We have a close friend who has meditated daily for more than fifty years. One of her first teachers in the late 1960s was Yogi Ramacharaka, who strongly believed that most health problems could be avoided or resolved by drinking regularly throughout the day.
Half a century later, our friend still sips regularly from the water bottle she carries everywhere, because credits the practice with keeping her in remarkably good health and free from illness over the decades.
During a protracted drought in the 1970s, the pond at the yoga community where our friend was living dried up. During a community meeting to address the issue, the group’s spiritual director joked, “I know the garden has been seriously affected by the drought, and of course the blame leads straight to Asha, who drank it all.”
That said – is it true that water can help keep us remarkably healthy, and that a personal “drought” can place our health at risk?
Water plays a critical role in many important physiological functions.
It’s estimated that 80 percent of all illness in the developing world is water-related, and that unsafe water kills nearly 200 children every hour. People can live for a month or longer without food, but for only about a week without water.
Let’s look at some of the roles water plays in keeping us healthy.
- Water regulates body temperature. Water helps cool the body through circulation and perspiration.
- Water lubricates the joints. Water is a component of synovial fluid, which cushions joints and cartilage.
- Water protects organs and tissues.Water protects the spinal cord and other sensitive tissues.
- Water nourishes the cells. Water carries nutrients and oxygen to every one of the body’s 30 to 37 trillion
- Water flushes out waste. Water is required for the kidneys and liver to keep the body free of potentially harmful waste products.
- Water dissolves minerals and nutrients. Water dissolves minerals and nutrients so the body can absorb them.
- Water maintains healthy skin. Water helps maintain healthy skin through proper hydration.
- Water aids digestion. Water is essential for the proper function of digestive processes; it also prevents constipation.
- Water aids weight loss.Water promotes feelings of satiety, potentially reducing calorie intake by making us feel full before meals – also, by boosting our metabolism slightly and aiding in the body’s natural fat-burning processes.
- Water boosts brain function. Seventy percent of the human brain is water. A dehydrated brain is functionally compromised – dehydration is a common complication in individuals with dementia. It can significantly worsen their symptoms and lead to serious health problems.
- Water helps regulate blood pressure. Water helps maintain blood volume and reduces strain on the heart.
- Water helps with physical performance.Drinking water during exercise can improve energy, lower body temperature, and prevent cramps, helping us exercise more efficiently and longer.
- Water helps treat kidney stones.Water dilutes urine so that the urine crystals cannot clump into stones. People who have had a kidney stone should drink at least 2 liters (8 cups), and ideally 3 liters (12 cups), of water per day.
Many people succumb to the common human fallacy of believing that if a little is okay, a lot must be better. However, this is most definitely, and dangerously, not the case with water. Drinking too much water can result in death from “water intoxication.”
How much water should we drink each day?
The amount of water a person should drink daily will depend on their age, gender, activity, health, medication, and other factors.
Most “experts” recommend a minimum of three liters a day for men and about 2.5 liters a day for women. If you’re thirsty, you are most likely dehydrated already.
Best to carry a water bottle and sip from it throughout the day, whether you feel thirst or not – and even if you’ll be accused of endangering the world with drought!
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