In my practice, when most people come to see me, they want to lose weight. They are willing to do anything to lose weight, anything but stop drinking coffee, pop, wine, beer, sugar and a list of other dehydrating substances. When I instruct them to eliminate these and increase their intake of water, I can see their minds thinking about a life without coffee, a life without sugar. For a moment, I think they will stand up and walk out the door. Those that choose to take on this challenge find a new vitality they never knew existed. Not only do they lose weight, they become free from the encumbering addictions that have held them hostage for so long. Those that don’t, remain stuck in a circle of ill health that only they have created.
When I look at my clients who have stepped up to this challenge, I can see the changes that have taken place. Not only is their skin and health greatly improved, but their mind noticeably sharper. They seem more comfortable and they shine in their own well-nourished skin.
Water has many important functions in the body. I will list a few here to give the reader an understanding of how important water truly is.
Weight Loss
Yes! You read that right. We have hunger pains as well as thirst pains. Often our thirst signals are mistaken for hunger and we eat when in fact we are just thirsty. When we drink adequate water and decrease dehydrating beverages, hunger pains die down and weight can be lost almost immediately, making water a powerful appetite suppressant.
The Brain
The brain is composed mostly of water and fat. Water circulates throughout the brain delivering nutrients and carrying away waste products. Dehydration can make our thoughts sluggish and concentration difficult. This can lead to poor decisions when clarity of mind is absent.
Joints
Water cushions and protects our joints as we move. Cartilage is composed of up to 80% water. Without the water in our knee joints, bone would rub on bone and we would not be able to walk. The synovial fluid that delivers nutrients to these joints is composed mostly of water. When we don’t drink enough water, the joints become dehydrated and fluids stagnate; toxins and cellular waste products are not flushed out, leaving the joint to degenerate. Dehydration can therefore can make movement and exercise difficult further contributing to weight gain.
Skin
Our skin, when dehydrated, becomes wrinkled and dull looking. Eliminating dehydrating beverages and consuming adequate amounts of water will make the skin plump and juicy, which can make some wrinkles go away. It’s ironic to think that we are all looking for the fountain of youth to make us feel better and look younger and it is right under our noses in the form of water!
If this isn’t enough to convince you that we are all walking water balloons, I don’t know what is. We have all heard the saying that the body can go weeks without food but only days without water, yet most of us are dehydrated on a daily basis. By choosing pop, coffee, alcohol, sugar and other dehydrating substances, we are choosing ill health over vitality.
So if you were in my office what would you do? Stand up and walk out the door, or step up the challenge?
