HEALTHY BONES, HAIR, SKIN AND NAILS

Bone Health

Good bones require a good supplements, the correct exercises and a healthy diet. 

Products for Bone Health

JARROW’S BONE-UP   Take 3 capsules 2 X day with meals.

BONE-UP provides ossein hydroxyapatite complex (OHC) (from free-range Australian/New Zealand calves), which includes the superior combination of the inorganic calcium lattice of microcrystalline hydroxyapatite (MCHA) within an organic protein milieu rich in naturally occurring growth factors. The OHC is combined with vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 as MK-7 (a more bio-available form of vitamin K) to support the deposition of calcium into the bones as well as to assist in building up the organic bone matrix.  Potassium citrate is also added for optimal osteo support.

Adequate calcium and vitamin D as part of a healthful diet, along with physical activity, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. For best results, use with Jarrow’s JarroSil, the biologically Activated Silicon.   Talk with your doctor is you are using a prescription blood thinner before using this product.

Or 

JARROW’S VEGAN BONE-UP   Take 3 Tablets 2 X day with meals.  Easy-Solv tablets dissolve within minutes of entering the stomach.

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN Bone-Up provides calcium citrate, a vegetarian/vegan source of the essential mineral calcium and a form that has demonstrated superior absorption. Also, VEGETARIAN/VEGAN Bone-Up® is formulated with vitamin K2 as MK-7 (a more bio-available form of vitamin K) and vitamin D2 to support the deposition of calcium into the bones as well as to assist in building up the organic bone matrix. Potassium citrate is also added for optimal osteo support.

Adequate calcium and vitamin D as part of a healthful diet, along with physical activity, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. For best results, use with Jarrow FORMULAS® JarroSil, the biologically Activated Silicon.  Talk with your doctor is you are using a prescription blood thinner before using this product.

JARROW’S JarroSil   Take 10 drops per day; mix into 4 to 8 ounces water or juice and drink promptly.

 JarroSil is a synergistic formulation of highly bio-available silicon. A patent pending Activated Silicon™ formula, JarroSil contains stabilized molecular clusters of silicic acid, which provide a biologically active form of silicon upon dissolution into liquids. JarroSil’s Activated Silicon improves the strength and elasticity of collagen by stimulating collagen production. Stronger collagen means healthier, more elastic skin, and fewer and shallower wrinkles.

The outer shaft of hair is rich in silicon. Adequate silicon helps hair grow thicker and stronger.

Supplementation with JarroSil also strengthens weak, brittle nails associated with an inadequate silicon intake.

JarroSil strengthens bones, joints & collagen.

Silicon plays an important role in bone calcification, including during the growth of new bone. Bone building cells (osteoblasts) start by constructing a connective tissue matrix. When this is done, the osteoblasts switch their function and begin to fill in this matrix with minerals. This process requires silicon.

JarroSil is an essential partner of calcium for bones, glucosamine for joints and antioxidants for supple and healthy arteries.

Jarrow’s Vitamin D3- Vitamin D3 is essential for bone health as well as helping to strengthen your immune system.  There is a blood test your MD can do to determine how much you need.  There is 1,000 IUs in the Bone Up formula.

Homeopathic Cell Salts for Bone Health

Calc fluor 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt is found in the surface of bones and teeth.  It helps to tighten the elastic fibers around joints.

Calc phos 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt is found in the interior of the bones and teeth.  It is the main bone builder.

These salts do not replace Calcium in the body but rather they help the Calcium you take to be utilized by the body in the proper way.

Diet

A healthy diet is essential for strong bones.  Acidic foods like sugar, sodas, coffee, black tea, alcohol and an excess of meat and dairy will require the body to pull calcium from  the bones to maintain a slightly alkaline environment in the body.

