Drinking water...how wet is wet enough?

We have all heard it, “we need to drink more water“. Everyone from family physicians to workout gurus tout proper hydration as a critical component in optimal health. But how do we separate the facts from the slosh? With summer approaching, and warmer temperatures accompanying sunny weather, let’s take a look at the truth about water, hydration, and how to know when you are or are not getting enough to drink.

For starters, the human body in a healthy state is made up of between 55% and 78% water, based on age. Generally the following percentages are a good rule of thumb:

• Infants bodies are 78% water
• Children, both males and females decline during the first ten years, approximating 65-68% water by age ten
• Adult men average 57%
• Adult women average 52-55%
• Obesity reduces overall body fluid significantly, bringing the percentage of water comprising the body down to 45%

All of that being said, what is the big deal about water intake? Isn’t it just basic common sense to drink something when we get thirsty? We would literally sicken and die without adequate water intake. This could happen quite quickly if we were completely deprived of water in a hot environment, or it could happen more slowly over a prolonged period of time if we consistently take in less water than our bodies need. The average human can only survive up to one week without water at the longest, and most would succumb much sooner. Let’s take a look at what this life-giving liquid actually DOES inside our bodies:

• Water moistens sensitive mucus membranes such as those found in the mouth, nose, and eyes
• Cushions and protects body organs and fragile tissues, such as the brain, heart, and lungs
• Helps regulate bowel function and prevent constipation, thereby avoiding dangerous accumulation of toxins within the body
• Regulates body temperature
• Lubricates joints and provides cushioning between bones by maintaining flexibility of cartilage
• Helps dissolve nutrients such as minerals and vitamins, making them accessible for use by the body
• Aids in kidney and liver function by facilitating the excretion of toxins and  waste accumulation
• Maintains adequate systemic blood pressure for the cardiovascular system to function optimally, thereby lessening strain on the heart muscle and arterial/venous structures
• Acts as a carrier of nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body

Of course, this is a concise list compared to every function actually carried out by water in the human body. So, what happens when our body‘s water gauge gets low? Many people assume that the physical sensation of thirst is an adequate indicator that we need to drink something, but there are two key mistakes in that assumption:

1. The sensation of thirst in our mouths, that “dry feeling” that makes us crave a cold drink, is actually a last-ditch effort by our bodies to force us to get water before actual damage begins to occur. It is NOT an early warning signal, but rather a late-stage danger sign that we are now heading into potentially serious trouble. A fair assumption for an adult is that by the time we “feel thirsty“, it will take close to a full quart (32 ounces) of pure water to get our system back into a healthy state. Essentially, feeling thirsty is a sensation to be avoided by taking in adequate water in the first place.
2. Especially in American culture, we tend to drink all sorts of things besides water, which is fine from a recreational standpoint. Even fruit juices, flavored waters/seltzers, teas, and “sports drinks” contain a large amount of water, so may seem to be a good choice when we feel the need for a drink. However, these drinks also contain minerals, sugars, sodium, and possibly other chemicals that our bodies must use energy to filter out through the kidneys and liver. This is a strain that a thirsty body does NOT need, instead of pure water that simply hydrates without adding any more stress to our system. Recommendations for daily intake of water mean exactly that…WATER intake alone. 

This brings us to a critical point. When considering optimal health, all drinks do not hydrate the same and some should be avoided altogether, to be consumed only when one is already in an optimally hydrated state. Here are a few key points to keep in mind the next time you pick something up to wet your whistle.

Soda pop, full of sugar, artificial colors/flavors, and phosphorus, is one of the very worst drinks for a thirsty human body. Excessive phosphorus actually causes the kidneys to excrete MORE fluid than usual, contributing to dehydration. Excess sugar and other chemicals increase the load on the kidneys and pancreas, causing stress to these organs and increasing the body’s need for even more water.

Fruit juices, even “all natural” juices, are a concentrated energy source with high sugar levels. Naturally occurring sugar taxes the kidneys, so juices should at the very least be significantly watered down to use as a fluid replacement.

“Sport drinks”, so called because they are touted as being designed for athletes who deplete their systems of vital minerals during heavy exercise, are usually more overkill than anything. Unless you plan to run a foot race across a desert after a week long fast, it is not likely that even most healthy athletes will deplete their sodium stores enough to require the large amount of sodium supplied by most sport drinks. The idea that the sodium found in sweat must be replaced is a fallacy…when sodium is excreted through sweat, it is typically because there was already an excess of sodium in the bloodstream and the metabolic process used the opportunity of sweating to dump that excess. Excess sugar, colors, and flavors are equally unnecessary and definitely not beneficial.

