Dehydration - Day 4 of A-Z

Earlier I read a post by a blog friend of mine, Matt at War Bear, and his latest post regarding a stint in hospital suffering from a bad case of dehydration.

So this got me thinking, this would make an ideal post for today's 'D' section. Working as a sports massage therapist and rehab trainer for the past six-and-a-half years you cannot help but pick up almost instantly when someone is not drinking enough fluids - and by fluids I mean water, not soft fizzy drinks, coffee or tea and definitely not alcohol.

And don't get me started on diet drinks or sugar free drinks - all I will say on that is: Aspartame!

Something that everyday folks fail to realise is that water is a nutrient. Essential for the body to perform and function optimally. Ever recall that teacher from your childhood who would breathe a disgusting foulness of breath over you whilst explaining a working out for your math question, or explaining a passage of text?

That stink was a mix of either tea, but most likely coffee and dehydration breath.

Tea and coffee can have a diuretic effect on the body by increasing urge to urinate, and was this happens the danger of falling into a downward spiral to dehydration begins: coffee-urinate-thirst-coffee-urinate-thirst, etc. Caffeine is very good at doing this, so moderation is advised. 

Water plays an essential funtion within the body on many levels. Beaking it down to a basic level, water helps to lubricate the spinal cord, replenishes the fluid with your eyes, and around the brain, it keeps the kidneys flushed and healthy, it gives the skin a healthy glow and helps to maintain its elasticity, and it also help muscular function, preventing strains, sprains and possible tears occurring - dehydrated muscles do not perform well at all, and this is when injuries are sustained most easily.

So, when sitting writing your blog, or your novel, or gaming, sketching or more importantly, exercising: DRINK water at regular intervals. It helps maintain clear cognitive function, wards off lethargy and also cravings for  nibbles when you don't really need them. Centrally heated homes are major culprits contributing to dehydration. Remember, you don't have to be active in order to dehydrate. So much water vapour is lost though breathing, so keeping water by the bedside is also a good idea.

Ultimately, think of it this way: you don't water a plant over a period of weeks. What do you see? It withers, becomes dried up and brittle and eventually dies. We can see this. By denying yourself water, it does not mean it does not have the potential to be catastrophic to the body, just because you cannot witness the effects within you to your organs, muscles and tissue.

I think, outside of the entire planet, we are the only organism that ignores this one, important principle and fact: we need to drink water.