I’d like to share some pretty cool facts about water and our bodies!
Did you know that different cells contain different amounts of water? Our bones are about 22% water. Adipose or fat tissue is about 25% water. Our muscle and brain tissue are about 75% water and our eyes are 95% water!! We have water inside our cells and outside our cells, All of our cells soak in water. Water has such an important job in the health of our body. Some of the jobs water has are; dissolving other substances and transporting those substances, it starts chemical reactions. Water lubricates and cushions tissues. It regulates our temperature and provides minerals. We use water to make body fluids such as tears and saliva. Can you see that our body needs adequate water to function at its best? Every system in our body requires some level of fluid to function at its best.
Our need for water can vary under different circumstances. We get thirstier when it’s warmer or the air is drier such as in desert conditions. Eating salty foods can increase our thirst. When we are drinking alcohol, look out because that causes serious dehydration. Sweating a lot – well you’ll need more water here too! Understand that even slight dehydration can mean that our ability to think, focus and perform can be worse. So how do we know if dehydration has set in? We’d need to lose about 1-2% of our body water to begin to notice, but by then our performance can already be suffering. If you are someone that doesn’t drink much at all that can come on easily.
Serious symptoms of dehydration can include:
Headache, Fatigue Low blood pressure, Dizziness and/or fainting, Nausea, Flushing, and Rapid heart rate
How much water should I be drinking? As a general measure, adults need a minimum of 12 cups a day as a baseline. A portion of that will come from food too. In addition to water, certain fruits and vegetables provide fluid for the body. I feel that relying on the water is the first and best place for your hydration. An important point that I found fascinating is that, unlike many biological stimuli, we don’t “adapt” to dehydration. We can not “train” to become better at being dehydrated. So there is no cure or adaptation to fluid loss, we must replenish the lost fluids. I know there are some people that drink very little if any water in a day. Many don’t like the taste of water. See above please for all the reasons it’s crucial to be drinking water for a healthy body. I’d say start slow, even adding one cup a day to begin, and increase your water levels slowly.
And yes there are instances (albeit rare) where the body will have too much water and this can be a serious situation. This is where there is too much water relative to solute – basically sodium. This condition is called hyponatremia. We’re taking in more water than we’re losing, or the water-sodium solution is getting to dilute. It’s important to make sure you’re getting appropriate levels of electrolytes in with your water, especially if you’re an athlete or working outside in very hot and or humid weather. [Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, potassium, magnesium, etc that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in water] So keep in mind how crucial fluid replacement is, but don’t over-drink or guzzle lots of water at once. About the importance of water to our health. I appreciate being able to share with you points that may be new to you! Additionally, if you would like to explore more I suggest you can check out Dr. Batmanghelidj MD’s book, “You’re not sick your thirsty!” By Dina Heilman
We are Water Beings living on a beautiful Water Planet! Love yourself, drink your water and be well always!