Dehydration

Dehydration

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Drinking water helps maintain the balance of body fluids. Your body is

composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include

digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients,

and maintenance of body temperature. "Through the posterior pituitary gland,

your brain communicates with your kidneys and tells it how much water to

excrete as urine or hold onto for reserves," says Guest, who is also an adjunct

professor of medicine at Stanford University. Water can help control calories. For

years, dieters have been drinking lots of water as a weight loss strategy. While

water doesn't have any magical effect on weight loss, substituting it for higher

calorie beverages can certainly help. Drinking enough fluids is important when

exercising. Follow the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for fluid

intake before and during physical activity. These guidelines recommend that

people drink about 17 ounces of fluid about two hours before exercise. Water

helps keep skin looking good. Your skin contains plenty of water, and functions

as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. But don't expect over-

hydration to erase wrinkles or fine lines, says Atlanta dermatologist Kenneth

Ellner, MD. "Dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can

be improved with proper hydration," he says. Water helps your kidneys. Body

fluids transport waste products in and out of cells. The main toxin in the body is

blood urea nitrogen, a water-soluble waste that is able to pass through the

kidneys to be excreted in the urine. Water helps maintain normal bowel function.

Adequate hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and

prevents constipation. When you don't get enough fluid, the colon pulls water

from stools to maintain hydration -- and the result is constipation....