Staying hydrated is something we preach all the time. There are so many benefits to staying hydrated when it comes to overall health and wellness. Water is the most important nutrient in the body. You can go around 8 weeks without food but only days without water. Water makes up 55-60% of our total body mass. The body can produce 8% of its daily water needs through metabolic processes. The remaining 92% must be ingested through the foods we eat and beverages we drink.

Water plays so many roles in the body such as:

• Transport nutrients
• Cushions bones and lubricates joints
• Flushes toxins
• Empowers the bodys natural healing power
• Removes waste
• Regulates body temp

Did you know that water is the most common nutritional deficiency in the American population. Some early signs that you might be dehydrated include:

• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Irritability
• Cravings
• Cramps
• Headaches

Some mature signs include:

• Heartburn
• joint pain
• back pain
• migraines
• constipation
• colitis

Things that could be dehydrating you include:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Soda
• Sugary drinks
• Prescription drugs
• Hot climate/ sweating a lot during a workout or the use of a sauna

When it comes to the amount of water you should be drinking daily, half your body weight in ounces is a great place to start. If you’re drinking caffeinated beverages you want to add 12-16 oz of water per 8oz cup of caffeinated beverage. I find that the best time to get a lot of my water in is first thing in the morning when waking up. Its an easy way to set the tone for the day and hydrate the body after sleeping. 

Now when it comes to where we are getting our water from, this is super important. Did you know that EVERY major city tested in the U.S. found contaminants and dozens of pharmaceutical drugs in their tap water supply? This happens because people who take pharmaceutical drugs excrete them through their urine when they pee and because our water is recycled and goes through filtration plants we still find byproducts of those drugs in our water. Also when people flush their drugs down the toilet thinking nothing of it this also contaminates our water supply. 

Another thing to consider about our water supply is the presence of VOCs. VOCs stand for volatile organic compounds which are things like pesticides herbicides and chemicals that are in our environment that not only effect our food but also effects our water supply. These VOCs effect our kidneys, reproductive function, liver and detoxification pathways. 

Cancer causing and brain-damaging chemicals like mercury, lead, aluminum, fluoride, and chlorine are also found in our tap water. 

Chlorine is used to clean and purify our water from harmful bacteria and parasites. The problem is all this chlorine in our water is not only wiping out all the bad bacteria but its also killing all the good bacteria in our gut. Its kind of like taking a antibiotic every time we drink water. 

Fluoride is something we should also be worried about in our tap water. It can be a toxin for the body and has been shown to lower thyroid function.

Plastic is also everywhere including the pipes and bottles our water comes in. These plastics whenever they’re subjected to heat leach chemicals that can be known as endocrine disrupters. Endocrine disrupting chemicals mimic estrogen and produce more estrogen in the body which lead to reproductive issues and cancer. 

It’s our job to take control of our health. This information isn’t here to scare or overwhelm you. We want to present you with the facts to empower you to do better. Purchasing a good water filter is a great place to start when trying to improve your water quality. 

There are many different filters out there but the one I recommend is the Aqua Tru Countertop Water Purification System for anyone who lives alone or with one other person. For families I highly recommend the Berkey Filter. 

If you decide to purchase water bottles try to stay away from plastic bottles. Not only is it bad for the environment but you also never know if these bottles were sitting out in the sun or were exposed to heat and may leach the toxins we talked about earlier. 

Also when looking at water bottle labels make sure it says spring water, filtered water, mineral water or distilled water. If it just says water or prepared water know you’re getting straight tap water. 

Also any time you’re at a restaurant or coffee shop etc, know you’re also getting tap water. 

The Environmental Working Groups website has a really good article that highlights the best water filters if you want to learn more. You can also search contaminates in your water based off your zip code on https://www.ewg.org/