This Summer, Stay Wet on the Inside

The human body consists largely of water -- muscle tissue, for

example, is a surprising 75%. In the course of a normal day, we

lose some of this water, and, like a car with a leaky radiator, if we

don't constantly replace what we lose, we can go from well-oiled

machine to wheezing wreck. Everyone has seen television footage

of marathon runners stumbling towards the finish line, their

disorientation and spastic-like movements clearly indicating an

extreme state of dehydration. These graphic images highlight the

crucial role that water plays in virtually every bodily process, and

the problems that can occur when it is deficient.

But it's not only masochistic athletes who fall prey to dehydration.

It's very easy, especially in summer, to spend too long playing or

working in the sun and forget to replace the moisture lost through

even relatively mild exertions. That throbbing headache is the

body's friendly reminder to, "Drink more water next time, dummy!"

Many health practitioners believe that a large proportion of the

North American population suffers chronically from mild

dehydration. This condition is blamed for symptoms such as fatigue

and poor metabolism and it may also contribute to the

development of other illnesses, including rheumatoid arthritis, high

cholesterol and blood pressure, and many of the diseases

associated with aging.

How could such an abnormal situation come about? A poor diet,

deficient in moisture-rich fruit and vegetables, is no doubt partly

responsible.

Another food-related cause is that people don't seem to realize

they are thirsty anymore: Apparently, 37% of the population

mistakes thirst for hunger. This causes them to compound their

health problems by overeating. For these people, a simple glass of

water may be the best diet they ever tried.

What You Need to Know About Hydration

People are often surprised to learn that they can lose 2.5 liters of

water per day despite minimal activity. Even while sitting on the

couch watching television, water is lost with every breath.

Obviously, the higher temperatures and increased physical activity

of summertime will markedly increase the amount of water that

most of us will lose each day.

How much water do we need to drink to be fully hydrated? As a

starting point, The Institute of Medicine advises men to drink 3.0

liters (13 cups) per day and women 2.2 liters (9 cups). You should

then estimate whether your bodyweight and level of activity

warrants more or less than the average person and set that as

your daily goal.

What is the best source for our daily water quota? Health

authorities advise us to minimize alcoholic, caffeinated, and sugar-

rich beverages because of their poor hydrating qualities. Fruit juice

is expensive and sometimes sugar-laden. The simplest solution --

ordinary tap water --is highly variable: It is often so over-

processed that it tastes "dead" and is devoid of any useful

nutrients. Conversely, it can be a foul-tasting chemical cocktail.

Many turn to bottled water as an alternative, but this is expensive,

inconvenient, and a lottery in regard to composition.

So, is there another option available that can provide good-

tasting, effectively hydrating water at an affordable price? Yes

there is: home ionized water.

The Magic of Ionized Water

Those who have sipped from a clear mountain stream have

experienced the sort of water that our bodies have been designed

by nature to respond to.

The main reason for the refreshing taste of wild, flowing water is

that it becomes ionized as it crashes through the countryside,

picking up naturally occurring alkaline electrolytes along the way.

But it"s much more than just a nice tasting drop that encourages

us to fully hydrate. The alkaline nature of this water enables it to

act like an expensive sports drink, neutralizing the acids that build

up in our bodies due to normal metabolic processes and exercise.

The electrolytes also act as antioxidants, scavenging for free

radicals that, if left unchecked, progressively degenerate our body

tissues.

A Mountain Stream in Your Home

Fortunately, we don't have to head into the wilderness every time

we want to benefit from nature's perfect hydrating fluid. A water

ionizer is a device that turns ordinary tap water into clean alkaline

ionized water --every time the tap is turned on. It purifies and

enhances domestic water in a two-step process. First, harmful

contaminants are filtered out, and then electrolysis is used to split

the flow into two separate streams: ionized alkaline water for

drinking and cooking; and ionized acid water for other household

uses.

Users of water ionizers often describe the taste as "smooth and

silky".

And it's not only the taste that entices people to willingly consume

their full daily ration; many find that their long-lost innate thirst

returns after making the switch. This is surely a clue that ionized

water is a product that we should be consuming.

Other users, especially athletes, enthuse about improvements in

their performance and general wellbeing since making ionized

water their beverage of choice. They believe that the product's

high oxygen-carrying capacity coupled with its ability to rapidly

hydrate and treat lactic acid buildup have contributed to their

progress.

Modern consumers have become justifiably wary of the hype and

unsubstantiated claims that surround many "breakthrough" health

products.

The benefits and cost-effectiveness of water ionization, however,

can be verified by independent laboratory results and comparative

tables.

Interested readers are invited to click the link below for further

details.