The importance of Water

Water is  one of the most important substances on earth. 

All plants and animals must have water to survive. If there was no water there would be no life on earth. However most of us today do not realize the importance of water. True health cannot occur without proper hydration of the body.

Water makes up more than two thirds of human body weight, and without water, we would die in a few days. The human brain is made up of 75% water,  blood is made up of mostly water at 92 and lungs 90%. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide d the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. A mere 2% drop in our body's water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on smaller print, such as a computer screen. Are you having trouble reading this? Drink up! Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue.

Dehydration can reduce the elimination of toxins. This can leave us vulnerable to skin disorders like psoriasis and dermatitis. In addition dehydration can lead to wrinkling and discoloration. Asthma and Allergies could be caused by the lack of water restricting airways to conserve water. Also the rate of histamine production increases exponentially as the body loses water.  This can also lead to bladder and kidney problems.

A shortage of water can lead to Constipation and Digestive disorders. The colon is one of the primary regions the body draws water from to provide fluids for critical body functions. Lack of water causes waste to move slowly through the large intestines or not at all leading to constipation.  Shortage of water and alkaline minerals (calcium and magnesium) can lead to ulcers, gastritis and acid reflux.

When chronically dehydrated, cells are depleted of energy. As a result people tend to eat more when in reality, the body is thirsty. Furthermore, joints have a cartilage padding that is composed of water. When the body is dehydrated cartilage is weakened and joint repair is hindered resulting in joint pain and stiffness.

A glass of water half an hour before a meal and then may be two glasses around three hours after. This will get you in the habit of drinking water throughout the day. On average we should be consuming eight-ounce, two liters or half a gallon of water a day. Get your kids into this essential healthy habit as well.  If you drink tap water ensure that a carbon filter is attached to produce chlorine and the solvent free water to drink. Plastic bottles can be contaminated with chemicals. So drink mineral water from glass bottles. If you live in a fluoride area, back wash filters should be used to remove the fluoride poisons.

Dr. Elton Clemence practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, T4R 2C3 to book call 403-347-3261 or check out our website at www.family1stchiro.ca

Drink up your daily water!

Water

   This is the most vital nutrient, we are about 70% water, the IVD (Intervertebral disc) is 90% H2O.Water is the largest single component of the body.

 We need to drink 8 – 10 ten ounce glasses per day (2L bottle size) or half your body weight in ounces per day so 100 pounds= 50 ounces per day.

  Muscles and viscera (organs) have the highest concentration of water, calcified areas (bones) have the lowest concentration.

   Water is needed for:

1. cell function and structure
2. medium for all reactions
3. digestion
4. secretion
5. circulation, transports nutrients
6.  maintains body temperature                   

AND MUCH MORE

Dr. Joelle Johnson is located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness in Red Deer, 142 Erickson drive. 403-347-3261

www.family1stchiro.ca

Water Sports, Kids, and Injuries

Water Sports, Kids and Injuries

Summer time is here! Kids love to enjoy the hot weather near water whether it’s in the backyard on a slip and slide, at the pool, spray park or down by the lake or near the river. Along with the fun enjoyed by the youngsters comes slips and falls and the resulting injuries can include head and neck pain, lowback pain  and whiplash.

Many of these injuries are preventable by avoiding running near wet poolsides or on diving boards, for example. Surfaces that are constantly wet should have a gritty texture to improve traction.

Inevitably, kids will be kids and their enthusiasm will ultimately lead to injuries from time to time. Your friendly chiropractor can help your child get back to enjoying the pool and warm sun by adjusting your child’s neck and back to alleviate any spinal problems incurred by slips and falls. Dr. Joelle Johnson of Family First chiropractic and wellness has extensive training in pediatric chiropractic and is a member if the ICPA. The clinic is located at 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer 403-347-3261 to book your children in today. www.family1stchiro.ca 

Importance of Adequate Water

Importance of Adequate Water

When faced with a survival situation, clean drinkable water is often the most important consideration. People have survived without food for weeks or even months, but go without water for even just one day and the survivor will be in desperate straights indeed.
Knowing that water is by far the most important nutrient for the human body (besides oxygen) and, in particular, during a survival situation when finding potable water may not be easy, the question becomes – just how long can the human body survive without adequate water?
To maintain a high level of health and efficiency even in ideal environments, a minimum of two quarts of clean water per day per person is the generally accepted rule of thumb. In very hot or cold or very dry environments, or if you are physically active, two quarts of water a day may not be enough to sustain life over a period of days or weeks.Water lost through sweating and normal respiration must be replaced in order to stay healthy and function at top efficiency. Water is also needed to process the food you eat, especially if it is salty or you eat heavy foods like meat.

Environment and Water Needs

In general the higher the temperature the greater your water consumption needs to be. If you are active or exposed to the hot rays of the sun you may need upwards of a gallon of water per day to stay to healthy.
Perhaps surprisingly, very cold environments can be as dry as the driest desert. This is because cold air cannot hold much moisture. This cold dry air serves to dehydrate your body with every breath you take. Cold dry air can also rob your body of moisture via loss from exposed skin. This is one reason why your lips may be prone to chapping. So during cold weather even though you may not be sweating nearly as much as when you are in a hot environment you may still easily become severely dehydrated without even realizing the danger you are in.
Wind can also play a role in the amount of water you need to take in. A dry wind on exposed flesh can suck the water right out of a person. Indeed, the remains of mummified animals and even people are often found in desert regions, their bodies totally dried out.

Effects of Going Without Water

Although two thirds of the human body by weight is composed of water, this water is needed for circulation and other bodily processes including respiration and converting food to energy. If you are losing more water than you are taking in, dehydration will occur.
It has been shown that if you lose just 2.5% of your body weight from water loss, you will loose 25% of your efficiency. For a 175 pound man that is only about two quarts of water. As the survivor dehydrates, his blood becomes thicker and loses volume. This causes the heart to work harder and circulation of blood to be less efficient. In a survival situation, loosing a full one quarter of your physical and mental abilities due to dehydration could mean the end of your life. Bottom line: drink plenty of fluids whether you feel thirsty or not so that you stay a peak efficency.

Survival Times without Water

Ill health, exposure to the elements, shock, and panic can reduce your survival time in any situation. An important additional consideration is whether or not to eat food when there may be an inadequate supply of water. Certainly foods that contain a high proportion of water, such many kinds of fuits and berries may actually aid the survivor in providing water. Meat, dry and salty foods should be avoided as they require water from your body for processing and will serve to dehydrate you further.

Brought to you by Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261

Water and Our Body

• Between 60%-75% of an adult's body weight is water
• Our brain is 75% water, which is why even mild dehydration causes headaches
• Our blood is 92% water
• Our muscles are 75% water

This Blog is brought to you by Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261