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Assignment| Dehydration| Miesha K. Branch| Human beings require water to survive. Individuals have to understand the importance of staying hydrated and the warning signs of dehydration in order to live long healthy lives. Water and fluids are the main element in staying hydrated and healthy Dehydration is the loss of salts and water that can cause many complications or health issues in human beings.
Dehydration can occur when an individual doesn’t consume enough fluids such as water, has severe vomiting, and diarrhea. The body needs fluids to function normally and because humans and other species rely on water for survival, water is a priceless resource. Water is essential to health maintenance because our bodies are made up of 70% water and if we do not intake enough fluids, our cells start to die. (Colbert 2002) Colbert states that our blood is made up of 82% water and our brain and muscles are 75% water.
Our bodies use water to digest foods, and are the main ingredient in bile, saliva, gastric juice, pancreatic juices, and intestinal secretions. Water helps carry important nutrients to all of our cells, helps with digestion and also getting toxic waste out of our system. Water also helps with our circulation. (Colbert 2002) Water regulates our body temperatures through perspiration and helps releviate constipation because water helps push out the waste and also helps lubricates joints.
If the human body does not get the water or liquids that it needs humans can suffer from a wide range of health defects including but not limited to headaches, nausea, strokes, sleepiness, stumbling, shortness of breath, asthma, dizziness, memory loss, low blood pressure and the heart beat can also be very slow. Dehydration can also lead to death in some cases. Though humans can go weeks without eating food, humans can only go a few days without water.
The body relies on water in every function from producing saliva to disposing of toxins in our bodies, when an individual is dehydrated they may not be able to urinate or produce tears, these are very obvious signs of dehydration. ( Dingmann 2002) Electrolytes are the chemicals in the body which are required for regulating nerve and muscle function and other physiological functions. Sodium, Potassium, And Chloride are important electrolytes in the body. Sodium regulates the amount of water in the body. The movement of sodium results in the electric signals required for communication between different cells.
Potassium is important for regulation of heartbeat and muscle functions. Sodium and potassium are positive ions whereas Chloride is negative ion which is used for maintaining the fluid balance in the body. Alcohol and caffeine are not good for humans but are still consumes. Various studies have been preformed that proved that caffeine did not affect the levels of water in the body, but it was proven that athletes that consumed certain amounts of alcohol while working out were not able to maintain water in their bodies due to frequent urination and other issues.
Caffeine did not have an affect or an affect that was noticed. When an individual consumes alcohol it is harder for the body to maintain water or keep water in the body. (Nilsen) A Harvard study was conducted that proved that caffeine had no significant participation in the faster dehydration or higher dehydration rates in athletes but alcohol was a factor when drank and the athletes worked out. Individuals can do many things to prevent dehydration. It is very important to know how much water or liquids to consume on a daily basis.
One rule of thumb that I have been told by various individuals is that if you take your body weight and divide it by two you get the amount you need, or by drinking eight glasses of water daily in eight ounce cups. We are made up mostly of water so it would only make sense to make sure that we kept our bodies well hydrated because of the busy lives that many individuals live. If an individual had a hectic work schedule they could bring a water bottle with them to work and sip on it all day, a mother could make sure that her child was able to get a drink if out at the park or somewhere that the child would be playing outside and sweating.
Water is sometimes not enough because humans also need electrolytes and electrolytes can be found in some sports drinks as in Gatorade. Gatorade has been around for many years and is the leader when it comes to hydrating our youths and athletic individuals because of the nutrients that it replenishes. If an individual waits until they are thirsty they may have waited too long and could already be on their way to being dehydrated. Children are more likely to become dehydrated because of their low weights and their higher turnover of water.
Children should be drinking water frequently during the day especially if they are playing outside and it is hot. Individuals should be aware of the signs of dehydration to ensure that they are not subject to dehydration. In conclusion the human body relies on water to create saliva, digest food, and many other things like disposing of waste. Without water our bodies do not function well and dehydration can also lead to death is severe cases. Individuals have to remember to drink water and fluids to keep a good balance and ensure their health.
Water is the main ingredient in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and through revolution there are many choices of flavored water as well as sports drinks to replenish out lost nutrients during our normal day. It be a strenuous day of working outside or playing hard with friends water is a must have and should be drank frequently to ensure that they do not get dehydrated. Humans and other species have to have water to survive. Water is our most precious resource and should be treated as such. Individuals have to stay hydrated and educating the public about the correct amounts that their bodies need is the first step.
Reference Page The Most Important Nutrient for the Body Don Colbert 2002 retrieved on May 2, 2010 from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_12_64/ai_94327702/ Are You Drinking Enough Water no author retrieved on May 2, 2010 from https://www. providence. org/healthplans/employers/ghn/water. aspx Why is water so important to your diet Amy Dingmann 2002 retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www. essortment. com/family/waterimportant_sadg. htm What Effects Can Alcohol & Caffeine Have on Hydration in the Body? Richard Nilsen retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www. livestrong. com/article/111823-effects-can-alcohol-caffeine/