Water — the Life-Giving Liquid

Some of my best memories include water. There weren’t many things I enjoyed more than swimming when I was a kid. We would often stop and gallivant in creeks randomly (there were a lot of them in the area I was raised), so I rarely had a swimsuit on when the creek was rushing over my toes. That was a game in itself, seeing how close I could let the water get to my clothes without drenching them. I often lost that wager, returning to the car soaked. I don’t think my mother liked the game nearly as much as I did. Thank goodness that was still the era when kids were often in the back of the pickup as we pulled away. It saved the upholstery in my adults’ vehicles, I am sure.

But I digress. Water is not just for play, though I have to admit that even now, at almost forty, I would still happily play the how-close-can-I-get game whenever I see a creek.

Water is essential. For your health. For your body to function properly. And so many people seem to struggle to drink it.

“It tastes bad.”

“It has NO flavor.”

“I don’t like it, so why should I drink it?”

Well, there are some pretty compelling reasons to drink water, actually, even if you don’t like it. Some you may not be aware of.

Did you know that being even slightly dehydrated can leave you feeling lethargic? Have you ever had a day when you just wondered why you felt so wiped out? Chances are, if you upped your water intake, you would begin to feel better. Our bodies need water! That isn’t surprising, since up to 65% of the human body is comprised of water.

Imagine running low on a liquid that is that important to the function of your vehicle. Would you ignore the oil light if it came on in your car and your engine was knocking? I think not!

Have you ever had a headache that just won’t quit? There’s a pretty good chance your body was begging you to give it some water. Our bodies are designed in such a wonderful way that we have warning lights of our own! Don’t make your “check engine” light stay on. Turn up that glass (not the one with Dr Pepper).

In case I haven’t been successful so far in convincing you that water is your friend, here is a list of things that NOT drinking water can cause:

· Chronic fatigue

· Constipation

· Headache

· Dizziness

· Brain fog

· Irritability

· Cracking lips and hands

Now, these are just a few of the milder issues that can crop up if you deny your body the life-giving liquid we were originally supposed to consume. (I know it’s hard to accept, but God didn’t actually plan for Pepsi to be your only source of hydration.)

In severe cases, dehydration can even lead to seizures, kidney failure, and swelling of the brain. There are valid, and clearly important, reasons to make sure you prioritize the hydration of your body.

So, unless you want to be a foggy-headed, grumpy, constipated, exhausted human being walking around with sandpaper lips and crater-prone skin on your hands, I suggest you take a moment and pour some life-giving liquid over ice. Or don’t. Drink it warm. Boil it. However you like it, drink it that way! But please, make sure you DRINK IT.