Healthy Hydration: Why Water Is Essential to Wellness

Keeping our bodies well-hydrated supports immune system function, heart health, urinary tract wellness, and healthy digestion. Most of us need at least 30-50 fluid ounces of water per day to prevent dehydration,1 but exercise, weather, and other factors may increase our daily requirement for water.

​Let's explore the importance of hydration in maintaining the optimal function and balance of the body's systems.

​How Does Dehydration Affect the Body?

When we become dehydrated, the circulatory system becomes the body's top priority, and other organs and systems must make do with less water.

The results of this conservation may include:

• Muscle Damage:

Water is pulled out of the muscles to maintain blood pressure. Without adequate water, the muscles have less strength, respond more slowly, fatigue more quickly, and are prone to cramping.
 

• Impaired Brain Function:

Being dehydrated by as little as 2% causes the brain to shrink slightly, impacting coordination, concentration, and memory.2
 

• Physical Fatigue:

With lowered blood volume due to dehydration, the heart must work harder to transport oxygen to the cells. Lowered levels of oxygen and nutrients cause fatigue and make exercise difficult.
 

• Heat Exhaustion:

Water is essential for regulating body heat. When dehydration sets in, the body fails to respond to rising core temperatures by flushing and perspiring. Without the ability to sweat or move blood to the skin surface for evaporative cooling, the body overheats.
​

Water, Water Everywhere: How Much Is Enough?

Most tips for staying hydrated say eight 8 oz glasses of water per day but, if you exercise vigorously or the weather is hot, it may be better to take your body weight in pounds, divide this number in half, and use that as your target number of ounces to drink per day.
 
As an example, a 160-pound person might need 80 ounces of water per day or 10 eight-ounce glasses.

How Does Staying Hydrated Promote Wellness?

The positive effects of drinking generous amounts of water span all of the body's systems, including the:

• Musculoskeletal System

Water provides proper blood volume to support muscle function and waste product removal, encouraging faster muscle growth and repair. Proper hydration also provides the ideal level of synovial fluid, which lubricates and protects the joints.

• Nervous System

Water allows for effective nutrient absorption and chemical reactions, which provide healthy brain chemical balance and support cognitive function. It also transports nutrients along the length of nerve fibers and enables nerve impulses to travel effectively.

• Urinary Tract

The renal system filters toxins and flushes them from the body using water. When there is adequate water for optimal kidney function, waste products are efficiently removed and the likelihood of kidney stones is reduced.

• Immune System

If toxins and waste products begin to build up in the body the immune system is weakened. Proper immune system function also depends on adequate water to maintain lymphatic fluids. These fluids remove toxins and circulate chemical messages to fight infection.

Hydration as Part of Healthy Living

The importance of hydration is just one part of the picture. Our approach to wellness at McCann Family Chiropractic is centered on treating the whole person and restoring peak system function. Dr. Matt uses gentle chiropractic treatments and dietary guidance to bring you back into perfect balance. He also recommends massage therapy to aid in this process. Call us today and start experiencing whole-body wellness for yourself.
 

Sources:
1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-importance-of-staying-hydrated
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/