Five Quick Vital Points on Hydration (1 of 5)

 It’s no secret to how necessary it is to drinking enough water daily. Yet, even in people who do well with drinking water, there are many basic truths that get overlooked. Whether you are familiar with them or not, keeping them in mind could be an effective aid in current and long term health.

1.    Hydration is about more than just drinking water.

Think about it as having two oceans in the body: inside and outside of your cells. Just because you put water in your body does not mean you

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automatically hydrate your cells. Many have heard the term “electrolytes.” Well, this refers to the minerals that cause an electrical-like passing back and forth of water and nutrients coming in the cells while water and waste are coming out of the cells. So while sufficient water is always needed, it’s the minerals that make the hydration and health difference.

The major electrolyte minerals are:

·       sodium
·       potassium
·       calcium
·       magnesium
·       chloride
·       sulfate  and
·       phosphate

This being the case, it is true that you can actually drink too much water. The normal balance of electrolytes in the body can be pushed outside of safe limits by the over-consumption of water. This is called water intoxication and most notably can affect brain function as well as the kidneys which then can’t flush out the water fast enough. Yet, this is only applies to extreme circumstances.

The key is to remember to “eat for your hydration”. Fresh fruits and vegetables, especially cucumbers, celery, bananas, and watermelon work well with the added water to bring proper hydration to the body.

Part 2 of 5 coming up!!