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Miracle ModuleOf all the atoms,
molecules and compounds on
Earth there is one that, above all, is the most important to life and
health.
This molecule is unique and yet common. It is so important that no
life, as we
know it, can exist without it and is so common that most of us take it
for
granted. Throughout history
more wars have been over
control of this resource. Parks are created so we can look at it.
Resorts are
built so we can be near it. Communities are built around it. This molecule is the
smallest molecule and
only a few atoms, in their natural state, are smaller. It comes the
closest of
any substance to being a universal solvent. It has a very simple
formula. As you may have
guessed it is water. It is
made of one atom of oxygen and two atoms of hydrogen. It makes up
between 60%
and 70% of the adult body. A friend is
undergoing chemotherapy. She has
been having a hard time. Pain and fatigue have made it hard for her to
get out
of bed at least a quarter of the time. As you might expect
she asked her oncologist.
He had no solution. She asked her primary doctor. Still, there was
nothing to
alleviate the symptoms. She finally called
the support number for the
company that makes the chemicals. The nurse on duty said that the
solution
might sound silly because it is too simple. This chemotherapy is also a
powerful diuretic. That is, it causes the body to loose water. The solution was to
drink more water. Very
simple, she is to drink about a gallon of water every day. She was also
told
not to expect everything to improve immediately. It will take several
weeks for
the hydration to come back into balance. What the body needed
was re-hydration. The
fluid levels had diminished. Water was needed in the body. Water is
part of
everything we drink. Even so, anything that contains alcohol or
caffeine and
many teas are diuretics. This also includes other compounds and
additives, like
some artificial sweetener, carbonation and lemon. Fruit and vegetable
juices and some teas
hydrate the body. The best is still water. Depending where you get your
water
you may want to either by bottled water of filter the water. Remember
that
carbonation is a diuretic, even if it comes naturally as in sparkling
spring
water. Water is not enough.
There are lots of sports
drinks that are made specifically for hydration. They all have
electrolytes to
replenish the electrolytes that you sweated away. What this really
amounts to
is a pinch of salt added to the drink. All life, as we know
it, is bases on salt
water. If you have tasted blood you know that it is salty. Many believe
that
the salt levels in the body are the same as the salt concentration of
the
oceans at the time life began on Earth. There is only one
substance that we know of
that is lighter, less dense, when it changes from the liquid to a
solid. When
water freezes it turns into ice. Ice floats on water. Ice is very unique.
It is, as we said, the
only substance that in the solid state floats on the liquid form of the
same
substance. It is also the substance that all live depends on. In winter, in our
area of the country, the
lakes freeze over. Ice forms on the top. Sometimes the ice is several
feet
thick. However, under that ice there is still water. Under the water
there is
mud and in the mud are organizes from microbes to reptiles like turtles
and
frogs. In the water between the ice and mud, fish still swim. If ice, like all
other substances, sank then
the bottoms of the oceans, most rivers and lakes would be coated with
ice. In
the cold periods the entire body of water would freeze. This would
include not
only winters but also the ice ages. The oceans, the This unique, this
miraculous molecule called
water floats when it freezes. This miracle makes life possible. Yet
this is not
the only quality that is miraculous. Water makes up most
of blood. Dissolved in
that water is salt, vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and
both oxygen
and carbon dioxide. Everything that each cell needs to support life
must come
in and leave through this steam of water called blood. If the percent of
water drops then the
concentration of the other chemicals rise. This is what is called
dehydration.
The remedy for dehydration is increasing the intake of water. Remember
that
caffeine, alcohol, many herbal teas and carbonated drinks are
diuretics, they
do not re-hydrate. Although we usually
hear about increasing the
intake of water, there are limits. Too much water and the blood becomes
diluted. The kidneys then remove the excess water. Along with that
other
chemicals are removed. This is the natural way that the body detoxifies. We often hear that
it is good to exercise
until you sweat. Another suggestion we hear is to sit in a sauna or
sweat lodge
to purify the system. Like the kidneys, the skin removes excess water
and
toxins. This is called perspiration or sweating. We rarely hear about
people having too much
water. It is possible to take on too much water. The kidneys and skin
will
remove the excess water. Unfortunately other substances are removed.
These
organs remove toxins and also vitamins and minerals. When salt is
removed the
electrolyte levels drop. If the blood does
not have enough water then
the organs hold onto the water. That means that the toxins in the
system are
retained. The body requires between one ounce of water for every two
pounds and
one ounce for every pound of body weight. The more toxins
entering the body the more
water is needed to purge the toxins. We get lots of toxins in everyday
life. If
you drive a car, you breathe in the toxins from the other cars. If you
smoke or
are on chemotherapy you are taking in massive amounts of toxins. When the levels of
toxins are increased the
amount of water should go up to the one ounce for each pound. This
allows the
body to remove the excess toxins. The amount of electrolytes, vitamins
and
minerals must also be increased. Like everything else
there are exceptions.
People with kidney problems may not be able eliminate the excess fluids
or may
place and added strain on already weak kidneys. There are some heart
conditions
where the body retains water. Again, the added water is a problem for
these
people. The symptoms of
dehydration are plentiful.
Many people with recurring headaches can get rid of them by drinking
water. Leg
cramps are another common symptom of dehydration. One of the most
common
symptoms of dehydration are aches and pains, similar to those of the
flu. Drinking water is
the best way to detoxify.
Nearly every weight control program insists on increasing the intake of
water.
Every exercise program recommends the increase in water intake. Most
medications have a recommendation for added water. Water is the key to
life. It is also the key
to good health. It is the simplest and one of the smallest molecules.
It is a
miracle. Remember our friend. After weeks of suffering with side effects from the chemotherapy she was finally told that the side effects are usually caused by dehydration. The solution is the miracle molecule, water. Return |
