Day 227

Thoughts: Water 
Are you trying to lose weight? Eat less and drink more water.
You may actually be feeling thirsty instead of hungry, so try reaching for a glass of water or a cup of tea before you have a snack. Water can help fill you up and feel less hungry. Being properly hydrated means your body will work more efficiently, particularly metabolizing those fats.
There are many extraordinary things about water!: 
* Since the earth is a closed system which recycles water, the same water has been present for thousands of years. You may be drinking or bathing in water used by Alexander the Great, or Jesus.
* A tree can process and evaporate about 70 gallons of water per day.
* The United States has 3,500,000 miles of rivers.
* The Nile River in Africa and the Amazon in South America are the longest rivers in the world, both over 4000 miles long.
* A chicken is 75% water.
* If all of the earth's water fit into a gallon jug, only about 1 tablespoon would be available as fresh drinking water.
* Freshwater animals are disappearing five times faster than land animals.
* The United States used about 410 billion gallons of water per day in 2005.
* Average water usage in gallons per person per day in Africa is 10 gallons, in North America the average is 95 gallons.
* A dripping faucet can waste as much as 75 gallons of water each day.
* Americans use five times more water than Europeans.
* A bath uses less water than even a short shower.
* About one in eight people on earth lack access to safe water supply.
* 3.5 million people die each year from water-related diseases, and about 80% of them are children.
* Many of the earth's people must walk at least 3 hours to procure water.
* Roughly 1.5 million tons of plastic are used each year by the bottled water industry.
* 1.5 million barrels of oil are required to make plastic bottles each year.
* It takes 7000 liters of water to refine one barrel of crude oil.
Third Planet Food says most adults lose about 6-7 cups of water in urine output each day, and another 4 cups or so through bowel movements, breathing and sweating. Thatis a good 10 cups that needs to be replaced. Many of the foods we eat contain water, and on top of this the recommendation is to drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water every day. Naturally if you run until you are dripping with sweat you will need more, and if you gorge on watermelon or soup one day you need drink less. You can monitor your water intake by keeping an eye on your urine output. It should be colorless or light yellow, not dark, and when you are hydrated properly you will find yourself peeing a lot, as it tends to go right through you. 
While you are taking care to make sure that your own body is hydrated, be mindful about how you use your share of the earth's water. We all share it :)
Challenges: I have become ungrateful when I forget how fortunate I am to go to the tap, turn it on, and out comes water. Effortless, especially compared to many of the population who must walk 3 hours to procure water. 
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see. -Taoist proverb
Triumphs: Water, thou hast no taste, no color, no odor; canst not be defined, art relished while ever mysterious. Not necessary to life, but rather life itself, thou fillest us with a gratification that exceeds the delight of the senses. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939
Day 2 of this cleanse fast has been easier than I thought it would be. When I am not focused on food or surrounded by food advertisements, it really is not that hard, I don't even think about food often. Which made me see how many times I do eat for something to do rather than eating for nourishment. I imagine if I did have a TV and was watching ads about food, my body would recognize the sensations and then I would be challenged not to indulge! 
What I Ate Today:
Food fest 1: Water with the juice of lemon, cayenne pepper and maple syrup. Day 2 of 7 for the Master Cleanse :) 
Exercise: A dance in the morning to my favourite music Travis and a bike ride :) mmm mmm mmm loving this New York sun!