On this post I wanted to discuss the importance of hydration. A lot of problems that people experience can be traced back to their hydration habits. First, let’s look at how water helps our bodies function.
Water is used for many of the body’s chemical processes and is the major component in dealing with oxidative stress and free radicals. Oxygen (which makes up a water molecule) has the ability to lend electrons to other molecules. When there are positively charged free radicals floating in our system, oxygen can bind with them and keep them from damaging our DNA and cells. Without proper hydration and an adequate supply of oxygen in our system, our body can’t eliminate waste materials from the cells and the free radicals that are created. This is the reason why drinking a sufficient amount of water each day makes a difference. I learned this lesson the hard way when I did my very first Iron Man event.
I was down in St. George and the day of the race the temp spiked at just over 94°. At these temperatures, even drinking as much water as you can, your body can’t keep up with the water loss as you’re exercising outside. I became so dehydrated that I was on the verge of heat stroke when the race was over. It took me almost 6 months to recover from this event.
Some of the first signs and symptoms of dehydration or chronic dehydration is chronic muscle tension and spasms, headaches, neck pain, and low back pain. Over a long period of time, chronic dehydration can lead to degeneration of your intervertebral discs, arthritis and a myriad of other problems.
The daily amount of water you should intake is determined by your bodyweight. I currently weigh 200 pounds, which means I need to intake half that amount in ounces of water per day. That means 100 ounces per day. That does not include the increase that you need to have if you are exercising rigorously for up to an hour a day. For each 20 to 30 minutes of rigorous exercise you should increase your water intake by another 20 ounces to help deal with the water loss that occurs when you sweat. Not only do you need that extra water to keep from dehydrating, you need to replenish your stores because you continue to lose water at an increased rate for several hours after you exercise. When you do this, it allows your immune system to function better, you have increased healing, and your recovery time is decreased significantly.
It’s really easy to become dehydrated in the heat of the summer, even when we’re not doing more than just being outside. I hope that you will all take a serious look at the amount of water that you’re taking in and make sure that you’re getting enough so that you can live a healthier and happier life.
Sincerely Dr. Milton Carroll DC
