Hydration - Your Best Health Tip
Hydration For Health
Hydration of our cells is the beginning of good health. Our body is about 75% water. Water is our hydroelectric power as it enters the cells. Clean water is worth the time and effort to make sure you have available throughout each day.
Water is required to take nutrition to the cells and take waste away from the cells. Our lymphatic system must have muscle movement and water to remove the toxins and cellular waste from the cells to get cleaned up by the lymph nodes. Many headaches or joint pain can be caused from these toxins not being able to move out of the joints and tissues. Learn to recognize the beginning signs of needing more water before you get dehydrated.
The symptoms can go from very mild to already dehydrated before you realize it. Many times we feel hungry when we are really thirsty. Drink a glass of water then wait a few minutes to see if you are really hungry. Many headaches begin by the need for water. Other symptoms may include moods swings, muscle cramps, slower cognitive function, lightheadedness or memory issues. By the time we feel thirsty, have dry eyes or mouth, have fatigue or decreased urine output, the dehydration could be more advanced.
We lose water by normal breathing, sweating, normal urine & bowel elimination as well as vomiting and diarrhea. It is good to have a plan of staying hydrated daily.
The rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces. If you weight 100 lbs, drink 50 oz of water daily. Since your body absorbs only 4 oz of water at a time, it is best to take 3 or 4 good swallows of water every 30-45 minutes throughout the day. It is best to drink the most of your water between meals so it can absorb quicker and not interfere with digestive fluids when you are eating a meal.
Getting adequate water is the places to start with any health issue that you want to address - from hair, skin, nails to weight loss to arthritis, diabetes, or blood pressure. A good book to educate yourself on the subject is Your Body's Many Cries For Water by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.