Dehydration

Every individual has only one body and dehydration can be very life threatening if not taken seriously. Dehydration is caused when individual have not had enough liquids or the body has secreted too much out of it (Are. J. 2008). People would not survive without water for more than a few days, as our bodies need water to help the blood to produce enough oxygen to give nutrients to the cells. Everybody needs water as it’s the base for blood, saliva and to help with digestion. Without water in our bodies, the joints would not be able to function smoothly. When people drink water, it flushes out toxins in the body and away from vital organs. Water makes up 60% of our body weight and is involved in every function that our body needs to stay alive. When people do not drink enough water, he or she will feel faint and light headed. Dehydration occurs in people of all ages, however, babies are that the highest risk. For parents to make sure his or her children are drinking enough fluids, have them suck on popsicles. Not drinking enough water can also given people headaches and make them not feel well. The recommended amount of water for a man is 3.7l and a woman 2.7l. (Grosvenor, 2006) Water is very important to all cells as it supplies oxygen. Without the oxygen from the water the cells would not survive. The water is also responsible for excreting waste from our bodies and maintaining our body temperature. Without water in our bodies, our eyes, mouth and nose would be very dry. When a person’s body does not get the required amount of water it becomes dehydrated. This is not good for the body as the organs need water to function smoothly. The way a person will know if he or she is becoming dehydrates is by, the lack of urine and the production of tears. His or her eyes will become droopy and they will be very lazy and they might experience high blood pressure. Our bodies need water as it contains the necessary mineral for our bodies. When an individual does not get enough water the whole metabolism gets upset. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause a person to get dehydrated faster as they are losing water. When children have fevers, making sure they get plenty of water can not only help them from getting dehydrated, but can also help brake the fever. Electrolytes are essential part in keeping the body alive and they are the smallest chemicals that allow the body to work. Every individual’s body requires the transmission of nerve impulse and muscle contractions which move water through the body. The impulse and muscle contractions are triggered when electronic charged ions are dissolved in water. The ions which are conducted are called electrolytes. Every individual requires nerve impulses and sodium, potassium and chloride are needed to complete the process. Our kidneys are the regulators of sodium, potassium and chloride and they regulate the body. Sodium is found in salt and processed foods and can cause high blood pressure. Potassium is found in fresh fruit and vegetables, but can cause an abnormal heartbeat. Sodium is a very important electrolyte that helps with the signals of the body, i.e.the brain and muscles. And sodium is found outside the cells. When there is too much sodium, salt in the body it is excreted out of the kidneys and then the body also loses water. Potassium is found inside the cells and also very important in the generating of electrolytes. I found that all three, electrolytes, sodium and potassium work together to keep our bodies healthy and hydrated. And chloride is also found in salt and processed foods but does not have any toxicity. All three have the same major functions in the body and that is nerve transmission and fluid balance. Another way to prevent dehydration if working outside, make sure you have plenty of water and light clothes on. And when it gets too hot, go inside until it cools. Alcohol inhabits the activity of ADA, increasing water loss. Some of the effects of a “hangover” from consuming too much alcohol are due to dehydration. When individuals consume too much alcohol, it will damage his or her liver. And when this happened the kidneys will lose their elasticity. When you are already dehydrated, do not drink any more beer or wine as this will cloud ones judgment. Alcohol and caffeine are known to be diuretics, and but this it means the water is excreted from the body faster than normal. Now when people drink too my caffeine it too can cause the liver to have stressed and this is not good for the body. Insomnia and heart disease are also cause by drinking too much caffeine (Sutton. M.). Do not drink coffee or coke as it increase urine and this makes a person get dehydrated faster. People can prevent dehydration by making sure to drink plenty of water. When individuals are going on a long trip, make sure there is plenty of bottle water in the car. Drinking oresol when dehydrated might help the body get back to its normal function as it’s full of electrolytes which the body needs (Are. J.2008). Furthermore, when it is summer, making sure he and she are drinking extra water. Another way to keep the body from dehydration is when individuals are excurse sing, they drink water during the whole work out ,as the body will be losing fluids, i.e., sweat while working out and they need to replace the water been lost. A person can see when he or she is dehydrated when their urine is darker than normal; this means they need to drink more water. When looking into the intake of water, people have to make sure he or she is given their body enough to stay healthy. Our bodies are what keep us going and when people do not take care of it; the body will let you know that it’s malfunctioning. Water is very important to make sure our bodies’ work the way we want them to. It also keeps us healthy and can prevent infections and lower fevers. Always drink eight glasses of water a day and try to stay away from salty foods, this will prevent dehydration. References Are, J. 2008. How to prevent dehydration. www.associatedcontent.com Retrieved 16 October, 2009 Fritzgerald, D. Nov 2006. How does alcohol affect your body' www.articleally.com Retrieved 16 October, 2009 Grosvenor, 2006. Mayo clinic description of dehydration. Retrieved 16 October, 2009. Sutton, M. Why is caffeine dangerous' www.eliminatcaffeine.com Retrieved 16 October, 2009