In my practice after a client has had a treatment one of my aftercare suggestions is for them to start drinking more water for their health. Generally, people don’t drink enough water consistently to remain properly hydrated. In this article, I share with you some information concerning water and why we need it to stay hydrated and healthy. The excellent book “Your body’s many cries for water” is one I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to know more and indeed some of the information in this article comes from this book!
Why we need water
The human body is made up of approximately 70% water, it stands to sense that the body requires this to sustain life. We need water to help all of our organs function properly, protecting our joints, carrying oxygen from cell to cell, maintaining body temperature and a whole host of other vital functions.
I have witnessed the aches and pains that have plagued clients for years disappear after a few days of them drinking more water for their health!
I should also note that pure water is the best for of hydration as it does not need to be processed by the body it can be used immediately. I generally recommend that clients filter water by using a filter jug or having a filter fitted onto their water system. Filters help eliminate some of the harsh chemicals that are added to our drinking water.
Symptoms of dehydration
Some of the symptoms of dehydration include;
- Increased thirst – although not everyone experiences this with dehydration
- Dry mouth, lips or eyes
- Headaches
- Feeling tired or fatigued
- Urine turns darker colour – this might be because of consumption of certain foods or vitamins, however.
- Light headedness / Dizziness
- Acid reflux and related problems
N.B This list is not exhaustive and if you are worried in any way about any of your symptoms you should consult your GP immediately.
How much water should you drink?
This really differs from person to person, but if you are feeling any of the above symptoms it would be worth adding some more water to your diet and monitoring symptoms. It depends on your size, weight, the physical activities you undertake in a day, time of year and where you live. In the warm summer months, for example, you will need to drink more as you will be perspiring more. I also often recommend adding a pinch of Sea salt or Himalayan salt to drinking water as it helps the body’s electrolyte balance which helps hydration and balance. Electrolyte balance is really important and can have a significant impact on certain conditions such as adrenal fatigue.
In practice, after taking a detailed consultation I will advise the individual on what they need to do specifically to improve hydration if this is an issue. If necessary I will muscle test the individual to ascertain optimum water intake, this will take into consideration the factors I mention above.
Do not overdo things initially when you begin to drink more water, start off slowly and see how your body responds. If you experience any adverse side effect, you must consult your health practitioner or GP immediately.
Metabolising water
Sometimes the body will not metabolise water correctly, this happens often when an individual is just beginning to take more water where they see themselves excreting it more often. In most cases this will settle down after several days and when the body is beginning to metabolise the water correctly and get used to it. Sometimes however individuals need additional help in order to get their body metabolising correctly. In Kinesiology I have a set of corrections that can help this. I often work with the Kidney and Bladder meridians and may also do some Bowen work with the Kidney in order to get the body’s physiology working better and enabling better metabolism of water.
Eating your water!
This is a concept that Dr Howard Murad a Skincare expert in the US advocates. Instead of drinking all your water you eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in water and get hydration that way. I think this is valid and important consideration. However, in my practice and experience working with clients I still feel most people need to actually drink more water and make this a part of their daily routine.
Drinking water for health is incredibly important and should not be overlooked.