Chronic dehydration

How much water do you drink every day? How much fresh, raw fruit and vegetables do you consume? These are just a few questions that can help you assess whether you are well hydrated or suffering from chronic dehydration. Most people today are chronically dehydrated, even if they don't realize it or feel thirsty.

Causes of chronic dehydration

One cause of this problem is the dehydrating effect of toxins and poisons, including heavy metals, radiation, viruses, and DDT. ( You can read more about this in Anthony William's book Cleanse for Health and in the articles in the Pests That Make Us Sick series published on our blog . ) Combine this with the food, drink and lifestyle that many people lead , and you get a recipe for chronic dehydration.

In this article, we will explain why it is vital to stay hydrated and share with you different ways to deal with chronic dehydration and its negative effects.

How thick is your blood?

One of the reasons it's important to stay hydrated is that if you reach a certain level of dehydration, your blood can thicken. Thick blood makes it difficult for the heart to pump clean and fresh blood from the liver and supply the brain and other organs with the necessary amount of blood and oxygen. Over time, this constant exertion can tire the heart prematurely.

In addition, thick blood can lead to serious health problems, including stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, liver and kidney problems, and high cholesterol. The risk of cancer is also greater for people with thick blood, because the reduced amount of oxygen makes it difficult for the body to cleanse itself of toxins.

( Read more about thick blood and what Anthony William calls "dirty blood syndrome" in his book Help for the Liver . )

High fat diets

While high-fat diets have become trendy, they don't provide your body with the hydration it needs. If you follow a high-protein diet, you may be consuming too much fat, which can dehydrate you and make your blood thicker. To prevent chronic dehydration, reduce your consumption of fat and protein, both from animal and plant sources. ( You can read more about what fats to eat and from what sources in the book Help Your Liver . You can also check out The Truth About the Ketogenic Diet , a post on our blog. )

Our dehydrated heredity

You may be surprised to learn that we inherited our dehydrated state from our ancestors. The chronic dehydration that affected our ancestors continues to be passed down from generation to generation. This information is not transmitted through genes, but through our cells, along with inherited toxins such as DDT, radiation, and mercury.

The effect of dehydration on viruses and infections

Various viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr virus , thrive in dehydrated organisms with thick blood. If you suffer from conditions like Lyme disease , fibromyalgia , or chronic fatigue , it's vital to stay hydrated. ( If you want to learn more about these viruses, diseases and conditions, check out the many articles posted on our blog . Just go to the blog page and use the search engine. )

Dehydrating drinks

Beverages such as coffee, sodas, and alcoholic beverages further aggravate dehydration. Even if you drink water in between, the likelihood of being chronically dehydrated remains high. If you consume such beverages, make sure you compensate with adequate hydration from other sources.

The salt factor

The high amount of salt in processed foods can hinder your efforts to stay hydrated. Unlike refined salt, mineral-rich foods like celery and spinach provide your body with the natural salt it needs without dehydrating. ( You'll learn a lot more about this topic if you read the many articles on celery stalk juice we've published, as well as the various drink recipes that help with dehydration. )

Cooked food and dehydration

A diet made up entirely of cooked food can lead to dehydration. Balance cooked food with fresh fruits and vegetables to maintain good hydration.

For a healing diet that is about 50% raw and 50% cooked, try:

• Baked potato along with a hydrating raw salad made up of lettuce, celery, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper and other chopped vegetables.
• Wild rice or quinoa, steamed or sauteed vegetables and raw guacamole with lemon, cilantro and chopped red onion, served over lots of raw green leafy vegetables.
• If you like animal protein, like a piece of wild salmon, eat it with a big fresh salad.

Meals like this help people stay hydrated because the raw portion of the meal helps offset some of the cooked foods, which can be slightly dehydrating.

Hydration for detoxification

If you are well hydrated, your body can effectively remove toxins from your liver, kidneys and other organs. Consume hydrating foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables to aid this process. ( Learn more about detoxification and how to restore your health in the book Help for the Liver . )

The Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie is a great recipe because it contains the five key foods that draw out heavy metals and provides the body with the hydration it needs to fully eliminate toxins. Other supplements or products that are advertised as heavy metal detoxifiers will likely not provide the necessary hydration to completely eliminate heavy metals. They probably won't be made from ingredients that successfully remove heavy metals either.

How to stay hydrated

The simplest way to stay hydrated is through high-quality water, but there are other ways. Fresh cucumber juice or lemon water are excellent options. Coconut water is also a great hydrating source. See also the recipe for "Water with aloe" .

To keep your hydration at an optimal level, include raw fruits and vegetables in your diet, reduce your fat and protein intake, and avoid drinks that dehydrate the body.

How to move forward

Even if you were born with chronic dehydration, you can recover with small, gradual steps. Drink lemon water , aloe water , coconut water , cucumber juice , or celery juice , eat hydrating foods, and make hydration a part of your daily health routine.