Hydrate your way to Health!

People often overlook the importance of drinking an adequate amount of water every day. More than feeling parched, a body depleted of water can generate a variety of ailments, including heartburn, migraines, high blood pressure, and back pain. Many doctors have established a link between chronic back pain and dehydration in patients who seek chiropractic care.

A healthy diet helps avoid these complications, since nutritious foods contain lots of water. Things like oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, yogurt and soups are water-dense, not calorie dense. This water must also be pure in quality. Coffee, soda, dark teas and alcohol are not substitutes for an adequate daily water supply. By limiting the ratio of calorie count to grams per serving, we consume foods that break down quickly into vital nutrients, namely water.

This strategy is in line with what Barbara Rolls, professor of nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania, had in mind when she created the Volumetrics diet plan. The diet features a variety of low-density foods that contain water, thereby reducing caloric intake naturally by minimizing high concentrations of sugar and fat. This not only hydrates the body, but keeps our appetite in check. Dieters don’t eat less, they just eat better.

The body tends to signal hunger and thirst only after a significant amount of dehydration has occurred, making it important to be proactive in consuming water over the course of the day. By the time you realize it, you have already suffered nutrient loss that takes your body time to recover from.

Our bodies need water to function. In particular, the back and spine depend on hydration to sustain and support us as we move. It is not unreasonable to consider that episodic back spasms and frequent pain may be caused by starved cells, tissues, and muscles that react, usually with associated pain, when dehydrated. Left unchecked, these conditions expose the body to potential injury when under-nourished nerves and muscles become less stable.

Between each vertebra in the spine is a disc, and each disc contains a spongy tissue called nucleus palposis that acts as a shock absorber for the pressure applied to the spine during activity. Our motions during the day squeeze water from this material, which is then replenished during the night while we sleep. An inadequate supply of water in the system limits the efficiency of this material, thus we become more susceptible to muscle pulls, strains, and dislocation when the discs that rely on the tissue shift or misalign.

Drinking water is a preventive measure that empowers the back and spine to support our nervous system, and our entire body, well. The doctors at The Specific Chiropractic are well equipped to help you discover whether or not your nervous system is functioning at its fullest potential. Likewise, checking your nervous system regularly reduces the likelihood of costly and invasive medical attention in the future.

Sources:

“An Ally against Calories: Water”

US News World Rep. 2008 Oct 13-20; 145(8):67

“Effects of Dehydration”

http://www.inspiredliving.com/dehydration/a~dehydrationeffects.htm

“Back Pain and Chronic Dehydration”

http://nutrition.about.com/od/hydrationwater/a/back_pain_water.htm

“Back pain guide”

http://www.healthy-water-best-filters.com/back-pain-guide.html

“Is Your Back Pain Caused by Dehydration?” http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water_heal/medical1/1-dehydration-cause-back-pain.htm