Edit Your Choice of Liquids
No matter what your ancestry, blood type, height or personality, there is one prominent feature that your body shares with all humanity. Your body is 50-65% water. How simple could it be?
Water is a primary feature in your body’s many functions. That makes it vital for your health.
What do you drink on a regular basis? Most of us would say that all of our beverages are water-based. Coffee and tea are made with water. Even fruit has a high percentage of water, so fruit juice has a water base. These fill the need, right? But are all beverages recognized by your body as water?
Perhaps … provided they aren’t actually high-calorie sugar infusions or zero-calorie chemical infusions. Those added ingredients “can actually dehydrate the body,” says Dr Elson Haas, integrative-medicine physician in San Rafael, CA. Caffeinated, sweetened and alcoholic beverages bring with them chemical baggage that requires significant amounts of fluid to process and filter. And some of these are not easily cleared from the body.
If you regularly consume fruit juice – a breakfast tradition for many – you are ingesting a high level of sugar that presents many challenges for your body. But it’s a natural source, you say. Yes, mostly. Without the fiber of the fruit itself, however, fruit juice contains a high concentration of fructose, which must be processed in your liver and still causes a quick spike in blood sugar levels. If your fruit juice comes from the grocery store, have you checked the ingredient label. You may be surprised to find there are some non-fruit ingredients. Oh my – not as natural as you thought!
Your body begs for water in many ways. We all know the normal symptoms of thirst, but did you know that a headache is often a sign of dehydration? As is fuzzy thinking and sleepiness. Support your body’s natural functions by pouring a glass of water and chugging.
How do you edit your approach when you are accustomed to drinking very little actual water? One glass at a time! Start with a glass of water first thing in the morning for the next several days. Once you are comfortable with that, add another glass later in the day – perhaps in place of another beverage that you would normally consume. The more you trade water for other beverages, the better your body will function and you will begin to see the difference in your skin.
Edit your beverage choice and drink a glass of water, or two. Your body will thank you, and your wallet may also.