Some of the foods that are rich in calcium are dark leafy green vegetables (chard, mustard greens and especially kale), broccoli, oats, prunes, sesame seeds, tofu, brewer’s yeast, blackstrap molasses and beans,   Herb teas and herbs rich in calcium include alfalfa, burdock root, chamomile, chicory, dandelion, fennel seed, hops, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaves, red clover and yellow dock.  Calcium should not be taken with calcium binders such as iron, zinc and spinach, beet greens, almonds, cashews, and soybeans which contain oxalic acid.  The binding of calcium with oxalic acid can eventually cause the formation of kidney stones.

Exercise

Exercise is essential to help the body take the calcium into the bones.  Walking 5 days a week is adequate.

Carla Kazimir, PT talked about building bones with exercise and proper posture.  The following is an article she went over with the group.

Osteoporosis Prevention Exercises

At any age, exercise is essential for maintaining healthy bones.If you exercised regularly as a child and young adult, you probably helped maximize your bone production, most of which occurs by age 35.  If you continued to exercise into middle age and beyond, you probably helped reduce your risk of developing the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis.

But it's never too late to start a bone-healthy exercise, even if you already have osteoporosis or are at high risk of developing osteoporosis.

Although people with osteoporosis may believe that exercise increases the risk of injury from broken bones, the truth is quite the opposite. A regular, properly designed exercise program may actually help prevent the falls and fall-related fractures that so often result in disability and premature death. That's because exercise strengthens bones and muscles, and improves balance, coordination, and flexibility, which is especially important for older adults and people who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the best exercises for building and maintaining bone density are:

• Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, that makes you work against gravity while staying upright.
• Muscle-strengthening exercise, such as weight lifting, that makes you work against gravity in a standing, sitting, or prone position.

Non-impact activities such as balance, functional, and posture exercises also may benefit people with osteoporosis. Although these exercises don't build or maintain bone density, they may increase muscle strength and decrease the risk of falls and fractures.

Medical Evaluation Is Key

If you have osteoporosis or are at risk of osteoporosis, most experts believe that supervised weight-bearing exercise and strength training exercise is safe and effective. Studies of postmenopausal women report that aerobic, weight-bearing, and strength training exercise can increase bone mineral density in the spine, and that a simple walking program can increase bone mineral density in the spine and hip.

Before beginning any exercise program, it's important to undergo a thorough medical examination to determine which activities are safe for you.

There is no single exercise regimen that's best for everyone with osteoporosis. Each regimen should be specifically tailored to the individual patient based on a medical evaluation of:

• fracture risk
• muscle strength
• range of motion
• level of physical activity
• fitness
• gait
• balance

During the evaluation, your doctor also will consider any other chronic conditions that can affect your ability to exercise, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. If you're at risk for osteoporotic fracture, the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that your doctor refer you to a specially trained physical therapist for a through physical assessment and exercise prescriptions that focus on body mechanics and posture, balance, gait and transfer training, resistance weights, and progressive aerobic activities.

Weight-Bearing Exercises for Osteoporosis

If your doctor determines that it's not safe for you to perform high-impact weight-bearing exercises, he or she may recommend low-impact weight-bearing exercises that are less likely to cause fractures and also build and maintain bone density. These include:

• elliptical training machines
• low-impact aerobics
• stair-step machines
• walking (either outside or on a treadmill machine)

If you're new to exercise, or haven't exercised for awhile, you should aim to gradually increase your level of weight-bearing exercise to 30 minutes per day on most days of the week.

Muscle-Strengthening Exercises for Osteoporosis

Programs that maintain muscular strength can slow the loss of bone mineral density associated with osteoporosis, and may help prevent fall-related fractures. Examples of muscle-strengthening exercises include functional movements such as standing and rising on your toes, lifting your own body weight, and the use of equipment such as:

• elastic exercise bands
• free weights
• weight machines

Experts recommend performing strength-training exercises two to three days per week.

Non-impact Activities for Osteoporosis

Certain non-impact activities can improve your coordination, flexibility, and muscle strength and reduce your risk of falls and fractures while increasing your mobility and overall quality of life.

