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A NATURAL BODY BOOSTER  Thursday, April 15, 2010

Ever notice how drinking a glass of cold water can suddenly perk you up? Fatigue, headaches, and muscle weakness can all be early signs of mild dehydration. In fact, extreme thirst is usually the last sign of severe dehydration. Your body uses water to regulate its temperature, lubricate joints, deliver nutrients and oxygen to cells and protect organs and tissues. And that’s just the short list of how it keeps a healthy body operating.

Average adults can lose up to 10 cups of water a day through normal body functions such as sweating, breathing and going to the bathroom. Dehydration occurs when your body’s water and salt content is thrown out of balance. While it is possible to get your daily water requirement through every day foods such as milk, juice, fruits and vegetables, drinking water is the best choice because it contains zero calories and sugar.

A good rule of thumb to stay well-hydrated all day long is to drink a glass of water with each meal and between meals. Always be sure to maintain your fluid intake before, during and after any exercise regime. And remember caffeine and alcoholic beverages deplete your body’s water supply, so limit how much you consume them.

While you can generally treat mild dehydration by simply increasing your fluid intake, signs of severe dehydration require medical treatment immediately.

[Mayo Clinic]
[Mayo Clinic]