Liquid Life

Sip slowly

Before we begin, let us take a moment to think of our closest water source. If you are like me, you may have a water bottle within arm's reach. Maybe there is a sink or water fountain nearby or a pack of water bottles. If you are reading this article, you are likely within steps of access to water. Humans are about 60% water so being close to a good source is essential to our functioning. In macro scope, your water may come from a well, or a great lake, through ponds, streams, rivers, maybe bottles or jugs, and sometimes even the ocean. Recently, fog is also being harvested.

Water helps our bodies in many ways from salvia formation for digestion to delivering oxygen throughout our bodies. This liquid life is a must have for the brain to create hormones and neurotransmitters and as a shock absorber for both the brain and spinal cord. It helps lubricate joints, assist in growing and reproducing cell creation and survival, and flushing body waste. Body temperature is also regulated by water; consider as you sweat outside on a warmer day to help maintain the internal (homeostatic) temperature of the body.

But how much do we need to sustain our body's normal functions?

Well like everything in life, it depends. Here are a few factors to consider:

• Altitude: When we travel to higher altitudes, especially more than 5K feet above sea level, our bodies have to work much harder to maintain balance and oxygen levels. There is less oxygen as you travel upwards, making your body have to work a bit harder. As your body works harder, it loses more water than normal, and replenishment becomes even more critical.

• Gender: The differences between men and women intake is often because men tend to be larger, and women typically have a higher fat content. Fat does not contain as much water as muscles do.

  • Men: recommended 15.5 cup, or 3.7 liters, about 125 oz, or about 2 of these 64oz YETIs a day.

  • Women: recommended is 11.5 cups, 2.7 liters, about 91 oz, or about 2 of these 46oz YETIs a day. This amount is increased during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

• Muscle mass: Muscles retain more water. Meaning just as you need to feed the fibers more protein, they also need to be watered a bit more. If you are big into fitness, you have probably heard from your local "meat head" the simple math of multiplying 0.66 x bodyweight in lbs = water needed in oz. This is not a proven science by Muscle Teach Blog but helps exaggerate the need for water in muscles. Sore muscles need even more water.

• Exercise: Water needs are different depending on the type of exercise being done. Running and swimming are different than weightlifting.

• Climate: Hot vs cold. If you live in a hot or humid climate, more water will be excreted and need to be replaced.

• Health of the body:

  • Obesity: High fat content

  • Fighting sicknesses

  • Kidney problems

  • Age

What are the different types of water?

1. Tap water: from the faucet and usually from a dam or water after being treated.

2. Mineral water: Water taken from underground and enriched with minerals, often calcium and magnesium.

3. Packaged water: Treated through filtration, reverse osmosis, UV, and Ozone, then packaged in containers for distribution.

4. Spring/glacier: Water from springs and glaciers, sometimes with natural minerals.

5. Well: Most commonly used in rural regions where water is used from underground reserves.

6. Distilled water: Water that is purified through distillation. Free of bacteria but also of minerals.

7. Hard water: When water has high mineral content such as limestone, chalk, and gypsum.

8. Alkaline: Water has a PH above 7.0.

How do I make sure my water is safe to drink?

1. Check PH levels.

2. Use a non-plastic filter.

3. Test the water yourself.

4. Look up local water supply.

Are there other ways to stay hydrated other than water?

YES!

• Fruits: Watermelon, apples, peaches

• Vegetables: Spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, watercress, celery, lettuce, zucchini

• Other drinks: coconut water, milk, juice, teas, broth

Am I hydrated YET?

• Colorless/light yellow urine

• Not thirsty

Am I too hydrated?

It is rare but can happen. Kidneys will not be able to get rid of excess water causing sodium levels in blood to be too diluted, causing hyponatremia. This can be life threatening.

World Day Water Day is on March 22, 2023. This day brings awareness to the importance of water and to help raise an alarm about the water crisis in the world. The goal is to help improve water sanitation and scarcity for people.

Impacts of water sourcing on the environment:

-Garbage: Consider how your water is contained. Is it out of a plastic water bottle or jug? One study by the Container Recycling Institute estimates 86% and 38 billion water bottles become litter in our landfills. Much of which will end up also in the oceans and broken down into micro plastics. Every heard the saying, "We consume a credit card a week"? Plastic water bottles play a big part. Also consider the large plastic wrap that holds the packs of water bottles together and the wrap that holds all of the packs together on a single pallet. Even further down the pipeline is considering the materials that are used in plastic. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET-code 1), High-Density polyethylene (HDPE-code 2), or other like BPA (code 7). Codes 1 (PET) and 7 (BPA) are high concerns of chemical leaching if water bottles are left in the sun or if even used. These products are produced from petroleum hydrocarbons through a rigorous process. The first step to producing PET pellets is to extract, refine, and manufacture oil and natural gas. 10.2% of oil source material is produced for water and soda bottles.

-Air: Pollution from oil refineries and factories that produce plastic are dangerous. Especially when people choose or have to incinerate their garbage with plastic in it. This pollution effects the factory workers in and around the plants as well as the people who live close to these factories. Even that "new smell" of a newly purchased plastic item brought to your home is a linked concern to cancer and reproductive problems.

-Labor: People who work in oil refineries and in plastic factories have to be close to many harmful contaminates. Workers who burn garbage in other countries are directly exposed to deteriorating cancers, neurological damage, reproductive and thyroid damage, respiratory issues, rashes, and the list goes on.

-Water: A large amount of water is even needed during the manufacturing process for plastic water bottles. 1.4 gallons is the usual amount necessary to create a single use water/soda bottle.

-Logistics: Did the product go through many countries, factories, trucks, planes, and distribution centers to be delivered? Is the water being sent through pipes or old pipes like in Flint Michigan? Is the source of the water contaminated? Are the brands who are bottling the water emptying out the reserves from wells and streams from other countries where the locals need the water?

Who are the brands who have a big impact on water resources?

-PepsiCo: Aquafina and LIFEWTR, Bubly

-Coca-Cola: Dasani, Smartwater, Vitaminwater, Aquarius, Ciel, AHA

-Nestle: Nestle Pure Life, Poland Springs, Perrier, S. Pellegrino

-Fuji

-Waste: The above companies are the top plastic waste producers found on beaches, on land, and in water. There are no efforts by the companies or by lawmakers to reduce plastic waste.

-Reservoir usage:

-Fuji uses PET resin sourced in China, shipped to Fuji, artisan water is used up from Fuji, and then shipped around world.

-PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have a history of using up and polluting local water sources for residents. Sometimes causing droughts such as in India.

Who is impacted by the water crisis?

-Men

-Women

-Children

How to help:

-water.org

-fightfortheforgotten.org

Soooo what is the best way to drink water?

1. Drink your local tap water! The CDC offers a guideline on how to test your local water and learn about the treatment process.

2. Check for leaks around the home and fix any that are leaking.

3. Consider logistics and manufacturing when purchasing products. If the product is from another country, chances are, large amounts of water was used to send the product to your local grocery store. If there is a lot of packaging, water and oil were most likely used.

4. Meats: choose a local farm or regenerative farm to buy meat. Focus on farms that have a plan for their livestock runoff effecting water ways.

5. Non meats: consider buying from a farmers’ market, in season produce, buy local products, or grow your own garden.

6. Limit daily use of water: shorter showers, turning water off during dishes and brushing teeth, and doing less laundry.

7. A few more ideas.

Thank you for reading!

"Destiny is Mine"

*Reminder* I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Please refer to your medical practitioner for details pertaining to your specific health.