Balance exercises such as Tai Chi can strengthen your leg muscles, and help you stay steadier on your feet. Posture exercises can improve your carriage, reduce the "sloping" shoulders associated with osteoporosis, and decrease your risk of fractures, especially in the spine. Functional exercises can improve your ability to perform everyday activities such as getting in and out of bed and chairs, and climbing stairs.

Balance, posture, and functional exercises can be performed daily.

Non-impact programs such as yoga and Pilates can improve strength, balance, and flexibility in people with osteoporosis. But some of the movements associated with these programs -- including forward-bending exercises -- can increase the risk of fracture. If you're interested in such programs, ask your physical therapist to tell you which movements are most likely to be beneficial or harmful.

Although exercise can benefit almost everyone with osteoporosis, it's important to remember that it's only one component of an overall treatment program. Other essential lifestyle recommendations include a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, maintaining a normal body weight, and avoiding tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption. You also may require osteoporosis medications to either build or maintain bone density. By working with your doctor, you can develop an osteoporosis treatment program that's right for you.

This article was taken from WebMD, Osteoporosis and Exercise online.

SKIN/HAIR/NAILS

Source Naturals Hyaluronic Acid- provides the fluid matrix for joint lubricatin, skin hydration and skin repair.  Take 1 softgel 2 X day.

Jarrow’s EPS- probiotics strengthen the skin’s barrier function and help the skin hang on to moisture.  The cosmetic companies are developing skin products with live cultures of probiotics at this time.  These benefits explain why anti-bacterial soaps should not be used on a regular basis.

JarroSil- see above, under Bones.

Futurebiotics- Hair, Skin and Nails is a nutritional supplement.

Essential Fatty Acids are essential for healthy skin.

Skin is the largest organ in the human body and is often the first visual indicator of an essential fatty acid deficiency.  EPA and DHA – the omega 2 essential fatty acids in fish oil- and GLA- the essential fatty acid found in borage oil and evening primrose oil- are crucial nutrients for skin health and function.  These essential fatty acids (EFAs) reside in the membranes that surround skin cells, where they regulate a large number of cellular processes that directly impact skin health.

The research-backed benefits of fish oil + GLA include:
Nourishes skin, hair and nails.
Protects against age-related damage.
Supports the body's natural anti-inflammatory response.
Hydrates skin by retaining natural moisture.
Protects against free radicals.
Stimulates production of healthy skin cells.
Supports a clear and healthy complexion.
Is natural and safe for long-term use.
                                   
Nordic Naturals’ Complete Omega- 3-6-9

Complete Omega 3-6-9 is a high potency formula that delivers full-spectrum omega essential fatty acid support by blending the omega 3s EPA and DHA from cold water fish with GLA from borage oil.  GLA is a beneficial omega-6 fatty acid that supports the body’s natural anti-inflammatory response, enhances hormonal balance, promotes a “feel good” effect and improves mood.  Research shows that the benefits of GLA greatly increase when taken with the omega 3s EPA and DHA.

UDO’s CHOICE - UDO’s Oil DHA 3-6-9 Blend

A vegetarian version of the above.  It contains flax seed oil, sunflower seed oil, sesame seed oil, evening primrose oil, algae oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, soy lecithin, rosemary leaves extract (as a preservative), oat germ and bran oil.  

Cell Salts

Calc phos 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water. Used for wrinkled and withered skin.

Calc sulph 6X  Take (4) 2 X day in water.  Builds skin cells.  It heals wounds.  It helps with liver spots.

Kali phos 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water.  Used with Calc phos for wrinkled and withered skin.

Kali sulph 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt is needed in the formation of new skin growth.  It works with Ferr phos 6X to help blood carry oxygen to the cells.  It helps unplug and clean the pores.  It lubricates the skin.  It helps with liver spots.

