Water Intake
Water: Water is the simplest substance that we can ingest and yet one of the most fundamental to our well being. Water is vital to the healthy functioning of the human body. Without water-which accounts for about 70-80% of our body mass- the body cannot effectively eliminate toxins and waste matter or grow new tissue. Drinking the right amount of water is particularly important based on the nature of work, exercise you do and the climate you are in. Most of us simply do not drink enough pure water. It is possible to live in semi-dehydration without even realizing it. Dehydration can cause headache, bad breath and many other minor health problems.
Drinking tea and coffee throughout the day-as many people do, is a very poor way of maintaining fluid intake. Tea and coffee are both rajasic and do not have the same rehydrating effects as plain water. They have a diuretic effect on the body, which means they increase the output of urine and the overall loss of water from the body. (Tea Coffee and other stimulants effect on the body is given separately in self poisoning). They also contain caffeine, which is a stimulant and places stress on the body. If you regularly notice any of the following sign, you should increase the amount of water you drink on a daily basis: your saliva is sticky; feel weak, lethargic or fatigued; you don’t urinate very often and when you do, your urine is dark yellow or orange. Another sign of dehydration is dry skin. Modern centrally heated air-conditioned homes often dry out the skin. Rather than trying to rehydrate the skin from outside by applying moisturizing creams, rehydrate it from the inside by drinking more water.
To get into the habit of drinking more water you can drink a glass every hour from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep. Another way is to drink as much water as you comfortably can (about a litre or more if possible) first thing in the morning, and then smaller amounts throughout the day. It is not good to drink water with meals as Water is absorbed in ten minutes from the stomach and in the process it will dilute the digestive juices and decrease the digestive heat thereby impedes nutrient absorption; it also increases the pressure inside stomach and pushes the food to small intestine before finishing digestion. Do not have cold water along with food.
Stop drinking water half an hour before and have water only after two to three hours of food. Add more raw vegetable salads along with food which can reduce the need for water and also supply necessary vitamins and minerals. Chewing the food properly also helps to reduce the requirement for water. Most of our natural food contains large percentage of water in it. Fruits vegetables and milk have large percentage of water. When these foods are heated on fire, water not only dries up but important vitamins and minerals in it are also destroyed. Therefore if we eat natural food, we would not require so much water to drink. The water which we found in fruits vegetables and raw milk are much more beneficial than normal drinking water.