Thirsty Yet?
Thirsty? Studies have shown that the simple act of not drinking water may just cause more than thirst.
The most obvious link to dehydration is high blood pressure. Our blood is our biggest reservoir of water in our bodies and even a small decrease can lead to our blood thickening. That's why dehydration is listed as one of the three causes of high blood pressure.
When you combine too much salt, lack of water and stress, each becomes overwhelming to the body and we see a steady increase in blood pressure. Drinking more water is one of the easiest ways to lower blood pressure.
Diabetes is also linked to dehydration through the kidneys not having enough water to flush our blood of excess sugars. We need water to keep the sugars fluid and to slow their absorption into our blood.
In addition, the very foods that are high in sugars tend to be low in water. They trick our bodies into thinking it does have more water, and we are unaware we need more to drink.
Other diseases are made worse by dehydration. Cancer, and especially treatments, increase the body's need for fluids. Most medications increase the body's need for fluids. Both can decrease our awareness of thirst.
Arthritis pain is reduced and sometimes eliminated with proper hydration. When the body is dehydrated, it takes some of the fluid from between the joints to supply the organs with the precious resource. This allows the bones to wear on the cartilage more intensely and destroy the sensitive tissue. When the body is hydrated, the joints fill back up to normal and work properly.
In addition to just drinking enough, we should be aware there are better drinks than others.
Of course, water is the best liquid to drink. Make sure you are getting quality waters that are tested to ensure it is safe. Remember, most bottled waters are not required to be tested at all and most are from city supplies. Those from springs and other 'natural' sources may be more contaminated than city supplies because of the entire lack of quality requirements.
If you don't like the taste of water, add some flavors. Natural enhancements include lemon juice, lime juice and the juices from fresh fruits. All teas are beneficial if you are brewing them yourself.
Teas on the grocery store shelf are full of sugars and chemicals. Most don't have tea in the first couple of ingredients, opting for sugars, artificial flavors and preservatives instead. Be very cautious of powdered additives because most contain toxic colorants, preservatives and sugars. The ones with artificial sugars are even worse because these damage the liver and kidneys.
Juices are not too bad if you are drinking less than 16 oz per day. More than that and you increase the risk of diabetes and all the extra sugars only serve to increase thirst.
I always avoid sodas, sports drinks and other caffeinated beverages like coffee and energy shots. The overwhelming amount of sugar and caffeine drain our bodies of water and other vital nutrients for survival. In fact, studies have shown children and teens who consume these things on a regular basis are stunted in growth and have lower test scores in school.
So, stick to water for hydration. Spice it up with a splash of real juice and teas. If that isn't enough to motivate you, then think about this: people who switch from sugary drinks to water lose an average of 10 pounds without doing anything else.
The most obvious link to dehydration is high blood pressure. Our blood is our biggest reservoir of water in our bodies and even a small decrease can lead to our blood thickening. That's why dehydration is listed as one of the three causes of high blood pressure.
When you combine too much salt, lack of water and stress, each becomes overwhelming to the body and we see a steady increase in blood pressure. Drinking more water is one of the easiest ways to lower blood pressure.
Diabetes is also linked to dehydration through the kidneys not having enough water to flush our blood of excess sugars. We need water to keep the sugars fluid and to slow their absorption into our blood.
In addition, the very foods that are high in sugars tend to be low in water. They trick our bodies into thinking it does have more water, and we are unaware we need more to drink.
Other diseases are made worse by dehydration. Cancer, and especially treatments, increase the body's need for fluids. Most medications increase the body's need for fluids. Both can decrease our awareness of thirst.
Arthritis pain is reduced and sometimes eliminated with proper hydration. When the body is dehydrated, it takes some of the fluid from between the joints to supply the organs with the precious resource. This allows the bones to wear on the cartilage more intensely and destroy the sensitive tissue. When the body is hydrated, the joints fill back up to normal and work properly.
In addition to just drinking enough, we should be aware there are better drinks than others.
Of course, water is the best liquid to drink. Make sure you are getting quality waters that are tested to ensure it is safe. Remember, most bottled waters are not required to be tested at all and most are from city supplies. Those from springs and other 'natural' sources may be more contaminated than city supplies because of the entire lack of quality requirements.
If you don't like the taste of water, add some flavors. Natural enhancements include lemon juice, lime juice and the juices from fresh fruits. All teas are beneficial if you are brewing them yourself.
Teas on the grocery store shelf are full of sugars and chemicals. Most don't have tea in the first couple of ingredients, opting for sugars, artificial flavors and preservatives instead. Be very cautious of powdered additives because most contain toxic colorants, preservatives and sugars. The ones with artificial sugars are even worse because these damage the liver and kidneys.
Juices are not too bad if you are drinking less than 16 oz per day. More than that and you increase the risk of diabetes and all the extra sugars only serve to increase thirst.
I always avoid sodas, sports drinks and other caffeinated beverages like coffee and energy shots. The overwhelming amount of sugar and caffeine drain our bodies of water and other vital nutrients for survival. In fact, studies have shown children and teens who consume these things on a regular basis are stunted in growth and have lower test scores in school.
So, stick to water for hydration. Spice it up with a splash of real juice and teas. If that isn't enough to motivate you, then think about this: people who switch from sugary drinks to water lose an average of 10 pounds without doing anything else.
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