Nat mur 6X     Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt balances the fluids in the body.  It is used for dry skin, dry mucus membranes and thinning hair. 
 

Silicea 6X       Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt helps any type of nail problem.  It is also used for alopecia and hair loss with Nat mur.

Several cell salts can be combined in water to assist you with various imbalances.  Put (4) of each in a liter of water.  Let sit for a couple of minutes and then give the liter bottle a quick bang or two on your palm or the table.  Just drink through the day.  When you refill your water bottle add more cell salts.

If you would like to learn more about Cell Salts a good, “user-friendly” book  is Natural Healing with Cell Salts by Dr. Skye Weintraub.  You can order this and several other books on cell salts at the link to the right of this page.                                                                                                                                                          

REASONS TO EXERCISE DAILY

 1.   Reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout the body.

 2.   Keeps weight under control.

 3.   Improves blood cholesterol levels.

 4.   Prevents and reduces high blood pressure.

 5.   Prevents bone loss.

 6.   Boosts energy level.

 7.   Helps manage stress.

 8.   Releases tension.

 9.   Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well.

10.  Improves self-image.

11.  Counters anxiety and depression and increases enthusiasm and optimism.

12.  Increases muscle strength, giving greater capacity for other physical activities.

13.  Provides a way to share an activity with family and friends.

14.  Establishes good heart healthy habits in children and counters the conditions (obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, poor lifestyle habits, etc.) that lead to heart attack and stroke later in life.

15.  In older people, it helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging and maintains quality of life and independence longer.

This article is from the Health and Longevity magazine, 2010

LIONS, TIGERS AND FLEAS! OH MY!

I've had several people ask me what to do about fleas in the house and on their animals.  The fix is fairly simple and best of all it's natural and non-toxic.

You will need:

1 pound of cut black walnut leaves

1-2 pie tins (I buy the package of aluminum tins- 6 to a package) for each room

2 large lemons

2 cups of water in a small saucepan

Place about a cup of the walnut leaves in each pie tin.  Make a fist and grind the leaves gently 4-5 times to release the oils.  Place these tins under the beds, sofas, etc. around the house.  Once a week you will need to grind the same leaves again.

Meanwhile, cut the lemons into thin slices, cross-wise, and place them in the water.  Bring the water to a boil, cover and turn off the heat.  Let this sit over night without lifting the lid.  In the morning strain the liquid into a spray bottle.  Push the animals fur away from the natural way it lays and spray.  Be careful to keep it out of the animal's eyes as it will burn.  Repeat this once a week until you haven't seen a flea for a month.

That's it!  Easy, cheap and it works.  The fleas seem to jump around more for the first 12-24 hours and then they are just gone!

Below is a company that will mail bulk herbs to you. 

Herb Products Company

11664 Tuxford St. Ste. A

Sun Valley, CA 91352

(818) 767-6134

(800) 877-3104

www.herbproducts.com 

METABOLIC SYNDROME

METABOLIC SYNDROME (also known as Syndrome X and Insulin Resistance Syndrome) is an epidemic sweeping America.  A syndrome is a cluster of symptoms or risk factors which make up a disease picture.  See the following symptoms:

Abdominal Obesity- a waistline of more than 40 inches if you are a man or 35 inches if you are a woman.

Elevated fasting glucose (blood sugar) above 100 mg/dl.

Blood pressure above 140/90mm Hg.

Triglycerides above 150 mg/dl.

LDL (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) above 130 mg/dl.

HDL (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) below 35 mg/dl.

Inflammation- High CRP

If the above readings are not corrected, they can lead to serious problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, etc.

Exercise- even walking helps to correct some of the problems.  It relieves stress, raises your metabolism and burns fat making it easier to loose weight.  It keeps you more flexible.  30-60 minutes per day.  You want to keep your heart rate at a safe number during exercise.  The formula for this number is 220-your age x .65 = a safe heart rate.  i.e., your age is 50.  So, 220 - 50 x .65 = 110.  If you exercise too hard it will not only stress your heart but cause inflammation in the body. 

