Dehydration

Dehydration Dehydration happens when the body loses too much fluid. This can occur when a person stops drinking water or if a person loses large amounts of fluid through diarrhea, urinating, vomiting, sweating, and breathing and humidified air leaves the body. In a normal day a person has to drink a significant amount of water to replace this routine loss (Wedro, 2010). Dehydration can make a person more susceptible to illness and viruses. In-sufficient water intake can make a person feel tired. Water can help a person with a weak immune system recover from colds and other illnesses. Staying hydrated can help improve mental and physical performance. Water increases energy levels, help reduce weight and reduce the number of headaches. It can also help aid in a person’s digestion (Squidoo, 2010). Water is essential to health maintenance. Our bodies can last weeks and months without food but a couple of days only without water. Water is extremely important to pregnant women and nursing mothers for their child’s development. Athletes depend on staying well hydrated to reduce stress and improve recovery time and performance. Water helps lower body temperature to make exercising safe and more effective. Increasing water intake can help dissolve calcium in the urine and can reduce kidney stone formation. By drinking water it can help prevent urinary tract infections for both men and women. It cleans out impurities out of the body’s system (Squidoo, 2010). People who do not drink enough water are unaware of how much water they need. By the time a person feels thirsty, he or she are already dehydrated. More than 90% of people are dehydrated. People do not drink the amount of water the body needs to operate at optimal capacity (The Natural Path, 2010). Without enough water the body does not function properly. Without drinking enough water, fat deposits increase. The kidneys cannot function properly without water. Then the kidneys shift their load to the liver. If the liver has to do everything without the kidneys they will not work at full capacity. Drinking enough water every day is also the best treatment for water retention. If the body is given less water it thinks there is a shortage and will retain every drop. Water reserves are found in other spots of the body and will show up in swollen hands, feet, and legs. Also without water people will not maintain proper muscle tone. This can cause the sagging skin not shrink properly after weight loss. If the colon receives too little water it siphons what it needs from internal sources. This results in constipation. If a person stops drinking enough water the body fluids will be thrown out of balance. The body will not function properly without enough water and cannot metabolize stored fat efficiently (Colon Therapists, 2010). Keeping hydrated is very important to maintain the human body. Drinking alcohol and caffeine can affect hydration levels in the body. As a normal function the kidneys reabsorb water into the body. Excessive alcohol intake inhibits the kidneys ability to reabsorb water. This increases water loss. Alcohol dehydrates the body because the body must pull water from the body to break down the alcohol. Too much alcohol decreases the production of the anti-diuretic hormone ADH. This produces the “hangover” feeling. Alcohol helps water loss by slowing the production of the anti-diuretic hormone called vasopressin. This acts on the kidneys by promoting the re-absorption of water and salt into the body. Vasopressin helps regulate the concentration of fluids in the body. This can interfere with its action to lead to increased loss of body fluid from urination. This contributes toward dehydration. Alcohol induced water loss can also lead to other mineral loss such as: magnesium, potassium, calcium, and zinc. These nutrients also help the maintenance of fluid balance and nerve and muscle action (Oliver, 2009). Electrolytes are chemicals in the human body required for regulating nerve and muscle function and other physiological functions. Sodium, potassium, and chloride are important electrolytes in the body. Sodium regulates the amount of water in the body. The movement of sodium results in the electric signals required for communication between different cells. Potassium is important for helping regulate the heartbeat and muscle functions. Sodium and potassium are positive ions and chloride is a negative ion which is used for maintaining the fluid balance in the human body (Pearson Education, 2010). There are several ways people can ensure they do not become dehydrated. People should drink at least eight, eight ounce glasses of water per day. They should drink more if they are more active. They should also drink more on a hot day because the body sweats more. They should also try to eat fruits and vegetables that contain higher water content such as watermelon. People need to drink enough liquid to replace the fluids they have lost. They should also replace electrolytes they have lost. To replace electrolytes people can drink sports drinks. People should also learn the warning signs of dehydration. Some symptoms include: extreme thirst, dry skin, dark yellow urine, dizziness, weakness, cramping in arms and legs, headache, dry mouth with thick saliva, fainting, and low blood pressure (MckessonHBOC, 2010). Some people may think that caffeine hydrates the body, but caffeine also requires water to metabolize. Caffeine also increases urine production to be eliminated. Caffeine drinks like soda, punch, and sweets should also be avoided. Higher doses of caffeine are known to promote water loss because of increased blood flow to the kidneys and partly to reduce re-absorption of sodium by the body (Oliver, 2009). Water has many functions in the human body. Water helps move nutrients and his or her bodies waste through and out of the body. Water protects cells when they move through the blood. It also lubricates the eyes and the mouth. Water helps maintain a person’s body temperature. Water is like a heat conductor and a regulator in the blood to dilute minerals, glucose, and other materials inside the body. This helps maintain healthy acidity levels. Water helps lubricate joints. Water also carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells. Water can also help prevent constipation. Nearly all of the major systems in the human body depend on water to function properly (Mayo Foundation, 2010). Water is a critical element of the human body. Sufficient hydration is a must to allow the body to function properly. A person’s body weight is made up of 75% water. Most of the water is found inside body cells, and the rest is found in between cells and blood vessels (Wedro, 2010). All human beings require water every day to survive. Individuals need to learn and understand the importance of staying hydrated. People must also learn the warning signs of dehydration to live long healthy lives. Water and fluids are the main element in staying hydrated and healthy. If dehydration is not treated it can cause death. The human body is extremely effective at achieving and maintaining good health if it is given what it needs. Water is the most important nutrient that his or her bodies need to function properly. If people learn how to prevent dehydration and learn the warning signs they will live a much healthier life. References Colon Therapists. (2010). The Water Health Report. Retrieved August 16, 2011 from http://www.colonhealth.net Mayo Foundation. (2010). Functions of water in the body. Retrieved August 16, 2011 from http://www.mayoclinic.com McKessonHBOC. (2010). Dehydration. Retrieved August 18, 2011 from http://scc.uchicago.edu Oliver, K. (2009). Effects of dehydration. suite101. Retrieved August 19, 2011 from http://nutrition.suite101.com Pearson Education. (2010). Healthy Eating. Retrieved August 19, 2011 from http://life.familyeducation.com Squido. (2010). Water. Retrieved August 20, 2011 from http://www.squidoo.com The Natural Path. (2010). Six Steps to Good Health. Retrieved August 20, 2011 from http://www.the-natural-path.com Wedro, B. M. (2010). Dehydration. MedicineNet. Retrieved August 21, 2011 from http://www.medicinenet.com/dehydration