Moisture is the Essence of Wetness

When I think hydration, I think of the movie Zoolander and the Merman commercial.  Not only is it funny, but it has some truth.  Yes, water is the essence of wetness, but also the essence of LIFE.  Did you know that we can only survive a couple days without water, but we can go a couple of weeks without food?  Yet most people worry more about their food intake then their water intake.  Our bodies are made up of over 60% water, yet most people don't even bother to drink the stuff!  Believe me...most people need more WATER not food.  Your body uses water to expel toxins and also to keep your system flexible, lubricated and running smoothly.  Without water our body doesn't function properly.  There have been doctors that actually treat people who suffer major health issues with a simple procedure called, "drinking more water".  They tell their patients drink more water and magically their symptoms vanish and they are "cured". Yes--drinking more water can have a very positive effect on the overall health of your body.  


Water is so important, that Chris and I made it our first change/step in our new search for true health.  To be honest, I was already drinking the proper amount of water because I truly love drinking water.  Chris on the other hand, has had to really focus and gradually increase his water consumption.  However, in just under a week, he has managed to take in at least 50% and is steadily rising and has almost hit that 75% mark.  
So what do I mean by 50-75% water intake.  It depends on each individuals weight.  Take your weight, times it by the percentage (goal being 50-75%), and that is the amount of ounces of water you NEED on a daily basis. 
For example someone who weighs 150 lbs: 150 x .75= 112.5 ounces of water every day. 


Now that may seem like a lot of water.  Take it slow! Start off with less and increase from there.   The point is to START drinking water...and lots of it.  
I have started measuring out the girls water intake and was surprised to see how little water they actually drank in a day.  I have them right now drinking about half of what they really need, but they are drinking it and I have noticed a difference.  They haven't asked for near as many snacks.  Their bodies are starting to tell them thirst instead of hunger, which is a huge sign they needed more water.  


A helpful hint:  We fill each of our water jugs the night before, so in the morning we have all the water we need to drink ready to go for that day (and its at room temperature).  I have the girls mugs, that I have written their names on, out and easily accessible.  This way we each know exactly how much we have drank and how much more we need to drink for the day. This is one area that is easy to measure, which makes it easy to manage. 


One of my friend's blog that I follow did an amazing job of a clarifying the importance of water and then giving a hydration challenge.  Check it out and challenge yourself:)
http://naturalhealthgoddess.blogspot.com/2011/02/our-bodies-are-made-from-water.html


Cheers to hydration and hopefully a lot more glasses full of water!!
And for those of you who need a laugh...I attached the movie clip for your viewing pleasure:)...there is some non-kid friendly language at the end..just FYI. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOfpXBO4LUw&feature=related