5Pillars.com
We all know we’re supposed to drink plenty of pure, clean water, but do
we know why?
Water is your body's most important nutrient. It makes up approximately 70-75%
of your total body weight and is involved in every bodily function.
Drinking adequate amounts of water helps to maintain body temperature, metabolize
body fat, aids in digestion, lubricates and cushions organs, transports nutrients,
and flushes toxins from the body.
The Nikken PiMag Water System is a great way to ensure that you’re drinking
the best water you possibly can. It uses four advanced technologies in a combination
available only from Nikken. Block and granular carbon filters screen out common
water contaminants. Ultrafine filtration captures more. Nikken magnetic technology
is added. And the Pi in PiMag comes from ceramic elements that impart the same
energy found in Nikken products with Far-Infrared Technology.
There have been questions raised as to how much water we really need to stay
healthy. The National Academy of Sciences originally issued guidelines for consumption
in 1989, but recently put together a panel of experts to take a second look
at how much water is appropriate. The formula that had been used for determining
this requirement was based on how many calories a person normally expends each
day. It is generally accepted that we should try to consume at least 64 ounces
(half gallon) of water per day, and if you exercise or are overweight, even
more.
What happens to the body as it becomes dehydrated?
Blood is approximately 90% water and is responsible for taking nutrients and
energy to muscles and for taking waste from tissues. If you are not getting
enough water, your body will react by pulling it from other places, including
your blood. This causes the closing of some smaller vessels (capillaries), making
your blood thicker, more susceptible to clotting, and harder to pump through
your system. This can have serious implications in hypertension, high cholesterol,
and heart disease. Recent studies have also linked the lack of water to headaches,
arthritis, and heartburn.
Have you have ever gotten up in the morning feeling bloated, or tried on a ring
or shoe that fit yesterday but is too tight to wear today? Chances are your
body is trying to tell you something.
If you have a problem with water retention, excess salt may be the cause. Your
body will tolerate a certain amount of sodium, however, the more salt you consume
over and above what your body needs to be healthy, the more fluid you need to
dilute it. To overcome this problem, always drink plenty of water.
What if you learned that being dehydrated promotes the increase of body fat?
Water contributes to energy storage along with glycogen. Without water, extra
amounts of glucose remain in the bloodstream until reaching the liver, the extra
glucose is stored as fat. Your body takes water from inside cells in an effort
to compensate for a dehydrated state, including fat cells. Less water in your
fat cells means less mobilization of fat for energy.
One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into energy.
The kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins, wastes, ingested water, and
salts out of the bloodstream. If you are dehydrated, the kidneys cannot function
properly, and the liver must work overtime to compensate. As a result, it metabolizes
less fat. Luckily, water is a great natural appetite suppressant.
There are three ways we get water into our bodies. We get it from the foods
we eat, the fluids we drink, and as a by-product of metabolism. It is always
better to drink pure water instead of soda, tea, or coffee, which can actually
increase your need for fluids because most contain caffeine, which is a diuretic.
C.2004 5Pillars.com