“Energy drinks”, while inducing a temporary sensation of increased strength or alertness, should never be used as fluid replacement. While the sugar, sodium, and artificial ingredients alone make them a terrible candidate as a healthy drink, the caffeine usually included in the ingredients acts as a diuretic, again causing further dehydration rather than correcting it.

Alcoholic beverages of ANY kind are dehydrating. A short body chemistry lesson: Ordinarily when we are dehydrated, the chemical constituents of our blood are more concentrated in less water. This means that salts in our blood will be more concentrated, which triggers the posterior pituitary gland in our brain to secrete more Anti-Diuretic Hormone. This increase in ADH causes our bodies to retain more water, excrete less, and thereby protects us from increased degrees of dehydration.  Alcohol reduces the amount of ADH produced in the brain, effectively signaling the kidneys to actually increase urination. This of course, only causes further dehydration and the need for more…yes, you guessed it…water. Think of it this way: When you drink 6 ½ ounces of beer, your body will excrete 10 ½ ounces of water. Where does that extra 4 ounces of water come from? The fluid stores in other body tissues where it belongs is where it comes from! The solution might seem simple. For every 12 ounce bottle of beer, drink 8 ounces of plain water to counteract the extra fluid loss, right? Wrong. The catch is that you will only retain half of that 8 ounces of water you drink, leaving you still 4 ounces behind. This is why most people wake up feeling thirsty after an evening of drinking alcohol. Subjecting this pattern on an already dehydrated human body can have devastating consequences.

With all of this having been said, it should be clear that combating dehydration is simple if we are willing to focus on the true biological need of our bodies for pure water. The lower animals know this. Just put two bowls in front of a panting, overheated dog: one full of a sweet soda pop, the other full of cool clear water. That dog will devour the bowl of water every single time. This is because animals are still governed by survival instinct, and not their taste buds. They innately know that the clear water is what they need in order to live. We humans could take a lesson from them in this regard.

Scott Wurtz, LMP PBP
www.werestart.com

“Support your return to great health with ‘SWAN‘. Shifting Water Attitudes Now. Changing attitudes supports and quickens your recovery period. Water = Flow. Balanced water intake = freedom to flow. Shifting an attitude changes the importance and balance of maintaining habits. This attitude card aids the conscious shift, complementing graceful change and optimum well-being.” ~Scott Wurtz, Professional Bowenwork Practitioner 

Meanwhile, keep a supply of clear water on hand this summer and enjoy good health!

Paparazzi with Shanna

Just a few of the gorgeous and affordable pieces you will find at Paparazzi with Shanna!

Paparazzi with Shanna 

will be at Claire's Pantry on 3rd and Main Street in Edmonds
this Monday, May 6th, between between 11am and 1pm! 

Beautiful jewelry at the most amazing prices!
Come enjoy a fresh cup of coffee and pick up a few affordable trinkets for yourself or a special person in your life!

For more information, photos of more lovely jewelry pieces, and speedy contact information, 

visit Shanna here. She would love to hear from you!

Please join Chasing the Shade and Stirring the Sauce in supporting entrepreneurial women in business, like Shanna!

“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” Ella Fitzgerald, jazz and song vocalist

Chasing the Shade is a grateful member of the National Association of Professional Women

Visit NAPW at http://www.napw.com/, and please tell them who sent you!

Polaris moved...

The Ancients braved the sea and fell their footsteps on dry lands by following the stars...trusting those silent sentinels to guide them by their permanence, by their
piercing light, by their constant and unwavering ability to light a path by land or sea.

They counted on the lights of night to never change, to always shine...to never fail them.
And they sailed.
From icy seas to shallow reefs, through storm and gale, under scorching sun and scathing wind...and sometimes through purely peaceful waves lulling them to blissful rest...they sailed.

And the stars kept watch.
And they slept not, nor fell.

My own Polaris guides me homeward...perfect light and truest north.
Showing me the way and drawing my eyes upward and away from tumultuous seas that threaten to carry me to silent depths...pulling me home.
Always trusting...believing that peace and strength and light could never fail to beam toward my own footsteps...
Saving eyes for only starlight from one place...
Simply knowing all was well because Polaris was my guide...all was safe because this one bright star would not depart my view.

And so I voyaged.

