The Water Secret part 2 of 2

So I've been talking about my review of Dr. Howard Murad's book the Water Secret, which is quite a fabulous secret, and that's why I'm sharing it!  As I've already mentioned, there is a wealth of fabulous information at an easy to understand cellular level. The ONLY thing I don't stand behind is his extreme push for supplements and some of the chemical laced products he recommends, but he's a dermatologist and owns a spa clinic an he's got to make his money somewhere-so I get that. (Yes supplements can be really helpful especially if you're on the pathway to recovery but a lot of supplements all the time, to me, is too many at a time.)
In the last post I shared my discovery that our bodies are closer to 50 percent water and the reason for that is the cells in our body have been damaged from (namely) Standard American Diet, environmental toxins (IN the home even more than outside), and just as a general result of wear and tare on our bodies that come with age. As a result of our cellular damage, our cells lack the ability to retain as much water as they used to when we were sprightly young beings. The dehydration of our cells manifests itself in everything from complexion problems, low energy levels, weight, and most importantly a decreased immune system.


No pressure right? Naturally I think I will just drink a TON of water and I'll look better and feel better! Wrong.
Dr.Murad says that "no matter how much water you drink it will not be enough to keep you hydrated and feeling good unless it can reside inside your cells."
So then how in the world do I keep the water in my cells??? After I panicked a little bit about what I was beginning to think were fruitless efforts I had made to keep my body hydrated, I continued anxiously reading. 
I was relieved to learn that we can actually EAT our water in a way that both improves our cells AND also keeps them hydrated!

The added bonus of eating your water? Dr Murad says that "The water we consume when we eat fresh fruit and vegetables isn't just any water. It's water that is encapsulated within the strucutre of food to provide us with a slow and steady infusion as we digest. It's also water that is locked into foods that are rich in antioxidants and other key nutrients that promote cellular integrity." So when we eat our water, the water from the foods we eat is both nourishing and hydrating and has undergone a free purification process by the food it's encapsulated in so we only get the best water for our cells! I love nature and science, so brilliant.

Ways to Eat your Water 

Here are some foods with a high water content that will help repair cellular damage and actually hydrate your cells, improving over all health and wellness.


FRUITS: Appples, avocados, banana, blackberries, figs, goji, grapefruit, grapes, melons, kiwis, oranges, peaches, pears, raisins, respberries, strawberries


VEGETBLES: asparagus, beets, bok choy, brooli, cabbages, carrots, celery, corn, cucumbers, garli, giner, green beans, jicama, kale, lettuce, onions, parsley


What's better than ONE secret? FIVE SECRETS!

Here are Four more SECRETS to KEEPING your water consumed in the cell membranes, and the foods that contain them:

Secret 1: Amino Acid rich foods: Although the human body can make some of these amino acids, nine of them (the essential amino acids) must be obtained from food.
Foods rich in Amino Acids are Eggs, Kefir and Yogurt are examples of complete amino acid containing foods.  The combination of rice and beans(or lentils), hummus, falafel are other examples of ways to meet all nine essentail amino acid requirements.
SECRET 2: Foods rich in antioxidants: Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that protect and repair cells from damage caused by free radicals causing chronic diseases. The three major antioxidant vitamin players are Beta-carotene and other carotenoids, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. All berries, broccoli, onions, mangoes, sweet potato and a plethora of other foods
SECRET 3:Lecithin  contains key ingredient in cell membranes called phosphatidycholine.
Foods rich in lecithin include Eggs, cabbage, peas, garbanzo beans, cauliflower

SECRET 4: Essential Fatty Acids are essential because the body can not produce it. Essential fatty acids are fundamental to cardiovascular development and maintenance as well as to the central nervous system.
Foods rich in Essential Fatty Acids: Flax, Chia, Sunflower, Pumpkin, Walnuts, Figs



I like this visual. If I could I pour the top level right on out of the pitcher (the supplements) because I believe that generally 80% of health issues can be resolved with diet including foods that are the source of the supplements. There definitely is a time and place for certain supplements though but THAT-is for another post.
Let me know if YOU  read The Water Secret by Dr. Howard Murad and your thoughts on it.



Further reading and sources for this post include:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/antioxidants-your-immune-system-super-foods-optimal-health
http://www.eattosaveyourlife.com/proteins,-carbs,-fats/essential-fatty-acids/
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/tc/healthy-eating-vegetarian-diets-organic-foods