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The Importance of Drinking Water in Weight Loss

Posted March 28, 2016 by qotsm in Health & Fitness

There are several things that we consider important in our lives, but the truth is we need only a few really “Essential” things to live, and the top THREE are Oxygen, Water and Food (and in that exact order). The rule of thumb is that the average person can willingly go about 3 minutes without oxygen, 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food before facing serious physiological repercussions.

The reason for this phenomenon is that our bodies are comprised of about 80% water overall which is necessary because water plays a vital role in nearly every one of our bodily functions. In fact, lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue, and studies show that a mere 2% drop in body water content can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. When it comes to weight loss and weight management, water is essential for proper digestion, nutrient absorption and chemical reactions necessary for metabolism—the carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as foods are broken down and transported by water in the bloodstream.

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Detoxification– Water is also important for proper elimination which, likewise, plays a large role in weight control. When we consume ample water, it helps to remove toxins from the body, in particular from the digestive tract. Furthermore, water helps the body metabolize stored fat. In fact, studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.

Appetite Suppression– Water is a natural appetite suppressant. Furthermore, a University of Washington study revealed that the thirst mechanism in about 37% of Americans is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. Statistically, the study showed that one glass of water (8 oz) shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters evaluated.

Boost Your Immune System – Consistent failure to drink enough water can lead to Chronic Cellular Dehydration. This condition, where the body’s cells are never quite hydrated enough, leaves them in a weakened state and vulnerable to attack from disease. It weakens the body’s overall immune system and leads to chemical, nutritional and pH imbalances that can cause a host of illnesses.

Avoid Seasonal Dehydration-Dehydration can occur at any time of the year, not only during the summer months when it is hot. The dryness that occurs during winter can actually dehydrate the body even faster than when temperatures are hot, and this can be problematic because you tend to eat more when you are dehydrated. Due to the fact that each body is different, the general rule we often hear regarding water is that we should drink about eight (8)8oz-glasses a day which amounts to 64 oz total. However, this can be misleading. The truth of the matter is that we need to drink at least half our body weight in ounces of water every day to provide the body with its minimum water replacement requirements. Triple the intake for better results.

As a General Rule: Avoid Soft Drinks!!

1) Soft Drinks do not actually quench your thirst. Instead they work very much like a diuretic which takes away more water than they provide…leaving you even more thirsty than when you began.

2) Soft Drinks deplete the minerals from your body. Soft Drinks are made with purified water and they also contain elevated levels of phosphates, both of which act to leach vital minerals from your body. A severe lack of minerals can lead to various conditions like heart disease (lack of magnesium) and osteoporosis (lack of calcium) to name a few. Furthermore, most vitamins cannot perform their function in the body without the presence of minerals likewise.

3) Soft Drinks severely interfere with digestion. Caffeine and high amounts of sugar virtually shut down the digestive process. That means your body is essentially taking in NO nutrients from the food you may have just eaten, even that eaten hours earlier.

4) Even Diet Soft Drinks cause troubles! Diet Soft Drinks contain Aspartame, which has been linked to depression, insomnia, neurological disease and a plethora of other illness. The FDA has received more than 10,000 consumer complaints about Aspartame…that’s 80% of all complaints about food additives.

5) Soft Drinks are extremely acidic, so much so that they can eat through the liner of an aluminum can and leach aluminum from the can if it sits on the shelf too long. The more acidic a substance is, the lower its pH. Consider the fact that the human body, in its natural state, exists at a pH of about 7.0. Soft Drinks, to the contrary, have a pH of only about 2.5, which means you are putting something into your body that is hundreds of thousands of times more acidic that your body when consuming a Soft Drink! Why is this a problem? Because diseases flourish in an acidic environment. Soft Drinks and other acidic foods deposit acid waste in the body which accumulates over time in the joints and around the organs. For example, the Body pH of cancer or arthritis patients is always low. This means, the sicker the person, the lower the Body pH.

Dr Yolanda Lewis RaglandStay posted for more tips on weight loss and wellness!
Remember…this is your year!

Written By: Yolanda Lewis-Ragland, MD, FAAP, FABOM


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