WATER IS ESSENTIAL for all known forms of life. Water is like the blood plants, animals and humans; our existence is explicity connected to the quality of water available to us.
 
With water being so vital to your existence, ensure that you are consuming it at its purest form.
 

All About Drinking Water

 

We are all told to drink plenty of water - at least 8 glasses a day! But that is about where our knowledge ends. 
We all know that are survival depends on drinking enough liquid, but many of us don't like drinking water, and don't drink enough of it. We would much rather have something with sugar or caffeine in it - both of which actually dehydrate rather than hydrate us. For instance - if you drink a cup of coffee, when you go to the bathroom, you will actually pass more liquid than you just consumed.

So, here are 5 good reasons why we should all drink more water and how it can help with weight loss:

 
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1) Water suppresses the appetite
Have you ever started to feel hungry and reached for a snack? Your body was asking for something and you presumed it must be food. But it may have just been thirst. Next time grab a glass of water and see if this helps, you may just be dehydrated.
Water will also help metabolise stored fats. Studies have shown that a decrease in water will cause fat deposits to increase. An increase in water can reduce this.

Your kidneys function at there best when given enough fluid. If they do not function properly they will dump some of their load onto the liver. One of the functions of the liver is to metabolise stored fat into energy for the body. But if the liver is having to do some of the kidneys work it is not working as it should, so metabolism of fat is slowed down and this can cause weight loss to stop.

2) An increase in water can help fluid retention
When the body does not receive enough water it will perceive this as a threat to survival. So every drop of liquid that you provide, it will hang onto. Water is stored outside the cells and this will show up in swollen hands and feet. A water retention pill may help, but this only provides a short term solution. As this forces water out of the body, it will also take some nutrients with it. The body will still perceive this as a threat to survival and the next time you drink something, the body will store it. 
The best way to combat this is to drink more water. The body will know that there is an endless supply so will stop hanging on to every drop. You may find that if you have a high sodium diet you will also suffer from water retention. Again, drink more water. This will help flush the sodium through your kidneys and keep things working properly.

3) Big versus small
An overweight person will need more water than a thin one. An overweight person has a bigger metabolic load. As we learned above, water can help metabolise fat. More water is needed to help the kidneys and liver to function optimally. On average for every 25lbs overweight, an extra glass of water is needed.

4) Muscle Tone
By preventing dehydration, water will help muscle tone by giving them the natural ability to contract. Water can also help against sagging skin in weight loss. Shrunken cells are buoyed by water and this will help the skin plump, and leave it clear and healthy.

5) Waste
When we lose weight we have a lot more metabolised fat to get rid of. Drinking more water will help flush this waste out of the body. Water can also help constipation as well. The body siphons what it needs from internal recourses, this includes the colon. If there is not enough liquid in the body, this can cause constipation. The cure? You've guessed it - drink more water!
 
Water's effects on the body
 
 
 
Benefits of Filtered Water
   * Detoxify your body
          - If your water is full of chlorine, your body won't be effective in cleaning out other toxin you clear
            the body of nasty toxins and keep your immune system strong.
 
    * Weight control
          - If your water is unfiltered, your body will absorb unwanted more carbs and sugars than it should.
            Staying hydrated is the key to a strong metabolism.
 
   * Reduce your risk of certain cancers
          - Studies have shown that chlorine causes cancers of the rectum, breast, colon and bladder. By filtering
            chlorine out, you are reducing your risk of these diseases.
 
    * Softener skin and hair
          - Chlorine makes your hair and skin dull and rough. By showering in clean water, you will improve your
            appearance by making your hair skinny and skin smooth.
 
How water can help to LOSE WEIGHT ?
* It helps to feel satiesfied.
* It helps digestation.
* It helps to be fresh & healthy.
* It helps to get rid of toxins from your body.
* It helps to avoid dehydration.
* Burning calories requires water.
* Helps maintain muscle tone.
* It increases metabolic rate.
 
 
 
 

 

So how much water should we drink?

