Hydration 101 Christine Cernera Colts Neck, NJ Everyone has probably heard that a human being can live for more than 3 weeks without food but only 3-4 days without water. Even with this knowledge, water is the most common nutritional deficiency in the American population. It may surprise you to know that water is a nutrient but it is actually the most important nutrient in our body and makes up 55-60% of our body mass. Some of water’s many roles include: ● Improving oxygen delivery ● Transport of nutrients ● Cushions bones and joints ● Absorbs shocks to joints and organs ● Enables cellular hydration ● Regulates body temperature ● Removes wastes ● Flushes toxins ● Prevents tissues from sticking ● Maintains normal electrical properties of cells (electrolytes) ● Empowers the body’s natural healing process ● Moistens oxygen The ideal amount of water is bio-individual but the general recommendation is to drink half of your weight in ounces of water. For example, a 140-pound individual would aim for about 70 ounces of water per day. Those who are more active may need more water and very sedentary individuals less. If you consume a large amount of diuretic beverages such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, soft drinks, and alcohol, you will need to drink more water As a functional nutritionist in Colts Neck, NJ, when someone tells me that they are having issues with constipation, headaches, joint problems or fatigue, the first questions I ask is how much water they are drinking. We don’t normally make the association of being dehydrated to any physical issues but many symptoms we have on a daily basis can be related to just that. What are some signs of dehydration? Some early signs of dehydration are: ● Fatigue ● Anxiety ● Irritability ● Depression ● Cravings ● Cramps ● Headache Mature signs of dehydration are: ● Heartburn ● Joint pain ● Back pain ● Migraines ● Fibromyalgia ● Constipation ● Colitis About 8% of water is produced when the body processes (metabolizes) certain nutrients. The body loses water primarily by excreting it in urine from the kidneys. The remaining 92% must be ingested through the foods we eat and the beverages we drink. Also, water cannot be stored in the body - we are not camels! In order to absorb water, we need to have appropriate electrolytes, such as: ● potassium ● sodium ● calcium ● bicarbonate ● magnesium ● chloride ● phosphate Electrolytes are chemicals that form ions in body fluids. They help make sure specific bodily functions run smoothly. The electrical energy that is carried by these ions is necessary for many functions, including muscle contractions and transmission of nerve impulses. For example, muscle cramping can be an indication of low electrolytes. Sports drinks that claim to replace electrolytes are not the best choice for hydration because most of them contain an abundance of sugar or artificial sweeteners plus artificial colors and flavors. Your best bet is filtered, spring water or coconut water with a pinch of unrefined sea salt or Himalayan pink sea salt. It is best to drink filtered or spring water. If you drink bottled water make sure the bottle is BPA free. Distilled Water, which is free of dissolved minerals and other particles has the ability to absorb toxic substances but pulls minerals from the body and can be dehydrating. It can be used for short term detoxifying of heavy metals if indicated but should not be consumed as drinking water. How much water loss causes dehydration? If the body’s water content drops by as little as 2%, it will cause fatigue. A drop of 10% will cause significant digestive, cardiovascular, immune and musculoskeletal problems. Losses of greater than 10% can cause death. There is something else to keep in mind regarding hydration and age. There has been research that seems to indicate that as we age there is a change in the way our body regulates thirst. Due to this, elderly people may need to drink regularly even when they do not feel thirsty. So, other than feeling thirsty, how do you know if you are dehydrated? A good indicator of proper hydration is the color of urine. Use the following as a general indicator of hydration: Clear urine (no color at all) - you may be drinking too much water Pale yellow - this color indicates adequate hydration Bright yellow - if you are taking vitamin B2 (riboflavin) which is in most multi-vitamins your urine will be a fluorescent yellow Dark amber - this is a sign of dehydration If your urine is scant or if you haven't urinated in several hours, that too is an indication that you're not drinking enough. Based on the results from a few different studies, a healthy person urinates on average about seven or eight times a day. What if you don’t like the taste of water or the lack of taste? There are a few ways to make drinking water or other hydrating drinks more palatable. Try adding a squeeze of lemon juice, lime juice or grapefruit juice to your water and add a pinch of sea salt. Or buy an infuser water bottle that has a separate compartment at the bottom that crushes your choice of fruits and infuses the water. Unsweetened herbal teas, iced or hot, are also a good choice for hydration with more flavor. If you're a fan of coconut water, this can be a hydrating drink as long as it is not sweetened. There are natural sugars in coconut water but they do not have a big impact on blood sugar and it is a good source of electrolytes. If you have any questions at all about hydration or other health concerns, please contact me at Functionised, Colts Neck, New Jersey. You will hear me next week with another podcast, this is Christine Cernera, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. |
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