HEALTHY LIVING

The human body is about 60% water, every tissue, cell, and organ contain water, so we need to be properly hydrated for every system on our body to function properly. Water is crucial for:

• Maintaining body temperature
• Digestion
• Balancing body fluids
• Controls intake of calories
• Make the skin healthy and beautiful
• Removes waste and toxins
• Lubricates the eyes and joints
• Protects tissues, joints, and spinal cord.

Headaches

Lack of water reduces the amounts of fluids around the brain, which are there to protect the brain from movement or mild bumps. It causes headaches and migraine.

Lack of water causes dehydration which in turn reduces supply of oxygen and blood flow to the brain, this may also trigger headaches.

So when you get a headache, don`t reach for a pill without doctor’s recommendation, try drinking a glass of water, headache may away if the reason was dehydration.

Inability to concentrate

The lack of water targets brain much more than any other organ in the body, the human brain is 90% water. Some of the symptoms are an inability to concentrate or make a decision, poor memory or mood swings.

Brain fog is a typical symptom of water deficiency, it may also cause forgetfulness, problems with communications and thinking.

Another study published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that people who were mildly dehydrated had difficulties making a decision and gave bad results in cognitive tasks.

Digestive problems due to dehydration

Water greases the digestive system & keeps tract clean and flexible, thus helping smooth bowel movements.

Loss of fluids caused by diarrhea or vomiting will most likely harden the stool, leading to constipation. Also, water deficiency can cause indigestion and heartburn.

The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published a study that shows the loss and decreased intake of fluids increases constipation also.

Food cravings

If you feel a food craving, try drinking a glass of water first. Sometimes body sends false signal to brain thinking you are hungry when fact is that you lack water in body.

Chances are when you crave salty food, probably your body has low electrolytes. Drink some sports drink, they contain sodium. Or make lemonade using lemon juice, a glass of water and a teaspoon of salt.

And If you crave sweet food, maybe the body has difficulties producing glycogen. If this is the case, eat some water fruits like watermelon, berries or papaya.

Colour change & Reduced urination

Urination is the automatic flushing of toxins out of the body. A healthy human urinates 5-8 times in a day. If you urinate less than usual, then your body is most probably dehydrated.

Toxins causes problems in a body and irregular urination means the accumulation of toxins in the body. So don’t accumulate toxins drink sufficient water in a day.

Another indication of dehydration is the colour of the urine, where normal urine should be clear & light-colour, lack of water causes urine colour to be changed to dark yellow or umber colour.

Fatigue

The dehydration causes lack of oxygen supply to the brain and hence causes the feeling of lethargy and fatigue. The overall blood pressure reduces and this causes oxygen supply shortage to brain and other parts of body, this leads to fatigue, sleepiness, and lethargy.

To ensure that the nutrients reaches to the body the dehydrated body system has to work harder.

The extra energy it needs for this makes the body tired.

So to stay energised whole day make sure you drink adequate water.

Dry mouth and bad breath

Due to lack of water the body produces less saliva. Saliva is responsible in destroying the bacteria and hence lack of saliva causes bad breath due to dehydration. When the body lacks water, it produces less saliva, which destroys bacteria in the oral cavity which leads to increase of bad breath.

Moreover, water acts as a lubricant, which keeps the mucous membranes moist and prevents the mouth from getting dry.

Increased heart rate

Lack of water will decrease the plasma volume, and make the blood more viscous. This has an impact on the blood circulation, increasing the heart rate.

The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research has published a study in 2014 proving that dehydration has negative impacts on the heart`s performance.

It discovered that for every 1% change in body weight from dehydration, the heart rate changes an average of 3 heart beats per minute.

Also, dehydration changes the electrolyte balance, which lowers the blood pressure. This extra stress is causing accelerated heart palpitations, which can lead to anxiety and panic attacks.

In case your heart starts beating faster than usual, slowly drink a glass of water. If the problem does not go, consult your doctor.

Dry skin and lips

Dry skin, lacking elasticity can be another sign of water deficiency. As our largest organ, the skin needs a lot of water to keep it healthy and beautiful.

Not enough water is causing less sweating, so the body can`t get rid of the dirt and oil accumulated on the skin Dry and chapped lips are also a sign of dehydration.

High-quality moisturizers can help, but first, we need to hydrate the skin from the inside.

Pain and cramps in joints and muscles

Joints and cartilage are 80% water. Lack of water can cause bones to grind from each other, causing pain.

Excess perspiration can cause muscle contractions and cramps. The Journal of Applied Physiology has published a study from 2008 stating that the status of water in the human body is important for hormonal and metabolic functions.