Beer

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There is no finer beverage in the world then beer, which can turn undrinkable water into a magic drink that not only refreshes but nourishes. It is said that 1000 years ago nobody drank water, only beer and wine, because to drink water was to die. The water was contaminated with human and animal waste because of poorly designed (or non existing) sewage systems in days of old. Well thank god for beer because the process of brewing turns poisonous water into delicious beverage.

How Beer Saved the World is an excellent documentary on the history of the development of beer. Did you know that Luis Pasteur, who discovered penicillin, was actually researching how to kill the bacteria in beer?

I have been a beer drinker since I was 15. Sure i have tried wine, whiskey and other liquors but my favorite alcoholic beverage has always been and always will be beer. However beer has a couple of negative side affects in my body. 1) it makes me fat; and 2) it dehydrates me. In studying water hydration of the human body I have discovered that I cannot drink beer until I am able to properly hydrate to compensate for the diuretic effect of beer on my system. And this may take some time.

Meanwhile I will daydream of all those pleasant afternoons enjoying my favorite brews on the back porch with friends talking about the evils and the pleasures of this wacky world.

Nonetheless for all beer drinkers out there in the real world, there are two micro brewers in Costa RIca producing fresh live ales and other flavors of beer. Check out the Volcano Brewing Company on Lake Arenal in Costa Rica for some excellent flavors of beer.

Dehydration

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Dehydration occurs when the body lacks sufficient water for the physical and chemical processes to take place correctly. This can be something as simple as working hard in the hot sun, not drinking enough water during the day, drinking soda pop, coffee or beer, and then acute dehydration sets in. Symptoms vary and include dry mouth, dizziness, dark urine, loss of coordination, hallucinations, unconsciousness and even death. All this just from short term dehydration!

Chronic dehydration symptoms are much more serious. Well really how can anything be more serious then death? How about a lifetime of avoidable suffering for the simple reason that you fail to drink the correct amount of water on a daily basis? Sure we often hear that you should drink 8 glasses of water daily, but who does? Or that when you exercise you should increase your water intake. But water consumption requirement is based upon body weight, humidity, caloric burning, diet and other factors. 8 glasses – but how many ounces of water is in each glass ?

Drinking coffee, beer or sodas does not count as water. In fact these products are diuretic, they cause the body to dump water. How often I have reached for a beer to quench my thirst when in reality I was destroying my health thru dehydration. Most prepared juices and other beverages do not count towards your daily water needs.

One of the first items checked in emergency room procedures is dehydration. Why? Because it is probably the number one cause of disease today. The first thing provided patients in emergency is intravenous electrolyte solution which is water with salt. Chronic dehydration can cause asthma and allergies. A recent web survey shows that the number one reason for emergency room visits in the USA was for asthma.

Lets look at the symptom list taken from various web searches for chronic dehydration:

1. Fatigue
2. Constipation
3. Digestive Problems, Stomach Issues
4. Blood Pressure extremes
5. Respiratory problems: asthma, allergies
6. Acidification
7. Obesity; diabetes
8. Kidney Issues: Eczema, low back pain, stones
9. Cholesterol increase
10. Bladder issues; infections
11. Arthritis
12. Premature aging
13. Anxiety, depression

How many of the above symptoms do you suffer from ? Maybe its just your bodies many cries for water that are bothering you and not all these made-up disease names offered by the illness industry.

How can you tell if you are dehydrated?

One of the first symptoms of dehydration is chronic fatigue. For every 1% of cellular dehydration, they loose 10% of their ability to produce energy. So if you are 4% dehydrated, you have 40% less energy available to function. Just 4%! is that worth repeating ?

The pinch test.

Squeeze the skin on the back of your hand, pull it away and let go. If the skin snaps back quickly you are ok, if it takes it time and slowly returns to its normal shape this is a clear sign that you are dehydrated.

How Much Water to Drink?

The correct amount of daily water intake is simple to calculate. Take your body weight in pounds, divide by 2 and that in ounces is the amount of water to drink daily. Modifications to this number are:

ADD Water for

add 20 oz of water for every cup of coffee
Add 20 oz of water for every beer, glass of wine or shot of booze
add 20 oz of water for every soda or canned or bottled beverage

In further writings I will discuss water quality, ionized and alkaline waters and salt requirements.

Why Costa Rica

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When people hear that I live in Costa Rica, they ask, “But why did you choose to live in Costa Rica, of all the countries of the world?” To which I would always answer,
“The weather is excellent, the women are beautiful, the land is good, and the beaches are untouched …”

Live in Costa Rica for the experience!

I do not wear a watch but i usually know what time it is. I do not make appointments. Yet I grew up with respect for time. Being on time was a virtue and making and keeping apointments was a top priority.

In the tropics time has lost all sense of meaning. When someone says to me “I’ll be there in five minutes” i know that i have an hour or more to wait. When they say an hour, it will have to wait at least a day.

Sometimes we go insane when we realize that time is but a figment of our imagination.

Life in the Tropics

Comparing life in the USA and Latin America is a common theme at gatherings of expats. I like listening to happy people tell of homelands where no-one seems happy, where life is endless drudgery and madness. How here things are good, are better.

I moved from California to Costa Rica in 1991. It was difficult at first because many things I took for granted were not available. But after a few years I forgot these things and discovered that I was living the dream: living in the moment, relaxed, laid back, spontaneous, happy.

However I sure do miss sitting at the breakfast dinner with the news paper, eggs, potatoes and bottomless coffee served by an adorable college girl who speaks english.

We must utilize what we have at hand.