During my competitive athletic I had countless opportunities to travel and explore the world. On one trip over the Atlantic to do summertime battle three of us choose to extend our stay by 3 months. We drove a small four-door Triumph with the 2 wheelchairs strapped to the roof through the countries of Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

While driving around Rome one afternoon it began to rain and far off in the distance we could see lightening striking, coming our way, fast. The summer heat in Southern Italy creates impressive lightening storms so we rushed finding a place to park on a secluded single lane road flanked by three-foot tall wet grass, on the outskirts of Rome. We hurriedly climbed in to the tight back seat with eager anticipation of the rapidly approaching sound and light show. Water is a perfect conductor of electricity.

“We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.”
Jacques Yves Cousteau

Our earth’s surface and our bodies are about 70% water. Water is the only natural substance found in liquid, solid, and gas in normal Earth temperatures. Water is always in constant movement, with the hydrologic cycle, on, above, and below the Earth and there is no beginning or end to this cycle. Water is considered a universal solvent because it can take apart and reorganize anything.

Have you heard of negative ions? They are the result of air and water mixing and breaking apart, like at waterfalls or during thunderstorms or waves crashing on the beach. When we inhale negative ions a reaction takes place in our bloodstream increase levels of mood boosting serotonin, creating feelings of well-being and energy.



As babies our bodies are 75 to 80% water. As we age into adult bodies our water content diminishes to 60 to 65% for men and for women to 50 to 60% because of the higher percentage of dense adipose or fatty tissue, in women’s bodies. Our brains are 70 to 85% water, our bones 10 to 15% water, our lungs 90%, our cells really every system in our bodies depends on water to function and our blood 83% water. Water’s "stickiness" coupled with our blood plays a never ending vital role in digesting our food, controlling body temperature, transporting nutrients through our bodies and waste out of our bodies.

So why all this 411 about water? Well, there is a growing belief that much of our body un-wellness we experience can be due to chronic dehydration. Here’s some issues that not getting enough hydration, and I’m talking water hydration here, not coffee, tea, juice or soda, but pure unadulterated water can improve our well-being. Brain fog something I thought a little caffeine could cure but I discovered water is a better choice. Caffeine dehydrates all our cells, ALL of our cells, slowing down the neuron activity (spark) of our electrochemical transmitters. Remember I said water is a great conductor of electricity well the spark has to be present for our "thoughts" to take place. And low energy levels I feel throughout the day, caffeine “pick me up” maybe? Not really folks, it’s water again. Water keeps all my enzymatic functions like digestive juices floating along swimmingly, my mucous membranes moist to absorb the powerful nutrients I’m eating, it keeps my pee free of debris and my poop sliding out my shoot with ease. 

Have you ever gone in to have your blood drawn and they can’t tap a vein? Could be dehydration again! A couple glasses of aqua could have saved you some pain. Free flowing blood helps regulate body temp even without sweating and when my cells are dehydrated my body will try to stop the moisture loss by producing more cholesterol. Oh and check this out, feeling hungry is often me being thirsty and when my respiratory mucous membranes are dehydrated I can get sick easier. I’ve heard it said, “Water is the elixir of life” I agree it truly is a miraculous substance.  

So how do we get more water down our gullets? We got to drink it! Also we can eat more fruits (especially the juicy one’s like oranges, melons and tomatoes) and vegetables (cooking our “V’s” lightly to retain the water content) to get more water, but that will only count for 20% of our bodies need. I still drink coffee but when I do I drink 2 cups of water to counter the diuretic effect on my body. I dilute my juice and I don’t drink soda because soda with caffeine or not is a diuretic by it’s nature. Drinking water has to become a conscious habit. Cause I know when I think I will “just” remember to drink I don’t and I forget what I drank. Figure out how much you need here, fill up a bottle to get a visual on the liquid libation and drink up!!

Remember I said water is a perfect conductor of electricity. Our car, with us in it, got hit by the lightening. 

Blessings to all, In Joy Candace

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