Water: The Body’s Lifeline
Drinking enough water (H2O) each day is single-handedly one of the best things you can do for your health and well-being. We need water. We are water.
It makes up roughly ⅔ of our body.
This article is PACKED with facts, information, why drinking enough water is vital, ways to increase your intake and much more.
Water is the backbone behind almost every bodily function. Everything that happens in the body is influenced by it. It’s also a major component in every kind of tissue.
This should highlight the importance of drinking enough each and every day.
What Does Water do?
H2O acts as the vehicle for every nutrient, hormone, chemical messenger, enzyme, electrolyte and brain pulse. It takes food through the digestive tracts while helping break it down so nutrients can be absorbed. After, blood carries those nutrients from the gut to our cells.
Once again, water is needed – it then opens cell walls and brings nutrients inside.
Water is also responsible for:
Controlling the body’s temperature
Operating our immune system
Keeping the brain and nervous system regulated
Removing waste
Supporting your skin, hair and nails
Helping keep joints from grinding and spinal discs from rubbing
Water + The Brain
Our brains are 73 percent water.
It’s the organ that requires the most water. Even the smallest bit of dehydration can lead to a decrease in focus, mood and energy. This is “scary” because the brain controls the body.
Drinking water keeps not only the brain, but other organs operating accordingly. The brain acts as a monitor for water levels in all areas of the body. When levels in the brain get too low, it will begin to take from other organs and hoarder.
For a bit, the brain is satisfied and operates as normal. Eventually, as someone continues to neglect drinking water, a signal is sent that the body needs water. *Queue dry mouth*
We tend to believe this is the first symptom when in reality, it’s the last.
Cellular Dehydration
Cellular Dehydration simply means that the body’s cells are dehydrated. This is where the true, deep-rooted problem exists. When drinking plain water, water does not enter cells.
We need sea salt (unprocessed crystal/celtic or unrefined himalayan – NOT table salt) and/or electrolytes to open cell walls. Allowing water to enter and hydrate within. When we sweat, we lose more than just water. So why would you drink only plain water?
Our bodies become acidic when dehydrated; salt makes our bodies alkaline.
Drinking proper water is key as dehydration is the number one stressor on the body.
When our cells first become dehydrated, we feel tired which slows us down.
Overtime, it can cause:
Reduction in physical performance
Fatigue and related symptoms
Sludgy bodily fluids
Trouble eliminating wastes
Lowered immune system
Digestive issues
Headaches / Migraines
Years of cellular dehydration can lead to:
Cancer
Hypertension
Kidney issues
Difficulty eliminating cellular waste
Decrease in blood volume
Chronic pain
Depression
Degenerative diseases
Allergy sensitivities
Not drinking enough water can also cause bloating, arthritis, joint pain and skin problems.
Stress also leads to cellular dehydration. The higher production of cortisol hinders normal metabolism function. This then sucks water from cells.
How Much to Drink + Ways to Drink More
The amount one should drink a day largely depends on the individual, their lifestyle, activity level and more.
It’s safe to say that you should drink AT LEAST half of your body weight in ounces of water a day.
The amount one should drink increases when considering their current phase of life. Picture someone who works outdoors, trains and goes for weekly bike rides. This individual needs to drink more than half their body weight to make up for what’s lost.
Ways to drink more:
Use fun water bottles and straws
Add fruit like strawberries, blueberries or cucumber
Set a goal and use a tracker
Implement habit stacking
Takeaways
There’s so much more to be said about H2O. The intention behind this post is to shed light on how imperative drinking water is for one’s well-being. Do you need to consume more each day?
Gauge how much you drink now, set a goal to drink a little more and aim to reach it. When properly hydrated, you’ll be amazed by how great you feel. It truly makes a difference.
This article was inspired by the book Superlife by Darin Olien.