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I'm Pickin' Up Good Hydration
This Summer, Stay Wet on the Inside
The human body consists largely of water -- muscle tissue, for
example, is a surprising 75%. In the course of a normal day, we
lose some of this water, and, like a car with a leaky radiator, if we
don't constantly replace what we lose, we can go from well-oiled
machine to wheezing wreck. Everyone has seen television footage
of marathon runners stumbling towards the finish line, their
disorientation and spastic-like movements clearly indicating an
extreme state of dehydration. These graphic images highlight the
crucial role that water plays in virtually every bodily process, and
the problems that can occur when it is deficient.
But it's not only masochistic athletes who fall prey to dehydration.
It's very easy, especially in summer, to spend too long playing or
working in the sun and forget to replace the moisture lost through
even relatively mild exertions. That throbbing headache is the
body's friendly reminder to, "Drink more water next time, dummy!"
Many health practitioners believe that a large proportion of the
North American population suffers chronically from mild
dehydration. This condition is blamed for symptoms such as fatigue
and poor metabolism and it may also contribute to the
development of other illnesses, including rheumatoid arthritis, high
cholesterol and blood pressure, and many of the diseases
associated with aging.
How could such an abnormal situation come about? A poor diet,
deficient in moisture-rich fruit and vegetables, is no doubt partly
responsible.
Another food-related cause is that people don't seem to realize
they are thirsty anymore: Apparently, 37% of the population
mistakes thirst for hunger. This causes them to compound their
health problems by overeating. For these people, a simple glass of
water may be the best diet they ever tried.
What You Need to Know About Hydration
People are often surprised to learn that they can lose 2.5 liters of
water per day despite minimal activity. Even while sitting on the
couch watching television, water is lost with every breath.
Obviously, the higher temperatures and increased physical activity
of summertime will markedly increase the amount of water that
most of us will lose each day.
How much water do we need to drink to be fully hydrated? As a
starting point, The Institute of Medicine advises men to drink 3.0
liters (13 cups) per day and women 2.2 liters (9 cups). You should
then estimate whether your bodyweight and level of activity
warrants more or less than the average person and set that as
your daily goal.
What is the best source for our daily water quota? Health
authorities advise us to minimize alcoholic, caffeinated, and sugar-
rich beverages because of their poor hydrating qualities. Fruit juice
is expensive and sometimes sugar-laden. The simplest solution --
ordinary tap water --is highly variable: It is often so over-
processed that it tastes "dead" and is devoid of any useful
nutrients. Conversely, it can be a foul-tasting chemical cocktail.
Many turn to bottled water as an alternative, but this is expensive,
inconvenient, and a lottery in regard to composition.
So, is there another option available that can provide good-
tasting, effectively hydrating water at an affordable price? Yes
there is: home ionized water.
The Magic of Ionized Water
Those who have sipped from a clear mountain stream have
experienced the sort of water that our bodies have been designed
by nature to respond to.
The main reason for the refreshing taste of wild, flowing water is
that it becomes ionized as it crashes through the countryside,
picking up naturally occurring alkaline electrolytes along the way.
But it"s much more than just a nice tasting drop that encourages
us to fully hydrate. The alkaline nature of this water enables it to
act like an expensive sports drink, neutralizing the acids that build
up in our bodies due to normal metabolic processes and exercise.
The electrolytes also act as antioxidants, scavenging for free
radicals that, if left unchecked, progressively degenerate our body
tissues.
A Mountain Stream in Your Home
Fortunately, we don't have to head into the wilderness every time
we want to benefit from nature's perfect hydrating fluid. A water
ionizer is a device that turns ordinary tap water into clean alkaline
ionized water --every time the tap is turned on. It purifies and
enhances domestic water in a two-step process. First, harmful
contaminants are filtered out, and then electrolysis is used to split
the flow into two separate streams: ionized alkaline water for
drinking and cooking; and ionized acid water for other household
uses.
Users of water ionizers often describe the taste as "smooth and
silky".
And it's not only the taste that entices people to willingly consume
their full daily ration; many find that their long-lost innate thirst
returns after making the switch. This is a sure clue that ionized
water is a key to your long-term health.
Other users, especially athletes, enthuse about improvements in
their performance and general wellbeing since making ionized
water their beverage of choice. They believe that the product's
high oxygen-carrying capacity coupled with its ability to rapidly
hydrate and treat lactic acid buildup have contributed to their
progress.
Modern consumers have become justifiably wary of the hype and
unsubstantiated claims that surround many "breakthrough" health
products.
The benefits and cost-effectiveness of water ionization, however,
can be verified by independent laboratory results and comparative
tables.
Interested readers are invited to click the link below for further
details.
About the Author: Stan Howard is a researcher with Best Water. Get your free Comparison Report, comparing all types of water purifiers -- get hydrated this summer! Get Hydrated!
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