What Can Water Do for You?

Many people do not realize just how important water is for a proper function in our lives. Human survival depends on it. As one of the essentials for life, what exactly does it do for you?

Water makes up about 55 to 70% of the human body, making up for more than 2/3rds of your weight. A human embryo is made up of more than 80% water as a newborn baby is about 75%. Because this shows that water is such a big part of our bodies, we need lots of fresh water to supply our bodies with enough to replenish all the functions it holds.

So what does water do? Water helps aid digesting and absorbing some food. Water also regulates your body temperature and blood circulation, helps carry nutrients and oxygen to cells, and helps get rid of waste. Some also acts as a cushion for your joints and protects some tissues and organs from shock and damage. Water is also the medium for many chemical reactions in the body. It carries nutrients, hormones, antibodies and oxygen throughout the blood stream and the lymphatic system.

The digestive system and digesting solid foods actually depends on large amounts of water being present. Acids and enzymes in the stomach will break down the food so it can pass into the intestine, moving on to the next phase of digestion. Constipation is a symptom of dehydration. Water will also eliminate toxins and waste which will reduce your chances of getting gastritis, duodenitis, and certain pains from ulcers and heartburn.

Water also helps regulate our body temperature through perspiration. Water helps dissipate excess heat and can be used to cool our bodies down. Can you believe that we even need water to breathe? When we inhale oxygen and excrete CO2, our lungs have to be moistened by water. Breathing uses one to two pints of water each day. Water can prove to relieve asthma. In asthmatics, histamine levels increase with dehydration, so our body closes down the airways as a defense.

The kidneys remove waste, such as uric aced, urea and lactic acid, all of which must be dissolved in water. Damage to the kidneys may occur when there are not sufficient water levels, as these wastes may not be properly and effectively removed.

Your joints need water, too. Water helps keep them lubricated. The cartilage tissues found at the ends of long bones hold great amounts of water, serving as a lubricant to allow the joint to freely move. When hydrated, the two opposing surfaces can glide freely and the damage from friction is minimal. When you are dehydrated, the damage increases which will result in deterioration and pain. Rheumatoid join pain decreases with higher water intake as more circulation is brought to the joints.

75% of the upper body is supported by water that is stored in the spinal disc core. 25% is supported by the fibrous materials located around the disc. The spinal joints are dependent on different properties of water. Back pain can be pacified with hydration.

Brain tissue is made up of 85% of water. It uses 1/20^th of our body's blood supply although it takes up only 1/50^th of the weight. With dehydration, the levels of energy generation decrease. Depression and fatigue are common results from dehydration. Migraines can be an indicator that your critical body temperature is regulating. Dehydration plays a key role in migraines. Dehydration can bring on stress, which ultimately brings on more dehydration.

Water also effects pregnancy in an abundant amount of ways. When a mother gets "morning sickness", it is actually a thirst signal for both the mother and fetus. Water is used for the fetus' cell growth and must be provided from the water taken in from the mother. Water carries nutrients through blood to the baby. It also prevents bladder infections, constipation and hemorrhoids, a common occurrence during pregnancy. You retain less water when you drink more. Dehydration can actually cause contractions and can result in early labor. Water even plays a factor in producing good breast milk.

Finally, water plays a role when losing weight. Water, because it has no calories, can act as an appetite suppressant and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Drinking water stimulates your kidneys, which reduces your water retention. Dehydration leads to excess body fat, poor muscle tone and size, a decreased digestive efficiency, decrease organ function, joint and muscle soreness and water retention.

You've always heard people say that water plays an important role in your life and you should focus on drinking more water. With the above article, you now know exactly what water does for you.