Diet- should be low in processed foods, refined grains, red meat and sugar.  All meats and dairy products should be hormone free.

Eat foods which are considered to have a low glycemic level and glycemic load.

Glycemic Level (GI)- how a certain food will affect your blood sugar levels.  i.e., is it fast-releasing or slow-releasing?

Glycemic Load (GL)- looks at the type of carbohydrate (GI) as well as the amount of carbohydrates found in the food and combines these factors to create a real number you can count on.  Multiply the GI number by the number of carbohydrate grams it contains to arrive at the GL. Here are two sites that list the GI levels of foods.

http://www.herbalvitality.info/aw/glycemic_index.htm

http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS

Vitamins and Minerals

A man or woman’s vitamin/mineral such as
Rainbow Light or New Chapter

Nature's Plus- Folic Acid Hearts
Jarrow- Vitamin D3- 2000 to 5000 IU per day

Cholesterol
Nature's Way- Thisilyn (Milk Thistle) do this 

with one of the other formulas

Solaray- Cardio Complete

Solaray- Yeast Rice with COQ10

Dolisos- Common Juniper (gemmotherapy)

Jarrow - Choless Optimizer

Blood Pressure

Kyolic- Garlic- do this with one of the others
Futurebiotics- Pressure-Lo

Jarrow- Pressure Optimizer

Pre-Diabetes- one of the below product
Lidtke- GlycoTrol

Himalaya- GlucoCare (Ayurvedic formula)

Pharmacist Recommendeds- Blood Sugar Formula

Jarrow- Glucose Optimizer

Inflammation
Enzymedicas’ Repair or Garden of Lifes' Wobenzym N
Nordic Naturals’ Arctic Omega

Alkaline water  www.myvollara.com/jeannezeebschecter1
(alkaline water hydrates and reduces inflammation in the body at a 
cellular level.)  See my blog articles in the archive on 
The Benefits of Drinking Water and Alkaline Water.

HOMEOPATHICS

Based on the rubrics (symptoms): Obesity, Hypertension, Hypercholesterol, Diabetes II and General Inflammation (achiness).  It is always better to have your Homeopathic Constitutional case taken.  See the article on The Types of Homeopathy in the archive.

Aurum metallicum- serious, intense, idealistic people with high standards for self. Successful, responsible people.  Depression, often suicidal thoughts.  Ailments from grief or disappointed love or business losses.  Better with music.  Chilly.  Aversion to meat.  Desires milk, coffee, alcohol, wine, sour things, bread and pastries.

Calcarea carbonica- these people have a strong sense of duty and responsibility.  They feel over-burdened, overwhelmed, have a despair of recovery, anxiety about health and are worse hearing bad news. They may have nightmares.  Chilly.  Desires eggs, ice cream, salt and sweets.  Aversion to meat, milk, boiled things and fat. 

Lachesis muta- passionate, intense, jealous, suspicious, loquacious (very talkative) people.  There may be sarcasm and  anger.  They can be depressed and feel anxious on awakening.  Ailments from grief, disappointed love, conscience.  Warm blooded.  Desires for coffee, alcohol, wine, oysters, farinaceous food, sour foods.  Worse from tobacco. 

Lycopodium clavatum- they usually have a low self esteem with an external bluff of confidence.  Lack of self discipline, indecisive, anxiety about health and conflicts.  Weeps from sentimental events or when thanked.  Stage fright.  Slightly chilly.  Desire for sweets, pastries, alcohol.  Averse to boiled food.  Great deal of flatulence from cabbage, beans, onions and oysters.

Sulphur-  intellectual, philosophical, theorizing people.  Anxiety about health only when sick.  Critical of others.  Needs to be praised and appreciated by others.  They can have a bragging demeanor.  Very warm-blooded.  Ravenous appetite.   Aversion to meat.  Desire for sweets, spicy food, alcohol.

