The Consequences of Dehydration

Do you drink enough water?

I’ve had many clients who don’t drink enough water.   While many of them say that they don’t feel thirsty, most of them do not fully understand the consequences of not drinking enough.  But the consequences of both long-term and short-term dehydration can be severe.

Why water is so important for us?

Our bodies are two-thirds water.   Water is vital to cleaning out toxins, pathogens and even negative energy. It keeps our kidneys working to properly clean out our blood. We lose water regularly, through sweat, urine, stool and even breathing.   Typically I find that we need between six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, but our need for water varies based on our size, the time of year, how active we are, and how much we eliminate.

What can happen if we don’t drink enough water?

Here are a few examples I’ve encountered personally:

Increased pain with injury:

I remember a woman who walked into a café I was in. She bumped herself in the leg, and was in severe pain.   After sitting her down, we got her some water and I encouraged her to drink.   After rehydrating, the pain decreased enough that she was able to get on with her day.

More likely to cramp:

I was hiking up a mountain with a friend who suddenly developed a severe cramp in his leg and couldn’t move. I suggested that he sit and rehydrate, and after doing so, he was able to continue and complete the hike.

Bone loss:

I’ve had a client who was chronically severely dehydrated. She was in her 50’s and had gotten 2 inches shorter, thanks to bone loss. The primary reason was due to lack of water intake!

Dizziness:

I had a young client who fell at home and almost passed out due to dehydration.

Harder to Lose Weight:

I’ve had a client who struggled to lose weight. When we restored her desire and ability to drink water, she lost 8 pounds in 2 weeks!

Increased physical and mental fatigue:

I like to go on long hikes. Later in the day, if I start to get fatigued, light headed or if my brain isn’t working well, I know that I need to rehydrate.

Kidney Stones:

I’ve worked with cats that have developed kidney stones.   A primary reason is often due to lack of water intake.

Headaches:

If you have a headache, my first recommendation to clients is to make sure you are hydrated. In my experience with clients, it is the main contributor to about 40% of headaches.

In addition water helps with: 

Skin problems:

Water helps clean out toxins which can result in acne.   Water keeps the skin hydrated and helps prevent wrinkles.

Digestion:

It helps things move better, and thus aids in digestion and helps prevent constipation.

How can you tell if you aren’t drinking enough?

Most people are familiar with the typical signs of thirst, dry mouth and/or a slight headache.

If your pee is more yellow than clear, then you aren’t drinking enough. Also if you struggle with excess fatigue, dizziness, headaches, problems concentrating, confusion, cramping, high susceptibility to pain, difficulty loosing weight, or hunger when you shouldn’t, or if you have kidney stones, it’s worth experimenting to see if drinking more water helps.

Here are my favorite tips to drink more water:

1. Buy a water bottle that you love and carry it with you wherever you go.  

Bottled water cost 2000x more than tap water. The plastic bottles have BPA and phthalates which get leeched into the water we drink, and then into our oceans where marine life, birds and other animals consume them.   Furthermore, bottled water, despite the misleading advertisements, is not safer than tap water.

My 2 favorite water bottles are:

i.  A Glass Bottle with a Silicone Sleeve which I bought at the East West Bookshop, but you can also get it here.

ii.  If you would like a water bottle with a high quality filter that exceeds filtration standards, is recyclable and biodegradable, check out Nikken’s PiMag Sport Bottle. You will need to buy it via a Nikken consultant and can contact me at 1855 ENERJOY to purchase one.

2. Keep track of your intake

Pledge to drink 2-3 glasses in the morning, afternoon and evening to get a total of 8-9 per day.

3. Flavor your water

If water itself isn’t exciting enough for you, try combining it with fruit or herbs for an incredibly refreshing and yummy drink. You can buy a personal sized infuser or make a pitcher of it at home. Here are some favorite recipes.

Are you struggling to drink enough water?  Do you find yourself always forgetting?  Is your thirst mechanism out of wack? I regularly help human and feline clients drink more water by releasing subconscious barriers.  If you would like drinking water to feel effortless, listen to my interview Releasing Subconscious Barriers: The Key to Health and Happiness and call me at 1855 ENERJOY for a complimentary consultation.

 

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“Front View of Happy Female with Bottle on White Background” courtesy of imagerymajestic at freedigitalphotos.net