Water…How It Effects Aging (Part 2)
A study at Fred Hutchinson Research Center in Seattle found that women who drank two glasses of water a day had nearly twice the risk of colon cancer than women who drank four glasses a day. The few women who did drink eight or more glasses of water a day had less than half the risk of those who drank only four glasses. The association of increased water intake may also reduce the risk for other types of cancer. In one study, the women who drank the most water were 80% less likely to develop bladder cancer than women who drank the least. Other conditions that often respond to increased water intake include the reduction of headaches, muscle aches, hangovers, fatigue, constipation, and heartburn. Drinking enough water will also reduce fluid retention and edema. Sometimes it is difficult for people to understand that drinking lots of water actually decreases water retention. If you provide your body with ample amounts of pure water, it will not have to retain water in the tissues The body can become significantly dehydrated before we actually feel thirsty.
Try this test: Before you eat or drink anything in the morning, sip about four ounces of water-no more. You will be surprised to see that in two to three minutes your mouth will feel parched. Drink another four ounces and in two to three minutes you will be thirsty again. You may have to repeat this six or more times before you are no longer thirsty. Add up all the four-ounce servings that you consumed, and you will discover your body’s true metabolic need for water.
| Paula Willard is a Certified Herbalist and has been working with Nutrition and Herbs for the past 20 years. Her passion is helping people defy the effects of aging and restore their youthful feeling, through the aid of supplementation. See her website at http://www.youthfulliving.com pjzteam@rochester.rr.com |
