Dihydrogen monoxide, otherwise known as water, is magical stuff. Seriously! Over half your body weight is water.
The Medicine
If you don’t drink enough water:
- You’ll experience headaches and fatigue.
- You may suffer from a chronic cough and dry mouth.
- Your blood pressure may plummet, and you’ll feel dizzy.
- Your heart rate may increase, and you may even experience atrial fibrillation and arrhythmia.
- You may develop a bladder infection, kidney stones, and kidney damage.
- You may have memory lapses and personality changes.
- You may end up with brain damage.
- You may stop feeling thirsty.
I have personally witnessed several people whose symptoms baffled doctors. They were cured by water! Be sure to enjoy the cheapest and most effective medications: water (about 90 oz for a woman and 125 for a man).
Why is water so vital to life that scientists don’t even look for waterless life forms? To understand this, we need to look at the science.
The Chemistry
Water (a molecule) is made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, as depicted in the image. The atoms in the molecule share electrons (black dots), which firmly attaches them to each other. But the oxygen “likes” the negative electrons more than the hydrogens do. It pulls the electrons away from the hydrogens, making one side of a water molecule slightly positively charged (+) and the other slightly negatively charged (-). And because + and – attract, water has a bunch of unique properties.
The Biology
Due to its structure, water can dissolve more chemicals than any other molecule in existence. It’s the ideal (and only possible) base for blood, cells, sap, and, well, life.
Water sticks together or beads up, as you know if you’ve ever carefully overfilled a glass. Since one molecule sticks to the next, this property enables water to be dragged up plants. All our food ultimately comes from plants, making life possible.
Because of its chemical structure, water resists temperature changes. Since life prefers constant temperatures and definitely does not tolerate extremes, yup, water rocks.
Finally, water is the only chemical in which the solid form is less dense than the liquid. Why does that matter? It insulates ponds and lakes so that we can have a fish dinner. And it takes a lot of heat when it evaporates, so you remain comfortable when fishing.
The Message
Drink! Water, that is.