The New Glucose Revolution Life Plan: Discover How to Make the Glycemic Index the Foundation for a Lifetime of Healthy Eating [Paperback]

Dr. Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller M.D. M.D. (Author), Johanna Burani (Author), Kaye Foster-Powell M. Nutr & Diet (Author), Kaye Foster-Powell B.SC. M. Nutri. & Diet (Author)

ALKALINE WATER

Here's an article my husband, Michael posted not long ago.  He explains the benefits of drinking alkaline water.  

My wife, Jeanne & I, were talking yesterday about the three features of alkaline water. It is difficult to pick just one out. Let's look at alkaline waters' three characteristics.

The first feature is the most commonly known, alkalinity. Most people even call ionic water alkaline water. In fact I called this blog "Alkaline Water Geek."

The reason alkalinity is so important is because most of us have a slightly acidic pH. Our general lifestyles make our bodies acidic. The food we eat and what we drink creates this toxic condition in our bodies.

I don't know where you are starting from, so let me back up. pH or "potential of hydrogen" is a scale from 0-14, 0 being most acidic and 14 being most alkaline. The range of pH of human blood is between 7.35-7.45, a pretty tight window. Our bodies will do almost anything to keep the blood at its proper pH. When we drink ionic water we move our bodies from the acidic range to a more alkaline state. That seems very important.

The second characteristic of ionic water is micro clustering. Normally, water comes to us is in a big bunch of molecules. This doesn't work very well in our bodies, so the water doesn't hydrate us very well. Most of us have the experience of drinking a lot of water and urinating shortly after that. What is the point? In water's natural state, it is micro clustered, that is instead of this big glob of molecules, it is in a smaller group of 6 molecules. The Japanese call it snowflake water. Any of you that have seen Dr. Emoto's photographs of water will know why they look like snowflakes. If you have not seen his book, The Hidden Messages in Water, google Emoto's water or pictures and you're in for a treat.

This micro clustering creates these little snowflakes that fit perfectly into our cells. All living things are programmed to use this snowflake water. When you put fresh flowers into micro clustered water they live a lot longer than putting them in regular water. When water freezes it returns to this micro clustered state. Unfortunately when it returns to its liquid state, it also returns to the way it was before it froze. What does this mean for us? When we drink micro clustered water our bodies can use the water the way God intended. We can hydrate our cells.

When we are first born we are a higher percentage of water than when we are older. Most of the water in our bodies as infants is in our cells. As we age, most of the water in our bodies is outside our cells where it has little value to our health & well being. When we drink micro clustered water we are re-hydrating our cells. This brings water, nutrients and oxygen back into the cells. This also removes built up toxins and waste products from the cells. Wow, that sounds pretty important.

The third characteristic of ionized water is that it is rich in antioxidants. As the water passes through the ionic water machine, the water is negatively charged. That means it has electrons that are negatively charged. When we drink the ionized water these negative electrons seek out free radicals and neutralize them. Free radicals cause a lot of damage in the body and antioxidants are very important in keeping the damage to a minimum.

If you would like to learn more, visit Michaels' blog, Alkaline Water Geek.  The link is under "Related Links" to the right.

STAY IN THE MOMENT!

Deepak Chopra writes, “An astonishing fact is that more people die on Monday mornings at nine o'clock than at any other time of the week. Presumably no other animal knows the difference between Monday and Tuesday. The difference is an idea, a notion, a thought--what Monday means to us is how we interpret it.”

This morning I asked Mac (my dog) what day it is and if he even cares. He just waged his tail and ran off, "being" in the moment...chasing bugs, spiders, lizards and leaves blowing in the wind. I guess that is his way of saying "EVERY day is the BEST day to be fully alive. Mondays don't have to be so ruff." :o)

Enjoy your Monday--just "Be" the dog!

