Water, Health, and Prevention
Water is the main ingredient in the cells of our body, which are the building blocks of what keeps us healthy. Many types of normal illnesses can be prevented by just making sure your body is hydrated by drinking at least 8 eight ounce glasses of filtered, clean water every day. By simply doing that, you can avoid many of the problems that seem to plague us and are just brushed aside by taking aspirin or other over the counter medications.
Water and Health Problems
Many health problems are recurring and are usually taken care of by aspirin or other analgesic medicines, eventually causing our bodies to be immune to the effects. But many of these problems can be alleviated by just drinking more clean water to supplement the body�s normal healing process.
- Headaches - With the brain made up of more than 75% water, it is easy to see why someone could be affected by being dehydrated. The body works at conserving water when it needs to heal, so drink a large glass of water and take a 20 minute break when you have a headache to see if it goes away. Drinking plenty of water can also ensure fewer headaches.
- Hypertension - When the body is dehydrated, it tends to shut down small capillary systems to conserve water. As blood is 82-83% water, it is easy to see why it would shut down smaller systems when the body is dehydrated. But this leads to hypertension. If you suffer from hypertension, drinking more water can lower the level of muscle tension that comes from these capillaries shutting down.
- Back pain - Back pain can come simply from a lack of fluid in the back. When a disc in the spine is properly hydrated by fluid made mostly of fresh water, the disc only supports 25% of the weight it has to bear, the fluid supporting the rest. Sitting in a sedentary position, such as at a desk at work, can settle spinal fluids, and force liquids out of the spinal discs. Drinking more water and doing some quick exercises can help alleviate back pain and keep you from feeling more pain instead of taking analgesics.
- Morning sickness � A problem of most pregnant women everywhere, morning sickness seems like something that can�t be avoided. But morning sickness is really morning hydration as the world the baby lives in within the womb is basically made up of water, and sleeping means going eight hours without taking in any water to replenish that world. A woman can prevent or assuage some of the symptoms of morning sickness by drinking more water than needed during the day, keeping water near your bed at night if you wake up during the night and drinking a large amount of water first thing in the morning.
- Hangovers - A night of revelry with friends can lead to a bad morning. The headaches, fatigue, and nausea caused by heavy drinking is all attributed to the dehydration of the body. Alcohol dehydrates the body, and drinking plenty of clean water before going out as well as making sure to drink it during the evening can help the situation. Make sure to also drink some water first thing in the morning, and you can avoid most of the unpleasant symptoms of the hangover.
Cancer Prevention with Water
Water doesn�t only help cure some normal problems people have with their bodies. Water can also help prevent other problems such as cancer. Drinking filtered water daily can decrease your chances of getting certain types of cancer by significant amounts. Colon and bladder cancer are the two most prominent, the risk decreasing up to 45% with frequent water consumption. Even the risk of breast cancer is decreased by drinking more water. It can easily be seen that drinking even the minimum amount of water is important to protecting your overall health.
Water and Immunity
Drinking water is obviously important to your health and also important to preventing problems. By getting more than the necessary 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day, you are making sure that you are getting all the water you need to protect your body. The immune system is what protects the human body from the ravages of disease. But, the immune system cannot work properly if the body isn�t hydrated well. The skin, the kidneys, and the circulatory system are all important to the body�s immunity, and all of them rely on plenty of fresh, clean water to function correctly.
The Skin and Immunity
The skin is the body�s first line of defense against bacteria and other invaders that can harm you. The skin produces sweat, which wards off absorbing harmful airborne bacteria into the body. The skin cannot produce sweat when the body is dehydrated as it will save that water for more important functions. There is also a decline in the mucous that is produced in the mouth, nose and lungs. This mucous prevents other harmful entities from getting into the body or dispersing within the body. By drinking water you not only hydrate the skin, but you provide your body with the fuel to make the sweat and mucous you need to boost immunity.
The Circulatory System and Immunity
The blood is made up of 83% water and is pumped through the body with the system of valves and tubes called the circulatory system. To work correctly, the blood should move constantly though the system, which means moving and exercise. This also means replenishing the fluids your body loses during exercise, so that you can continue to keep your blood moving easily. Drinking pure, clean water is the only way to keep your circulatory system going and keeping your body in good health so that your immune system remains strong.
The Kidneys and Immunity
The kidneys, in conjunction with the rest of the urinary system, are a big part of the immune system. They flush the body of toxins, and to do this, they need plenty of water. Water not only helps the kidneys work to flush the body of natural toxins, but also of toxins gathered in food, and when junk food is in the body for too long. The kidneys are the detoxifying agent in the body for internal and external sources, and the only way for them to work well is for them to get plenty of healthy water on a regular basis.
Water is very important to the prevention of disease and the immune system, simply because it makes the system run efficiently and at peak performance. Your body needs clean, healthy water to help protect itself, and in the end, it just makes you feel better.