We all know how important it is to drink water. Hydration is important to our cardiovascular
system, nervous system, muscular/skeletal system, digestive system, and fascia
system. Even slight dehydration can
cause problems in any of our systems and disrupt any number of electrical and
chemical impulses our body needs to function properly.
To give an idea of how important proper hydration is, take
into account that our muscle cells are 70-75% water and our fat cells are
10-15% water (Holm, n.d.). We have heard
that a person can only survive a few days without water before the body shuts
down. Why is water so important for
us?
·
Proper hydration helps us control our body’s
temperature. When we over heat, we
sweat; however, when we are dehydrated, the body stops sweating and we cannot
cool ourselves. At this point, heat
stroke and heat exhaustion are a possibility.
·
Proper hydration may help prevent
nutrition-related, non-communicable diseases (Popkin et al, 2010). This makes sense. If our system is hydrated, our bodies will
properly digest food and nutrients will absorb through the intestinal walls.
·
Proper hydration assists in mineral
balance. When we dehydrate, our muscles
will start to cramp and we lose coordination.
This goes for the heart, too. The
heart is a muscle and needs water to function properly.
·
Proper hydration assists kidney function by
providing less stress on the kidneys (Popkin et al, 2010).
·
Proper hydration affects our cognitive
function. Our mood is elevated, our
concentration is better, our short-term memory function improves, and we are
more alert (Popkin et al, 2010).
·
Proper hydration keeps us from being
constipated. Try drinking water if
things are just not moving along.
·
Proper hydration lubricates our joints and
cushions our organs and tissues (Holm, n.d.)
·
Proper hydration helps us lose body fat,
maintain body weight, and/or gain muscle.
We gain and lose water throughout the day. Water is gained through ingestion as a
beverage or in our food. Our body will
also make a small amount of water as a byproduct in our metabolic
processes. We lose water through
breathing, bowel evacuation, and sweat.
Our goal is to maintain homeostasis (balance) by determining how much
water our body needs to ingest in order to counterbalance the amount it
loses.
This amount varies from person to person, but drinking 64-oz
throughout the day is a good start.
Another way to check is to notice if you are thirsty; if you feel
thirst, then you are already dehydrating.
Lastly, check your urine. If it
is bright and has an odor, you are probably dehydrated; it should be light and
smell-free. The exception to this would
be as a side effect for certain medications.
Water is the best way to hydrate the body. However, what happens if you just cannot
stand drinking water all day? You can
try a couple of things.
·
Try putting lemon rinds, mint, and ginger into a
jug of water and let it steep overnight.
This is a tasty infusion that is good for your digestive system.
·
Try creating your own infusion that does not
include alcohol or sugar. Oranges,
apples, kiwi, lemons, limes, mint, ginger all work well. Just be sure to steep overnight and strain
the water before drinking. You are going
for the flavor, not the added calories.
·
Try herbal teas, preferably decaffeinated. These can be found in teashops across the
country. If weight loss is your goal, do
not add sweetener. Go for flavors you
like and will enjoy.
·
Avoid caffeine, sodas, coffee, and sugary
drinks. Diet sodas are also out. Your goal is to hydrate the system, not to
add sugars and unnecessary chemicals.
Good luck and happy hydrating!
Holm, Paige
(n.d.) Water and Hydration. Retrieved on January 22, 2014, from www.health.arizona.edu/health_topics/nutrition/general/waterhydration.htm
Popkin, Barry M;
D’Anci, Kristen E.; Rosenberg, Irwin H.
Water, Hydration and Health Nutrition Review 2010 August; 68(8): 439-458.
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