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Out of the four basic nutrients which our bodies require for survival (water, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) WATER is the most important of all! Why? A human being is able to remain alive without food for approximately thirty days, however life would cease in about three if the body were deprived of this precious nutrient! The human body is two-thirds water, which plays a major role in every function from digestion and absorption, to circulation and excretion. Water improves oxygen delivery to every cell, transports nutrients, enables easier breathing, cushions and absorbs shocks to joints, regulates body temperature, flushes toxins, removes wastes, improves cell communication, and helps us look and feel great. We lose approximately 2-3 quarts through perspiration and one pint through exhalation every day! Dehydrated and nutrient deficient cells will encourage health problems not to mention give us that dried-up wrinkly look, something so easily avoided by taking in a few sips of water here and there!

So, are we really drinking enough? Many people will admit that they are notand this is the reason why there are so many people with symptoms of dehydration. In a healthy body, even a slight dip in blood volume triggers the hypothalamus to send out a message that we are thirsty, making our mouths feel dry. Due to poor habits and aging, our trigger mechanisms become impaired and slow down, giving the false impression of adequate hydration, and this is more of a reason to drink water even if you arent thirsty. The old rule of thumb is that eight servings (8oz per serving) of good quality water per day is sufficient for normal body function, however, there is another more precise way to calculate the amount you need. Take your body weight in pounds and divide by two; this number in ounces is closest to what your body requires each day for optimal health. Ex. Michelle weighs 150 pounds; divide 150 by two, which equals 75. Michelle needs to consume approximately 75 ounces of water per day in order to meet the hydration needs of her body. Seventy-five ounces divided by 8 ounces equals approximately nine 8oz glasses instead of the recommended eight. (You may need more or less depending upon the time of year and your exercise habits; exercise is wonderful for us however we need to replenish what water is lost through perspiration). Another important thing to remember is that ice cold temperatures will shock the digestive system thus slowing down enzyme capability, so preferably drink your water at room temperature.

Why be concerned about dehydration? Some annoying signs of this from early onset to later stages may appear as headaches, cramping, fatigue, anxiety, depression, heart burn, joint pain, back pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, constipation, angina, allergies, asthma, adult onset of diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disease, psoriasis and more. The worst part is that many people think they are getting enough quality water out of the many other types of drinks they consume throughout the day. With a society consuming so much coffee, beer, wine, and carbonated soda containing chemicals, sugar and caffeine, I am afraid not! What most people do not realize is that these type drinks cancel out the little bit of pure water that they do consume! Caffeine and alcoholic drinks are diuretics, which mean they contribute to a debit of hydration by increasing urine flow, not to mention other ill health effects due to some of their ingredients. Carbonated drinks usually contain high amounts of refined sugar or worse, artificial sweeteners. Your best bet is to cut back on products containing these ingredients or better yet stop using them altogether and reach only for the pure, good quality water!

Am I able to substitute some of my water intake with any other kind of beverage? YES!!! Fresh juices extracted through a juicer from organic fruits and vegetables (not bottled due to chemicals, high sugar and lack of enzymes, raw vegetables or a piece or two of fruit are the best. Decaffeinated herbal tea is also a fine choice.

So what are you waiting for? Go get a glass! Not sure when is the best time to quench your thirst and your body? Usually about 20 minutes before a meal or at least one half hour afterwards best so as not to disturb the digestive process. Too much water after a meal may interfere with enzyme function. And dont chug your daily requirement in one or 2 sittings. The body can only effectively metabolize around 5 ounces of water at a time. Drink too much, and it will go straight to the bladder, so sip your water throughout the day.

What do you mean when you say quality water? All water is the same, is it not? Not so! Many health problems ranging from parasites to cancer can result from drinking contaminated water. There are over 75 thousand chemical compounds lurking in our water today. These pollutants come from industrial waste, agriculture, municipal sewage and consumers. Most people assume their taps provide clean, safe, quality water yet unfortunately this is not the case. These contaminants do seep into much of our water supply. Who is responsible for setting the standards for public water systems? The Safe Drinking water Act gives the environmental Protection Agency (EPA) control over this ongoing challenge with our drinking water (private wells are not regulated by the EPA). In fact more than one third of the water supply from community water systems have been reported as failing to meet the EPA standards for safety and treatment techniques. Some of the harmful pollutants one may find in their drinking water include heavy metals, radon, fluoride, arsenic, fertilizers, asbestos, cyanides, pesticides, herbicides, industry chemicals, viruses, bacteria and parasites. And then of course, the following are added to public water supplies in order to kill bacteria, balance pH, control cloudiness, etc.; chlorine, carbon, lime, phosphates, soda ash and aluminum sulfate. Chlorine also has its undesirable effects especially if combined with carbon based pollutants which form deadly tri-halo-methanes (THMs). Another contaminant of concern is Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) which is an immune system depressant and most likely a carcinogen. MTBE is added to gasoline in order to increase its oxygen content however it is seeping into our drinking water at a fast rate.

