Why You Should Be Drinking Water

We've all heard it before "Are you drinking enough water?", "How much water are you drinking?".  It is very common, yet a lot of people aren't properly hydrated.  Dehydration can cause a lot of symptoms in the body and since massage therapists can recommend drinking more water, I wanted to highlight some of the key benefits of adequate water intake.

Keeps the joints properly lubricated: Cartilage in the joints and spinal disks contain a large percentage of water to help absorb the shock of movement.  Inadequate water intake can lead to stiffening of the joints and cause discomfort and reduced flexibility.

Forms saliva and mucous: saliva helps with many functions, including keeping our digestive system, nose and eyes moist.  This will help prevent damage caused by friction from food being digested and debris as well as constipation, imbalances in stomach acidity and other digestive symptoms.

Delivers oxygen to the body:  Blood is more than 90% water, and carries oxygen to the cells in the body, which is essential for them to function.

Improves skin health: when the body is dehydrated, it pulls water from other sources in the body to keep the organs functioning.  This means that the skin may be wrinkled or may have some form of demagogical disorder.

Controls body temperature: if the body becomes overheated with exercise, water will be secreted to the skins surface (sweat) to help cool the body externally.

Eliminates waste: water helps to removes toxins from the body in the form of sweating, urination and defecation.  If the body is dehydrated, there may be complications with removing the waste.

Maintains blood pressure:  Dehydration causes the blood to thicken which can increase blood pressure.

Prevents kidney damage: the kidneys help to break down minerals and nutrients to make them more accessible to the body, as well as eliminating waste products.  The kidneys are vital in bodily functions, meaning that if you are dehydrated, you may have excess waste and fluid build up in the body.

The amount of water that the body needs varies from person to person.  Try drinking a little more water and notice if you have any changes in your body.  If you symptoms improve and you want to know more, talking with your health practitioner will help determine the correct amount of water that you need to drink on a daily basis.

I hope this article helped you to understand the importance of drinking water!  Thank you for taking the time to stop by today and I hope you have a great day!

Reference:

McIntosh, J. (2018, July 16). 15 benefits of drinking water and other water facts. Retrieved January 3, 2019, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/290814.php