“In 1997 during the Hawaiian Ironman I pushed my body to the limit. I was vomiting, had diarrhea and stomach cramps but I just had to finish the race. Just 50 metres from the finish line I collapsed. Shortly after, I had to have surgery to remove one third of my large bowel as it had died. During the race I was so dehydrated my body stopped supplying oxygen and nutrients to my large bowel so that blood could continue flowing to my heart, lungs and muscles - keeping them working", Chris said.” (Ref 1)
I know the above
story is rather dramatic, but still very true. Water is essential to life. Our
bodies are about 70% water. Our brain itself is 75% water. I know for myself I
have always struggled to drink enough water. As you can imagine, drinking water
has tons of benefits. Water keeps your energy up, weight down, muscles strong,
joints supple, digestive system smooth and helps to keep your whole system
balanced!
According to Charles
Poliquin, we should drink 0.7 ounces of water per pound of body weight. For a
150 pound person that would be 105 ounces (150 x 0.07). According to Poliquin,
hydration is the greatest determinant of strength. If your body loses 1.5% of
its water levels you will see a 10% drop in your maximum strength. That is
huge! It is even a bigger drop if you are really lean. A recent study has also
shown that men who drink five glasses of water a day versus two glasses have a
54% lower risk of dying from a heart attack. (Ref 2)
Whether you are an
athlete or someone who just works our casually—drinking water is essential to
optimal health. If you are not giving your body enough water it will take it
from different organs to make sure your crucial organs can keep you moving and
breathing.
Make drinking water a priority!
Set a goal for yourself and try and hit it every day. You will be shocked by
how much better you feel!
P.s. When you start
drinking more water than you’ve been used to… be prepared to be running to the
bathroom more frequently. It takes a month for your body to become rehydrated.
Think of your body as a dried out plant. When you water it, the water runs
right off and isn’t absorbed into the soil/plant; however, over time it starts
to absorb the water. Eventually you won’t be running to the bathroom all the
time! Be patient and don’t give up. It is worth it!
Also, drinking
soda, vitamin water, and other sugary drinks and juices don’t count. :)
Hope
xoxo
References:
(2)http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/325/How_much_water_should_you_drink.aspx
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