Until the day when the ocean roared and the sea rose up and my sails were torn to shreds...
The black of night pressed closer still, enough to pull away my breath...
As always I looked up to find my way...to catch my brave Polaris' light...to still my heart and calm my fear by seeing my path lit like dawn before me.
But paralyzed, I searched in vain.
The blackened sky held for me no light this night, no courage to see me safely back to calmer seas.
This night when I looked up...

Polaris had moved.
And I was lost.

My true north had fallen, moved, wandered, exploded...I knew not what.
Only that my one true thing, immovable and real
Was gone.
And I was now alone on blackened sea...craving home and peaceful skies which I feared would never be my own again.

Because Polaris moved.

"Click"...

Showcasing a talented artist today, I would like to introduce you to Missy Campbell, owner and photographer at M(squared) Photography. Her unique talent brings a wide variety of images to the screen as well as the canvas, turning everyday scenes into stunning art. Her work may be viewed at M(squared) Photography...please stop by and leave her some feedback! It is a sure thing that you will see something that brightens your day and sends you away blessed!

"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs.  When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence." ~Ansel Adams

One brief note today, as there is a LOT going on around here!. You may have noticed that the theme of Sonny's Caringbridge page has changed from the Classic Car motif to a skyline view of ancient Rome. There is a reason for this.

Sonny was injured nearly four years ago...it has been a long journey for him to this point, but his sojourn is far from over. He has struggled, cried (we saw it!!), laughed, wrestled, and triumphed over so many obstacles. Yet, his climb toward his personal summit continues. "Rome wasn't built in a day", as the saying goes...and Sonny's recovery happens slowly, sometimes with fits and starts, but it continues relentlessly forward nonetheless.

So, at this point I decided to change the artwork and invite you all to walk with us on Sonny's road. It is sometimes not a pleasant one, but always a beautiful one. There are many who say that Rome was amazing...others say it fell short of what it could have been. But the point is, Rome became what Rome was ABLE to become...built wih the sweat and determination of a people committed to forward progress.

Sonny's forward progress and our sharing of his story will now include his very own website, "Sonny's Road", where we will also share research and current articles related to brain injury, Sonny's personal recovery, and forums where those interested can learn more. We invite you all to join us on this journey, whether it be for just a few steps or many long miles.

WE are committed to forward progress because SONNY tries so hard.  Some will say that Sonny "was amazing in his recovery", others will say "he could have been so much more". But as with Rome, Sonny will become all that he is able to...and it will take the sweat and determination of not only himself but also many others to see him get there.

Rome wasn't built in a day...Sonny won't be, either. But we will continue the work, stone upon stone, step by step.

Every blessing...

Lorrie

“Stop…drop…and roll”: Existing in a state of future shock

“Future shock is the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time.” ~Alvin Toffler, Future Shock 1970

In 1970, futurist Alvin Toffler published his work called Future Shock. His premise was that though change and progress are generally good for a society, too rapid or sudden a change is decidedly unhealthy. He argued that the majority of social problems are symptoms of future shock. From his discussions of the components of such phenomena, the term “information overload” emerged.

What does this mean for us on a personal level? How are we affected by these elements, and how do we handle those effects? First let’s examine this concept of information overload and see how it applies to each of us.

I have a very dear friend who moved to the U.S. several years ago from a remote rural village. Modern amenities in the village consisted of a hand pump used to draw water from the community well, and bi-weekly delivery of mail. When he arrived in town, I was happy to take him shopping to pick up some basic supplies that he would need, so off we went to a nearby drugstore. I naively did not understand the impact this experience was going to have on my friend. He stayed behind me as we walked into the store, and I headed for the toiletries aisle where he could choose shampoo, toothpaste, etc…but looking around I discovered that he was no longer with me. I re-traced our path to the front door, only to find him standing outside with his eyes closed. When I asked him what was wrong, all he could repeat was “too much…too much”. Suddenly I realized my folly and led him back to the quiet safety of the car. I had overlooked the fact that my friend was used to nature sounds, horse hooves, people’s voices, wind in the trees, a crackling fire, a night sky uninterrupted by modern streetlights, and a much slower pace than he was observing in his current surroundings. He did not own a watch, he took his cues from the rising and setting of the sun and the general rhythm of each day as tasks were done, meals prepared, stories told, and sleep embraced. The sounds of traffic, electric doors, the glare of bright commercial lighting, the vast array of products on store shelves, schedules and time constraints…these were all foreign to him and pushed him quickly into the very state that Alvin Toffler described: information overload. There was simply too much happening too fast, too many choices, too many pressures, and too much noise and visual distraction for him to cope with. The stress was too much and he wanted nothing more than to escape the ruckus he sensed all around himself.

