Drink to your Health By Myriah Strivelli

Photo by Alexandar Witt

               Did you know that chronic dehydration affects your brain and your school performance? Dehydration is a common condition that can be easily reversed. Unfortunately, most people do not even realize that they have this issue.

               Research shows that up to 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated (“Chronic Dehydration”). The human body is composed of approximately 75% water (Grazia). Water serves many functions including clearing out toxins, nourishing cells, and aiding in proper digestion. Dehydration can cause headaches, dizziness, lethargy, joint pain, weight gain, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and depression (“Chronic Dehydration”). It can also inhibit your concentration and ability to process information. A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds then you should drink 75 ounces of water per day (Elkaim).

               A good way to avoid dehydration is to keep your caffeine intake to a minimum. Caffeine can be found in coffee, black tea, chocolate, and soft drinks. It has a diuretic effect on the body, meaning that it tends to draw the liquids out, which can further exacerbate the dehydration problem (Grazia). If you limit the amount of caffeine in your diet, you will become more relaxed and at ease. It is common for too much caffeine to cause jitteriness, which will certainly affect the way you perform in school.

               Once you start drinking more water, you will feel healthier and see many other improvements. It will help clear your skin. It will also help you lose weight if you are overweight. If you don’t like the taste of water, try adding a slice of lemon or lime.

                How would you like your next glass of water - straight up or on the rocks? Grab a glass of water and drink to your health!

* Consult your physician before making changes to your diet, exercise, supplementation, or medication program.

Works Cited

"Chronic Dehydration More Common Than You Think." CBS Miami. CBS Local Media,  2 July 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.         

Elkaim, Yuri. "The Truth About How Much Water You Should Really Drink." US News Health and Wellness. U.S. News & World Report, 13 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.   

Grazia, Albert. "Dangers of Chronic Dehydration." Nutrition, Herbs, and Natural Healing for Health 

and Wellness. Albert Grazia, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.