World Water Day is not the only day of the year to bring awareness to the issue of clean water! In today’s political climate it is getting more and more important to ensure that we still have water to drink! This is something we take for granted every day in developed countries, while people around the world are forced to drink contaminated water and are dying from thirst to this very day – every day…
The numbers are huge: 1.1 Billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water and about 2.5 million people die every year from drinking contaminated water. 90% of these are children under the age of 5. This is a shocking statistic, but most of these people are in far corners of the world, and what can we do about it?
How about supporting the water project or use one of your upcoming vacations to volunteer with a Non-Profit organization overseas?
And what about those of us who live in the western part of the world? What can we do?
1. Stop Buying Bottled Water!
Instead, buy a water filter and a reusable water bottle (Aluminum and stainless steel are best) and refill them with filtered tap water throughout the day. Why? Because:
2. Stop Wasting Water
3. Drink More Water
All that said, make sure you drink enough water every day—filtered tap water that is. 60% of our body is made of water. We need to replenish what we lose through urine and sweat to stay hydrated to be healthy. A water intake of 3-4 liters or 100-135 ounces daily is recommended. Most of us drink less than half of that. Instead we drink coffee, tea, and alcohol, which are all dehydrating. This achieves the opposite effect, causing our body to lose fluid instead of replenishing it. In the western world there are people dying because they are not drinking enough water. People even die in hospitals and nursing homes because they are not given enough water to drink! That’s outrageous!
I recommend to read this book: Your Body’s Many Cries For Water by Batmanghelidj
Written by Eliane Baggenstos, owner of bodono, Registered Nurse, and Certified Health Coach with certification in Plant-Based Nutrition by the Cornell University and Evidence-based Health Coaching for Healthcare Providers by the National Society of Health Coaches, Licensed Massage Therapist with certifications in Advanced Sports Massage and Medical Massage, and Personal Trainer NASM CPT.