An example like the one I just described is relatively simple. If someone is overwhelmed by a situation, the easy solution is to remove them from that situation. I took my friend home and allowed him time in the quiet of the house to settle down and find his peace again. No radio, no television, no phone calls…these were all things he had lived his whole life without, and to him they were nothing more than a noisy interruption. Within a short time, I looked up to find him more in his element: he had gone outside and was weeding the spinach patch in my garden. In time, my friend gradually grew accustomed to “how life is” here, and though he still preferred the relative quiet of a garden or a stroll through the woods, he acclimated very well and learned how to cope with the stresses that surrounded him. 

It is great when we can remove ourselves from the situations or stimuli that irritate us or drive our blood pressure through the roof. But what about those times when we simply cannot walk away? What do we do when we have no choice but to remain where we are while the information superhighway paints a double yellow line down the center of our minds and the speed limit seems far too high for safety?

Let me introduce the concept of “Stop…Drop…and Roll”.

When we find ourselves in a stressful situation, or even when we simply feel bombarded by yet another day filled with noise, emails, phone calls, schedules, and deadlines, we are bound to experience moments ranging from mild irritation to actual severe anxiety. Our heart pounds, thinking becomes difficult, we lose our focus and everything in us just wants to escape to a quiet, peaceful, slower place. If we cannot physically do so, we can still mentally bring ourselves to a place of re-centering and take a break from the chaos swirling around us.

We can stop.

In that moment when we feel pressure from every side, we can simply stop. Place one or both of our hands over the center of our chest and take a long, slow deep breath, feeling the air expand our lungs and the tension abate as we let that breath go. Humans have been breathing this same way for thousands of years…we are connected in this way with every human being who has ever lived. No matter what other changes have occurred, no matter what inventions or technologies have come and gone, breathing is a constant force. We can focus on that breath just for a minute, allowing each slow intake of life-giving air to feed our bodies and calm our thoughts. We can realize in that moment that if everything around us were to fall apart, if technology suddenly failed, if the lights all went out, if our car broke down and our phone stopped ringing…our breath would still be the most important thing. Focusing on that breath brings us back to a quiet center where all human beings congregate across the millennia. All of the external man-made things around us sometimes just have to wait a minute so that our humanity can survive…one breath at a time.

This is also a matter of empowerment. In a world where so many facets of our daily lives are somewhat beyond our control, it is empowering to exercise the choice to call a halt to activity and take a few moments to protect our well-being. It is always easier to handle stressful situations when we can maintain objectivity and keep a healthy distance between ourselves and the circumstance at hand. Sometimes we will be able to push on through whatever pressures us, but other times it is vital that we learn to simply stop, even if only for a brief time.

Next, we drop.

What? Get down on the ground? No. Well, not unless you happen to be in an actual fire, of course. Otherwise, aim talking about dropping things that are weighing us down and causing distress. These things could be just about anything: excessively overloaded schedules, unrealistic goals, a habit of taking on more than we can handle, failing to say “No” when a demand on our time is unreasonable. Even things we assume we cannot function without such as cell phones, email messages, social networking activities, doorbells, and a host of other interruptions really can be set aside at least for a time while we collect ourselves and have a moment of peace.

In this age of technology, it almost requires an act of God for us to realize that life will not come to an end if we do not snap to attention every time the telephone rings or our email notifier alerts us to a new arrival to our inbox. We can set all of these things aside, hang out an “I’m not here for the next five minutes” sign, and leave it all behind just for a short time. The difficult thing about this is that sometimes it might seem that we have to set aside something that we really don’t want to. We have to admit to ourselves that oftentimes we increase our own stress by holding onto things, both good and bad, that we should walk away from. For example, if I am already overworked and exhausted and someone asks me to take on a particular task that is going to tax my energies even more, it is my responsibility to politely explain that I am unable to take on that task. I might have to say “No” to something, even if it would ordinarily be a pleasant task for me. Putting down the things that are burdensome or painful to some degree is not too difficult…putting down things that are enjoyable to us can be far more of a challenge. But we have only so much energy, only a certain capacity for productivity and it is up to us to protect ourselves by recognizing our own limits and then setting reasonable boundaries.

