Are You Chronically Dehydrated? How to Tell and What to do to Fix it!

May 1, 2023 – Are you OVERhydrating and flushing out electrolytes?  Not hydrating, drinking soda, caffeine, juice?  Water is extremely important, but getting enough electrolytes to not be DEhydrated is important too!

Water and the Body
– Water is the most important nutrient in the body.
– You can go 8 weeks without food, but only days without water
– Water makes up 55-60% of our total body mass.
– In an average adult, that equates to about 10-13 gallons of water.
– Most of the volume of cells and body fluids, is water.

Water plays numerous important roles in the body, including:
– Improves oxygen delivery to the cells                           
– Transports nutrients                                                         
– Enables cellular hydration                                               
– Moistens oxygen for easier breathing                           
– Cushions bones and joints                                            
– Absorbs shocks to joints and organs                             
– Regulates body temperature
– Removes wastes
– Flushes toxins
– Prevents tissues from sticking
– Lubricates joints
– Improves cell to cell communication
– Maintains normal electrical properties of cells
– Empowers the body’s natural healing process

Electrolytes and water
Electrolytes have 4 general functions:
1. Control the osmosis of water between fluid compartments.
2. Help to maintain the PH balance.
3. Carry electrical current.
4. Serve as co-factors needed for optimal activity of enzymes.

Dehydration:
If the bodies water content drops by as little as 2%, it will cause fatigue.
A drop of 10% will cause significant health problems.
– Digestive
– Cardiovascular
– Immune
– Musculoskeletal
Losses greater than 10% can cause death.

Early signs of dehydration:
Fatigue                                                                     
Anxiety                                                                      
Irritability                                                       
Depression                                                  
Cravings                                                       
Cramps                                                                     
Headaches  

Mature signs of dehydration:
Heart burn
Joint pain
Back pain
Migraines
Fibromyalgia
Constipation
Colitis

What are electrolytes?
Potassium is one of the electrolytes, it helps your nervous system to activate cell functions so that your muscles can contract and relax.  Your heart is one of these muscles. When you lose too much fluid, your body loses electrolytes leading to an imbalance.  

Magnesium is another electrolyte. Magnesium is needed to maintain potassium levels. Magnesium loss can happen when overhydrating, but also happens in consumption of sugar and in stress.  If there is not enough magnesium, the potassium struggles to get into the cells where it is meant to be stored. As an emergency backup, the kidneys will process the potassium and flush it out through urine. This is an added stress on the kidneys and not meant to be done on a regular basis.

Good hydration
Avoid diuretic beverages.
Coffee
Caffeinated teas, as well as some herbal teas, such as peppermint.
Soda
Alcoholic beverages
Packaged fruit juices.

Divide your weight in half, that is about how many ounces of water you need a day.  If you drink an 8-ounce diuretic beverage, add 12-16 ounces of water to your daily total.

Make sure to get adequate electrolytes:
Electrolyte solutions
Unrefined sea salt and Trace Mineral drops

You can make an account on my Fullscript supplement dispensary to order the Concentrate Trace Mineral Drops that I use (just be sure to choose the 4-ounce size so it comes in glass vs plastic!) The link below is to make the account (You will receive a 10% discount on any supplements you order and be emailed when I run sales)
https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/edamerau-swanson 

References:

• Some information taken from the NTA Hydration Module
• Linus Pauling Institute; Potassium; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; February 2004

•  Linus Pauling Institute; Magnesium; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; April 2003 
• University of Maryland Medical Center; Potassium; Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D.; May 2009
• North Dakota State University; Prairie Fare – Water Balance Important in Our Bodies and Environment; Julie      Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., L.R.D.
• Nephron”; Salt Wastage, Plasma Volume Contraction and Hypokalemic Paralysis in Self-Induced Water Intoxication; R. S. Tanneau, et al.; 1993