Part I | Part II

Where is water in our body?

Water is everywhere in our body, but is distributed differently in various parts. All our body fluids: blood, lymph, sweat, saliva, tears, cerebro-spinal fluid, all the digestive enzymes contain from 96% to 99% of water. The fat and bones contain less water: 30%
Our muscles contain 73%-75% of water. Due to its importance, our musculature holds half of our body water.
Our brain holds 75% of water.

What is water good for?

Our body needs water to live and be healthy because water is part of our vital functions like:

• water is part of our cells: it constitutes the intracellular water
• water is part of the fluid which surrounds our cells, tissues and organs: it constitutes the intercellular water

A continuous movement happens between the two milieux. You may think of your body as an ocean. Your inside ocean has currents, tides and waves. The water dissolves and transports all substances inside the cells, outside the cells and between cells.

• a vast number of cellular reactions require water
• water contributes to thermal regulation: when our internal temperature rises, perspiration cools the body
• water eliminates most of the metabolic waste through urine.
• water is the vector carrying nutrients, minerals, vitamins, oxygen to each and every cell of our body.
• Water provides natural moisture to our skin and other tissues.
• It cushions joints and helps strengthen muscles
• It keeps your stools softer

The blood flows continuously through the kidneys where it is filtrated. However most of the water is reabsorbed there, where it feeds back into the system. Only a small part is supposed to drain the wastes in urine.

How much water do we need?

As much as we eliminate!

Our body water volume is sensed and regulated by different very sophisticated hormonal systems as well as by sodium and potassium. Every adult eliminates 2 to 3 quarts of water everyday. Our own elimination depends on:

• the energy we spend: muscle work increases perspiration
• The climate: the hotter the weather, the more we sweat

The elimination is done by:

• the kidneys and urine: 1 to 1.5 quart a day
• the perspiration and sweat: 0.5 to 1 quart These are safe biological mechanisms to keep the body temperature around 98.6F. When the outside temperature gets high, the quantity of water eliminated through these channels can go up to several quarts each day.
• stool: 8 to 16 fl.oz.

The thirst sensation alerts us when the body lacks water and quickly needs some intake. Caffeinated and sweetened drinks are not part of the solution because they can contribute to dehydration. Water works best. For adults and children weighing over 100 lbs: divide your weight (in pounds) in half. Children weighing less than 100 lbs have special fluid needs and this formula may not be appropriate. Here is a little chart to help you evaluate the average volume of water your body needs:

WEIGHT (in lbs)	Ounces/day
40-50	50
51-60	55
61-70	57
71-80	58
81-99	60
100-120	50-60
121-140	60-70
141-160	70-80
161-180	70-90
200	100

Drink water for weight control

What is the most difficult thing many people find to do when they start a weight-loss program? -- DRINK MORE WATER because they usually --> do not drink enough. Few people realize how essential water is to the success of their weight-loss program. Why is it so important to drink water when dieting?

• drinking water may decrease your appetite: try drinking a glass of water when you feel hungry or crave for sweets
• drinking water helps body fat to burn more efficiently
• drinking water is a good start to treat fluid retention
• the more you weigh, the more water you need to drink
• drinking water helps to maintain your energy level and reduce fatigue
• drinking water helps to drain waste products out of your body
• drinking water helps to relieve constipation (which should be considered very seriously and be treated holistically since laxatives do not solve anything and will hurt your system if used too often)

Which type of water?

If you are lucky enough to live in a pure and natural place where you know that tap water is good, go for it! If not, choose between bottle waters (Evian and Volvic, Poland spring or whichever tastes good to you) or filter your tap water.

General recommendations for a healthy lifestyle

• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize (your face and body)!
• Every morning, the animals of the savannah gather around the pond or lake and they drink. They drink all the water they can. It is in the morning that water hydrates our body the best. Only if you drink water and only pure water. As soon as you put a few drops of lemon juice in your water, your brain treats this water as food. If there is food, there is waste. Therefore, this water is used to flush out waste and not to hydrate your body. Drink one glass of room-temperature or even lukewarm water after getting up in the morning (nothing but water!)
• If you are an addict of coffee, tea or herbal teas (some), remember that these drinks are extremely diuretic (they flush toxic waste and water out of your body), consequently, you need to drink even more water than you absorbed to replenish your body.
• If you are consuming sodas and fruit juices, do not count them as water since your body treat them as food because they contain calories and need to be processed, even the diet sodas.
• Drink during the day to fulfill your daily needs in water
• Drink more if it is hot, cold and after exercising (water is better and healthier than power drinks)