Peace, Dennis

Dennis Merritt Jones, D.D.

www.DennisMerrittJones.com

Dennis Merritt Jones, Author of The Art of Being, 101 Ways to Practice Purpose in Your Life, Life Purpose Coach, Keynote Speaker, Guiding People to Purpose

THE BENEFITS OF DRINKING WATER

Water is vital to our health. 

Our bodies are composed of 70-75% water.  Water is a component of every cell in the body.  Most of the physiological processes that take place in the body require water to make things run smoothly.  Did you know that the average, healthy person can endure a three to ten day fast without physical harm- as long as they are drinking adequate amounts of water.  However, going without food and water for only three days can put the body into severe dehydration and begin to damage organs.

Mild dehydration is responsible for many symptoms we experience.  Often, a mild headache can be relieved by drinking two glasses of water.  Try it and wait 15 minutes before you reach for the ibuproben.  Just to be clear, I'm talking about drinking water, not coffee, tea, juice or soda.  Coffee has a diuretic action on the body.  It actually takes out water!  The body wants plain water, the cleaner the better.

Let's take a look at a few of the benefits we experience when drinking adequate amounts of water:

1. Water carries waste products from every cell to the kidneys where they are excreted in the urine.  Many doctors believe drinking enough water helps to prevent kidney stones.  Toxins are more easily carried out from the liver in a hydrated body.  A build up of toxins can make you feel sluggish and irritable.  It's more diffucult to concentration. 

2. Adequate water can help to reduce infections in the body.  The lymphatic system breaks down toxins like caffeine before it goes into the blood.  The lymphatic system doesn't flow properly without enough water in the system. 

3.  The skin has more elasticity and looks younger and plumper with adequate water.

4.  Continual flushing of the bladder with water helps to prevent cystitis (bladder infections).  You don't want concentrated urine sitting for long periods in the bladder if you're trying to prevent infection.

5.  Chronic constipation if often eliminated with adequate water.

6.  Contrary to most thinking, drinking more water reduces edema (water retention) from the body.  If the body is short on water it will retain whatever there is for maintenance of your daily processes.  You can flush out the salts which are holding onto the water by drinking more water.

7.  A lack of water reduces the saliva in the mouth.  Saliva helps to wash away bacteria.  Halitosis (bad breath) can occur in a dry mouth from the build up of bacteria on the teeth and tongue.

8.  The blood is 85-90% water!  The blood carries oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body.  And, it carries out cellular waste.  A lack of adequate water will reduce the volume of blood.  The blood can become slightly sticky and this cases inflammation in the blood vessels.  We now know that inflammation is the beginning process of most diseases.  If less oxygen is carried, cramping can occur in the muscles.  A lack of water causes lactic acid to build up in the muscles.  That causes aches and pains and that crunchy sensation you experience when your muscles are massaged.

9.  The brain is 75-80% water.  The electrical synapsis' (connections) that occurs from one neuron to another travel through water.  Thinking, concentration and memory are at a higher quality with a hydrated brain.

10. Water regulates our body temperature.  Most of us were told by our doctors to get rest and to drink more fluids when sick with a fever.

How do we loose water?

Sweating- you loose about two cups of water a day through perspiration.  If you exercise or your feet sweat, it's more that that.

Breathing- you expel between two and four cups of water every day.  Don't believe me?  Exhale onto a mirror and look at the moisture.  How many times do you exhale every minute, hour or every day?

Urination- Each time you urinate you loose about a cup of water.  If your urine is an intense yellow or dark, you are probably not drinking enough water.  You want it to be pale yellow or clear.  (Some medications and supplements can change the color of your urine.)

How much water is enough? 

Generally, drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day .  Some experts say we should drink half our body weight in ounces.  I tend to think that is more accurate.  It's also very good to drink down two full glasses first thing in the morning.

"Water is the single most important material for the existence and support of human life and health."

My next post will talk about Alkaline Water.