You’re not sick, you’re thirsty

Thu., Dec. 11, 2008

MaryJane Butters MaryJane's Everday Organic/United Feature Syndicate

These days, as with most containers, water bottles are mostly made of plastic. Sure, plastic is convenient, but it's a non-renewable resource, it's not biodegradable and it has toxic ramifications. Plastics used in a number of water containers leach dangerous chemicals that have been linked to a host of health hazards. Check the bottom of your bottles for a symbol that shows a number inside a triad of arrows. If the number is anything other than 2, 4, or 5, I recommend recycling it. Plastics numbered 2,4, and 5 are considered safe so far, but given all of the negatives associated with plastics, I'd like to give you a couple of other options to consider. Glass is a great choice when portability isn't an issue -- it's natural, biodegradable and inert. If you're picnicking, car camping or working in the office, you can bring gallon glass bottles along with just a bit of extra care during transport. Old glass juice jugs are heavy-duty and have screw-on tops, so they travel well. But if you're in the market for an unbreakable vessel, Klean Kanteen (www.kleankanteen.com) offers a line of reusable lightweight bottles made from No. 304 stainless steel, the material of choice in the food processing, dairy, and brewery industries. According to Klean Kanteen, their stainless-steel bottles are easy to clean, durable, sanitary, toxin-free and nonleaching. Klean Kanteens are available in 12, 18, 27, and 40-ounce sizes, equipped with your choice of a stainless-steel flat cap, loop cap or a sport-drinking cap made of polypropylene plastic (No. 5).

When we think of dehydration, we tend to picture some poor soul collapsing from heat exhaustion under a blazing desert sun. But the fact is, you might be dehydrated right now, and not even realize it. Dehydration occurs when your body loses water faster than you can replace it, and it can happen in any environment. When I’m outside working at my farm and the wind is blowing, even if it’s chilly out, I’ve learned that I need to drink more water because the wind itself is dehydrating me. You lose anywhere from half a gallon to a full gallon of water each day just through normal sweating and urination, more if you are hot or exercising strenuously. Think back over the past few days and consider how often you felt a little extra tired, achy, were irritable, had a headache, or had trouble focusing on a task. These are all symptoms of mild dehydration, which can have major effects on how well you get through your day. By the time you actually feel thirsty, your memory and attention span may have already decreased by 10 percent, and mental performance deteriorates progressively as dehydration gets worse. The same is true for kids in school. Imagine trying to pay attention and learn when you feel down and drained. Like adults, kids may get cranky or will lose the ability to concentrate when they’ve gone too long without water. The good news is that mild dehydration is easy to fix. Nature has provided us with the perfect cure: water, pure and simple. There’s no need to go out and buy those chemically colored energy drinks touting “electrolyte replenishment.” Electrolytes are natural chemicals in our body fluids that supply electrical energy necessary for nerve and muscle functions, and they get depleted along with our water content when we perspire. However, there’s no way to regain them instantaneously. Water alone has an immediate revitalizing effect and gradually re-hydrating with water will restore your electrolyte balance naturally. The key to boosting overall health and harmony is to stay hydrated throughout the day so that you don’t have to play catch-up after you’re already worn out. Tips for Beating Dehydration: Drink a glass of water first thing each morning. Drink often throughout the day rather than just a few big gulps at mealtimes. Every time you pass a drinking fountain or water cooler, stop for a drink. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere. Use the color of your urine as a guide for how well you’re hydrating. If you “go” regularly and the output is pale yellow, you’re drinking enough. If it starts looking like apple juice, you’re not. How much water should we drink? The Institute of Medicine advises that men drink about 13 cups (104 ounces) of liquid a day, women about 9 cups (72 ounces) and kids about 8 cups (64 ounces). These amounts should be consumed throughout the day and not in one or two slugs. Also, we should add a few extra cups on days when we’re sweating, working/playing hard or are sick — particularly with a fever. Beverages like soda, tea, coffee and juices count, in part, toward our daily fluid intake, but they’re not ideal because our kidneys have to filter out the sugar, caffeine and other additives. The bottom line: In order to feel great, we’ve got to drink water before thirst even sets in — and we have to make sure our kids do the same. For more in-depth information, read “You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty” by F. Batmanghelidj. MaryJane Butters is an organic lifestyle expert and the editor of MaryJanesFarm magazine. Write to her care of United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, or e-mail everydayorganic@maryjanesfarm.org.