We do live, as Alvin Toffler pointed out, in a culture that values productivity and success above nearly all else. We are pushed, and we tend to push ourselves, to accomplish more, get things done faster, cram as many activities as possible into even the last three seconds of every minute. We must develop the skill of recognizing when our frenzied pace is actually a negative influence on our health, whether physical, emotional, or mental. Even our spirituality as humans is placed at risk if we cannot maintain reasonable limits for ourselves. Dad-to-day overload can drain us of the ability or even the desire to set our thoughts on higher things and we quickly lose sight of our true place and purpose in the world. Choosing what to drop, what to permanently leave behind or what to temporarily set aside can be a challenge, but with practice we will soon see the benefits of cultivating this ability.

We can…we must… drop whatever is necessary to save our sanity, enabling ourselves to roll forward with renewed energy and peace of mind.

Moving on…rolling forward.

So, we have stopped the hectic activity swirling around us, we have dropped the extra burdens that were stressing us out, we have lightened our schedules, realized where we had allowed pressure into our lives rather than turning it away at the door, clarified our priorities, and situated ourselves in a somewhat more peaceful mental space. It might seem like this work of de-stressing ourselves is complete, but we cannot stay in this comfortable place for long. We all know what is about to happen: the phone is going to ring. The boss is going to drop another stack of paperwork on our desk. Someone is going to ask for help with a project on a day when our schedule is already crammed full. If we don’t move forward, we will find ourselves in the very same tense situation we just addressed, inviting anxiety to come calling. What do we do now?

We roll. When we drop something in order to lighten our load, we must move beyond it in order to avoid the temptation to go back and pick it up again. Even if we get to the end of the day and realize we actually have a little extra time left, we do not have to cram some sort of activity into that time! Perhaps we rescheduled an appointment or project for another day in order to lighten our schedule today. We need to leave that change in place; even if we get to the end of the day and think we could go ahead and cram it into that bit of free time.  If we decided to eliminate a particular task altogether, we should not go back and re-claim that task just because we find a few extra minutes in our day. We need to leave that eliminated task alone and remind ourselves that we will be better off by having time to wind down the end of our day without pressure.

Of course, especially for people who are accustomed to being somewhat busy during the day, free time can be disconcerting if we have nothing at all to do. Leaving a vacuum of activity can actually cause more stress than it relieves, so we must wisely choose how to spend that time we have carved out for ourselves. Helpful choices would include activities that will enhance our peace of mind, since that was the whole point of this exercise! Going for a walk, chatting with a friend, reading a good book, pursuing a creative or artistic hobby, or playing with a family pet are all possibilities that contribute to a calm state of mind. Such activities also replace any nagging thoughts about the things we may have cut out of our day. Remember, we do not want to go back and retrieve any of those things we so recently dropped!

The interesting thing about all of this is that though it takes actual focus and energy at first to begin to address our “shocked” environment and make changes to improve upon our existence, in time it becomes a habit to consider carefully which encroachments we permit in our lives. We become more discerning with our priorities, and it becomes easy to choose our commitments. We might make it a general habit to turn off our cell phone for a short period every day just to guarantee an interruption-free time. Or we might choose to not look at email during certain hours before retiring to bed so that our minds are calm and we more easily fall asleep. These are simple things that help us to roll forward with more energy, less stress, and greater peace of mind.

There is no avoiding the fact that we live in a fast-paced, information saturated modern world. We face stresses on a daily basis that our ancestors never dreamed of. But we can maintain our own serenity in the midst of our rapidly changing, high-pressure society. We can…and for our own good, we must.

"In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you."

~Deepak Chopra

You taught me to breathe...

You taught me to breathe under water

Through blood red windowpanes of agony

Illusions faded and reality blossomed

Clouds of blue on grey skies, reversal of primal truth

Freedom for constriction...

Strength for inability...

Power for helplessness...

Warring peace, a Soul's dichotomy.

Tethered to solid vapors, never more safe

Moving through sand, pushing the mountains

He was right: they move at soft command

My chest rises and falls, thoughts roll not race

Light pushes darkness away, forming space inside me

Loving comes easily, no need for heart-shaped bandages

Sweet provision of life I crave, though not air

Living is sweet, not a burden

Sleep comes without threat...

Dreams are sought, not feared...

Waking brings no doomsday premonition...

Lost things are best released, even precious baby dolphins

The sun stilll rises and ageless boulders sing of peace...

...since you taught me to breathe under water.