Are you dehydrated? You may be thinking this is just another article to remind you to drink more water but my intention is to explore the quality of the water that you drink, the temperature that you administer it and the opportunities available to improve the alkalinity of your H20. Ask yourself the following questions:

How Much Water Should you drink?
This is different for everyone and dependable on age, weight, activity levels, climate etc. A good guideline for the average person is to try to drink a glass of water at least every 2 hours throughout the day. When you urinate, check the color, it will always start off either orange or yellow but should get clearer throughout the day. If your urine is still orange or yellow by the afternoon then you are probably dehydrated and need to be drinking much more fluids.

What container is your water stored in?
If you are choosing to buy plastic water bottles sold in convenience stores, then theres a high possibility that the water has been residing in the sales container for months, possibly even years. In warm temperatures, it is possible for harmful toxins to leach from the plastic and contaminate the water. One of the main chemicals is Bisphenol A (BPA), a man-made synthetic chemical that can mimic the role of Estrogen in the body and alter the function of the Endocrine System. Try to buy water from glass bottles or reduce the level of toxicity by administering one of the water cleansing protocols listed below.

What temperature should the water be?
Its not just the volume of water you drink but also the temperature that is very important. You could be drinking an abundance of water but if the water is too cold then it may not be delivered efficiently into your cells. Think about it, when you try to dissolve something in Ice cold water it coagulates, whereas, if you mix it with warm water it dissolves rapidly. Ice cold water is a shock to the system and causes blood vessels to dilate reducing the overall absorption. Warm water is a better choice because it hydrates the body more effectively and supports good digestion.

What is the pH of your water?
Potential of Hydrogen (pH) level is a simple measure of Hydrogen Ions, the higher the waters pH, the less free hydrogens it has and the lower the pH level, the more free hydrogens it has. pH 7 is considered neutral, below 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline, natural water ranges anywhere from pH6.5 to pH9.0. Water stored in plastic bottles is often below pH 7 meaning our bodies have to work harder to process it and deal with the acidity.

How can I improve my Water?
There are several ways to improve the overall quality of your water:
Store water in glass or stainless Steel containers
Add lemon or lime to your water
Add pH drops to your water
Add a few drops of 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide to your water
Invest in a water filter to assist in elimination of heavy metals, chemicals, microorganisms, bacteria and chlorine
Dilute some Magnesium into your water
Drink your water at room temperature or warmer

Article by Michelle Cooper Holistic Health Practitioner at Amity Wellness