Water is without doubt THE most important nutrient available to us, yet it is also the one that is most frequently overlooked. Although deficiencies of other nutrients can be sustained for months or even years, a person can only survive a few days without water. Indeed, scientists rank water second only to oxygen as essential for life.
Approximately 60% of our total body weight and 80% of our brain is made up of water. Water plays a vital role in all bodily functions and is the main component of all the blood that travels through your body, carrying oxygen to your cells, muscles and organs.
Water is a universal medium for biochemical reactions, joint lubrication, nutrient delivery, waste disposal, heat dispersion and temperature regulation.
Yet, many people are so dehydrated that they become sick. In his book, Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, Dr. F. Batmanghelidj reports how many diseases can be attributed to chronic dehydration and how drinking sufficient amounts of water, our most important nutrient, can resolve many of these health concerns.
When we don’t drink enough water, our bodily processes slow down, electrolytes and other nutrients can’t be transported properly, cell function reduces, heat-loss becomes difficult, and waste products and toxins are not efficiently eliminated through the kidneys and build up in our body over time.