The Importance of Hydration – All Year Long

The Importance of Water and Hydration!

Do you know the human body is composed of about 60% water?  From our muscle to our bones, water is extremely important – our whole bodies depend on water. It is said that after five days without water we would perish. Therefore, water is life, and proper hydration is key to a healthy body.

But what are the real benefits of water? Here are the top three:

Water helps joints work better

Joints are made up of cartilage and it consists of 60-85% water. Proper hydration will help with joint lubrication. With proper hydration, you will be more flexible and less stiff. Remember, when you are dehydrated, the body will pull water from other areas not essential to survival and will supply the brain and other vital organs.

Also, once cartilage is damaged, it will not repair itself. This may cause stiffness, so drinking water will help alleviate pain and stiffness. Moreover, staying hydrated can help keep up the production of synovial  fluid, which helps reduce friction pain and cartilage deterioration.  Additional benefits of proper hydration include adequate blood volume so that the nutrients can move through the blood and into the joints.  Staying hydrated will help remove waste efficiently, which  allows you to perform better.

Water helps with blood circulation

The heart has an important and difficult job, which is to pump about 2,000 gallons blood per day. When one is dehydrated, the blood volume in the body is lowered. Therefore, the heart must work harder to pump the reduced amount of blood in order to get enough oxygen to the cells.

The heart will beat faster due to dehydration and you are more likely to feel palpitations. Not to mention that when you are not hydrated, your blood retains more sodium, making it tougher to have the blood circulate. Hydration also allows muscles to be more efficient.

Water helps with the removal of toxins

Staying hydrated allows your body to flush out toxins more effectively. Proper hydration will help with joint lubrication. the body will conserve fluids, increasing the concentration of chemicals and waste products in the urine. However, when you are hydrated you are able to urinate more often, allowing the body to flush out toxins more frequently.

Staying hydrated is good for the kidneys! Kidneys are composed of specialized cells that cleanse the blood and in fact, the whole body. The more you are hydrated, the easier it is for your kidneys to remove toxins. Hydration reduces the chance of creating kidney stones and developing urinary track infection. Staying hydrated is great for your liver because the job of the liver is to convert certain toxins into less harmful compounds. All these chemical processes take place in, you guessed it, water. When the liver is deprived of water this function is not performed properly.

One must remember that staying hydrated is key to a healthy body. However, when it comes to hydration there is no one size fits all, in reference to the amount of water you should be drinking. The best indicator of dehydration is usually your urine color.

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Roman Shulze, M.D.

Here at Healthpointe, we care about your well-being. For information on how we can help with your needs, give us a call at 888-719-8448.  Walk in to any of the Healthpointe medical offices, such as the Ontario Office near Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Montclair, and Chino.