by Renato “Waterdok” Paragas, M.D.
Water is a very vital substance in life. This is very evident in the fact that scientists are trying their best to discover another planet that has water in order for people to live in it. So far, it is only planet Earth that has an abundance of water and with it, the existence of various forms of life including man.
Water is not only vital to life but also to health and well-being. As a medical practitioner for the past three decades, I have observed that majority of my adult patients do not drink water as their beverage of choice.
After 15 years of utilizing purified water supplemented with mineral supplement, I have encouraged numerous chronically ill patients cease taking their medications and recover from their diseases. Through research, I learned that the human body is basically composed of water, thus, it plays a very vital role in the maintenance of health and well-being.
The critical roles that water plays are the following:
W – works to keep body cells toned. Water is an excellent hydrating substance. The body cells are approximately 70 percent water. Inadequate volume of water in the body will cause shrinkage of the cells just like the grape turning into a raisin. When the cells shrink, degeneration occurs resulting to various degenerative diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, arthritis, cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cataract, chronic kidney failure, and many more.
A – assists in weight loss. Nature dictates that fats and water do not mix. Elevated blood cholesterol level is a sign of a state known as unintentional chronic dehydration. This state is caused by a prolonged period of water shortage in the body. The causes are poor water intake; intake of wrong beverages, mostly commercial beverages; intake of caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks and chocolates; intake of alcoholic beverages and the use of diuretics such as furosemide, spironolactone and hydrochlorothiazide. Cholesterol is the body’s water-proofing element. It prevents the cells from further dehydrating when “drought” occurs. To eliminate excess fats, proper hydration is the best approach, not medications.
T – transports essential nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Water in the blood is responsible for transporting all the essential nutrients and oxygen that are absorbed into the blood to the various organs. The blood does not get out of the blood vessels because when it does, it would tantamount to bleeding. Inadequate water will poorly provide the body cells of the nutrients they need resulting to their weakening and deterioration and failing to function optimally. No other fluid or beverage does the job more effectively as water.
E – eliminates acidic metabolic wastes and toxins out of the body. The acidic metabolic wastes are eliminated through the kidneys as urine. The effective cleansing of the body is only feasible utilizing water since it is the best cleansing agent. No fluid does this job better than water. For thorough cleansing, you should drink sufficient volume of water on a regular daily basis. More urine formation forces more metabolic wastes out of the body.
R – regulates body temperature. Water provides hydroelectric energy. This energy provides sufficient heat to maintain body temperature aside from the heat provided by the utilization of calories. Water also produces sweat that cools the body when it warms up such as during warm weather and physical activities like exercising. Inadequate volume of water usually causes heat related diseases such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
For the body to be hydrated properly, how much water should you drink? The adult human body is approximately 70 percent water. The principle of drinking eight to ten glasses daily is very erroneous because a percentage is not a fixed, constant number. For example, the 70 percent of 40 is 28, that of 50 is 35, that of 60 is 42 and that of 80 is 56. This means that a 40 kilograms individual is 28 kilograms water, 50 kilograms individual is 35 kilograms water, 60 kilograms individual is 42 kilograms water, and the 80 kilograms individual is 56 kilograms water. Drinking eight to ten glasses of water daily would be sufficient only for the individual weighing 40 kilograms but insufficient for persons weighing more than 40 kilograms. Thus, I came out with the formula of 50 milliliters (ml) per kilogram body weight per day (50 ml/kg/day). This means that a 40 kilograms individual should drink 2,000 ml of water daily, 2,500 ml for the 50 kilograms, 3,000 ml for the 60 kilograms, and 4,000 ml for the 80 kilograms. To convert the total volume to glasses, divide the amount by 250. A standard glass should contain a volume of 250 ml. Today, there are various sizes of glasses available for use, so, please be guided accordingly.
How should you drink the volume of water? Drink 1/4 of the total volume upon waking up in the morning and at bedtime; 1/8 of the total volume 30 minutes before lunch and supper; and 1/8 of the total volume two and a half hours after breakfast and lunch. Add another glass of water for every 30 minutes of engaging in any strenuous physical activity. Drink any time you are thirsty.
For example: If you weigh 6 kilograms, you should drink 12 glasses of water daily (60 kilograms multiplied by 50 equals 3,000 ml. 3,000 divided by 250 equals 12). You should drink three glasses upon waking up in the morning and at bedtime (12 divided by 4 equals 3); one and a half (1½) glasses 30 minutes before lunch and supper and 2½ hours after breakfast and lunch (12 divided by 8 equals 1.5). That will be total of 12 glasses a day (3 + 1½ + 1½ + 1½ + 1½ + 3 = 12). This is the minimum volume of water you should drink on a daily basis if you weigh 60 kilograms.
The body is in its driest state upon waking up in the morning because you do not drink when you are asleep. Eight hours of not drinking water results to a state of “drought” creating a more viscous blood. Heart attack and stroke commonly occur in mid-morning where you not only fail to correct the “drought” but your preference of drinking caffeinated beverages that dehydrates the body more and makes the blood thicker. Drinking ¼ of the total volume at bedtime is to anticipate the upcoming drought when you are asleep. Although urinating more during sleep is a concern, you can use a chamber pot (arinola) at bedside so you do not have to go a distance to your comfort room to urinate. This practice will make your sleep better. As chamber pot, you can use a big bucket or pail especially for women who sits down to urinate. This will also make your urination more convenient since you do not need to balance yourself unlike using the small and low arinola.
You should drink water at least 30 minutes before meals to prepare the digestive system produce the necessary acids, digestive juices and enzymes. Lack of these substances may cause problems such as gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Drinking water two and a half hours after meals will help the body distribute, assimilate and utilize the nutrients absorbed. This will also facilitate the elimination of the acidic metabolic wastes, the by-products of metabolism.
Additional intake of water is required during strenuous physical activity to compensate for the water lost from the body in the form of sweat and increased rate of breathing. The exhaled air carries water out of the lungs as evidenced by the moisture when one exhales unto a glass or mirror. Of course, drink whenever you are thirsty.
Since water pollution is prevalent today, the water you should drink must be purified thoroughly. You should purchase drinking water from an accredited water refilling station that utilizes several purification technologies that eliminates the major water contaminants such as sediments, chemicals, microorganisms and heavy metals. You can also utilize an NSF-certified drinking water system. NSF is National Sanitation Foundation International, a collaborative agency of World Health Organization (WHO) that guides consumers to purchase health devices that truly do what they claim to do.
Purified drinking water usually is devoid of the essential minerals. Without minerals, water is dead and acidic. Thus, I always recommend the supplementation of the purified water using IONIQUE® Mineral Drops. It contains at least 72 minerals that helps the cells get hydrated properly. IONIQUE® Mineral Drops is 100 percent natural, food-grade sourced, ionic and very potent health-giving minerals. It is available through www.ioniqueminerals.com. Minerals, also known as electrolytes, pull water molecules into the cells. Without them, proper hydration cannot be achieved as explained in the functions of water in the beginning of this article.
If you are sick, or if you know anyone who is sick, ask him/her if he/she drinks insufficient volume of water or his/her favorite beverage is a commercial beverage other than water. Ninety-eight percent of the time, you will receive an affirmative answer. So, if you really want to maintain health and well-being or desire so much to restore your lost health, put importance to your drinking habit by making water as your only beverage of choice.
Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, author of the book Your Body’s Many Cries For Water, declared that most of the problem of bad health today is founded on the misconception that any fluid containing water does the job to quench thirst. Water is the only prescribed beverage for the human body and nothing substitutes for water.
Water, the only Liquid of Life!
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