Proper Hydration – The 3rd Foundation for a Healthy Life

In this series we give you tips on how to reach your most vibrant health by giving your body what it needs to thrive. Here are the 10 health foundations:

Come back next month to learn more about Digestion and why it is so important. But now, let’s dive into the fascinating world of water and hydration!

A majority of the human body consists of water. The percentage varies with age, sex, and body type, averaging at about 60%, but the number of water molecules is vastly greater than any other molecules like proteins or lipids. In other words, in terms of molecule count, our bodies contain more water than anything else.

Water is crucial to keep the body working correctly. There is water in every single cell of the body, from the brain to the teeth and even the hair. To maintain a healthy balance of water in the body, a person needs to take in enough fluids during the day.

Chemically, water consists of two hydrogen and one oxygen molecules, and they are very, very small. Scientists have found that each cell in the body has thousands of aquaporin proteins in their membrane that channel water molecules into the cell very quickly. No other molecules can pass through these channels, which makes them an effective filter.

Getting adequate water is so important because water is directly involved in countless biochemical reactions essential for cell function, such as energy production, as a solvent, to transport waste- and byproducts, to regulate temperature and many more. Water also has an important structural role in biology. It fills cells to help maintain shape and structure. The water inside the cells creates pressure that opposes external forces.

Outside of the cells but inside the body, water:

• Transports nutrients to organs
• Regulates body temperature through sweating
• Increases blood oxygenation
• Maintains blood pressure
• Maintains Acid/Alkaline ratio
• Lubricates joints and protects sensitive tissues
• Removes toxins.

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than it takes in, leading to an imbalance in the body’s water and electrolyte levels. This can happen from excessive sweating, not drinking enough fluids, but also from vomiting or diarrhea. The first symptoms of dehydration are a feeling of thirst and dark yellow urine. Even with mild dehydration, mood and cognitive function may suffer.

An estimated 20-30% of older adults are chronically dehydrated. Long term subclinical hypohydration – which happens when the body gets less water than what it needs on a regular basis – can have “profound” effects on long-term health and may lead to age-dependent chronic disorders. Which means that improving hydration throughout life may greatly decrease the prevalence of degenerative diseases, with the most profound effect on dementia, heart failure, and chronic lung disease (see 2019 study by JCI Insight, source below).

Since water is so essential to many body’s functions, its quality is of utmost importance. If your drinking water adds more toxins than it removes, your body has a serious problem.

Pristine spring water is not only clean, it is also charged up with earth’s piezoelectric energies. Some would say this water is ‘alive’. In this condition, it perfectly hydrates the body and performs all its functions therein beautifully. However, our city water today is everything but clean and ‘alive’. Not only are there contaminants like arsenic, heavy metals, PFAS (forever chemicals), microplastics, pharmaceuticals, runoff from agricultural and mining productions and more, it is also burdened with toxins that are used to disinfect the water, like chlorine and chlorine byproducts, and floride, which was added to improve dental health but has recently come under scrutiny.

One important step towards adequate hydration is a high quality filter, especially if you are on city or well water. There are many filtration systems out there that are able to remove some or most toxins:

• Activated Carbon Filters are cost effective and easy to use. Solid filtration units remove more contaminants and last longer.
• Reverse Osmosis Filters use a semipermeable membrane. The downside are higher costs and the water it wastes during operation.
• Ceramic filters use a porous ceramic element to filter the water.

If your filtered water is hard to drink and leaves you bloated, it might need to be ‘charged up’ with piezoelectric energy. Even though many products exist that claim they can energize water, there is only one system out there that we are aware of that is actually backed by scientific research: Stirwand™ by Quantum Age Water.

To effectively hydrate the body, especially after a period of (moderate) dehydration, adding some electrolytes will help greatly. There is no need to stress about how many glasses you have to drink each day. Just be conscious to replenish your body’s water when it needs it, especially when you feel thirsty. Remember that you need more to drink during strenuous activities, during hot weather, and on long airplane flights.

If you are used to sweet drinks like soda, energy drinks or fruit juice, consider switching to plain water and enjoy how much healthier you will feel.

Some foods are full of water and will help you hydrate – For instance watermelon and cucumber not only are mostly water, but also have a cooling effect on the body. Soups or stews in contrast are warming and will help you stay better hydrated during the colder months.

Pre-Hydrating is a good idea if you are expecting strenuous exercise or if you plan to go for a blood draw the next day. Making sure you are well hydrated the day before will make it easier to deal with those stresses.

For optimal hydration, you can use the frequency and color of your urine as a guide. If you have not urinated in many hours, you need to drink more, while a pale straw color indicates adequate hydration. Be aware that vitamin supplements can change the color of your urine, for instance vitamin B2 will make it bright yellow, high-dose vitamin C will make it appear light orange.

1. Move in the direction of more clean water. Aim for 48-64 ounces daily. Add 1 serving of electrolytes daily.

We like: Re-Lyte (get yours at the clinic)

2. Water filtration is important, whether your drinking and cooking water comes from a well or city water, it is best if filtered.

We like: Berkey Gravity Filters

3. Avoid drinking bottled water from plastics. Try to drink from a glass or stainless steel drinking container.

We like: Boroux glass bottles

4. Try to drink the majority of water between meals. Set an alert on your phone if you need reminders.
5. Add (unsweetened) teas – green / white /black (if you can tolerate caffeine), herbal teas like mint, chamomile or electrolyte drinks. Try some dandelion root for a delicious coffee-like substitute. Add a splash of lemon and salt into your drink if you like, once or twice a week. Lemon helps the liver, salt helps the kidneys to detox.

We like: Sip Herbals Dandelion Coffee Substitute

6. Avoid sodas, sweetened drinks, and all-day-coffee.

Many people have a hard time drinking enough water when it’s cold, and end up being chronically dehydrated in winter. Chapped lips are one sign of dehydration. Here are a few tips on how to get your body drinking enough during cold weather:

1. Hot or warm drinks.
   Hot tea, warm bone broth, or even just warm water will be easier on your body on cold days and will keep you cozy.
2. Eat foods rich in water.
   Soups and stews are wonderful in winter, for nourishment, for warmth, AND to help the body stay hydrated.
3. Be proactive.
   Have a water bottle with you at all times and keep sipping constantly throughout the day.
4. Use a humidifier.
   Keep the indoor air moist with a humidifier during cold and dry days. Even though this does not hydrate your body directly, it will need less water to moisten your skin, eyes and lungs.

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If you have an underlying medical condition, or you’re worried you may not be getting enough water, ask your healthcare provider for guidance.

Sources

Michele D Allen, Danielle A Springer, Maurice B Burg, Manfred Boehm, Natalia I Dmitrieva
Suboptimal hydration remodels metabolism, promotes degenerative diseases, and shortens life
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6777918

Joe Leech, MS, Medically Reviewed By Jillian Kubala, MS, RD
7 Science-Based Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water#2-Significantly-affects-energy-levels-and-brain-function

Dr. Joseph Mercola
This Could Prevent 3 Million Cases of Degenerative Disease
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/11/22/optimal-hydration-could-prevent-degenerative-disease.aspx

Dr. Joseph Mercola
What Urine Odor Says About Your Health
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/01/03/what-urine-odor-says-about-your-health.aspx

Dr. Joseph Mercola
Current Hydration Guidelines Are Outdated
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/10/28/current-hydration-guidelines-are-outdated.aspx

Quantum Age Water / Stirwand®
https://www.quantumagewater.com/

The Pollack Laboratory
https://www.pollacklab.org/research