The Dangers of Dehydration

Dehydration is a problem that many people face yet may not even realize when they experience it. Here are some of the signs of dehydration?
- Lightheadedness - Fatigue - Irritability - Difficulty in Standing or Walking - Loss of Consciousness - Anxiety - Confusion - Rapid Breathing - Faintness - Reduction in Urine or Dark Urine
More importantly dehydration reduces your body's ability to produce blood resulting in insufficient nutrients and oxygen to get to your tissues including your vital organs.
In a nutshell, your body relies heavily on water based foods to provide itself with the ability to regenerate and sustain your body. You can live without food for days or weeks but you need water every day to survive.
Did you know that all liquids are not equally effective in treating dehydration? Most people know that drinking sea water will result in greater dehydration which is not good, however not many people understand that the drinking soft drinks or coffee also result a reduction in your body's hydration level. One should consider this and use these products sparingly (if at all).
Although there is recent controversy about the amount of fluids you should drink daily, most experts believe that one should drink at least 6-8 cups of water daily. The exact amount largely depends on the individual's body weight but kids should drink more relative to their body weight since their organs are not yet fully developed. Keep in mind you should subtract diuretics (such as coffee and soda) from your daily intake. For example, if you drink a 12 ounce can of soda, you should drink at least 12 ounces of water to offset the negative effect of the soda.
Water is also good for weight loss which seems counterintuitive to many people. Although there is an initial water weight gain, the long term effect is a flushing of your system resulting in more rapid and sustained weight loss. In addition, drinking plenty of water throughout the day makes one feel more full which helps curb hunger signals.
Finally, it is important that the water you drink is properly mineralized. Minerals are electrolytes, and as such are essential helping your body's nervous system to function correctly. Your nervous system relies on electrical impulses and non-mineralized (distilled) water is an insulator which actually inhibits electrical impulses.