Why Water is a Key to Healthy Living

Water is boring. It is a colorless, odorless and tasteless liquid. It is no wonder we don’t drink enough of it. Yet, it is a key to being healthy and living well both physically and spiritually.

Experts inform us that we need to drink water however a majority of people just don’t hydrate their body with water. I lived the first part of my life dehydrated and not knowing my body’s many cries for water. This is a deep dive (no pun intended) into understanding why water is a key to healthy living for our body, soul and spirit.

What is Water?

Hydrogen is the lightest element and the most abundant chemical substance in the universe. Oxygen is the most common chemical element on earth. It is necessary for the survival of all plants and animals. In fact, oxygen is the most prominent element in your body.

The chemical formula for water is H2O. Two hydrogens and one oxygen. This is the liquid form. With high heat, it will boil and produce steam – an invisible gas of vaporized water. With cold temperatures it will turn into a solid ice form. Water is a remarkable element in all of life.

It covers 71% of the earth with the seas, oceans, lakes, rivers and streams. It divides the dry land and gets replenished with rain and snow. The rain and snow gives water to the plants, grasses, and trees that yield seeds and fruit for us to eat. It is an amazing design system.

When a plant is cut off from its source, it begins to decay. When we bite into a fresh celery stick, it is crisp and crunchy. If it has been sitting in the fridge for a very long time, it wilts and softens. It is not so appetizing anymore as it loses its original life form. We can revitalize it by cutting off the end and putting it in water. As it soaks in the water, it is rehydrated and refreshed.

Water is nourishing and life-giving. This is true for us physically and spiritually.

Our Body and Water

Interestingly, on average, our bodies are 60% water depending on age, sex, body type and size. We are all uniquely designed in body and in our purpose. Through scientific research, it is known that our brain is 73% water. How fascinating that the earth is 71% covered in water and our brains are 73% water. Could this be a clue to the importance of water in our life around us and within us?

Our bodies are amazing machines that work for us. We don’t need to think about how to breathe or process the food we eat. There are systems in our body that regulate:

To aid in these processes, every 24 hours the body recycles the water in our body to keep our systems functioning. It uses 6–10 glasses of water each day which needs to be replaced. We lose water by urinating, sweating, and breathing. We require water every day to keep our body cycle system nourished and energized. This is similar to the earth cycle of rain and snow for the grasses, plants and trees.

Imagine your body being deprived of water day after day, year after year when you are becoming more and more dehydrated. Think of a grape losing its juice as it turns into a dried raisin, all shriveled up. Water is a nutrient for our body – H2O. Ailments like:

just to name a few, could be our body’s cries for water.

Some signs of dehydration you could be seeing:

Some symptoms you might be feeling:

Hunger for sweets could be an indication that our body needs energy and wants to actually be nourished with H2O. Other bodily signs could be:

To prevent this we can be in a healthy habit cycle of drinking our specified daily water quota. What is that amount? A rule of thumb for the average person is to take your body weight in pounds (lb) and divide it by two. This is the number of ounces (oz) of water to drink daily.

Lifestyle Habit

You may be thinking I get enough liquids in the day. For breakfast, I have a glass of orange juice; some milk on my cereal and a cup of coffee; at lunch I will have a pop; then there is afternoon tea; and for dinner I have a glass of wine. Those 6 beverages you had throughout the day come with other properties like caffeine, sugar and alcohol which can add unwanted fat to the body.

Water is a nutrient in itself – H20. It is a life-giving property that gives energy. Therefore, rethink your drink and simply replace most, if not all, of your daily beverages with water. No more drinking calories and fake energy boosters. Instead, let’s choose water.

Hydrating our bodies with water will give us energy each day. Ramping up water intake when the weather is hot can help us feel better. Drinking water while playing sports could mean performing better, and after intense exercise will result in good body function.

The benefits of drinking water can become evident on the outside of us with healthy skin and it can aid with weight loss. For example, if you regularly drink pop and juices that are high in sugar and replaced them with water, then you will reduce calories and potentially lose weight.

Water is an important fuel for our bodies. More benefits occur internally as water:

lubricates joints
regulates body temperature
prevents kidney damage
moistens airways
supports the digestive system
flushes body waste
maintains blood pressure
and provides help in the brain.

Drinking Water as a Healthy Habit

The first important step is to decide if you want to ensure your body is hydrated with H2O. You understand the value of water, you desire to take care of yourself, and you are willing to incorporate this healthy habit into your lifestyle. It is not easy because there are patterns wired within our brain that will require reprogramming and training in order to make this a new lifestyle habit. Making the decision to drink mostly water is a commitment to you, your health and well-being.

The second thing most woman do, is think about what do I need to buy? For me, it started with a simple portable water bottle, then I upgraded to a high-end luxury container. I realized I also wanted a smaller water bottle to fit into my handbag when travelling. I bought a special reusable cup with a straw which sits on my bedside table. Before I even get out of bed, I will have consumed one glass of water. In fact, it actually helps wake up my brain. When you stop and think of your daily routine, are you getting enough water for your body?

