Did you know that besides hosting Valentine’s Day, February is also American Heart Month? This is the month to focus on the most important organ in our body, our heart, and learn how to keep it healthy. There is a strong correlation between how much water you drink and the quality of the water you drink and the healthiness of your heart. In fact, if you drink enough water now you can severely reduce your risk for heart problems later in life.
According to a new study that was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, adults who stay hydrated have a healthier heart. Serum sodium is a measurement of the amount of sodium in your body. The study found that adults who are dehydrated have high levels of serum sodium. Higher levels of serum sodium were directly correlated with heart disease and other heart conditions.
So how much water do you need to drink? Researchers determined that the average adult male needs to drink 15.5 cups of water a day. That’s 3.7 liters. And for women, they recommend 11.5 cups, or 2.7 liters, of water. Keep in mind that this isn’t just water or fluids that come from the beverages we drink. About 20% of our total fluid intake of the day comes from food.
You want to take care of your heart because heart failure is not fun. Heart failure means that your heart is not pumping as well as it should be. When this happens, the cells in your body do not get enough oxygen. This makes you feel fatigued and can even cause shortness of breath. Of course, this can also lead to severe bodily complications including premature death.
The quality of the water that you drink matters as well. You don’t want to be drinking acidic water like reverse osmosis water or distilled water because both of those are more than a thousand times more acidic than your own blood. Over time, drinking acidic water takes its toll on your body. It can increase oxidative stress levels in your cells and break them down which makes you more prone to adult-onset diseases.
You also don’t want to drink water that is contaminated. Like our last article covered, PFAS in our tap water are not well regulated by the EPA and have been proven to harm women. There are many other contaminants to be concerned about as well like fluoride, chloramine, leftover pharmaceutical drugs, and more. It doesn’t help to drink more water if the water you drink is contaminating your body with something that’s carcinogenic.
The bottom line is you need to be drinking enough water each day to keep your heart healthy. But you also need to be drinking quality alkaline ionized water that is purified and full of antioxidants. The best way to do this is to get a water ionizer. It filters the water, makes it alkaline, and gives your body more antioxidants than a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Plus it tastes great!
