Keep Your Spine Healthy with Hydration
Proper hydration should always be a priority, especially during the summer. As the temperatures rise in the summer months, we tend to spend more time in the water and still somehow manage to drink less of it. Here’s why proper hydration is so important to the health of your body and spine.
YOUR HEALTH AND HYDRATION
Did you know that your body is made up of about 65% water? To function at its best, your body needs proper hydration because every single cell needs water. There is so much that water does for the body including:
- Regulates body temperature
- Lubricates the joints
- Moistens tissues (think of your mouth, nose, and eyes)
- Carries oxygen and nutrients to the cells
- Makes nutrients accessible to the body by helping to dissolve them
- Flushes out waste products in the kidneys and liver
- Assists in the metabolism process
- Helps prevent constipation and increases ease of bowel movements
- Protects body tissues and organs
This list is just the start of how water helps the body, but it shows just how important water is to your overall health and wellness.
YOUR SPINAL HEALTH AND HYDRATION
The health and function of your spine also requires adequate hydration. The discs in your spine are made up almost entirely of water, but they cannot absorb water like the rest of the body does. Spinal discs get their nutrition (including water) through imbibition. Imbibition is a process that results when there is proper motion between the joints above and below each disc. This motion creates a pump-like effect that moves nutrients in and out of the disc, which means proper hydration is essential for nutrient delivery.
HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD YOU DRINK?
Most people jump to the response that you should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day. But what everybody is different – different activity levels, different metabolic rates, different sizes, etc. So, we suggest you make a goal of drinking half your body weight in ounces. If you weight 180 pounds, try to drink 90 ounces of water per day. Keep in mind that coffee and alcohol can dehydrate the body, so if you consume either regularly, consider that when determining your daily water consumption.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE AT SHIELDS CHIROPRACTIC
Restrictions in the spine and misalignments negatively impact the imbibition process and the nutrition supply for your spinal discs. If the discs don’t get the water and nutrients they need, it can lead to disc degeneration, instability, and spinal decay. A decline in spinal health also has an impact on the central nervous system, which communicates with every cell, structure, organ, and system in your body. That means without proper hydration, the health of the spinal discs, spine, and even your entire body can be affected. When you make regular chiropractic adjustments part of your healthcare routine, subluxations are removed and proper alignment is restored, which helps the imbibition process thrive. Regular chiropractic care can help your body better absorb water and stay healthy.
As we get further into the heat of summer, stay hydrated and remember that heat pulls water from the body. Drink plenty of fluids and keep up with your regular chiropractic adjustments at your local Saginaw, MI chiropractor. To have a healthy and happy summer with chiropractic, click here to schedule an adjustment today.