likelihood of a dreaded UTI (Urinary Tract Infection).
- V – Vision. Some parts of our eyes are almost entirely water. Here the water helps the eye to maintain its shape, thereby impacting vision. Water is also important for tear production to lubricate the eye and rinse contaminants away.
- W - Waste. The water in our bodies provides the medium to carry away waste products from our cells and tissues. In other words, it helps take out the trash. As with any trash, if not carried away these waste products can lead to disease and even death.
- X - X-tras. Our muscles are about 73 percent water. They need water to contract and also to grow. Water (in the form of saliva) prevents tooth decay. Water plumps up the skin, diminishing the appearance of wrinkles.
- Y – Yearning. Drinking water helps curb cravings and control hunger. Often when we get a sense of hunger or the urge to eat, we are actually thirsty. When that initial desire to eat something hits, try drinking a class of water or a cup of hot tea and see if the desire to eat is quashed for a bit.
- Z – Zits. Water is good for your complexion, particularly when water takes the place of unhealthy, toxin-ridden drinks (like soda). Water helps to flush toxins and make way for healthy skin and complexion.
“Pure water is the world’s first and foremost medicine.” ~ Slovakian Proverb
(Copyright 2016)
Back to making small choices everyday…..
- Your body needs to stay hydrated. The easiest way to accomplish that is with pure water.
- Try to avoid sweet beverages (whether natural or artificial sweeteners).
- Try to limit your intake of caffeinated drinks and alcohol.
- Keep it simple: plain water.
- If you can't abide the taste of plain water add a bit of lemon/lime, fresh berries, cucumber or try an herbal tea.
- The old axiom is pretty accurate. Try for eight, 8oz glasses of water per day - more if you are involved in activities that cause you to loose fluids such as exercising or using a sauna. Even talking a great deal can cause you to become dehydrated.
- Don’t wait for your brain to tell you you’re thirsty. By that time, you’re likely already dehydrated.
- This week start keeping track of how much water you are taking in. Are you really getting all that you need?
- If not, find a way to get more hydration into your day. Here are some examples:
- Drink two, 10 oz glasses of water when you wake up.
- Have a 10 oz glass of water mid morning to refresh your palate and curb hunger.
- Have a calming cup of herbal tea mid afternoon.
- Measure your water intake by sipping on a water bottle throughout the day.
- Drink two more 10 oz glasses of water an hour or so before dinner.
- Replenish fluids lost during exercise with water, coconut water, or vegetable juice.
Give it a try. I promise you will feel better, have better elimination of toxins and more energy with this one small change.
Email me and let me know how it's going! bewell@doctormaryjayne.com
I look forward to hearing from you!
Until then -
Be well,
p.s. Check out one of my upcoming wellness talks/book signings. I would love to see you!