Hydrated Or Dehydrated?

We know that water is crucial to our biological make up and we know that life cannot exist without water but we still manage to forget the health benefits of water at the first sight of a frosty can of Coke. The widely pronounced health goal of drinking 8 glasses of pure H20 a day seems virtually unattainable to most. Many people mistakenly count their glass of tea or coffee as water because that’s how we make it. But the properties of pure, untouched water are what contain the health benefits and have the ability to make a huge difference to our bodies.

Neglecting regular water consumption can create symptoms of false illness as water plays a vital role in staying healthy. Indigestion and gastrointestinal issues including aches, cramping, constipation, diarrhea and lack of nutrient absorption can all be directly correlated to a simple lack of water.

Water ensures that the proper nutrients are delivered to the body and that food is digested. Not properly hydrating will halt the digestion process and the delivery of nutrients.

Many people confuse getting sick, feeling off or abnormal pains with a cause that differs from reality – the reality being they are dehydrated! In order to reap the health benefits of water, you must drink it frequently throughout the day.

Keeping your muscles hydrated and full of water helps your body stay active, keep moving, and feel alert. It works from the inside out and has the power to cleanse your body and its largest organ: the skin.

The first thing we hear anytime we analyze skin and mention to our guests that their skin feels a bit dehydrated is; "I drink so much water!" However, it's not always about the amount of water we are consuming; it's more about the water reaching our cells. Do you drink tons of water every day but still

your lips are chapped? Do you wake up (or walk around during the day) with bad breath? Are your nails soft, cracked, or brittle? Do you have achy, stiff joints? Itchy, scaly, flaking skin, or have small bumps on the back of your arms or torso? These are all signs of dehydration, and the fix might be a few small adjustments to ensure that water is reaching your cells for full, proper hydration.

Water (along with sunlight and oxygen) is a primary source of life and vitality. Drinking enough water helps the body flush out toxins. Water is the lubricant for our body. It helps to absorb shock, helps to maintain the balance of fluids, transport nutrients around the body, support proper digestion, maintain our body temperature, and so much more. Because our skin is an organ that is not an isolated, separate part of the body but an interwoven organ tied to all of the other systems, we know that proper hydration has a significant impact on our skin's health.

But if we are drinking multiple liters of water every day, and still experiencing the symptoms of chronic mild dehydration, what gives? The answer to that is we may also be consuming lots of dehydrating items or that we may be taking in lots of water but aren't properly absorbing it into our cells.

Everyone experiences acute dehydration from time to time, but the real problem for our health and vitality is chronic dehydration, even if it is chronic mild dehydration. The first signs of dehydration are brain fog and sleepiness; if you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

When we are dehydrated, blood is thicker, and the heart must work harder to pump it. You are expending more energy. Blood is 83% water. A decrease in hydration by as little as 2% can have the same impact on blood vessels as smoking a cigarette!

"But what if I have all of these symptoms, but I don't feel thirsty, maybe my body just doesn't need to drink that much water?"- an actual thought I have had in the past, haha!

Our bodies are unique and incredibly adaptive.

The body learns to suppress thirst when it is chronically dehydrated.

Let's talk about what might be counteracting hydration. Diuretics are substances that increase urine flow, and with a high intake of diuretics, You can lose water and electrolytes. Coffee is a diuretic, alcohol is a diuretic, common, table salt, some medications are diuretics, and even many herbs (like in your herbal tea) are diuretics. Just because something is a diuretic does not mean it is "bad" - (except for ordinary table salt, sea salt is less processed and a much better option). But if we are consuming multiple diuretic substances, we need to compensate for that with additional hydration.

Keeping your skin hydrated with enough water will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and ensure it’s not dry,

which can lead to break outs and imperfections. Get the beautiful glowing skin and the spring in your step you thought you’d never get back with a few extra doses of H20.

So whether you drink it occasionally, often – or never at all, now you know why you should. The health benefits of water are what make it a miracle of life itself…