Water and Dehydration

Dehydrated?.....    Drinking Lots of Water is NOT the answer!

Why are so many people advising us to drink tons of water these days so we won’t get dehydrated? Some might say it is just a bottled water marketing campaign. Growing up, nobody carried around water bottles everywhere, sipping every 5 minutes or so. When you look around at nature, do you see any animals carrying water bottles with them? They naturally drink only occasionally when their body tells them to.

This is a look at cellular dehydration from the perspective of a Naturopathic doctor, Dr. Robert Morse. Dr. Morse understands dehydration to be a much deeper problem than one would otherwise think.

So Why Are We Dehydrated?.....

It is not because we don’t drink enough water. It is because our body’s internal chemistry is becoming more and more acidic from eating the “Standard American Diet” along with our toxic lifestyles. This acidic condition, called “acidosis” causes our bodies to dehydrate at the cellular level. What we eat, drink, breathe and put on our skin is how we bring “chemistry” into our body. An acidic body chemistry is the beginning of many other health issues - pain, inflammation, swelling, calcium depletion, cholesterol and all the “itises”.

A Look at pH.....

There are only two sides in chemistry - acid and base (alkaline). The human body is healthiest when it is more alkaline. This means we need to eat foods that make us more alkaline (around 80%) to 20% acid-forming foods. There are lots of pH charts available on the internet showing which foods are more alkaline and which are more acidic to the body. An acidic body means a dehydrated body.

The Lymph System connection....

Proper hydration is related to the lymph system. Our lymph system is our body’s sewage removal system, about 4 times bigger than the blood. When the body is acidic and the lymph system is congested and stagnated, the lymph fluid around all of our cells begins to agglomulate (stick together). Nutrients are hindered from getting into the cells, and the cell’s wastes aren’t being removed. The body is becoming even more acidic and dehydrated. This is NOT a form of dehydration that can be simply reversed by drinking 8 glasses of water a day.

It can and often does take a while to re-hydrate the body at the cellular level. It requires the elimination pathways to be opened up, the lymph system moving properly and the kidneys filtering well. As the body begins removing the acidic wastes through the lymph system, it will become more alkaline and more re-hydrated.

Diet is the key....

A healthy alkaline diet high in raw veggies and fruits will help speed up the re-hydration process. Keep acid-forming foods to a minimum, which includes meats, grains, legumes, dairy and sweets. A side note: drinking very high pH water is not recommended in your effort to re-hydrate or alkalize the body.

Why fruits are the best at re-hydrating....

Fruits are the most astringent, alkalizing and detoxifying of all foods. They are also the highest form of food energetically. Fruits naturally contain water, a balance of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes and more. See lots more in our Fruits informational report.

Why not drink lots of water?....

The kidneys job is to process and filter lymphatic wastes, NOT just to move water so much. Lots of water puts a load on your kidneys as they try to regulate fluids in the body and eliminate the excess. Often times, drinking lots of water can actually cause more health problems, especially if one has any edema (swelling), congestive heart or lung issues.

Ever notice that when you eat certain foods (especially salty or high protein), you become tired, bloated or very thirsty? The body craves water to help re-balance the sodium/potassium ratio and also to help alkalize the high acid-forming meal you just ate. Pay attention to how your body reacts and feels after eating. An unnatural thirst may suggest you are eating an unhealthy meal.

Naturopathic Health Regeneration