Most people think dehydration is something that would happen if they got lost in the desert and had to go with-out water for several days. The truth is that chronic (on- going) dehydration is widespread. Most Americans are in a state of dehydration without even knowing it.
Unlike a camel, the human body has no way to store water. Dehydration results when you don’t replace all the water that is lost during each day’s activities. Chronic dehydration results when small amounts of water are not replaced day after day. And to make matters worse, many Americans drink beverages containing caffeine or alcohol. These substances cause a net loss, rather than a gain of water in your body. Those who regularly drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages are literally “drinking themselves dry.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, the average adult loses more than 10 cups of waterevery day, simply by breathing, perspiring, and eliminating waste. When water is lacking, numerous functions begin to be curtailed. Headaches, constipation, brain fog, afternoon fatigue, and many other ailments are the result of too little water. By the time any of these common symptoms arises, dehydration has already progressed to the point where water is being rationed in your body. Long-term water rationing leads to premature aging and disease.
Water rationing allows the body to provide water for crucial, life-sustaining functions while the functions that are not as crucial are literally put on “hold.” Cells func- tion best with a certain amount of water. When cellular water is reduced during water rationing, each cell is required to limp along with less than the optimal amount of water. This results in symptoms that are sometimes mistaken for illness. Asthma, arthritis, blood disorders, digestive disorders (including heartburn), and many chronic pains are often an indication of chronic dehydration and water rationing.