A-Z Mondays- the Foodie Version, "W" is for Water!

Well, water (get it? well water... Ha! there I go again....funny, right? No? Maybe it's the cold medicine...) may not be a "food" but it's something none of us can live without consuming, so I figured it would fit right in with the theme.

And I'm not a watermelon eater, so that wouldn't work for a post for me today. I'm not particularly feeling inspired today because honestly I woke up feeling rotten. Both of my girls have had colds for the last couple of days, and as much as I've been trying to avoid being around them as much as possible (go ahead, call me "mother of the year!" ) I've managed to catch a little something from one of them..

Anyway, when I thought of today's letter (W), the natural choice for me was water. I am a BIG water drinker. I'd say that I drink water probably 95% of the time I consume anything liquid, with my morning protien drink and my daily very rare McDonald's Frappe making up the majority of the other 5% and a very rare diet soda thrown in on occasion. It wasn't always that way...I used to be a big soda drinker, and would go through a lot of diet soda...more than I care to admit to. But not anymore! No sirree Bob! Now I am a big time H2O fan !

Every once in a whie I will think of one of the funniest thing that happened when Hubby and I were at a Christmas party years ago. We were sitting at a table with an older couple. The waiter came around with a pitcher of water, filling up everyone's glass. He came to the older gentleman sitting next to Hubby and started to pour water, the gentleman quickly put his hand over the glass and said, "No thank you! I don't drink water - fish shit in it." I just about fell off my chair laughing so hard.
For those of you that don't drink much water (and you should) here are some random interesting facts for you.

1. Roughly 70 percent of an adult’s body is made up of water.

2. While the daily recommended amount of water is eight cups per day, not all of this water must be consumed in the liquid form. Nearly every food or drink item provides some water to the body.

3. Soft drinks, coffee, and tea, while made up almost entirely of water, also contain caffeine. Caffeine can act as a mild diuretic, preventing water from traveling to necessary locations in the body.

4. Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid. Wherever it travels, water carries chemicals, minerals, and nutrients with it.

5. Somewhere between 70 and 75 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with water.
The earth is a closed system, similar to a terrarium, meaning that it rarely loses or gains extra matter. The same water that existed on the earth millions of years ago is still present today.

6. By the time a person feels thirsty, his or her body has lost over 1 percent of its total water amount.

7. The weight a person loses directly after intense physical activity is weight from water, not fat.

8. Water is absolutely essential to the human body’s survival. A person can live for about a month without food, but only about a week without water.

9. Water helps to maintain healthy body weight by increasing metabolism and regulating appetite.

10. Water leads to increased energy levels. The most common cause of daytime fatigue is actually mild dehydration.

11. Drinking adequate amounts of water can decrease the risk of certain types of cancers, including colon cancer, bladder cancer, and breast cancer.

12. For a majority of sufferers, drinking water can significantly reduce joint and/or back pain.

13. Water leads to overall greater health by flushing out wastes and bacteria that can cause disease.

14. Water can prevent and alleviate headaches.

15. Water naturally moisturizes skin and ensures proper cellular formation underneath layers of skin to give it a healthy, glowing appearance.

16. Water aids in the digestion process and prevents constipation.

17. Water is the primary mode of transportation for all nutrients in the body and is essential for proper circulation.

Now get up and go get yourself a nice tall glass of water!

If you'd like to see what other bloggers are drooling over this Monday, be sure to stop by Jen's blog here.