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WELL WOMEN OF COLOR | Rosalind Brooks

August 13, 2017 by  
Filed under Extra, Health

Dry Response

How to know if you’re dehydrated

More than half of the world’s population suffers from dehydration, with most unaware of the serious health problems it can cause. And if you live in an area like Las Vegas, where hot and dry temperatures easily soar above 100 degrees? That means that you should consume more water than the 64 ounces per day that people normally need.

Your body is 60-80% water — so if you don’t drink enough water, things start to disappear: the blood is reduced by 8%, leading to narrow blood vessels, blood clots, and strokes; there is 26% disappearance in the intercellular space, leading to increased acidity, gout and kidney stones; 66% of water leaves the cells, which leads to higher cholesterol, low metabolism, and accelerated aging.

Here are seven signs of dehydration:

Dry mouth. Sugary drinks only provide temporary relief, so choose water.

Extreme thirst. You must drink water — because when you do, your brain and body respond with satisfaction.

Joint pain. Your cartilage — which keeps the bones from grinding against each other — and spinal discs are made up of about 80% water.

Decreased muscle mass. Your muscles are also comprised mostly of water. the Less water in the body, the less muscle mass you will have.

Extended illnesses. Water flushes toxins from the organs; and excess toxins can lead to illness.

Fatigue and lethargy. When the organs pull water from the blood, that leads to a lack of oxygen being delivered throughout the body. This leads to sleepiness and the 3 p.m. energy crash.

Digestion problems. Reduced water causes the amount and strength of mucus in the stomach to lessen, allowing the stomach acid to do damage to the insides. This causes heartburn and poor digestion.

These are just some of the signs of dehydration. Listen to your body. Water should make up 80% of your daily liquid intake — so drink up!

If you have any questions about how you and your loved ones can stay healthy, send an email to roz@wellwomenofcolor.com. You can also visit the Vegas Roots Community Garden to purchase fresh, life-giving vegetables straight from the source. For more information, go to vegasroots.org.

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