Dehydration 1

Francia Moss
SCI/241
February 19, 2012
Rebecca Gillaspy

Dehydration 2

Dehydration is defined as the lack of the retaining of fluid that is needed to be in the human body. Our body is very sensitive and when it needs something that is missing, then we are alerted by its need with a prompt reaction from the body. Dehydration believe it or not can be mild or moderate and even severe depending on how much of fluid the body is missing. One must be cautious when the body goes into a severe mode of the lack of fluid. According to “Medline Plus” being dehydrated can also be life threaten if it’s really serious. We as people tend to slack on not drinking the amount of clear fluid that is required to keep us from being dehydrated. Instead we mostly drink other fluids that are no good for the body and doesn’t help the body like it should. Water is known to be the best fluid and safer fluid for the body; in fact water will restore the body’s energy when it’s lost from being productive. Water is very essential to our health in many ways, it helps with our reproductive system, it prevents us from being dehydrated, it helps bring the supply of oxygen to our cells, it makes up more than two thirds of the human body weight, and without water, we would die in a few days. All of the cell and organs in our body cannot work without the use of water in our body. The human brain is made up of 95% of water, blood is 82% and our lungs hold up about 90% of water. The importance of having water in our body helps with keeping us alive and keeping our body parts functioned. It’s also very essential for our bodies to intake about 8 glasses of water a day as required. This will help with the daily count of supply for that day.

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According to “HealthWise” Childrens ages 4 to 10 should drink at least 6 to 10 glasses of liquids to replace lost fluids; with the source of water in the body it helps with several dealings in the body that will allow the body to function properly. The following functions are as follows: Water serves as a lubricant to the body joints, water will help regulate the body temperature, as the cooling & heating is disturbed through perspiration. Water also helps with constipation and allows the body to regulate metabolism. Though the drinking of water is very nourishing to the body, but one must be careful not to drink too much water due to it causing one to vomit or can also cause the abdominal to cramp. Let’s not also forget that water is also nutritious to the body and also a cleanser to the body.
Not drinking enough of water can be very dangerous to the body it can cause the body to become dehydrated. The effects of dehydration includes exhaustion, headache, dizziness, dry mouth or muscle weakness (Smith, 2011). It can also shut the body down. Water is a daily maintenance to our bodies and also plays a major role from keeping any diseases to enter the body. Electrolytes acts as the body chemicals and helps with the regulate of the nerve system, muscle functions, and the other physiological functions. Sodium takes the part of making sure the body gets enough of water and it’s a major positive ion fluid that runs outside of the cells. “Sodium regulates the total amount of water in the body and the transmission of sodium into and out of individual cells also plays a role in the critical body functions. Many processes in the body, especially in the brain, nervous system, muscles and requires electrical signals for communication” ( Stoppler, MD 2008).
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Potassium is another great function of the body it acts as another ion in the body, it is found inside the body where it also helps with the regulation of the cells, “among the many functions of potassium in the body are regulation of the heartbeat and the function of the muscles” (Stoppler, MD 2008). Chloride is a major anion it’s known to be a negative charged ion of the body. Chloride is found outside of the cells but in the blood of the body it helps maintain the balanced flow of fluid within the body. If this flow that is in the body decreases and also increases it can be a dangerous sign for the body. Comparing and contrasting the functions of the bodies is what keeps the levels of fluids afloat and allowing it to maintain a fixed balanced in our lives. Drinking clear fluids can only be a good use to the body and how it operates, but some still go about finding other substances that aren’t so good for the body.
The use of alcohol is never good for the body, and has many effects on the body; for example if a person is dehydrated and chooses to drink a substance over water, the increase of dehydration would occur and that can lead the body to a danger zone that can turn into a deadly situation. Anything that consumes the level of caffeine in it will increase the flow of urine output and make you dehydrate faster. The use of Caffeine and Alcohol will prevent the direct absorption of water to flow from the kidneys into the blood, causing a blockage to happen. Water will continue to be the main source that will supply the body with the direct nutrients and minerals needed to survive. The basic steps to take to keep from being dehydrated, would be to drink the eight glass of water daily, keep the body temperature to a norm, and avoid causing the body to lose it’s electrolyte by not vomiting or not having diarrhea. In conclusion, never replace water for
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the intake of alcohol and caffeine, those two can never give you the energy or the support of what water will always give you.

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Reference

Smith, K. A. (2011). What happens when you don't drink water?. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/30815-happens-dont-drink-water/

Dehydration - prevention. (2011, May 02). HealthWise, Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/tc/dehydration-prevention

(n.d.). The importance of water and your health. Retrieved from http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-education/water-health.htm

Stoppler, M. C. M. (2008). Electrolytes. Electrolytes Index, Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/electrolytes/article.htm