Happy Healthy Gut by Jennifer Browne

every day to account for losses, and needs to be replaced through what we eat and drink. The quality of our decisions affects how well this process works. Since foods provide only about one litre of fluid and the remainder must be obtained from what you drink, your choices in this matter are crucial. Some drinks are far more hydrating than others, so try and choose wisely.
    Aside from water, coconut water is definitely my very favorite hydrating bevy. It possesses very few calories, and contains five different electrolytes for efficient hydration, making it the best-ever sports drink. My favorite brand of coconut water is O.N.E. This is not to imply that if you drink coconut water, that you don’t need conventional water; regular, no-frills water is incredibly important to healing and rejuvenation of the entire body, and is absolutely required for proper digestion.
    These are some things that water is needed for most:
It aids digestion and prevents constipation
It keeps your blood thin enough to flow through your blood vessels
Ithelps to eliminate toxins
Water regulates your body temperature by controlling perspiration
It keeps mucous membranes moist, and lubricates joints
It helps your bladder clear out bacteria
It aids in maintaining the health and optimum function of every single cell in your body
Water carries nutrients and oxygen to your cells 208
    If you are chronically dehydrated, you inadvertently increase your risk of developing kidney stones, constipation, urinary tract infections, and certain cancers. 209 Also, chronic dehydration has been linked to obesity, dwindling mental and physical performance, and decreased salivary gland function. Not a great prognosis for something as easily solvable as throwing back a few glasses of water each and every day.
    If you are wondering if you might be dehydrated, check yourself for the following symptoms: headaches, migraines, lethargy, weakness, irritability, dry or cracked lips, dark-colored urine, and thick or foamy saliva. These are all signs of a body that is crying out for some liquid gold, stat!
    We all know that drinking water is good for us. So, why does it seem that it is so difficult for so many people? I am willing to bet that most people living in North America drink less than sixteen ounces of water a day. Our bodies are made up of 60–70% water, depending on our age and the body part. (Example: babies are composed of more water than adults, and adult brains have more water than other adult body parts.) Water helps us stay hydrated in order to eliminate toxins through our urine and perspiration. It helps us keep cool, and our digestive tracts run smoothly. It keeps our skin clear and our other organs happy; particularly the liver and kidneys, which do most of our detoxifying for us.
    I cannot stress enough how important water is. My challenge to you is to record for a week how many eight ounce glassesof water a day you drink. I’m not talking about juice, iced tea, coffee, alcohol, or pop. I’m talking straight-up water, or herbal tea (non-caffeinated). Hint: your daily total should reach around eight, and should be consumed at room temperature.
    Watered down results: try not to consume fluids while you eat. It interferes with proper digestion by diluting our stomach acid, which is responsible for digesting our food. If you have a hard time with digestion, do your stomach a favor and don’t eat and drink at the same time.
    If you are one to pound back the coffee, soda, black or green tea, and/or alcohol and forgo water, then you would still be dehydrated, despite consuming a ton of beverages throughout the day. Between our obsessions with sun tanning and chronically dehydrating ourselves, we’re turning transforming ourselves into giant prunes. Ew!
    If you feel you might benefit from some hardcore, cosmetic reasons to consume more water, then drink this up: regularly providing yourself with adequate amounts of water actually sends a signal to the body telling