Water & the Body

by Jane Bluestein, Ph.D.

Benefits of water to the body include:

Allows body and brain to communicate
Gives our brain an instant boost
Strengthens immune system
Aids digestion
Gets rid of toxins in body
Increases oxygen absorption in blood (improves brain functioning)
Balances cellular polarity
Increases alertness, coordination
Improves concentration and ability to focus
Counters negative effects of caffeine, sugar, alcohol, environmental toxins, electromagnetic fields and stress
Improves academic performance and behavior

Update

After posting the above information on my site, I received a number of emails with some additional information about water. While I can vouch for the support for the legitimacy of the information above in the literature, I won't swear to the scientific accuracy of the information below. I am including it, however, as it all sounds reasonable based on the research I have seen. Make your own judgments:

75% of all people are chronically dehydrated. (Note: I did read that thirst is rarely a symptom of dehydration. In other words, most dehydrated people will report not feeling dehydrated.)

In 37% of us, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

Even mild dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%

One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University study.

Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Preliminary research indicates that 8 - 10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen.

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

So there! Are you drinking enough water? (Coffee is not water, neither is soda pop.) Why not have a glass right now?

Links to other articles on hydration:

Coaches Learning Network: Water and athletes (brief intro to article, requires membership for full access).

Teaching Expertise: Hydrate the Brain (includes links to other articles)

Brain Fitness for Learning: Some practical tips for supporting brain fitness in your classroom and school

Also adapted from Creating Emotionally Safe Schools:

The "Ideal" Student: Kids for whom traditional classrooms are ideally suited (and why so many non-traditional learners struggle in these instructional environments).

ADHD Look-Alike Conditions

Ways to Reach More Students

Working With Different Sensory/Modality
Strengths and Limitations

Multiple Intelligences

More information about this book.

What people are saying about this book.

Buy this book.

Back

For a bookmark-friendly version, click here, then bookmark.