There’s a lot of talk about water lately, especially in California. It’s really a big problem, the lakes and reservoirs which feed our state with water are drying up and the Governor has imposed a mandatory 25% reduction in water use. It’s enough to make anyone feel thirsty. With all this talk of the water crisis, I thought I’d talk a little about dehydration in the body this week.
Bags of Mostly Water
As you’ve probably heard, the human body is mostly water. In fact, an adult human is roughly 65% water. Our blood is 92% water, our brain and muscles are 75% water, and even our bones are 22% water. Water is extremely important to us; we can live for a couple weeks without food, but only about three days without water. Every cell of our bodies needs water, which means that at any moment, there are 70 trillion cells in need of water in an adult human of average weight.
Functions of Water in the Body
As the most essential component of the body, water does a lot of things; in our blood and intestines, it helps transport nutrients. Water helps us eliminate waste, both through urination as well as through blood and intestines again. Water plays a huge role in sweating, which is the primary way we regulate our body temperature. It’s also very important in lubricating our joints and connective tissues. Water is everywhere within us and is a part of almost every process.
Dehydration Explained
Dehydration occurs when we use or lose more fluid than we take in, and our bodies don’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out their normal functions. If we don’t replace lost fluids, we will become dehydrated.
Read the rest of the article over on LA Sports Acupuncture here: http://lasportsacupuncture.com/hydration-guide/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jorga Houy, LAc, is an acupuncturist specializing in orthopedics, sports medicine, and pain management. Jorga received his master’s degree from Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica, California. In addition to running his own private practice clinic (L.A. Sports Acupuncture), he is a staff acupuncturist for the LA Derby Dolls, and a faculty member of Matrix International University.