A matter of life and death. I want to inform you about an elemental substance that none of us can live without yet it kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year. I have no doubt that the reason so many people die when exposed to this substance every year is because of their lack of knowledge about, appreciation of, and respect for this powerful substance. I want to tell you briefly my own personal story of escaping death because of my lack of knowledge and respect for this substance. Growing up in rural Mississippi, at the age of nine years old, I had never seen anything like what almost took my life that day in the summer of 1969. Maybe you’ve already figured it out, maybe you’re still wondering what in the world I’m talking about. The substance that I’m referring to is called water, and in this case, a large pool of crystal clear water. Water is something that we certainly can’t live without, but yet, as I said hundreds of thousands die from the exposure to this substance every year. Water is life-giving and live taking. Before I get into my personal story though, the Pharmacist in me has to tell you a few facts about water and the human body. Check out the info-graphic below.
I know you’ve probably heard that our bodies are 60% water, but did you know that the percentage of water in your body decreases as you age? Even at your oldest, water still makes up at least half of your body composition, so doesn’t it make sense that it is essential to your health? As a pharmacist I encounter people every day with all kinds of health problems. I also see many others who come to me seeking what natural supplements they can take as opposed to the side effect prone prescription medications. The first question I always ask them is, “How much water are you drinking every day?” Probably 90% of them tell me they are not drinking anywhere close to enough. If I asked you the same question, what would your answer be? You may need to ask me, “How much water is enough water?” The general rule of thumb for water consumption for human beings is you should be drinking at least half your body weight in ounces a day. For example, if you weight 100 pounds, you should be drinking at least 50 ounces of water a day. Like I said, most people I know do not drink enough water! In fact I believe that the vast majority of people walking around today are suffering from, at least, mild dehydration!
Here are some statements from Dr. Batmanghelidj’s book, “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water: You are not Sick, You are Thirsty.”
- 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
- In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
- Even MILD dehydration will slow down the body’s metabolism as much as 3%.
- 1 glass of water will stop midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of dieters – University of Washington study.
- Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
- Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
- A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
- Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can cut the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and make it 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.
- Increasing your intake of water during a case of the flu or common cold can reduce the number of sick days by 2-3 days.
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
Connect With Me On Social Media
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Leave a Reply