Health & Fitness
Water is Your Partner in Health
This is the time of year when everybody is drinking. The problem is that few, if any, are consuming enough water.
This is the time of year when everybody is drinking. The problem is that few, if any, are consuming enough water. As the weather gets colder, your furnace runs more frequently and the air gets dryer in the house. The colder weather and drier air can actually increase your body's demand for water by as much as 50 percent.
Combine the reduced water intake with the drier air in the house, increased alcohol, sugar and caffeine consumption and you have the perfect storm for mild dehydration and the health problems it brings.
What are the symptoms of mild dehydration? Look for a dry, sticky mouth and tongue, feeling lightheaded or dizzy, weakness, muscle aches and headache and a general lethargic feeling and lack of energy.
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Why is water so important for the healthy function of your body and brain? Water makes up about 50 percent of your total body weight. Without adequate water, your muscles don't work properly, your blood gets thicker and doesn't flow normally, your kidneys have a harder time filtering your blood and both digestion and elimination are more difficult.
So if after reading my blog you think it might be important to drink more water, try this simple formula for water intake. Take your body weight and divide it by two. The number you get is the ounces of water you want to drink each and every day. As an example, if you weight 120 pounds, divide 120 pounds by two and that will give you 60. 60 ounces of water is going to be your daily water goal.
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A few other facts to keep in mind about dehydration.
- Dehydration is the most common fluid and electrolyte disorder in all elderly adults populations.
- Death rates are seven times higher for dehydrated patients.
- Hospitalization costs for dehydrated patients are more than $1 billion per year in the United States.
- Women are more prone to dehydration.
- Medications such as diuretics, laxatives, and sedatives can cause dehydration.
- Drinking alcohol or caffeine can contribute to dehydration
Pay attention to your body and see how good you can feel by drinking just a little more water. I have attached an interesting flyer that tells you even more about the importance of water in warding off simple health problems. Think about printing it and hanging it on your refrigerator as a suttle reminder.