Water

I am pretty sure you already know that you should be drinking more water. But, I am also willing to bet that you still aren't drinking enough.

Let's brush up on why water is so important:

1) The body is composed of 60-70% water

2) The brain is composed of 80% water

3) Even slight dehydration causes the brain to be foggy

4) Water cleanses and detoxes the body

5) You can live for weeks without food, but only a couple of days without water

6) Adequate water intake aids in fat loss

I remember reading in Tosca Reno's "Eat Clean Diet" book that even a 1% decrease in hydration compromises the brains ability to think clearly. That fascinated me. Any time I am having difficulty concentrating, I will grab a cold glass of water and see if that helps. So, not only does water affect the function of the body but the mind.

What kind of water should you be drinking?

Back in the late 90's when bottled water started to get popular, I remember thinking to myself, now that's a stupid idea. Who would pay for water, when water is free? Well, that was back then.

Tap water contains trace contaminates. In some areas it is more of a problem than others. Installing a simple water filtration system in your home is a wise, cheap way to insure that the water you drink is pure.

Another option is buying distilled water. Distilled water removes toxins from the body. There are some experts who think drinking distilled water long-term can be harmful. I have read studies that support both sides of this claim. Buying and carting around jugs of distilled water long-term is enough to detour me. I do, however, buy it occasionally to help reduce the accumulation of calcium in my urine since I have a tendency to form kidney stones. (Not fun!)

I have also recently learned about costly water machines that alter the ph of the water to be more or less alkaline. The theory being, that less acidic your body is, the less disease, aging, fatigue and inflammation (to name a few) your body will have. I can see how this ph altered water could be especially beneficial to those with compromised immune systems or people who have diets consisting of mainly acid forming foods. In general, however, I do not know many people who have the kind of money it takes to purchase one of these machines or that the cost is even worth the reported benefits, so I wouldn't advocate going out and spending the money unless you are independently wealthy. :)

A really cheap way you can naturally alter the ph of your water to be more alkaline, without buying an expensive machine, is by adding the juice of a fresh lemon to your water. Those who suffer from kidney stones should be doing this already. There are also alkaline drops you can buy at any health food stores if it is something you are interested in pursuing.

Now, on to the amount of water you should be drinking. A good recommendation to follow is this, make sure that you have at least one clear urination a day. The amount of healthy urine output is 1.5 liters daily. I don't know about you, but I don't go around measuring my urine output. Checking the color is sufficient for me. :) Also, remember to drink extra water before and after exercise and in hot conditions.

So to sum up:

1) Drinking PLENTY of water helps your brain to concentrate and helps rid the body of toxins and FAT

2) Avoid tap water if resources allow; invest in a water filtration system in your home

3) Drink lemon water daily

4) Monitor your urine output--look for one clear urination a day