It’s unusual for one to complete any kind of check-up at Lotus of Life Chiropractic without hearing “drink lots of water!”. Some of our participants may wonder why we’re always carrying on about drinking water. It’s true, we’re pretty focused on water around here. So much so, that our health theme for the month of May is Water. Let’s talk about why water and staying hydrated are such key components to great health.
Every chemical reaction that takes place in the body is pegged to water. Here’s a short list of its jobs:
- Water acts as a building block
- Is a solvent for chemical reactions
- Is a transport material for nutrients and waste
- Helps maintain blood volume and proper circulation
- Assists in regulation of body temperature
- Serves as a shock absorber for our joints and brain
- Lubricates the linings of our inner organs
- Maintains healthy kidney function
- Helps us maintain energy levels
- Is an important player in metabolism, so it can be helpful in maintaining a healthy weight
By the time we feel thirsty, our body is already significantly dehydrated. Allowing the body to enter a state of dehydration can cause headaches, poor cognitive function, deteriorating eyesight, sore muscles, dry skin, mood swings, asthma attacks, constipation, kidney stones, urinary tract infections, brain shrinkage (in severe cases) and is suspected to be a causative factor in some cancers.
How much water should you be drinking to avoid all those dreadful symptoms listed above? In general, we recommend drinking at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day. So, for example, a 120 pound person needs at least 60 ounces of water daily. However, if you’re engaged in activities that cause your heart rate to increase or you to sweat, you’ll need to add more to that total to replace the hydration you’re using to be active (or even just sitting outside on a hot day!). So drink up! In the next post, we’ll talk about what kind of water is best to drink, cook with, and bathe in. For even more in-depth information on how water affects our health, come to one of this month’s free classes at our office. Feel free to bring munchies and, of course, your water bottle. Cheers to your health!