Water flows through every cell in our body, supporting blood flow, the elimination of toxins, and the production and transmission of important enzymes and hormones. If your body has too little water, these essential functions will be compromised and that can lead to serious chronic diseases. Drinking good, clean, pure water helps our bodies function at optimal levels and maintains our health.
Fortunately, we get a couple of early signs if the water levels in our bodies are too low. The first is thirst. The second is the color of our urine. If you ignore the thirst signal, you may already be a little dehydrated, so if you later notice that your urine is a dark yellow color, you can be sure that you are dehydrated and should drink water soon. If you continue to ignore these simple signals, the next batch of signals you receive will seem a bit more serious, including fatigue, bad mood, hunger, aches and pains, and dry skin.
If you don’t recognize any of those symptoms by not bringing water to the rescue, then, unfortunately, the next batch of signals you receive will likely be the result of damage caused by the disruption of essential bodily functions. Symptoms of chronic dehydration include heartburn, constipation, anxiety, urinary tract infections, premature aging, and high cholesterol.
Simply drinking water regularly throughout the day keeps all essential functions running. You can avoid many ailments that can be treated with harsh pharmaceuticals that often produce their own list of unwanted side effects. During hot summer months or periods of exercise, increase your water intake as your body eliminates much more water through perspiration to keep you cool, another benefit of staying hydrated.
Your blood is approximately ninety-two percent water. Maintaining water levels in the blood promotes efficient blood flow to organs and helps prevent high blood pressure. This is also essential during times of sleep and times of stress when the body produces hormones to help keep the body strong and balanced. A well-hydrated body also regulates histamine production, which controls our immune system’s response to allergies and other elements. The overproduction of histamines can create allergy symptoms such as a stuffy nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing.
Your body needs water to flush out toxins. Two systems are responsible for removing most of the toxins from your body. The first is your skin. If you are dehydrated, your skin contains toxins that we would otherwise eliminate and can develop skin irritations. The second is your digestive system. Water helps food move through your digestive tract, allowing toxins and pathogenic microbes to be eliminated naturally. Constipation can contribute to other digestive disorders, such as bladder infections, ulcers, acid reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Sometimes we misinterpret the thirst signal and assume that we are hungry, even though we may have had a meal just a short time ago. In a dehydrated state, your cells cry out for sustenance and your brain signals you to get more food. Staying hydrated will keep your cells well supplied with water and can avoid inadvertently adding extra pounds.
Drinks that are high in caffeine, such as coffee and soda, are not good options for hydrating the body. They are natural diuretics, which serve to accelerate the dehydration process. High-sugar beverages, such as sodas, juices, and new flavored water products, provide too much sugar to your system, which only creates other health problems and weight gain. Drink plain, plain water frequently and throughout the day. Start the day with warm water and add a little juice squeezed from a lemon. Pay attention to early signs, like thirst or hunger, when you shouldn’t be, and drink some water right away to stay hydrated and keep your body functioning at its best.