Unfortunately many of the impurities found in our drinking water supply are carcinogens; others contribute to general malaise or various types of illness. What to do? Clean up your tap water with one of the many filters on the market or choose a quality bottling company for your hydration needs. Although boiling water will kill bacteria and parasites it falls short at removing contaminants, so it wont improve the quality of water enough to make it suitable for drinking. Some of the available home water treatment and/or filtration methods you might want to look into include: charcoal, micro straining, and ceramic filters, KDF filtration, distillation, reverse osmosis, water softeners, bactericides, ultraviolet light and ozone. Although reverse osmosis and distillated are considered the best, no system can remove every single contaminant. Before choosing a unit it is suggested that you contact NSF International (www.nsf.com ) or the Water quality Association (www.wqa.org). These organizations will let you know if a manufacturer is holding their claims. See Holistic Healers Academy website for description of filtration methods: http://www.holistichealersacademy.com/water.htm

This article offers an introduction to alternative methods to plain tap water to encourage consumers into further investigation on which water would be best for them to use for drinking or cooking. It is my hope that you will contact some of the companies /agencies listed in order to get a closer look at how important it is to drink good quality water!

References: Dr. Batmanghelidj' M.D. ,"Your Body's Many Cries for Water" www.watercure.com Paul Bragg N.D., PhD, Water, The Shocking Truth That Can Save Your Life Steve Meyerowitz Water The Ultimate Cure

Please read the following: by Masaru Emoto, Messages From Water see site www.hado.net on how our thoughts effect water

Bob Worthington CNC, Naturopath (instructor for Holistic Healers Academy) see his own site http://www.spiritcentral.net

Kristen Lauter BS, HHP holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural health from Clayton College of Natural health and has received board certification as a Holistic health Practitioner from the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She is currently a candidate for the Certified Nutritional Consultant (CNC) through the American Association of Nutritional Consultants. Kristen fell ill with mercury and copper toxicity which led her on a nine year holistic journey resulting in the birth of Holistic Healers Academy.

Holistic Healers Academy (HHA), offers various programs leading to board certification as a Holistic health Practitioner (HHP) through the American Association for Drugless Practitioners. Through affordable home study courses, HHA offers holistic, metaphysical, energy and spiritual programs. With over thirty five courses to choose from, our HHP program is self-paced and enjoyable with one on one mentoring via email! For additional information visit our website at http://holistichealersacademy.com

Certified Holistic health Practitioner #76892201 Holistic Healers Academy received accreditation and certification from AADP in 2002 Certificate No. 37182206 and again in 2004 Certificate No. 31472411

The Sanskrit word 'Yoga' has two meaning, because it is derived from two roots - one is 'yujir yoge' and other is 'yuj samadhou'. A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain. There are many types of yoga, some with more emphasis on the physical part of the practice and some with a more spiritual approach, some that will make you sweat and some where youd spend half a class holding the same posture.

Back to chair Yoga: It goes by a variety of different names and is sometimes mixed with other forms of exercise, within the same class, such as: weight resistance, low-impact aerobics, chair pilates, and Tai Chi. So, the one reason to try a Yoga class is because you have found a low-impact exercise solution. Are you tired all the time and feel the need to rest, but you know you should get some exercise? How can you do both? The answer is to start regularly attending Restorative yoga classes, and reap the rewards of healing without a tremendous amount of effort.

So, how do you take the soothing effects of your yoga practice and apply them to the rest of your day? So yoga clothes should be functional, comfortable, and give you the freedom to totally enjoy your practice. Here are some of the things that you should look for in yoga clothing so that they work well for you and make you feel good about yourself and your practice.

There are also yoga classes where you can feel the pain, heat, and suffer. Maybe the masses have been brain washed into thinking that you have to feel the pain, suffer, starve, and have a near death experience, to lose weight. Since the study was released, a constant barrage of skeptics have pointed out flaws in the research that range from self-reported results to missing many other factors that may lead people to both practice yoga and have reduced weight.

Until all the studies are in, it would be safe to say that adding yoga practice to your weekly routine, and eating wisely, will contribute to weight control or weight loss. As for skeptics who point the finger at each other - He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone It might be best if we all practice a little more mindfulness, and loving kindness, before we decide to criticize things we dont understand. Ashtanga yoga - this is the type of yoga that I practice on a regular basis and means eight limbs in Sanskrit.

Iyengar yoga - This type of yoga is based on teachings by B. There is a type of yoga for everyone, and some people want a little more spiritual flavor than others. Another big hurdle is overcoming the goal-oriented, "Type A" personality approach to yoga; the attitude that the body must conform to perfection and each pose must be the textbook ideal.

chair Yoga classes offer a social activity that helps to stimulate the mind and body in a positive way. Furthermore, practitioners of yoga speak of a unification of the body, mind and spirit achieved through the practice of yoga exercises and breathing techniques. Greater concentration The breathing and inward focus that is a main component of any yoga practice can help your child learn to focus his mind more effectively.

You have to cultivate a positive relationship with your mind, through practicing yoga postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation. If you find the right Yoga teacher, you will learn controlled breathing (pranayama), stage-by-stage relaxation, and meditation. Lastly, all participants in chair Yoga classes learn to relax and quiet the mind, through breath awareness, meditation, stage-by-stage relaxation, a combination, or another method.

You can read the complete report on yoga in the FITNESS section of Goto Reports. http://www.goto-reports.com