Ask Dr. Scott
Drink enough water?
No, but seriously, you really need to drink more water.
Q: Dr. Scott, I’ve got chapped lips and dry skin. What can I do to help?
A: Did you know that one of the first signs of dehydration is chapped lips? Some of the simplest things we can do to help our health are often overlooked.
One of the most important is to drink enough water. There are many arguments about how much water the human body needs, but one fact is clear — our bodies are mostly made of water. In fact, 73 percent of the body is water. It is so essential to life and health that, next to air, without it we die very quickly.
You may think, “but I get enough water; I eat fruit, I eat vegetables, I drink juice, I drink coffee, I drink tea.” All of these contain water, but the human body interprets these products as food and uses them in an entirely different way to water.
In my practice I see patients every day who are dehydrated. The effect of inadequate water has generally resulted in symptoms of fatigue and weakness, exacerbating their pain and slowing their recovery. The one simplest “medicine” that would do so much to help all of these patients is so basic that it is overlooked. A few more glasses of water every day.
Patients are amazed that if they drink 250ml of water that, generally within about 10 minutes, the strength comes back into their muscles, the fatigue leaves and they feel more alert. Most feel embarrassed that they have to be told to drink more water. However, it is one of the most important “medicines” they can use every day.
How do you know when you need water?? See if some of the common symptoms of dehydration apply to you:
If you have dry lips, mouth, skin, eyes or a dry tongue. If you pinch your skin and it does not immediately bounce back. You feel unusually irritable or lethargic or constantly feel sleepy. You rarely urinate, an only in small quanitites or it is dark than a faded straw color. Also, headaches, muscle cramps in the feed and legs. Eyes may have a sunken appearnence or your heart beat and breathing is more rapid than usual.
If you have any of these symptoms, the probablity is that you do not have enough water in your body.
The answer is simple — you need to drink more water.
How much? My recommendation is before you go to bed at night, put two cups of water in your bathroom, so that when you get up in the morning the water is at room temperature, easy to drink and quickly swallowed before you shower. Remember the old adage: you should be as clean inside as outside.
Having another glass of water before your morning snack, and a glass before each meal are all good habits. Water should always be drunk after your meals.
Some people would rather not drink water during the day, due to the inconvenience of having to go to the toilet more often. This is a dangerous habit. Your body constantly needs to clean out used and regenerate new tissue. The movement of body fluids allows this process to work efficiently.
Remember that bottled water is quite expensive for regular use, and it may not be safe. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, bottled water is sometimes tap water in disguise — and even bottled spring water can be contaminated. Some plastic water bottles may leach chemicals into the water they hold.
Quality water filters such as a reverse osmosis, distillation, or combination carbon/KDF filtration systems will remove most environmental contaminants.
What you put in your glass is just as important to good health as what you put on your plate. Yet beverages seem to be an afterthought for many otherwise health conscious people. Too many of us wash down a wholesome meal with soda, fruit juice, or other sugar-sweetened drinks. Diet beverages, especially those containing chemical substitutes for sugar, are often worse. They have been linked to an increased risk of weight gain, Type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and other woes.
Start now and use one of the least expensive “medicines” that nature has ever made available, and watch the improvement in your health. Never allow yourself to get dry lips again.
Dr. Scott Cuthbert is the chief clinician at the Chiropractic Health Center in Pueblo, Colorado, as well as the author of two new textbooks and over 50 peer-reviewed research articles.
