Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign what's worthwhile healing Mind, Body, and Spirit? I'm Ramsey Zimmerman. I choose peace of mind, vitality of body, and joy of spirit over stress, exhaustion, or overwhelm. Together, let's explore and pursue the many ways to build holistic health and wellness.
[00:00:32] Hey there, It's Ramsay here. What is it about drinking water? I mean, really? Why is something so simple, so obviously necessary, so difficult for people to do consistently? Dogs are enthusiastic water drinkers. They get it everywhere. Cats lean over and lap it up, maintaining every ounce of dignity that they can. Even out in the wild. Creatures that would normally eat each other call a silent truce at the watering hole. Some Something about water demands respect.
[00:00:59] So why are so many of us walking around dehydrated? We know we should drink more water. Everyone knows it's practically a cliche at this point. Drink more water, get some sleep. Eat a vegetable now and then. But I guess there's a reason cliches exist. They point to the obvious truths that we're tired of hearing about. Well, too bad. Here is the thing though. We drink all sorts of other things. Coffee, energy drinks, juice, soda.
[00:01:26] Sparkling water that supposedly tastes like something you know what I'm talking about. We drink it all the time in my family, but we still make fun of it. Like looked at a lemon or peeked at a peach. How about Smart water? It's like dumb water, except more expensive. You can pay more for a bottle of Smart water than for a massive cup of soda. I don't know, it doesn't feel like either one of those are particularly smart choices. Here's something that teenagers have gotten right. Have you noticed that water bottles themselves are now fashion accessories?
[00:01:55] Teens have steel water bottles covered in stickers. They take them everywhere. School, sports, the car, church, carrying a water bottle. Actually, having water with you might be the smartest health move you can make. Nice job, kids.
[00:02:08] So let's get practical for a minute. Why does water matter?
[00:02:12] Well, every cell in your body depends on it. Your brain, your digestion, your joints, your energy, your ability to think clearly, your ability to move smoothly, even your mood. And when you are even mildly dehydrated, things start to go sideways. Headaches, fatigue, foggy thinking, dry mouth, poor sleep, muscle cramps, irritability.
[00:02:33] Basically, you turn into a human raisin.
[00:02:36] Now, in the summer, this gets even more real. More sun, more heat, more sweat, more movement. The hydration need climbs, often without warning.
[00:02:45] You go from a little thirsty to dizzy and headachy in no time. And it's not just about feeling thirsty. Thirst is a Lagging indicator. By the time your mouth feels dry, your body has already been asking for help for a while. And what do we do? Instead of listening? We caffeinate. We grab a cold soda. We crack open an energy drink. We go looking for something sweet, something bubbly, something fun. But those things are not really quenching your thirst. Many of them are actually depleting your hydration further. And don't even get me started on the cocktail of chemicals in some of those fluorescent colored bottles. You know what's wild? We live in a country where clean water just comes out of the tap for free. That's incredible. But most people still don't trust it. Maybe because it tastes weird, or maybe because they've heard about things like pfas, microplastics or lead.
[00:03:37] Back in my day, we drank water straight out of the hose in the yard. You just had to let it run for a minute to get cold. I know that's not up to today's standards, but still, the fact that water flows from the tap at all is something to be grateful for. If you are drinking tap water, consider using a good filter. If you are buying bottled water, consider switching to a refillable glass or stainless steel bottle. Because the truth is most of those plastic water bottles end up in landfills or floating in the ocean.
[00:04:07] And some of them leach chemicals into the water before you even open the cap. So if your goal is health, convenience and stewardship, your smartest move might be just sipping from a well loved sticker covered steel bottle filled with clean filtered tap water.
[00:04:22] Just don't forget to wash it once in a while. Alright, let's keep it simple here. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to count every ounce, but aim for more, more water more often throughout the day.
[00:04:34] Especially when it is hot. Especially when you are active. Especially when you are tired and when you are grumpy. When in doubt, drink some water. And if you are the type of person who needs a specific number, fine. Aim for half your body weight in ounces.
[00:04:50] If you weigh 160 pounds, try for 80 ounces, that is 10 to 8 ounce glasses. Which sounds weird. Does anyone actually pour a full 8 ounce glass of water and drink it? Better to go with a trendy glass water bottle covered in stickers, right? Carry your bottle, refill it, sip regularly. Choose water first. Choose water often. Make it part of your rhythm. Like brushing your teeth or putting on deodorant. Please tell me you brush your teeth and put on deodorant.
[00:05:18] Quiet, faithful, daily things that make a big difference over time. Because water is more than a beverage. It is the medium of life. The way your body flows, the way your mind clears, the way your spirit softens. And besides, even lions and gazelles agree on one thing. Everyone needs a drink. And for today, that is enough.
[00:05:41] Where to go from here? Visit whatsworthwhile.net to learn more about me, Ramsey Zimmerman and please reach out to me and let me know what you think. I don't want this podcast to be some message in a bottle thrown out to sea. I want to hear back from you. Please send me a message or an email, or hit me up on X, LinkedIn or Instagram. And please leave a rating and review for the what's Worthwhile podcast on Apple, Spotify, Iheart, or Amazon. Thanks.
