Living Water & Water for Life
Today's post has a simple, but often neglected theme...water!
John 4:14 states, "But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again—ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.” (HCSB)
Jesus is the living water we are blessed to have springing up from within ourselves for eternal life, but we also need to remember to pursue having enough physical water as well.
While there is no universally accepted amount of water that's suggested to consume, it's safe to say that most of us probably aren't drinking enough, and the consequences can be severe. Read on below for more info about water...
Our cells and organs need water to function properly. Our joints are lubricated by it. It also regulates body temperature, and assists the passage of food through our intestines.
We do acquire some water from many of the foods we eat (about 20%), however most of the water we need has to come from actually drinking it.
During day-to-day functioning, our bodies use up water, even just by breathing! Therefore, water needs to be replaced on a consistent basis.
Water is vital to our kidneys, it helps dissolve minerals and nutrients so that they are more accessible to our bodies and help transport waste out.
When the kidneys are not functioning properly because of a lack of water, waste products and excess fluid can build up in the body leading to serious problems including kidney failure, kidney stones, and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). Some severe kidney infections can even lead to death.
Chronic kidney failure can include anemia, damage to the central nervous system, heart failure, and a compromised immune system.
Dehydration is another issue that comes with a lack of water and can also result in kidney failure.
Here's a list from Medical News Today about the other negative effects dehydration can have on your body:
Blood is more than 90 percent water, therefore, if water is in short supply, blood can become thicker and increase blood pressure.
When dehydrated, airways are restricted by the body in an effort to minimize water loss, potentially making asthma and allergies worse.
The skin can become more vulnerable to skin disorders and premature wrinkling.
The bowel needs water to function correctly. If dehydrated, digestive problems and constipation can become an issue. Dehydration can lead to an overly acidic stomach which makes heartburn more common and can encourage the development of stomach ulcers.
Cartilage, found in joints and the disks of the spine, contain around 80 percent water. If dehydration is ongoing, joints can become less good at shock absorption, which leads to joint pain.
Dehydration can affect brain structure and function. If dehydration is prolonged, cognitive ability is impaired.
In summation, water is necessary for our bodies to function properly. Drinking other fluids doesn't do the trick because since they contain other things in them, they require more filtration by the body and won't function or be processed in your system the same way plain water will.
So how much water is enough? The amount of water a person needs to drink per day varies depending on several factors including how active they are and how much they sweat. The Institute of Medicine recommends that men drink around 13 cups (3 liters) a day and women should consume around 9 cups (2.2) liters a day. To put that into perspective, that's about 3 soda liter bottles of water a day (slightly less for the ladies.) One way to help make sure you're drinking enough is to give yourself deadlines throughout the day with the amount of water you need to drink. For instance, you could say, "I will have drunk ----- cups of water by 10:00 a.m."
Drinking water can also help with calorie control because it can make you feel fuller.
Water is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. Here's a list of 107 scriptures where water is mentioned in the Bible.
Most of us are blessed to have access to clean water where even in our own country, many don't. So let's take advantage of the blessing of having clean water and make sure we're drinking enough of it!
All photos taken by Robert of Imported Pixs
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