Water, Water Everywhere
Leonardo da Vinci once said, "Water is the driver of nature." I've always believed this to be absolute truth. Water covers two-thirds of the earth's surface. It has carved some of the most magnificent structures known to man, it is home to some of the most brilliant array of life forms, and it makes up 90% of our body mass. If something that vast isn't a driver of nature, I don't know what is.
Each and every reader of Mosaic Minds is affected by the presence of water. It might seem like an odd thing to gush about, but if you really think about the subject how could we not Gush?
Most of us know that drinking water is considered one of the healthiest things for us. Of course, that doesn't make it any easier to consume it as we should. Standard guidelines state that the average adult should consume eight to ten large glasses of drinking water a day. Instead of thinking about drinking water in terms of eight to 10 glasses, I prefer to measure it in a form that most of us are much more familiar with--soda bottles. The average soda bottle contains 20 ounces. To get our water intake for the day, we would need to drink four and a half or five bottles a day!
I used to drink four or five bottles of soda a day, but water? That just didn't happen. When I found out that on average, most people are only replacing about two-thirds of their water losst through sweat with drinking water, I was floored. As I began looking into the value of water for my own body, I learned much more then the standard "it's good for you" hype.
Did you know that not only does water moisten tissues such as those in the mouth, nose, and eyes, but it also regulates your body temperature? According to the Mayo Clinic, water also protects body organs and tissues, lubricates joints, helps prevent constipation, carries nutrients and oxygen to our cells, lessens the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products, and helps dissolve minerals and other nutrients to make them accessible to the body. Every body system we have needs water to operate properly.
I told you it was something to Gush about.
When I started my journey to better drinking habits, it was hard. Let's face it--in a world dominated by sugary sweet sodas, water is bland. Bland, bland, bland. I tried those fruit waters. They left me feeling robbed, though some of my friends swear by them. They have just enough taste to take the edge off of the humdrum water we all should consume.
I also tried those sparkling, carbonated waters. YUCK! They tasted like a tablespoon of flat soda watered down with a gallon of ice. I shudder at the thought. I'd rather deal with the flavorless monotony of tap water than put bubbly water in my mouth.
After much search, I've finally settled on plain old water for my hydrating needs. It suits me. I hope you are able to wade through the many choices of refreshing beverages and find one that suits you. Your skin will be clearer, your organs will be happier, and you will be healthier in general if you can manage to guzzle down those five soda bottles' worth of water each day.
Although the healthy effects of water are something in and of themselves to gush about, I'd be remiss if I didn't speak of the other wondrous things water brings to our lives.
Long, hot showers and baths; oh, how I crave a long hot shower right now. I know we've all been invogorated by a shower and spent a soothing hour or so in a bath. What about the pools and oceans, streams and lakes we like to swim and boat in? Summer is often a favorite season just because of the water sports. Perhaps my favorite thing about water is mud puddles and small children.
Have you ever watched a child who is allowed to go out mud puddle stomping? There is a beautiful, unrestrained joy in the way they laugh and giggle with glee as they jump with all of their might, causing water to spray in every direction. For the moment in time that they are enveloped in the rapture of puddle jumping, there is no pain, no fear, and no sorrow--only bliss.
All of that from water puddled on the ground. So the next time you're outside after a rainfall and you see a puddle nearby, do me favor. With one foot, and a quick glance around to make sure no one is watching, stomp in that puddle. Then giggle with glee, go back to your home and drink some water to soothe your body.
Water: it truly is something to gush about.