Saying 8 glasses is fair enough, but how big (or small) are the glasses? We should be consuming around 1.5 litres a day. This sounds a lot when you are not used to drinking that much, and yes to begin with it is difficult and you have to drink when you are not thirsty. But after a few days, you will pass the 'breakthrough' period and will begin to get your natural thirst back. You will be surprised, in the end, how easy you will find drinking 1.5 litres actually is.

One trick I found helped me when I started, was to measure out 1.5 litres in a jug. Then find a medium sized glass and measure out how many glasses it would be. You may find that it is only 4 glasses and this seems pretty manageable to drink in a day. If you pick a glass that is to small, you may find yourself having to drink 8-10 glasses of water. It is all about tricking the mind and making it seem less than it really is.

If you stop drinking enough water your body will be thrown out of balance. You may experience weight gain, fluid retention and loss of thirst.

Source from :

http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/48619/lose_weight/5_things_you_did_not_know_about_drinking_water_and_weight_loss.html

 
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Benefits of Drinking Water

 

In a market saturated with specialty coffees, soft drinks, sports drinks and energy boosters, plain water often loses its luster. As crucial as water is, it seems the majority of the population is in a dehydrated rut. 

The need for water can hardly be overstated. As humans, we are composed of approximately 70 percent of the stuff and nearly every aspect of our body's function calls for the fluid. Water makes up much of the medium that helps our cells communicate with each other. While it's a fact we can only survive a few days at best without water, is eight glasses a day really necessary? The answer depends on many factors, including: 

·         What is the person's general health status? Patients with chronic pain need to seriously evaluate their water intake. Clinically, patients have noticed improvements in treatments they were already pursuing, such as chiropractic work, acupuncture or massage, just by being better hydrated. 

·         Is the person doing activities that increase water loss (sweating)? Is the person working out extensively, or do they have a job that frequently puts them outside in the heat?
 
 
·         Does the person drink a lot of coffee or soft drinks? Coffee can act as a diuretic, which means it may increase urination. 
      "A lot " of coffee in this case would be defined as 3 or more 6-ounce cups a day. Regular or diet soft drinks pose many health issues. Those drinking multiple cans of pop a day may not be getting enough water.

One of the biggest problems those who drink high volumes of coffee or soft drinks run into, is that those beverages eventually replace water as the daily form of hydration. Again, coffee is a diuretic. So excessive amounts of coffee can actually worsen the water balance in the body. If this situation goes on long enough, patients could encounter nagging pains that don’t respond to conventional therapy.

The need for water is so great in the body that a physician wrote an entire book on how those with chronic neck and back pain need to consider the amount they are getting. High coffee intake could also cause losses of minerals and calcium. Everyone should realize that hydration can not come from any other source but water. 

There is very little data on exactly how much water a person should drink, however, the old suggestion of eight glasses a day may still be a realistic goal. Athletes in training should target 80-90 ounces or more, depending on how much they are sweating. If urine appears dark yellow, water intake needs to be increased. The color of urine should typically be a pale yellow. One study documented that even experienced long distance runners did not always gauge how dehydrated they were. Folks receiving bodywork therapies like massage or chiropractic treatments should also be drinking higher amounts of water to best utilize those therapies. Coffee drinkers need to limit their daily intake to 1-2 cups while meeting their water goals for the day.

What type of water is best? These days, there is bottled water, flavored water, vitamin water and of course, tap water. The best source for drinking and cooking, is water filtered through a reverse osmosis system. This is a very high grade filter that can be installed under your kitchen sink by a local water company. Any other form of regular water, tap or bottled, is still better than a soda. Vitamin and specialty waters can become a problem due to added sugars. Others promise extra vitamins when in fact they contain very few. In truth, water doesn't need to provide anything other than water. It's important enough.

The boom of bottled water, while it popularized hydration, also triggered a huge influx of plastic bottles being dumped into our environment, which allows certain chemicals, like phthalates, to leech into the ground, water and our bodies. These pose various risks including cancer. Try to transport water in stainless steel or glass bottles. If you have plastic bottles, don't allow them to sit in the sun. Also, don't use plastic to carry or heat water, as this might increase chemical leeching. Grab a glass, grab a pitcher; just be sure to drink in the natural gifts of water.

