Most of us know that being properly hydrated is important, but commonly we neglect drinking it
regularly as part of maintaining good health. It becomes even more important as we get older.
According to the National Institutes of Health, “Adults who stay well-hydrated appear to be healthier,
develop fewer chronic conditions, such as heart and lung disease, and live longer than those who may
not get sufficient fluids.” The study authors also cited research that finds about half of people worldwide don’t meet recommendations for daily total water intake, which often starts at 6 cups (1.5 liters). It’s estimated 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
“Getting enough water every day is important for your health. Drinking water can prevent dehydration, a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, and lead to constipation and kidney stones. Water has no calories, so it can also help with managing body weight and reducing calorie intake when substituted for drinks with calories, such as sweet tea or regular soda.”
Proper Hydration is linked to Healthy Aging
Those that are 60+ that are dehydrated put themselves at an even greater risk for many reasons, a major one being that we experience a natural drop in thirst levels and body composition changes as we age. Those that are 60+ are also more likely taking medications and diuretics contributing further to fluid loss within the body compromising many systems and health overall.
Water and the Importance of Its pH Levels
The majority of people in North America drink water from our tap, some swear by bottled and some take it a step further with filtration systems, even structured water kits to improve pH and mineral content. The pH of water is valuable info when looking at water quality.
pH in chemistry relates to the “potential of hydrogen” and this measurement can indicate how acidic water and our body is.
The ph scale outlines a range from 0 to 14;
- 7 being considered neutral
- pHs of less than 7 indicate acidity
- pHs greater than 7 indicate a base.
You can monitor your own acidity levels by testing your body’s pH level – it’s ridiculously easy and fast. All you need is a box of pH test strips and simply follow the test kit instructions and you will have a result in less than a minute. We have some suggested testing guidelines to get an optimal measure whether you are testing with saliva or urine, we offer a kit that works for both read more info here.
Filtering your own tap water at home is another to ensure what you are taking in and digesting is helping vs adding to the problem. Our AlkaPitcher with combined filter makes it convenient and affordable to optimize the water you, your family even your pets are consuming. See available options here.
Many of our HL4Y Accredited Partners offer pH testing and serve alkaline water to their clients. If you are a service provider these are easy and effective add-ons to enhance existing services and may help offer more optimal outcomes while boosting your client’s experience overall.
