One important thing to understand is the body’s natural defenses and how you can protect yourself. People are always asking me “Where do I start?” This may sound silly – but the place you want to start is with hydration. If you are not getting enough water then every other system in your body is affected. Your body systems will literally become sluggish if you are neglecting this simple foundation.
If you are trying to fix your immune system, avoid getting sick, and boost your defenses, then make water your new best friend. Check out this video from Dr. Tom O’Bryan where he talks about the importance of staying hydrated.
Hydration is Key for Healthy Body Function
When we are not drinking enough water our system gets backed up. Think about a car in the wintertime. If you were to back your car up to a snowbank and clog your tailpipe then the car would begin to fill with the exhaust. It wouldn’t be exiting the car as it should. Similarly, our body needs everything flowing properly in order to function well. Dehydration has that type of effect on the body.
How Much Water Should I Drink?
If you are only going to change or add one thing to your day in order to improve your health I recommend adding 1/2 ounce of water per pound of body weight. This means if you weigh 150 pounds then you need 75 ounces of water per day. Since 128 ounces are in a gallon of water a 150 pound person would drink a little more than half of a gallon per day.
Most people begin their day the same way, which is going to the bathroom. After that, the very next thing I do is drink two big 8 ounce glasses of water. Sometimes people are worried that this will make them feel full, but really, it will go away quickly. Your body is ready to absorb the water – especially first thing in the morning.
After a couple of days drinking two glasses of water in the morning, your body will be working better. This might show up in the form of better functioning bowels or a clearer head.
Can I Drink Other Fluids, Do They Count?
The simple answer to this is no, they do not count. When you drink Coca-Cola, orange juice, cranberry juice, kombucha, or anything other than water your body has to filter it before it can absorb it into the cells. Unfortunately, other types of fluids activate some sort of immune response in the body. This is why it is so important to drink regular water; your thirsty cells can get what they need right away through osmosis.
