Adequate Hydration & Pure Water

​Summer is coming!  The Tennessee heat surely reminds me to drink water, especially during hot tennis matches where the court is sometimes 10-15 degrees hotter than on the grass.  

Here's some great info about water's vital role in the body:

Adequate water in the body is vital to health and well-being   Many nutrients dissolve in water and are absorbed in the digestive tract. Water is the primary component in all the bodily fluids and involved in nearly every bodily function.  Water carries the major electrolytes throughout the body, which include calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.  These are mineral rich ions that contain health promoting and healing properties. Lack of adequate hydration has been linked to many chronic diseases. 

On average, an adult requires about 12 cups worth of water per day, some of which can come from the food we consume. Physical activity level, body size, diet, climate, and consumption of diuretics all impact the amount of water needed.  Water also carries waste products away from the cells in the body into the kidneys so they can be filtered out and eliminated.  Skin cells release water through perspiration in order to keep the body cool. Excessive water consumption can dilute the body’s electrolytes and can put undue strain on the kidneys.  Excessive liquids can also dilute digestive juices and impair proper digestion. Drinking pure water is preferred to other liquids such as those containing stimulating caffeine, excessive sugars such as juices and soft drinks, and alcohol. 

The earth’s water is quickly becoming contaminated by both man-made toxic chemicals applied to the soils and air, which run into the groundwater, lakes and streams, and by deliberately treating the public tap water supplies with additives which kill germs, but are also toxic to humans, such as chlorine and fluoride.  The pollution in our world is affecting large amounts of water and there is much concern for contaminants such as lead, mercury, arsenic, radon, and nitrates, to name a few.  Although municipal water, well water, and spring water may be deemed safe for consumption according to the EPA’s standards, it is best to have it tested and install a filter to remove as many contaminants as possible.  Purified water is best, from a whole house system, because our skin also absorbs chemicals.