My country, the Netherlands, is famous for how we handle water. We are good at building dikes, dams and polders. That is a blessing, because we have dry feet in the Flevopolder, even though we live below sea level.
We are all blessed with free access to healthy, clean drinking water in our homes. Water is also a blessing for our body. That is why this post has the title: showers of blessing.
Effects of water on the outside
How can we use water on the outside of our body?
Exactly, by taking a shower or a bath.
The blessing of bathing
Showering or bathing is a blessing for the body. It cleanses our skin of the impurities that come out through the pores. It strengthens and refreshes the body. It distributes blood circulation evenly over the body, which promotes health. And it relaxes.
That brings us to the next point.
The blessing of hydrotherapy
Have you ever heard of hydrotherapy or water therapy? Hydrotherapy is the use of water, applied internally or externally, to treat trauma, injury or illness. Hydrotherapy can relieve pain in muscles and joints, it can support the rehabilitation of injured limbs, lower fever, relieve headaches, it helps to relax, it is essential in the treatment of burning and frostbite.[2] These are just a few examples of conditions in which hydrotherapy can help. Note: do not underestimate the effects of hydrotherapy. Water can be a great blessing for our health through this therapy, but there are also risks. Learn to apply hydrotherapy in a correct and safe way before you get started.
Effects of water on the inside
The blessing of good circulation
One of the effects of hydrotherapy is the stimulation of blood flow, or circulation. It helps to make the blood vessels wider, allowing more blood to flow. The blood brings oxygen and nutrients to the cells. Moreover, the blood removes waste products.
Drinking enough makes the blood less viscous. This makes the blood flow through blood vessels more easily and the blood cells do not stick together so quickly. This protects against unwanted clotting, by which I mean blood clots that cause a heart or cerebral infarction or blockages of blood vessels (thrombosis, embolism). In a scientific study, people who drink five or more glasses of water a day are compared to people who drink less than five glasses of water. For women who drank more than five glasses of water, the risk of a fatal heart attack decreased by 41%. For men that was no less than 54%. What a blessing it can be to drink a few extra glasses of water a day!
The blessing of proper digestion
Water is also a blessing for the gastrointestinal tract. Water is needed to properly digest your food, because digestive juices are largely made of water.
Dehydration affects the stomach. It makes the protective mucosa on the inside of the stomach thin. This makes it easier for gastric juices to damage the stomach wall and cause a stomach ulcer. If you have an upset stomach, it is wise to drink enough: 2 liters of water a day, including a glass of water half an hour before each meal.
Further down the gastrointestinal tract, in the colon, water is also a blessing. People who sometimes suffer from constipation will confirm that. Drinking too little is one of the causes of a difficult and painful bowel movement. Drinking enough, eating plant based, fiber-rich food, and enough exercise help to have regular bowel movements.
The blessing of a healthy urinary tract
The water we drink has to leave the body. The majority leaves our body through the urinary tract. For this body system, it is also important to drink enough. Drinking too little for a long time is the main cause of kidney stones. The urine gets very concentrated if a person drinks too little. The salts and minerals in the dark urine, make it easier to form kidney stones. Now you know this, you also know the most important way to prevent the formation of kidney stones: drink a lot!
If you drink enough, you also limit the risk of a urinary tract infection! Isn’t that a double blessing?
The blessing of a clear mind
Drinking enough is also a blessing for your mind.
Scientific research suggests that certain cognitive skills and mood are positively influenced by drinking water. This applies most strongly to vulnerable people, such as children and the elderly.
Many people think it is hard to drink enough water. A frequently mentioned reason is that those people are not thirsty. In this book: "Water, for health, for healing, for life" by Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, there is a list of sensations that the writer thinks actually mean that someone is dehydrated. It is striking that many of these sensations are psychological.
· Feeling tired without a reasonable explanation
· Feeling irritable
· Feeling anxious
· Feeling down or dissatisfied
· Have a feeling of a heavy head
· Restless sleep, especially in the elderly
· Poor concentration
Other feelings that mean "thirst" but are experienced differently are:
· Blushing
· Shortness of breath in a healthy person
· Feeling hungry
The good news is that your healthy thirst sensation returns if you drink enough for a few days.
Tips for drinking water
Why water
Some people prefer to drink coffee, tea, juice, soft drinks, milk or alcohol. It tastes good to them and it is also liquid. Why am I talking about drinking water all the time? All manufactured beverages contain chemical additives that can change the functioning of the central nervous system. This is especially true for drinks with caffeine, alcohol and artificial sweeteners.
Water is the best for the body. Unlike other drinks, water can be absorbed directly into the body. In addition, all nutrients dissolve in water.
Our body continuously loses water through respiration, skin, urinary tract and bowel movements. This must be supplemented.
How much
How much water do you have to drink? This is easy to calculate. You have to drink 30 ml per kilo of body weight, or one ounce for every two pound. Someone of 100 kg has to drink 3 liters. I will show you a diagram here.
60 kg. - 1800 ml
70 kg. - 2100 ml
80 kg. - 2400 ml
90 kg. - 2700 ml
100 kg.- 3000 ml
This is a general guideline. If you have a serious heart or kidney disease, talk to your doctor about the amount of water you can drink.
You need more water if you lose a lot of water, for example if the weather is warm or if you exercise.
When
Start your day with two glasses of water to correct dehydration that occurred during the night.
Stop drinking half an hour before meals. And wait 2-2.5 hours after a meal before drinking again. This is for an optimal digestion.
Drink before you exercise so that the water is available to the body during exercise.
Drink before you are thirsty. And if you are thirsty, drink twice as much as needed to quench your thirst.
Conclusion
The last blessing that I want to point out to you is the Word of God, the Bible.
Jesus says in John 7:37-39:
“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive…”
Let's not only drink water from the tap, but also take in the living water from the Bible.
“Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” Isaiah 12: 3.
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