To be totally honest and real, it is necessary to track your water intake. Again, how boring, but once you have mastered this lifestyle skill, then it won’t be necessary to track it. You will be more naturally in tune with your body’s signals for water and can quickly fix it.

There are various ways to track your water intake. For the tech person, there are apps for your mobile device to note your water intake and give you reminders. A fun app I used is the Plant Nanny!

It is rewarding to grow animated plants while starting this new health habit. Some might like pen and paper, where you simply use a paper calendar to visually mark and see your progress. A little incentive might be using color pens and stickers.

Another way to set yourself up for success is to have containers measuring out the amount of water you need for the day. The goal is simply to drink all the water. You can also use one of your favorite water bottles or special cup consistently – wrap it with elastic bands for the number of times to refill it then take off a rubber band as you complete it, then celebrate and acknowledge yourself daily!

Enjoy Drinking Water

When it comes to taste and experience to each their own. There are fun ways to enjoy drinking water. Some like a cold sensation with ice cubes clicking in the glass, while others like a warm and soothing experience as the cup warms the hands. Carbonated sparkling water adds a fizzy element with tiny bubbles.

Adding citrus fruits like:

Other fun sliced foods to try are:

Another tasty tantalizing way is to spice up your water with:

Enjoy experimenting by mixing and matching these additive treats but remember the main thing is your daily regimen of drinking H2O for your body’s health.

A concern may be water quality which depends on the source of where it is coming from. In Canada where I live, there are Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines. The water supplies are generally excellent quality therefore tap water is accessible to all. There should be no fear or excuse to hydrate your body with water due to accessibility or quality.

As we go on this health journey, water quality and type can be refined and discerned. There many water filters, purification systems and types of water to learn about and choose from. This can take your natural body to another level of well-being.

The first step is to get into a healthy habit of drinking H20 daily for your body cycle system and enjoy the health benefits of it.

Water of Life

We have focused on water and our body as it pertains to our physical lifestyle. There is also the spiritual symbolism of water that is essential to our spirit. I believe we have a natural body, and we have a spiritual body. Both need to be nourished and cared for to have energy.

Spiritually, there is a water of life theme in the bible. It starts in the beginning and continues to the story of Jesus – what He did for us, is doing and will do. Water is depicted as a wonderful symbol to help us understand this mysterious and invisible world of love, peace and joy.

What seems to be a simple story in the bible, where Jesus requests a drink of water from a woman and has a conversation with her, is a revelatory moment. This scene at a well speaks volumes in a number of ways. The water Jesus gives us will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Imagine continuously being filled and overflowing like a fountain.

How poetic that this takes place at the well. We see a physical source of water we need for our natural bodies, and we learn from Jesus, He provides the unseen living water we need for our spiritual bodies. The only requirement is to believe in Him.

Picture a dry, desolate land with no plant life and consider what it might be like to live there. Then think about how it would feel to have a body of stiff, dry bones. Jesus says to those who are thirsty, to come to him and drink, for out of the heart will flow rivers of living water. How satisfying it will be to live in a flourishing land. How refreshing it is to have a new spiritual body.

Life Works When

I practice a healthy lifestyle, as I commit to take care of my amazing body system. The reward is good energy all day. Life works when I actively choose to renew my mind. I then see situations improve. Life works when I follow Jesus and I get to experience more love, peace and joy.

I was lost and in the dark searching for happiness and the meaning of life. Life seemed to be fine on the outside, but on the inside, I was confused, scared and feeling miserable. I was reaching for the wrong things in life.

Today, as a disciple of Jesus, seeking God’s Kingdom daily, I am filled with new life as I walk and dive into the living waters. It is nourishing to have a relationship with the Holy Trinity – God, our heavenly Father, the Holy Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

How to do that?

The bible is God’s living word for us to read – eat, chew on and digest as it speaks to each one of us perfectly.

We can study and learn about the life of Jesus, to be inspired to do and become like him.
We can pray, talk, and listen to the Holy Spirit by spending time alone in His presence.

It is to fill up our spiritual body daily and grow within a community.

Physically, when I feel some pain in my joints, I know it is a signal telling me to ask myself if I have been nourishing my body with water and real whole foods. When I get a headache or feel brain fog, I know it could be a sign my body is crying for water.

This will happen because we are human. We can easily get distracted and forget to drink water. Then there are factors like a vigorous workout or a hot summer’s day which will deplete more water than normal from our bodies. There are other variables too, such as the type of food we are eating and our own health condition.

Each body is different and unique.

Healthy living is a wellness journey. It is to learn the signs, symptoms and cues for our own natural body. Similarly, it is to become aware of our soul’s thoughts and feelings as we ride the wild waves of this world.

Life works when we drink H2O daily for our natural body cycle. Life works when we receive, drink, and soak in the living water of life for our spiritual body.

There is no one like you. Why not get to know yourself better? Water is life for our physical bodies, and our spiritual well-being. This is for eternal life.