TUESDAY TIPS - Health Benefits of Drinking Water

The diet that I'm on right now requires that I drink lots of water - half of my body weight in oz. It's quite a bit, but I've been able to do it for the last 5 days! As I'm typing this, I'm sipping on the last 2 oz. of the day. With this much water going into my body, I feel as if I'm floating away... in fact, I think I just saw a fish swim by!

I've been wondering why I have to drink so much water. Did you know that water is vital to how the body functions? If you Google "Benefits of Drinking Water", you'll find lots and lots of information. I was reading an article about water on Mangosteen-Natural-Remedies.com, and this is what I learned...

Water:

Transports nutrients and oxygen into cells
Moisturizes the air in lungs
Helps with metabolism
Protects our vital organ
Helps our organs to absorb nutrients better
Regulates body temperature
Detoxifies
Protects and moisturizes our joints

Every cell in your body needs water from head to toe. That is why it is so important to drink enough fluid. Take for example, brain consists of 90% of water, if you do not supply enough water to your body, your brain cannot function well, and you will get headache or migraine. Hence, next time, if you feel fatigue and headache, it may be the sign of dehydration.

When I read further, I found that there are many benefits to drinking water - this website listed 11 of them...

Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories. Here are the further details on how to achieve fat loss by drinking water.

Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration. Although many reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common one.
Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.

Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.

Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. That means you’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises. Water also helps to fuel your muscle.

Helps in Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.

Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.

Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy: Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water is that it can improve your immune system.

Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.

Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.

Reduce the Risk of Cancer: Related to the digestive system, some studies show that drinking a healthy amount of water may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer. Water dilutes the concentration of cancer-causing agents in the urine and shortens the time in which they are in contact with bladder lining.

Again, this information came from THIS website.

Phew! Just finished my last bit of water - 118 oz! YES!

I'm on my way to find Nemo. Bye!

MONDAY MOTIVATION - Setting and Achieving Goals

For awhile now, I've been wanting to reclaim my health, and even be more healthy than I was before my cancer diagnosis. The thing I personally need to work on is losing weight. If I can lose some weight, I know I'll feel better, and be much more healthy, in addition to reducing my chances of recurrence. I've taken a few baby steps in the last 2 years - I stopped drinking soda, and I cut my portion sizes down. I haven't lost any weigh, though.

Recently, at our support meeting, we learned about a doctor-approved weight loss plan - one that is low carb, low glycemic, high protein, and soy-based. I've decided to try this plan out. I think I can lose the weight, and in the process, learn how to change my habits to become a healthier person.

I started 5 days ago, and one of the things I have to do is drink a LOT of water. I am drinking 118 oz. of water every day - that's 15 cups! It's about 75 percent more water than I've ever tried to drink in one day. I decided that the only way I would be able to do this, is to make a goal. Goals are wonderful things, at least for me they are. I find that if I set a goal - especially if I have to check in with someone - I can usually achieve that goal, with some good hard work. I love this quote by Scott Reed: "This one step - choosing a goal and sticking to it - changes everything." It's true! By setting a goal, I've got a destination in mind - I keep moving - and once I've reached that goal, I feel so good about myself.

Whatever you feel you need to do to get your health back on track, make a plan, set some goals, and then work to achieve those goals.

And remember, whatever your goals are, it's the journey toward those goals that changes us. One of my favorite people, Spencer W. Kimball, said this: "Success is not measured in achievement of goals, but in the stress and strain of meeting those goals."

TUESDAY TIDINGS: METROMINT 100% PURIFIED WATER

I was reading Brenda Coffee's blog again this week, and she mentioned some water that I thought sounded interesting. So here's your TUESDAY TIDINGS:

METROMINT WATER IS HERE!

Metromint water is 100% purified water, 100% pure mint. There are several different flavors:
Orangemint, Lemonmint, Peppermint, Spearmint, Chocolatemint, Cherrymint, and Goodberrymint.

You can get this online (click on the link above), or buy it at Smith's in Saratoga Springs and Macey's in Orem.

Let me know how you like it! I'm going to go find some tomorrow. ;-)

-Kara