Water For Thought ©

Are Cells Immortal?

According to Nobel Laureate Dr. Alexis Carrel, yes. In 1912 he took heart tissue from a chicken and kept it alive in vitro for 34 years simply by changing the fluid around it. Before he died in 1944 he theorized that:

"The cell is immortal. It is merely the fluid in which it floats which degenerates. Renew this fluid at intervals, give the cell something on which to feed and, so far as we know, the pulsation of life may go on forever..."

The chicken cells outlived Carrel himself until the fluid replacing experiment was terminated.

Thinking cellular

If you are thinking about living for a long time, better start thinking Cellular! All living matter is made up of cells. And your body is not an exception. Cells have been called ”the smallest unit of life,” and are basically small powerhouses that create energy. The human body has as many cells as a galaxy has stars (about one hundred thousand million). The lifespan of the human “normal” cells vary according to the type, but it is believed to be tightly regulated and finite, for example: Some cells, like red blood cells, divide rapidly. Others, such as nerve cells, lose their capability to divide once they reach maturity (if you loose them they are gone!). Some cells, such as liver cells, retain but do not normally utilize their capacity for division. Liver cells start to divide if part of the liver is removed and stop the division once the liver reaches its former size.

When cells’ health is compromised because the fluid surrounding them is not conducive for life because of various causes including high acidity etc., they either mutate or die. Once the cell death rate exceeds the birth rate, any individual’s body experiences accelerated aging. Among the many factors that affect aging, diet is the most important, and the foundation of a good diet is water.
 

Water: The Matrix of Life

Water is so common we fail to notice its role and effect on life. But it is the most vital substance on this planet. Simply put, our existence depends on it. We can survive for weeks without food, but on average only about 100 hours without water. Water is the largest single constituent of the human body and is essential for cellular homeostasis and life.

Some of the “basic” functions of water in the human body are: Delivering oxygen and nutrition to the cells; removal of carbon monoxide, toxins and waste material (detoxification) which helps dissolve minerals and other nutrients to make them accessible to the body; moistening of tissue (i.e. skin, mouth, eyes nose, lungs); protection of bodily organs and tissue; prevention of constipation; joint lubrication; and body temperature regulation.

Given its importance, you might be surprised how little is known about how water molecules interact with life processes, especially at the quantum and molecular levels. To give you an idea, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003 was given to Peter Agre and Roderick MacKinnon for pioneering discoveries concerning water and ion channels of cells, the mechanism that explains how water flows from and into cells. These discoveries contributed to fundamental chemical knowledge of how cells function and opened peoples’ eyes to a fantastic family of molecular machines: channels, gates and valves, all of which are needed for the cell to function.

Water inside the body

The primary indicator of hydration status is plasma, or serum (blood). Total body water is distributed between: Intracellular Water 65% (fluids inside the cells) and extracellular water 35% (water around the cells). The free movement of water between both is called intracellular water exchange, and it is considered to be a key factor in health.

The total water content of our bodies varies between individuals, but it is generally observed that it drops as we age. For example, the human fetus is about 90% water. By infancy this figure has dropped to 74%; as a teenager (male) to 59%; as a teenage female to 65%. It declines further to 50-60% as we become adults of either sex, and to 54-47% for individuals over 50. That is one of the reasons why dehydration (especially at a cellular level) has been postulated as a contributing factor in the aging process.
 

Hydration

Hydration increases endurance and energy, regulates body temperature, aids in digestion, and facilities muscular and nervous activity. Water is responsible for literally every metabolic process in the body. The blood is important in carrying nutrition and oxygen to the cells and removing waste from cells. The cells of the body make up the tissues, which in turn extend their complex organization to the level of every organ. Dehydrated cells can often lead to cell hypoxia, which is oxygen starvation and has been linked with cancer risk of the colon, kidneys and bladder.

So how much water should I drink per day?

Total daily water intake includes drinking water, water in beverages, and water that is part of food. Here are some percentages of water content of selected foods:

• Tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, watermelons, water – 91%-100%;
• Peaches, grapes, apples, orange cantaloupe, non carbonated fruit drinks – 80%-90%;
• Eggs, some fish, peas – 70%-79%;
• Pasta, bread, rice, beef, poultry, baked goods - <69%; Grains - <10%.

How much water an individual should drink is not an easy question to answer, because the data regarding optimal water intake is unclear. This is mainly because water balance in the body is a function of many factors like age, activity, temperature and bodily functions such as sweating (noticeable and unnoticeable), exhaling, urinating and bowel movements.

A good rule of thumb of water intake for an individual with normal activity is half your body weight in oz per day. For example, if your weight is 150 lb. divide that figure by 2 (150/2=75 oz); for a 200 lb individual the intake figure comes to 100 oz. per day. Consider drinking at least 16 oz a day of Zunami.

Ideas to Increase Water Consumption

Upon waking up drink at least one full glass of Zunami. Substituting coffee for water first thing in the morning is best. Morning is when the blood can be the most sluggish, which is probably why the highest risk of heart attacks occurs at this time of day.

1. Carry Zunami in your car.
2. Keep a pitcher of herbal tea in the fridge.
3. Substitute soft drinks with Zunami. Soft drinks are generally too acid and devoid of real nutritional value.
4. Add juice concentrates (i.e. cranberry) or fresh lemon or lime to juice to water.
5. Drink hot herbal teas, like green tea, which are rich in antioxidants.
6. Drink a glass of water one hour before, after, and between each meal.
7. Take Zunami breaks instead of coffee breaks.
8. Substitute Zunami for alcoholic drinks in the evening and at social gatherings.

References

1- Mayo Clinic.com

2- Institute of Medicine, Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride and sulfate, (The National Academic Press, Washington, 2004)

3 -K. J. Ellis, Human body composition: in vivo methods, Physiol. Rev. 80 (2000) 649-680.

4-London South Bank University

5-The National Academies Press

6- Diabetes Health Online