What is the role of water as it relates to our body and how do we know just how much to drink?  There is so much emphasis placed on drinking a prescribed amount of water every day to guarantee health but is drinking water exclusively really what our bodies need? Below are some important insights and guidelines to help keep your cells perfectly plumped.

THE ROLE OF WATER 

• Transport nutrients                                      

• Enables cellular hydration

• Regulates body temperature                       

• Lubricates bones and joints

• Absorbs shock to joints and organs                        

• Keeps blood flowing

• Moistens oxygen for easier breathing        

• Makes the heart not have to work so hard 

• Flushes toxins                                                

• Delivers oxygen to cells improving uptake

• Prevents tissues from sticking                     

• Improves cell-to-cell communication

• Removes wastes                                            

• Maintains cell’s normal electrical properties 

• Empowers and supports body’s natural healing process

Adequate hydration is one of the fundamental building blocks necessary for providing the raw materials for our cells to carry out their functions.  When cells are appropriately plumped, they maintain the electrical gradient across cell membranes enabling intra-cellular communication and the transporting of oxygen, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and neurotransmitters throughout the body.  It keeps the blood from becoming viscous and allows it to move easily through the cardiovascular system – optimizing the body’s functions. 

NOT ENOUGH WATER = DEHYDRATION

Insufficient water intake is argued by some to be the most common nutritional deficiency in the American population.  It is true, a vast number of people are found to be dehydrated because they do not consume enough hydrating foods and beverages to balance out their body’s demands and instead, eating too many “dry” (packaged) foods, and additive laden drinks.

Dehydration, in any degree, puts stress on the body.  If the body’s water content drops by as little as 2%, it will cause fatigue; 10% will cause significant health problems; greater than 10% can bring death. Going 3-5 days without water is detrimental. Symptoms of dehydration include heart palpitations, dark/strong smelling urine, dry skin and membranes, inability to digest food, constipation, crankiness, headache.  In fact, my grandmother used to say, if you get a headache the first thing you should do is drink a glass of water!

TOO MUCH WATER = HYPERHYDRATION

Although not as common as dehydration, drinking too much water is more pervasive than people realize – especially in the health conscientious demographic.  Adjusting down water intake can actually mitigate a number of symptoms that one would never suspect could be linked with having too much H20.  Besides the most obvious - frequent pit stops - too much water can cause water retention due to flushing of salt and minerals, reflux, digestive issues, low body temperature, stressing of the adrenals, and aggravating certain conditions such as hypothyroidism.

Like dehydration, over-hydration, can also stress the body.  Many of the symptoms are actually the same for both.  In extreme cases, as with too little water, hyper-hydration can also lead to death.  Interestingly enough, a person can vacillate between both states in any given week. For instance, one day they don’t drink enough and get a headache or other symptoms of dehydration so the next day, they over correct and flood their bodies with water and subsequently flush out electrolytes, causing digestive upset or another set of issues.

HOW MUCH WATER, THEN? IT’S A FLUID SITUATION…

Standard school of thought recommends striving for up to half your body weight in ounces. My position on that rule has matured through personal experience, clinical work, and as more research surfaces.  I do not think we can come up with an exact number of ounces when there are so many variables that change throughout any given day.

I do believe we need to be properly hydrated but what that means for each person depends on a number of things that vary not only from person to person but also from day to day and situation to situation.  In other words, one may need more water today than they did yesterday but not as much as tomorrow based off of many things including diet, exertion, altitude changes, weather, pre-existing conditions, hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, stress level, height, weight, and preference – meaning the way in which one prefers to achieve balance.

In general, keep these two basic guidelines in mind when determining the best amount for your unique you:

1. When you feel thirsty or notice a shift in your constitution, sip (don’t chug) quality water or take in other delicious alternatives keeping the bulk of your liquid (drinkable) consumption away from meals.

2. Strive for light yellow urine – not clear and not dark.   

BEST WAYS TO STAY HYDRATED

It is important to emphasize, we can successfully and healthfully achieve proper hydration by way of a variety of foods and beverages including, but not limited to, water. 

One of the best ways to stay hydrated is to eat your water. Include in your diet fresh fruits, vegetables, and soups that have a high water content as they can count toward your personalized goal.

For every ounce of beverages known to have a diuretic component (alcohol, caffeinated coffees and teas, pop, packaged juices), some recommend adding 1½ ounces of water to your intake.  I defer to the guidelines I mentioned earlier as this “ounce for ounces” formula is very likely far more than what your body requires.  While these properties, in large amounts and in the absence of a hydrated diet can facilitate dehydration, it is generally safe to consume them in thoughtful moderation.      

A great way to break the overnight fast and encourage peristaltic movement is by starting the day with sips of water.  Never guzzle water (or any other beverage), taking only enough with meals to make swallowing comfortable.  Continue sipping throughout the day to thirst and in consideration of other hydrating foods and beverages.  Stop drinking water 1-2 hours before bedtime if nighttime waking to urinate is a problem.  Adding a pinch of quality sea salt per glass will help maintain proper electrolyte balance.  Only use a quality liquid mineral drop/powder if you are unable to obtain them through diet alone.

For creative ways to maintain healthy hydration status that’s just right for you, be sure to check out other articles I’ve written with the tag “water” and “hydration”, like this one, or ask your favorite FNTP (that’s me!) for suggestions.

Cheers!
Marie Stumphauzer, FNTP

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