A Body's Favorite Beverage

Once you realize that an adult's body is roughly made up of 70% of water and an infant's body is approximately made up of 80% at birth, it's no surprise that a body's favorite beverage is water. I know some people struggle with drinking the suggested amount of AT LEAST eight, 8 oz. cups of water a day, but I bet you feel better when you do. :)

Think about this for a second:

• Muscle consists of 75% water
• Brain consists of 90% water
• Bone consists of 22% water
• Blood consists of 83% water

There is so many good things that result from drinking water:

• You rid your body of waste and toxins
• It helps your body's digestion
• It helps transport nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to multiple body parts
• Helps regulate body temperature
• Helps increase metabolism and can help with weight loss (and builds muscles!!)
• It increases cognitive functioning (makes you smarter and helps with concentration!)
• Helps your joints stay strong and healthy (less pain!)
• It gives you ENERGY
• And the list could go on!!

When you are dehydrated you may experience:

• Tiredness
• Migraines
• Constipation
• Muscle cramps
• Irregular blood pressure
• Kidney problems
• Dry skin

At 20% dehydration, there is a risk of death.

Even when you are taking in a good amount of liquid each day, if it is filled with caffeine, your body is over stimulated and the muscles and heart do not get a break. In the end you may feel drained, wide awake, or have anxiety, lack of concentration and cognitive functioning.

**A healthy person can drink about 3 gallons (or 48 cups) of water per day**

**Hunger: Most people mistake dehydration for hunger**

• Try grabbing a drink of water when your body is giving you signs of hunger
• Drink a cup of water about 30 minutes before you eat to help with digestion

Ok, ok. I know what you're thinking, "what is she doing, writing a research paper?!". But let's get real people! Take a moment to care about your body and at the same time feel good. You only live once. And yes, I know by using that saying, "you only live once", most people would say that they are going to enjoy it by consuming other liquids of their choosing because they want to have as much enjoyment as they can while only living once. Are you really going to let your enjoyment center around a 16 oz cup of a caffeinated beverage? Don't get me wrong, I love a cup of coffee or a soda every once-in-awhile and honestly,I do have those cravings pretty frequently. But I also stop and think for a second about how I am going to feel 8 hours from now. Do I really want to feel sluggish, or not be able to get a good night's sleep? Is it really worth the 30 minutes of enjoyment? I think I would rather skip the drink and go for some water and feel good all day versus enjoying the moment and regretting it later. And honestly, giving my body the water it needs, I may just end up living longer and be able to enjoy more moments. You only live once :)

(If you would like an awesome "recipe" for a lemon/zucchini water detox, visit my "Health and Fitness" tab. Scroll down till you find it)

From a spiritual viewpoint, water is essential for life. From the beginning to the end, the Bible talks about water over 700 times. The second verse of the Bible talks about how God created the water. Before there was anything--sun, moon, stars, plants, animals, humans--there was water. The Bible is full of passages linking God to creating, blessing, sustaining, and saving through water.

Water is a sign of cleansing, not only physically but spiritually. This is illustrated through the Baptism of Jesus and Him calling us to make disciples for Him, baptizing them with water. Speaking about the church, Jesus said, "In order to make her holy by cleansing her [the church] with the washing of water by the word", Ephesians 5:26.

In John 4:14 Jesus says, "But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life". Jesus is the fountain of living water!

The Bible has so much to say about water. Through the reading and research I have done, I've learned a lot and have enjoyed it. If you are wanting some side reading, this is a topic I would recommend.

Revelation 22:17 "And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes to take the water of life as a gift."