Hydration or Dehydration?

What causes dehydration!

Stress; when people are feeling stressed it causes dehydration and when they are dehydrated it causes stress to the body. This creates a catch 22, situation.

Diuretic drinks, tea, coffee, alcohol, soft drinks, like diet coke, chocolate and sugary drinks all dehydrate us.

Over challenging foods; worst of all junk food, which is not really food, unclean food, i.e. foods that have been treated with chemicals like pesticides, the wrong balance of food, eating foods out of season and non-indigenous foods.

Pollution – air pollution, noise pollution etc.

Travelling, especially air travel

Electrical circuitry, particularly p.c’s and mobile phones dehydrate us big time.!!!!!!!

Air conditioning, dry, hot and cold air, recycled air.

Drugs, prescribed and social, especially antibiotics

Some common symptoms of dehydration;

Lack of thirst, the body forgets how to be thirsty as most people drink for stimulation, e.g. tea, coffee etc., many people also confuse hunger and thirst.

Constipation – the body removes far too much fluid from the faeces

Fluid retention – due to a build up of toxicity, the body holds on to fluids to dilute its effects. The toxicity is present due to dehydration impeding body cleansing. It is interesting to know that the most common prescriptions are laxatives and diuretics!!!!

Misplacement of fluids – dry or weepy eyes, vaginal dryness, skin dryness, e.g. eczema

Inflammation – dehydration always has to be present for inflammation to be present.

Low Energy – Immune dysfunction

Dehydration Alert.
Over the past three decades teaching health and wellness, many have disagreed with my philosphy around drinking water. Friends who are doctors even told me that I had to be careful of oedema if I drank too much water. Whatever country I have lived in, and of late there have been a few! (and I’m still in transit)!!!! the first thing I purchase for the kitchen is a water filter. For me, clean living water along with air and food are essential for good health. When the body feels the signals of dehydration it produces cholesterol to place around the cell membranes. This protects the fluids inside the cells, and although it is a short term positive move, long term it will lead to stagnation and toxicity being held within the cell. It is worthwhile bearing in mind that the body never works against you; it always does the best it can at any given point in time. So from this we can see that the body is going to stop short-term dehydration but, by leaving in place this alert system, it can lead long term to very serious problems.

We can also see that if we do not switch off this alert system, the stagnation will go on increasing inside the cells. So we can see that drinking a lot of water is required along with a great reduction in the dehydration activities mentioned above. These two things will mechanically help the body not to feel dehydrated, but long term the body needs to do it bio chemically, and this it can do if the body is provided with a good supply of fatty acids.

The liver controls the body fluids biochemical via fatty acids and water. The colon gives the body the reassurance message that it is not dehydrated via the food waste and water, which are passing through. For example, short grain brown rice is the food of the colon and it contains a lot of water in a mucilaginous form. Chia seeds a favourite of mine, give a very good message when soaked as you have the oil and water presented in a mucilaginous form.

As soon as the body ceases to feel dehydrated it stops producing the cholesterol. We should add here that cholesterol blocks the effective use of fatty acids, preventing them from being converted into prostaglandin’s so vital for the endocrine system. So we can see here that the simple use of soaked chia seeds as a supplement to diet can stop the production of cholesterol and provide the omega 3 and omega 6 required for prostaglandin and ultimately hormone production.

The body is the most amazing miracle and has incredible healing abilities, if you follow the rules of nature you will Live Better Longer.
Water

Marlene’s Top Tip for Hydration;
Water is a natural appetite-suppressant. Water is the cheapest, simplest way to curb appetite and keep your body functioning properly. ‘If you’re dehydrated, your metabolism will slow down,’ Add slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, fresh ginger or a few drops of juice to make it more appealing. Water is the only vehicle to remove toxins from your system, it’s a must. Try adding a few drops of lemon and ginger juice to a morning cup of hot water during the spring time to stimulate liver function. In the evening have a cup of hot water a few hours before bedtime, your body and skin will love you for it.

There are lots of ideas on living a long healthy life in my book ‘Macrobiotics for all Seasons’ available on my website www.marlenewatsontara.com

In good health

Marlene x