6 minute read
Water: Helping to boost Immune Response
When people think about boosting their immune system they frequently think of Vitamins such as Vitamin C and D or herbal nutrients such as echinacea, garlic, oregano etc. Seldom do people think about water yet good hydration is vital for a healthy functioning immune system.
Poor hydration is a contributory factor in many of our degenerative disease issues. Over the years the focus of the majority of medical research has been the cell and comparatively little has been carried out into the function and characteristics of the water around the cells. Yet recent research by leading water research scientist Dr Gerald Pollack from the University of Washington has proven that the quality of the water around our cells has a profound effect on the integrity of the cells.
Proper Hydration is Important for Body pH Balance
Modern day diets, high levels of stress and environmental pollution have a very negative impact on our body’s pH balance. Our blood pH needs to remain in a very tight slightly alkaline range for our optimum health. Unfortunately the side effects of typical diets and stress increasingly push the blood pH towards acidity, which has many negative effects, including poorer oxygen transfer. If allowed to continue long term it can increase the potential for degenerative disease and make us more susceptible to infection. Good hydration is an important part of maintaining good body pH balance, helping to eliminate toxins and maintain good oxygen transfer.
Good hydration does not solely depend on the amount of water we drink. It depends on the quality of the water we drink and its absorption. There are many people who drink lots of water - however much of it is not being absorbed. One of the contributory reasons is a lack of electrolytes in the body. This problem is most prevalent on people taking inadequate amounts of good salt. The body needs salt, although there are a small percentage of people that are sodium sensitive. It is essential to consume salt that is unprocessed. Medical Doctor Batmanghelidj, a leading ambassador for the benefits of hydration, wrote a book called Water and Salt which is an excellent introduction to the extensive health benefits of water and salt.
Hydration - Digestive Health and Its Effect on Immunity
In addition to the benefits of toxin removal and better blood oxygenation one of the keys benefits of proper hydration is in improved gut health. Poor hydration is a major contributor cause of many of the manifestations of digestive tract dysfunction, particularly those conditions resulting in a sluggish bowel. If our digestive tract is not functioning optimally it will greatly impact our immune function since much of our immune cells are located in the gut.
Whether the manifestation of digestive problems is colitis, IBS, constipation, bloating, acid reflux, leaky gut or some other disease label you can be sure that the gut environment is out of balance. If the gut environment is not what it should be it will result in an imbalance of the microbial colonies in our bowel which are vitally important for our wellbeing. More and more research in this area is showing the connection between the gut microflora and disease problems in different areas of the body and in particular our brain health.
The balance and proliferation of good microbes in our digestive tract very much depends on the environment. The right environment depends on many factors including hydration, pHbalance, mineral balance, body temperature, vitamin D levels in addition to blood flow and nutrient flow. A properly functioning gut will enhance our health and boost our immunity.
Proper hydration is vitally important to promote overall wellbeing and a robust immune system. As we mentioned earlier this begins with consuming good water. The quality of the water we drink is of key importance. People automatically assume that good health promoting water is solely achieved by removing chemical contaminants such as chlorine that is added during water treatment or the multitude of chemicals found in our environment such as micro plastics, heavy metals, pesticide residues, drug residues and the weedkiller glyphosate.
Giving Your Body the Type of Water that Will Enhance Wellbeing
However removal of contaminants is only part of the process to create water which is going to help good hydration of our body. Good water should be mineral rich, slightly alkaline, have antioxidant properties and good structure. Neither tap water nor bottled water possesses the majority of these properties. Over the last decade there has been significant published research on the antioxidant effects of water that contains the tiny molecule molecular hydrogen. This water is found in waters in nature that have particular benefits for health. Good structure is also necessary to give the body the type of water that it can use to effectively protect our cells.
Japanese scientists believe that the optimum structure of water for the body is hexagonal water where 6 water molecules are bound around an alkaline mineral. There are many views on the structure of water and increasing ways to improve its structure and no doubt over the next few decades we will begin to understand better the vital role that good mineral rich water, suitably structured, has on improving or maintaining our vitality and immunity.
With the need for heightened immunity being on the minds of an increasing number of people as we go into the winter months it is prudent to consider optimising hydration levels. Water is the No 1 nutrient for our body. Proper hydration is the single most important and most cost effective thing we can do to protect ourselves.
Roddy MacDonald
Founder of Water for Health Ltd
water-for-health.co.uk
