Water health and what it all means

"The... patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don't take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop." ~Quentin Regestein

What is water health? As a massage therapist I always stress the importance of drinking water. I consume over 8 glasses of water a day.

When I have a busy schedule, I tend to forget to drink enough. I get dehydrated and my muscles become tight and achy. My throat becomes scratchy and when I am severely dehydrated I get sick.

Water, as I call it, is the elixir of life. Water health discusses how water affects how you feel and live. Water is of utmost importance to survival and dehydration can have a devastating effect on the body, muscle health and tissue function. Magnetized water is considered active, living water, but before you read this article let's learn more about water.

Water, aka H2O, makes up 60%-75% of the human body. It is essential to life for several reasons.

Water is a solvent. This means that many substances can dissolve in water. Have you ever notice as you soak a dirty plate, the food particles tend to break apart. Nutrients, such as glucose (sugar), are dissolved in blood plasma (which is largely water) to be transported to cells throughout the body. The excretion of waste products is possible because they are dissolved in the water of urine.
Water is a lubricant. Water prevents friction where surfaces meet and move. In the digestive tract swallowing depends upon the presence of saliva while mucus is a slippery fluid that permits the smooth passage of food through the intestines.
Water changes temperature slowly. Water has a high heat capacity, which means that it will absorb a great deal of heat before its temperature rises significantly or it must lose a great deal of heat before its temperature drops significantly. This one factor helps the body maintain a constant temperature.

These 3 reasons alone should encourage you to drink more water so that you are working properly from the inside out.

Our bodies may be made up of water but it does not replenish itself. Thus, drinking water helps maintain that healthy balance.

Although many of us know that we need to drink lots of water, many still walk around dehydrated. When mild dehydration sets in it can decrease one's energy level and mental functioning and increase stress on the body.

I think we all know what STRESS can do to the body.

Remember thirst is a poor indicator of dehydration. Drink on a regular schedule. Do you wonder how much water to drink a day?

Severe dehydration can cause skin tightening, muscle cramps, digestive issues, dry mouth and much more.

On average the AMA suggest drinking 6-8 eight ounce glasses of water per day. However that might not be enough. Most adults will lose between 2-3 quarts of water per day by way of normal body functions, such as perspiration and regulation of body temperature. There are 32 ounces in a quart. That means we lose about 64-96 ounces of water a day.

During the warm summers we need to increase our water intake. You know you are drinking enough water when your urine is clear or pale yellow. A dark yellow color is a sign that your body is dehydrated and is concentrating the urine in an effort to conserve water.

water Health: How water flushes your system

In my massage sessions, I begin to knead and loosen any tight muscle bands. The bands will begin to loosen and become red. A sign that there is an increase in blood circulation.

With an increase in blood flow trapped waste products will slowly make their way out of the cells into the bloodstream. However, even though they are in the blood stream you still need to flush out the waste products. Perspiration can only do so much and that's only if you are working out strenuously. The majority of waste products that can not be used are expelled via urine.

Part of your water health is to consume enough water. If you do not consume enough water to flush your system the waste products settle right back into your cells, which can cause damage and lead to many illnesses.

Water Health: Quality of Water

Your water health is also affected by the quality of water you drink. Poor water quality can contain microscopic hard-shelled single-cell parasites known as cysts which can cause severe abdominal cramping and diarrhea.

Best known examples of cysts are giardia and cryptosporidium. Inorganic chemicals and heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and mercury or synthetic organic chemicals such as pesticides are carcinogenic, can attack the nervous or digestive system and create long-term health problems.

Maintaining good water health can lead to a healthier body. That is the body that you can live with, without fear of chronic pain.

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