Drink Well & be Happy!

As some of my students know, I have been going through a Liver detox over the past 3 weeks. One of the most important aspects of this was to drink at least 2 litres of water per day to help flush out the toxins. It has struck me how many people do not drink enough water or any water at all. So that means many people are dehydrated, so I have been trying to encourage them to drink water……… and thought maybe its time to investigate further these claims why it’s good for us to drink water.

(Some of the information here is taken from Barbara Wrens’ brilliant work on CELLULAR AWAKENING.)

So, let’s look at why it’s so important…….

Our bodies are made up of 70% water;

The ratio of solid matter to water within them is the same as the ratio of land to ocean on planet Earth;

The brain (fully functioning) is 80% water (and is one of the first places to register dehydration (a person with depression can be dehydrated as much as 40% of its normal capacity);

In the Chinese 5-Elements theory of Seasonal practices we follow in my yoga classes, the Water element (Autumn) controls and sustains the kidneys, brain and central nervous system.

So, for me, this is enough to look deeper into what is happening within a fully hydrated or dehydrated body and the effects on our overall health and well-being.

The Four Electrolytes

I am not very scientific at all but will try to explain this in a way for my simple mind to understand.

There are 4 Electrolytes that charge the body by charging the water we are holding in the body. Our body works better when fully hydrated, having the ability to freely move messages around the body.

Sodium & Calcium always partner together in daytime when we are in active mode and there is light, a significant amount of S/C pass through the cell membrane and into the cell this displaces Potassium & Magnesium. During the hours of darkness, this whole process is reversed. When this whole process is complete, you have the perfect exchange of electrolytes.

The build-up of S/C inside the cell is part of feeling tired. To restore balance, we need to lie prone, rest and sleep – this is the time to enable many rebalancing processes that naturally take place inside of us. This can only happen when we are fully hydrated.

In a fully hydrated person, this also represents the perfect polarity needed at cellular level for us to live our lives to the full and realise our potential for expression and expansion daily. This day/night cycle is just one of the universal rhythms which happen as part of our nature and we can choose to flow with it or against it and water gives us more f l o w……

Dehydration Alert

Our body has its own amazing body wisdom, its own self-regulating systems that always works to keep the integrity of the whole. So, when dehydrated, it will endeavour to protect us, but if we continue to be dehydrated, the body will respond by going into a state of heightened alertness that can be called a ‘dehydration alert’. Through the action of the LIVER, (we have a Liver focus in the Spring yoga practices), it then increases the production of cholesterol, which is transported to dehydrated cells.

So, our cells are the first to change and the stress cycle continues. It means that the pH level in the cell is incorrect and that affects the whole body into a state of stagnation.

Signs of stagnation may be:

• feeling cold;

• we may loose the ability to produce acute illness (i.e. common colds – which in themselves are cleansing);

• onset of infections;

• low energy;

• feeling un-refreshed after sleeping.

If the stagnation becomes extreme, it can affect brain function quite dramatically with mental illnesses. Continuing in a dehydrated state which is going deeper for longer, it can cause more serious diseases such as cancers.

Other Causes of Dehydration

I’ve already mentioned that anything that causes stress or makes us fearful can lead to dehydration.

So, a state of unresolved emotions and lifestyle choices that are played out daily – can be a maintaining cause that can have detrimental effects.

Our Western diet tends to have a dominance of Sodium and Calcium – this can affect cellular health along with the more acidic forming foods. So, finding the right balance of nutritious, nourishing and alkalising foods, are so important.

Switching Off the Dehydration Alert

Addressing the stressors in our life can make a big difference to keeping the balance – so look at where adjustments can be made and make them step by step and maintain them as your new norm.

Our diet needs to be hydrating and reassuring to the Colon.

The Colon is the organ that registers whether the body is hydrated or not, so again our food choices are crucial. A small example is that short grain brown rice (organic if possible) is super hydrating for the colon (not the same for other types of rice).

Keep eating simple to help remove stress and allow the body to have spare energy to heal. Eating

foods that help balance pH levels which are not going to challenge our blood sugar. Its not natural for us to eat after dark as this is a natural time for rest and rejuvenation. Digestion takes huge amounts of energy over several hours after eating – so eating after dark can place an enormous stress to the body – so keep food simple if you must eat after dark.

Once the dehydration alert has been switched off a person can be more in touch with themselves. If you are supporting the hydration, the are supporting the central nervous system, so the brain and mind becomes clearer. Energy can be restored in areas of the body that has been deprived of it, this in turn supports the nervous system.

We have incredible bodies, which I previously stated, is always trying to find the perfect balance for health, vitality & harmony. So, by hydrating your body, you are going a long way to ensure your best optimal health. Drinking more water is a simple step to achieving that. While we are lucky to live in a part of the country that has good quality water – it does have its issues, i.e. chlorination. We just recently installed an under-counter water filter to have it on tap. This is such a convenient way and it means no more buying bottled water with all its environmental negatives that we must get away from if we are to live in harmony not just within our own bodies but our larger body of the planet Earth.

Drink well and be happy!