Why Dehydration is making you fat and sick.

With the increase in sugar filled drinks on the market, people don’t drink nearly as much water as they should. Which is a shame, considering our body is two- thirds water and requires regular replenishing. When we don’t replace the water that our sweating, breathing, and urinating escort out, than we run the risk of dehydration. This risk can leave us sick, and yes, overweight.

Are you dehydrated?

Dehydration regularly affects over 70% of the U.S. population and ranges from mild symptoms to life-threatening cases. The most common indicators are headaches, yellow or brown urine, dry mouth, and muscle cramps. But the extreme cases can lead to rapid and irregular heartbeat, the inability to make tears or sweat, nausea and vomiting, and weight gain.

How does dehydration affect weight?

Water is vital to maintaining a healthy body. It regulates your metabolism, subdues hunger, and keeps organs such as liver, heart and kidneys functioning correctly.  If you don’t consume enough water to do these tasks, you metabolism will grow sluggish.  You’ll also misunderstand thirst for hunger and consume more calories, thereby adding on the pounds.

Without water, your heart kicks into survival mode, restricting blood vessels and increasing heart rate to pump the limited blood supply (also due to lack of water) throughout your body. This attempt to keep liver metabolizing fat pulls blood away from your skin, making it clammy and throws natural thermostat off.

How do I fix my dehydration?

Prevention is the best solution. Drink, drink, drink water! Keeping your body well supplied with its main component will keep you healthy and on track with weight goals. If you’ve noticed two or more of the mild symptoms mentioned above, increase your water intake. We’ve all been told to drink 8 eight ounce glasses per day, but really it’s better to consume water based on your individual body’s needs. It stands to reason that if your body is 2/3 water, you should drink that much. Consider weighing your body in pounds and multiplying that by .66. This should be the total number of ounces of fluid you drink per day. Of course, other liquids help keep you hydrated, but water is the ultimate hydrator.

*Please note: this article is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical conditions. Always seek counsel from a doctor or health care provider about any concerns you have.