Why Is Water So Important ?

Ah, water! It is one of the few solutions on this planet that people love, hate, use, avoid, and require in their lives.  With our body being most made up of water, it isn’t surprising that our body requires the constant replenishment.  So why is it so important?

Water Is Vital for Healthy Body Functions

Let’s start with the gross ones.  Have you ever suffered from constipation?  Constipation arises because there isn’t enough water in your system to prevent the large intestines from pulling out enough to supply every cell with the necessary fluid to keep each cell within your body performing the tasks that keep you alive.  If you don’t drink enough water, then your body will pull as much fluid from the foods that you eat, and likely that isn’t enough.  The result is constipation.

What about joint pain?  In between your joints, you have a fluid that lubricates the joints and prevents breakdown and ultimately, pain.  When you don’t have enough water in your diet, your fluid slowly decreases.  Our discs in between our spine are like sponges.  Every night when you are asleep, your discs rehydrate and then throughout the day, as you go about your daily life, they lose the water.  That is why you are always taller in the morning than in the evening.  Imagine not having enough water in your diet, and then depleting yourself of sleep.  You will shrink!  If you are already vertically challenged, your days of looking like a hobbit just got worse.

Difficulty with your brain? Well, your brain requires having enough hydration to allow for clarity of thought and most important, nerve conduction.  It is also a classic cause of headaches.  If you are suffering from headaches, the first thing that I would do is increase your water.

So, what’s the rule of thumb for how much water you are supposed to drink.  The simple answer is: Half your body weight in ounces.  What that means is that you need to take how much you weigh, let’s say 140 pounds for instance, and cut that in half.  Convert that to ounces, and in this case 70 ounces, and that’s how much water you are supposed to drink in a day.  That may seem like a lot, but when you are keeping your body from getting the amount that you need, it is a necessity.

Here’s the trick.  Don’t try to drink it all at once.  If you have ever live where it gets flash floods, the same concept with hit you like a ton of bricks.  You try drinking that much at once, and you will be spending more time in the bathroom than you could ever desire.  Sip at it and you will find that the water absorbs into your system much more affectively, and you will not have to pee as much.

Just a little tip from all of us at The Whiplash Center of Utah, A Whiplash and Wellness Center.  If you have any other questions, you need to call us at 435-674-7515.  We have lots of opinions and we like to share them.

Dr. Spencer Andersen DC, BCAO