This is the second post in a series about alkaline foods. Check out the post on the 41 top nutrient-dense foods here.
If there was one simple thing you could do that would have all of these amazing effects, would you do it?
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Make you feel fuller longer.
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Eliminate acid reflux.
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Detox your liver and your body
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Decrease inflammation
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Help you sleep more restfully and wake up refreshed.
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Prevent headaches.
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Keep you on track for weight loss.
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Fight both chronic diseases and common illnesses.
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Prevent osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
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Neutralize more acidic drinks like alcohol and juice.
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Keep muscle cramps and charley horses at bay.
What if you’re already doing it, and all you need to do is more of it (and probably much more)?
The good news is that you are. All you need to do is drink more water, and make sure it’s alkaline.
Who would have thought that the liquid we take for granted everyday could prove to be so useful?
Did you know that water is the predominant driving force inside our bodies?
Muscles contain at least 75% water, blood is around 80%, bones have 25% water, and each lung can be as much as 90% water due to its molecular structure.
The brain itself functions almost exclusively on glucose and water, and is comprised of more than 76% H2O. Water plays a critical role in our bodies and actually makes up 70% of our total body weight.
And here’s the really amazing thing about water: we have barely scratched the surface of discovering its potential healing power in our bodies.
You’ve likely heard before that if your mouth feels dry, you’re already dehydrated.
In fact, that’s only one indicator, and an unreliable one at that, according to the world-renowned water doctor, Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, otherwise known as Dr. Batman, author of several books on the topic including Your Body’s Many Cries for Water.
He claims that the body tells you it needs water by causing you pain.
He lists a number of degenerative conditions including arthritis, diabetes, fatigue, headaches, and angina, which are thought to result from major dehydration.
Dr. B tells people that they’re not sick, just thirsty.
He also knew that drinking too little water has substantial effects on the human body. He measured the total amount of water outgoing from our systems to be around 3 to 4 liters each day, including sweat, urine, and water vapor from our breath.
That’s why 90% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, and why I recommend you drink 3-4L of water every day!
If you don’t, just like a plant that wilts, you are living in deprivation mode.
Everything that we lose per day needs to be replaced. Otherwise, cells cannot function effectively. This goes for every single cell in the body.
If we exercise or live in a warm climate, the amount of water loss can be significantly higher and needs more water intake (an extra liter) to counteract the negative effects.
A dry mouth is the last sign our body gives us to warn we are dehydrated, not the first as many are led to believe.
The feeling of thirst doesn’t begin until water in your body is at a substantially low amount.
A 5% drop in body fluids will cause a 25 to 30% loss of energy in most people.
Even mild dehydration, or a 1% to 2% loss in body weight, impairs concentration.
On the flip side of the coin, increasing your water consumption to 5 cups per day (still an inadequate amount) will lower you risk of developing colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79%, and bladder cancer by 50%.
So how can you get more water and utilize what you’re drinking more effectively? Follow these tips.
10 Tips for Optimizing Your Water Intake
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How many ounces you need. The average person should drink half their body weight of water per day in ounces. For example, a 200-pound male would need 100 ounces of water, which is equal to around 3 liters or ¾ of a gallon. This is way, way more than the average person thinks they need.
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Substitute other fluids with water. No, water intake does not include carbonated drinks, juice, coffee, or drinks with added sugar, which are all HIGHLY acidifying and will massively dehydrate your body. Instead, replace them with water.
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Make sure it’s good, pure alkaline water. That means:
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High pH: You can test your water for a pH of between 8.0 and 9.5.
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Filtered: Always filter your water because tap water contains traces of bacteria, heavy metals, and other toxins. There are 327 known contaminants in tap water.
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Room temperature (ideally): Cold, chilled water is harder for your body to use, and it burns vital energy.
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Avoid bottled water: It’s almost always acidic and filled with BPAs, which are a known carcinogenic. Use a glass bottle or BPA-free bottle when you can.
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Add lemon or a scoop of Daily Minerals: These will alkalize your body and will neutralize acids in your system.
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Start off the day right. Ideally, you want to start your day right with a huge glass of water with a lemon slice in it. This is the best way to kick-start your body upon waking and prepare it for the day with energy.
If it’s a cold winter morning, you can make my Detox Tea (Ginger/Turmeric/Lemon), or put it in the fridge for a powerful ‘detox iced tea.’
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More good salt. If you’re increasing how much you’re drinking, you also need to increase your sodium intake. Mineral salts (Celtic Grey, sea salt, or Himalayan) are the best way to go, adding ¼ of a teaspoon of ‘good’ salt to your foods for every 4 or 5 glasses of water you drink.
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Remember mist, not flood. Think about when it’s misting outside, how moist and hydrated the plants and grass are. Now on the flipside, think about a 30-minute torrential downpour.
What is the result? Flooding. Always have your water bottle in front of you to remind you. If not, out of sight, out of mind.
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Attach water to daily habits. When trying to add more water into your day, try and drink a glass before something you do every day. Again, upon waking, drink a full glass of water (two is a bonus).
Add another glass before brushing your teeth in the morning and before bed. That’s 3 or 4 extra glasses a day, or nearly an extra liter of water.
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Get ready for more frequent visits to the restroom. Welcome this, as this will increase the release of harmful acids and toxins built up in the liver, digestive system and the tissues.
When your body is dehydrated it is like a dried sponge, shriveled on the inside. When you put a dried sponge under the water at first, what happens?
The water will bounce off with little absorption (i.e. more trips to the bathroom). Just like a sponge, as your body gets used to it, it will start to absorb the water and utilize it more efficiently, and the trips to the restroom should lessen.
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Check your urine. The color of urine is a good indicator of how your body is processing water at that exact moment.
A hydrated person’s urine should be colorless and a dehydrated person’s urine will be dark orange or yellow.
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Add AlkaMind Daily Minerals and Daily Greens. By adding AlkaMind Daily Greens to your water every morning and AlkaMind Daily Minerals to your water every night 30 minutes before sleep, you’re supercharging your water so it can fight off the acid that’s been forming in your body as you sleep and throughout your day.