by guest contributor Barb Swanson

We Know We Need It…
For years, people have heard they need to get enough water. It is an accepted fact that 64 ounces, or 1/2 gallon, daily, is a good amount for most people. And people are now drinking bottled water in record-setting quantities. So why are 75 million of us still dehydrated?

Some say they simply can’t handle drinking that much water a day. They simply had to urinate too much. And this can be true. Most work places frown on being in the restroom more than a couple of times a day or even at breaks only. And even when you do drink your 1/2 a gallon a day, you could still be dehydrated. Turns out, many dietary and lifestyle factors (examples include processed foods and heated homes) can interfere with water absorption.

I’d learned from my own experiments that using unsweetened green or white teas, or herbal teas, seemed to offer the benefit of less bathroom trips. I theorized that the minerals and nutrients in those teas would actually make the water better for your cells. Now, science is proving this is true. In fact, studies are showing that adding raw fruits and vegetables to your diet can be a superior way to get effective cellular hydration.

What is Gel Water?
Most water is H2O — or so we thought.

Groundbreaking research from Harvard and Cornell has found that the water in our cells and in plant cells is actually H3O2. It’s gel-like water that’s been charged by electrolytes. This gel water acts as fuel “for every action of every cell,” notes Gerald Pollack, PhD, head of the University of Washington’s Pollack Water Lab.

The science is complicated, but it boils down to this: Minerals help to structure water so it is more bio-available for your cells. Water in our cells is crucial for metabolism and countless other functions. Gel water in particular, primes our cells to function optimally.

Eat Your Water!
European research shows that consuming plants rich in gel water — including most raw fruit and ­veggies — “is up to twice as hydrating as drinking water,” says Dr. Dana Cohen. Gel water from plants passes more readily into our cells — and it’s denser and less likely to leak out of damaged or aging cells.

Tips to Get Your Gel On

• Eat six servings of gel-water-rich foods–i.e., raw fruits and veggies–daily.
• Add an extra serving for every dehydrating grain-based or meat-based food you eat.
• Avoid processed foods, which siphon off fluid during digestion.
• There’s evidence that ghee and clarified butter are extremely high in gel water.
• Eat healthy fat. “Water enters cells through an oil-guarded membrane,” Cohen says. “Good fats, especially omega-3s, keep membranes supple, increasing absorption.”

Bottom Line…
Fresh fruits and vegetables offer us big benefits when eaten daily.