 

Source from :

 
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Safe drinking water

When you introduce your baby to water, either to drink or to mix formula, it is essential that you use safe, clean water that has been properly treated and sterilised. This includes the water you use to sterilise baby bottles and feeding equipment. 

This is because your baby is vulnerable during her first year of life to viruses, bacteria, and other parasitic infections. These can come from water that is not clean and properly treated. They can lead to anything from a mild attack of 
thrush to the more serious condition of gastroenteritis, which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and dehydration. 

How can I sterilise tap water at home?

There are three ways you can sterilise tap water in your house. 

Boiling 
The easiest and cheapest method of sterilising water is to boil it. This is an acceptable household method of purifying water, especially untreated water or water from natural sources. 
Sterilising water at home by boiling is simple. You need to bring the water to a rolling boil and let it keep boiling for one minute to kill all water germs effectively. Cover the water and let it cool naturally at room temperature. 

Filtering 
If you're concerned about the purity of your water supply, install a filter on your kitchen sink tap. Many families find this the simplest way of making sure that all drinking water used in the house is fairly clean. Certain filters can remove lead and other contaminants from your water. 

 

If you decide to buy a water filter:

 

·         -  check out the options available to find one to suit your needs and budget;

·         -  always follow the manufacturer's directions;

·         - change the filter regularly to prevent contaminants from building up.

 

When you choose a water filter, pay attention to how it works. Some home filters can remove fluoride from the water. If you're using this kind of filter, talk to your doctor or dentist. As fluoride protects your teeth, you'll want to make sure your child's getting adequate fluoride from other sources, like a different kind of toothpaste. 

How will I know my water filter is working properly?

All water filters need different care so it is always best to check the manufacturer's directions. Most manufacturers recommend you change the filter once a year. Some filters have a warning system and will have a light or make a sound to let you know it's time to change your filter. 

If your filter uses UV bulbs it is best to change these at the same time as the filter or every 18 months. This makes sure all the contaminants in your water are being killed. 

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 Why is Safe Water Essential?

 

Water is a fundamental human need. Each person on Earth requires at least 20 to 50 liters of clean, safe water a day for drinking, cooking, and simply keeping themselves clean.

Polluted water isn’t just dirty—it’s deadly. Some 1.8 million people die every year of diarrheal diseases like cholera. Tens of millions of others are seriously sickened by a host of water-related ailments—many of which are easily preventable.

 

The United Nations considers universal access to clean water a basic human right, and an essential step towards improving living standards worldwide. Water-poor communities are typically economically poor as well, their residents trapped in an ongoing cycle of poverty.

 

Education suffers when sick children miss school. Economic opportunities are routinely lost to the impacts of rampant illness and the time-consuming processes of acquiring water where it is not readily available. Children and women bear the brunt of these burdens.

 

Water is obviously essential for hydration and for food production—but sanitation is an equally important, and complementary, use of water. A lack of proper sanitation services not only breeds disease, it can rob people of their basic human dignity.

 

The World Health Organization ( WHO) and various national agencies have drinking water quality standards that specify the acceptable microbial, chemical, and radiological characteristics of safe drinking water.

 

Excessive amounts of microbes or chemicals derived from human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, industrial chemicals, and even natural pollutants, make some water unsafe to drink and cause water-related diseases. If water sources are not protected, or are unexpectedly contaminated for any reason, the quality of drinking water suffers.

 

Contamination can occur at the source of the water both at the surface and in the ground. Once the water is in the distribution system, there are additional opportunities for drinking water to be contaminated. If pipes are not successfully protected from contaminants, the quality of drinking water suffers. Improper storage can also result in unsafe drinking water.

 

Source from :

 
We need water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means of nutrients to travel to your organs and tissues. Water also helps transport oxygen to your cells, removes waste and protects your joints and organs.
 
Drink more clean water start from today.
For your health, for your life.