Water: A body’s necessity!

Americans are described as being “chronically dehydrated.” Why? because many do not realize that drinking fluids is not “good enough” for our cells. Obtaining a state of hydration is possible and the health benefits are the best thing we can do to help prevent chronic illness. 

You may have heard you should drink 8 eight ounce glasses of water every day, but there is not a one size fits all solution. Instead, everyone should drink half their body weight in ounces each day. For example, if you are 130 pounds, you should consume at least 65 ounces of water daily. 

What does a state of dehydration do to the body? Chronic dehydration causes poor memory, dizziness, constipation, mood swings, extreme fatigue (this is the part where people then consume caffeine drinks and think it helps both with fluids and energy… wrong) So what happens when you begin to charge your cells with water? Within 10 minutes, cells gain energy, the brain begins processing better, muscle cramps and headache begin to wane. Within a week, body aches and pains diminish, bowel movements improve, you skin clarity improves, less wrinkles! After about a month, mental clarity, muscle strength and stamina increase. After six months, cells can begin flushing the body of toxins, body organs begin functioning properly.

So what should this mean to you? Decrease the possibility of diseases and disorders like hypertension, urinary tract infections, coronary heart disease, gallstone disease, or glaucoma by keeping the body properly hydrated.

But wait, don’t stop there… What about on the outside of the body? Iceland, is listed as one of the healthiest countries. Why? Hot tubs. Everyday Icelanders take 15 minutes of their lunchtime to dip into a hot tub. Many of the restaurants have natural hot springs, and provide hot tubs for their guests to soak in during their lunch. The medicinal benefits of soaking in hot water immersion or water therapy are improved vascular function, weight management and better insulin sensitivity. In addition, sleep quality improves and there are less psychological disorders. The benefits are created because soaking in hot water opens your blood vessels, increasing your adrenaline, by working your heart, as if you are lightly exercising. The hot water also decreases inflammation throughout your body, which is one of the major factors in chronic diseases. Consider, soaking in hot water baths if not daily, weekly to help alleviate the paths to chronic health disorders.