So…it’s been a couple of months since the Coronavirus took the world by storm, and most of us are still hunkered down at home! Kind of a crazy “new normal” that we’re all experiencing.
In my last post, I shared some thoughts about how we can protect ourselves in the face of the coronavirus, by being proactive and doing what we can to keep our immune system strong.
Since we’re still in a holding pattern, waiting to see how things with the virus continue to unfold, I thought I would share another simple, but powerful way that you can support your immune system with something you have in your home right now: water!
Physically, more than half of the body is made up of water. And scientifically, water is absolutely essential in order for a person to live. Interestingly, on the spiritual side – the bible refers to Jesus as a fountain, or source, of living water that springs up to eternal life. So, I guess you could say that not only do we need water to live physically…but spiritually, too!
Staying hydrated by drinking water is pretty easy to do, and it’s actually an amazing way to give your immune system a boost.
1) Drinking plenty of water helps our blood carry oxygen to all the cells of the body. Oxygen ensures that all of the body’s muscles, organs, and systems, will function at peak, including the immune system.
2) Water actually flushes toxins from the body. Water helps our cells to take in nutrients, and it also allows them to expel waste products through the kidneys. If we don’t drink enough water, toxins will build up in our bodies, resulting in a weakened immune system.
3) You’ve probably heard the term “lymph” before. But, what you may not know is that it’s a part of our immune system. Lymph is a fluid in our bodies that contains white blood cells – which are our disease fighters. The immune system uses lymph to do a couple of important things: First, the lymph helps to carry water and nutrients to the blood, so the blood can bring those nutrients to all of the cells in our bodies. Second, the lymph carries white blood cells and T-cells, from our thymus and our bone marrow (where they are created), to where they are needed in the body to fight illness. And, third, the lymph removes toxins from the blood. Our bodies NEED water to produce lymph. Without it our white blood cells and T-cells have no way of traveling throughout the body to fight off viral and bacterial infections, and disease.
Water is also important to support our lungs and respiratory system – which is the system of the body that the coronavirus targets.
So, in terms of the coronavirus, it is especially important to drink water. And, here’s why:
Our lungs NEED moisture! In fact 83% of all of the water in our bodies resides in the lungs. Water also helps to carry immune cells to create a natural protective layer of mucus that lines the lungs and the digestive tract – incidentally, the digestive system is where 70% of our immune system lives! When we don’t drink enough water, we are actually leaving ourselves and our lungs without protection.
If a person is dehydrated and they come into contact with the coronavirus, they are at greater risk for the virus to enter through the windpipe and setting up shop in the lungs. So, it’s super important to drink lots of water to make sure that you are hydrated and stay hydrated!
So, you might be asking: “does it have to be water?” And, scientifically speaking, water really is the best choice. Other drinks – especially caffeinated ones — will actually cause the body to become dehydrated – which is exactly what we don’t want for our lungs. And, avoiding sugary drinks is also a really good idea, because sugar actually surpresses the body’s immune response – which is the exact opposite thing that we want when it comes to our immune system.
Another question you might have is: “so, how much water should I be drinking?” I’m sure most people have heard that we should be drinking 8 glasses of water a day. While that’s not bad advice, the amount of water a person should drink actually varies for each person.
So, a good rule of thumb when it comes to water is to drink ½ of your body weight in ounces per day. For example, if a person weighs 120 pounds – they should be drinking 60 ounces of water throughout the day which would be 7.5 glasses – if the glasses are 8 oz each.
And, if you’re not exactly a “water lover,” you can try adding a squeeze of lemon, or lime, or even fresh orange to make it more interesting – and the extra vitamin C is an added immune boosting bonus!
Hopefully, this was helpful and this encourages you drink more water…starting today! So, you can keep those lungs hydrated, boost your immune system, and stay healthy!
I’d love to hear your thoughts, or if you have any questions, please post them below. And, if you are interested in learning more about natural ways to improve your health, be sure to send me an email: barbara@goodnaturewellness.com.
I’ll be praying that you all stay well, and hydrated (physically and spiritually) and that we can see each other in person, soon!
