Are you Chronically Dehydrated?

Our human bodies are made up of 2/3rds water.  When born our bodies are generally 80% water, and toward old age that number decreases to around 70%.

Dehydration is simply the removal of water from an object. Medically, it is a condition in which the body contains an insufficient volume of water for normal functioning.  Why would you or I become chronically dehydrated?  Simply because, as Americans, our culture sets us up for this affliction by the normal ingesting of coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol.

All of these beverages are classified as diuretics.  A diuretic is any drug that elevates the rate of bodily urine excretion. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from the body.

Are you chronically dehydrated?  If you’re not consuming at least 64 ounces of water each day, you probably are.  Also, if you consume any of the diuretics mentioned above, especially on a daily basis, you are most likely chronically dehydrated.  Medical Intuitive Lee Rossano of Transitional Journeys in Rochester Hills says that “we’ve programmed ourselves for chronic dehydration by consuming coffee, tea and soda throughout the day.”  If you consume alcohol regularly, your chances for dehydration increase dramatically.  Lee says, “People assume that liquid is liquid, and that as long as they drink something, they are well hydrated. The truth is that coffee, sodas, alcohol, and tea do not give our cells and organs the hydroelectric ‘charge’ they need to communicate and function properly. Only water can do that.”

Signs of chronic dehydration:  Mood swings, fatigue, weight gain and heartburn aren’t part of the natural aging process - they’re all signs of chronic dehydration.

The following is a snippet from a nutritional solutions article:

“According to the experts, Americans are sicker than ever. Part of the problem is that we ignore our body’s cries for water, causing the thirst signals to shut down and the hunger signals to activate. This is a major cause of obesity in America, and the saddest part is that the symptoms of chronic dehydration are most often ‘treated’ with over-the-counter or prescription drugs that exacerbate the problem rather than solve it.

Chronic dehydration affects our brains, causes friction and wear on our joints, reduces the ability of the kidneys to produce healthy blood, and has a major impact on the elasticity and youthfulness of our skin.  One of Lee’s clients, a 53-year-old, relatively healthy woman, states she saw  “a long-forgotten face - a younger, brighter ‘me’” in the bathroom mirror after only four days of increased water consumption.

Lee’s formula for proper hydration is simple. Divide your body weight by two, and drink that many ounces of water each day.  For the average American woman, standing approximately 5′4″ tall and weighing approximately 130 pounds, that means 65 ounces, or eight 8-ounce glasses.  Tap water is fine, if you let it sit until the chlorine evaporates. Room temperature water is best for the liver, and you should limit water during meals because it may dilute the balance of stomach acids needed for digestion”

There you have it folks, drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day.  I weigh 200 pounds, therefore I should be drinking 100 ounces/day!  If I have a coffee in the morning than I should add an extra cup to my intake.

Do you drink enough water?  How much do you drink?

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