The Neglected Needs – Part 2 Hydration

Have you noticed that if you down a whole lot of water all at once, you will run to the restroom in a very short amount of time?

I’m sure you’ve heard that we need to drink 1/2 our body weight of water in ounces. So, if you are 200 lbs, you drink 100 oz of water to ensure that you are getting the right amount of water to stay hydrated, correct? However, this is ideal at your inactive rate per quantity of water, which means without activity, sugary drinks, coffee, etc. Add a single cup or two of those “dehydrators,” and they will cause dehydration.

We’ve heard; how we need to drink at least 8 cups of water a day to ensure proper hydration. A significant portion tends to drink 4 cups fast or swallow all 8 cups like in a competition. If we think of the body as we think of a dried plant, in severe need of water, when we pour lots of water into that plant, it will only run through, and the plant will not much have absorbed much. However, if we pour a little water, wait a little, pour some more, and wait a little, and do once more, you’ll notice that the plant would have no puddles but would have absorbed most of, if not, all the water. I encouraged my clients in the benefits of three full sips of water per hour. 1st holding each sip of water in the mouth for 20 – 30 honest seconds before swallowing three times consecutively. From a physiological perspective, the action of not swallowing the water in your mouth activates the salivary glands, which prepares the stomach acids for digestion, absorption and optimizes circulation and hydration of the body. In conjunction with the 1st Neglected Need – Breath, it really helps to release or ease body tensions.

Through Hydration, Breath, and Movement, awareness is the base answer for living our greatest potential.

In Chinese Medicine and Holistic Health practices, you need to “chew your water”. This process works from a practical Chinese Medicine understanding that the tongue has all the organ associations: the tip of the tongue is the heart association, right behind that is the lung association, and at the center of the tongue is the stomach association. At the back of the tongue resides the intestines, kidney and bladder associations. At the sides of the tongue, the liver and gallbladder associations. These associations coincide with the meridians (energy pathways with the same name associations) that overlay the entire body. Granted, these associations are reflected throughout the whole body; viewed on the feet, palms, face, eyes. Studying subjects like reflexology, physiognomy (face reading), iridology, the auricular system etc. can broaden the understanding of this. Every part of the body has an association with the entire body and its organs.

Back to the tongue and its hydration optimization…

Since the tongue has associations to the organs and by holding water in your mouth, it should not be a surprise that this action nourishes each organ through those associations.

When clients express cramping, nausea or lightheadedness, the process of holding alkaline water in the mouth for 10 seconds or more three times consecutively also works. Mentioned in the “Neglected Need 1 – Breath”, exhale with “Hawww” releasing sound three times consecutively.

Our body is like a heat generator. The areas of pain and dysfunction tend to cause slowed or stagnated function, like pain or cramping, which we can term segmented dehydration. Segmented because the whole body is not dehydrated, and there is a heated build up that needs to be cooled to flow and a cold block or slowed area that hinders the smooth flow of energy, heat, blood, body fluids, etc. All related to the traditional Chinese Medicine circulatory system. Holding the water in your mouth cools the excess heat. In conjunction with proper Breath, it releases the contraction and opens the circulation while regulating the body’s temperature, improving blood flow, organ functions, digestive functions, and alleviating of most pain, cramping, lightheadedness or nausea.

Hydration, Breath, and Movement incorporate the 3 Neglected Needs. When they are properly addressed, they provide pain alleviation and better functionality of the whole body. Proper hydration makes the difference between staying in constant pain, passing out from lack of circulation or being thirsty all the time.