The Dehydration Dilemma
Every bodily function is monitored, regulated and controlled by water. Every cell, tissue, and organ needs water to function optimally. The brain, for example, may only be 1/50 of the body’s total size, but it requires a great deal more water than one might think. In times of dehydration, the brain takes what it needs at the expense of other organs and structures. This is similar to what happens in hypothermia when blood is shunted to the brain while lesser structures like fingers, toes and noses fall prey to frostbite. In our body’s effort to keep our brains hydrated, the rest of our body may end up dangerously parched.
But I Don’t Feel Thirsty
Contrary to popular thought, you cannot wait for a strong thirst sensation or a dry mouth and lips to tell you to drink. According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, M.D., author of Your Body’s Many Cries For Water, our consumption of flavored beverages like soda, juice, and flavored coffees has caused us to lose the spontaneous urge to drink water when given a choice . We think that if we drink a liquid, any liquid, than we will be satisfactorily quenched. Not so! There are many beverages, coffee being the most popular, that will surprisingly dehydrate us and further deplete our vital water reserves.
So How Will I Know When to Drink?
Our bodies have developed complex physical signals to let us know when we are dehydrated. Failure to recognize them leads to their being misinterpreted as symptoms. One of the first thirst signals to show up for us is the pain of heartburn and gastritis, and it can occur in the very young, the old, and everyone in between. Unfortunately, seeing heartburn as a symptom rather than a signal has sets us on the path to drugs and medical interventions. !5 million people now take acid blockers and many are on potentially dangerous proton pump inhibitors for heartburn/reflux. Many of these people are not addressing the underlying issues, the most common of which may be chronic dehydration.
Common Sense Prevails
It makes sense that if we have a hunger pain signal we might also have a thirst pain signal. Dr. Batmanghelidj thought so, and he successfully treated thousands of chronically ill people with water! Perhaps the simplest approach might yield the mot stellar results. While water is not a panacea for everything that ails us, it contributes to most everything that does! What if brain dehydration was a factor in Alzheimer’s disease and joint dehydration a contributing factor to arthritis? Dr Batmanghelidj treated many patients by simply re-establishing proper hydration. As a chiropractor since 1986, I can personally attest to many cases of low back pain that originated with dried-out, desiccated lumbar discs. Normally plump and pliable, these dehydrated discs were more prone to injury and micro tears.
Go Slowly But Surely
The one thing you do not want to do is guzzle down large amounts of water all at once. At its extreme, it can upset your electrolyte balance, at least of all; it will present you with the urge to urinate shortly thereafter. You will then find yourself releasing nearly all the water you just consumed and never getting ahead of the chronic dehydration. It is far more effective to sip at your water throughout the day, giving your body a chance to absorb it at the cellular level.
You may, or may not, come to believe that chronic dehydration is the root of most chronic, degenerative diseases. But if you decide to consume pure, quality water throughout the entire day, I guarantee you will find yourself feeling better than you have in years, and knowing the location of every restroom in town!
