In honor of National Hydration Day on June 23, let’s dive into hydration.
To review the pitfalls of dehydration and your thirst sensation, review my post on thirst.
H2O = Happiness
A poll of 2,000 Americans found that drinking water and happiness are directly correlated.
Adults were more than three times more likely to feel “very happy” if they reported drinking enough water. This is the breakdown:
1 glass/day – 12% “very happy” 10% “optimistic”
6 or more glasses/day – 41% “very happy” 40% “optimistic”
But – what came first, happiness in life, including attention to health practices, or number of glasses of water drunk throughout the day?
Whichever way it went, drinking enough water correlated to happiness in this poll.
But does drinking water correlate with hydration?
H2O ≠ Hydration
Hydration isn’t just about drinking a certain amount of water.
The water you drink must be able to get into your cells and do its metabolic work.
Two-thirds of your body’s water is in your cells. The remaining one-third is in the extracellular space, including your bloodstream.
Water is the universal solvent in the body. It serves as a transport system. Water carries nutrients and fuel into all cells. Water carries out all metabolic waste products.
Our blood flows because of water. All body systems contain a certain percentage of water. Water is fundamental to the function of those system. However, not all water hydrates equally.
Hydration is about getting enough bioavailable water.
What makes water bioavailable?
Cell membranes regulate the exchange of nutrients, oxygen, inorganic ions, waste products, and water. There are no active transport mechanisms in a cell to facilitate the entry of water. Water must diffuse through the cell membrane through little channels called aquaporins.
This can only happen when the molecular water clusters are free enough from each other to create a low surface tension. Technically, the surface tension must be under 46 Dynes per cubic centimeter.
Water will diffuse into a cell through osmosis as long as the surface tension will allow it.
In addition, the bioavailability of water depends on the electrolyte or mineral content of the water. Water follows a concentration gradient. That means water wants to dilute a high concentration area.
We have a saline ocean within our cells, and if the water we consume contains the minerals like the sea, it will more easily be absorbed.
Finding Bioavailable Water
Wild, living spring water directly from the Earth has been found to have its surface tension low enough to be directly absorbed into a cell.
In addition, it usually contains some dissolved minerals.
If this is not available, water can be passed through a flow form which mimics Nature in creating this low surface tension. The Natural Action units have been shown to decrease the surface tension of water to 43 dynes per cubic centimeter, which is less than the 46 needed to enter the cell.
Then you can add electrolytes or bioavailable minerals such as Minbiotics into this water as I wrote about in Water’s Life Cycle.
Eating food grown in a regenerative way can also boost hydration. Since the water is in a living cellular matrix, the body resonates and can take in that water. Plus it can be full of minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients.
Move to Hydrate
Sitting in a chair, in a car, on the couch creates stagnation. When the body stagnates, the systems within stagnate too, slowing their function.
Movement helps circulate lymph and blood, removing waste products and delivering water and nutrients. Muscles compress vessels and help them move their fluids along.
Dehydration may be one factor to why you are stiff in the morning when you wake up.
Movement facilitates the delivery of water to cells, helping them hydrate.
My Hydration
My choice for achieving optimal hydration depends on the day and the season.
I start most days with a 16-ounce glass of warm water with fresh squeezed lemon and a pinch of Celtic sea salt, to taste.
My drinking water at home is filtered through a Multipure carbon filtration unit, then I structure it with a Natural Action water unit.
I like to mix in a variety of tasty additions to at least one serving of water.
Besides plain water, I like to make herbal tea or a cup of Dandy Blend.
I choose juicy foods, and I especially like fruit of the season.
Finally, my dog gets me out on a walk daily. I like to start off with the No Way to More Vitality exercise. I also am sure to get up from behind my computer and move or dance. Right now, I am learning a hula dance.
How will you hydrate?
Trivia: the origin of this day
National Hydration Day was created by SafeTGard Corporation, a company that sells sports related safeguarding equipment. The day was created to honor the accomplishment of Victor Hawkins, a Football coach, who invented a month guard that will supply electrolyte to prevent dehydration. He intended to stop his team players from getting dehydrated during the match and found this equipment basically for Athletes. This day is observed, so that everyone ought to know the importance of Hydration and the consequences of Dehydration.
https://www.nationaldaystoday.com/national-hydration-day/
