Dehydration

SCI241

March 18, 2012

Betsy L. Diegel

Dehydration?!!!!

Every person in this world has no idea on how water is so important in the life that we live on a daily basis. I know I didn’t! After reading these few articles and the required readings on dehydration and how water is important for the body I found a few interesting points on how water is so essential for the body and how dehydration is not so good for the body.

Dehydration has already begun in the body before the body tells the brain that you are dehydrated and need a drink. Drinking clear fluids like water and anything less of sugar is very important in keeping the body fully hydrated at all times. Water provides more for the body then just keeping it hydrated. It provides nutrients called electrolytes which include minerals like sodium, potassium, and calcium. Water helps spread the nutrients and minerals throughout the body into blood, tissues, and organs. The body is made up of seventy percent of water and needs to consume at least twelve eight onuses glasses of water a day to keep a healthy amount nutrients and minerals to stay hydrated. A symptom of dehydration is common illnesses consisting diarrhea and vomiting that lets the body lose more water that is consumed. Diarrhea is considered to be the most dangerous way to lose fluids because you lose rapid amounts of water and electrolytes and one time. There is other ways to lose water that will be helpful to know so that you don’t get dehydrated like sweating and breathing.

Water is the major component is blood, urine, and of the body’s cells; if the body goes without consumption of water it will only survive a few days. The body going without water for periods of time can cause low blood pressure, weaking in the heart, and can shut down the kidneys. The body can store water but it is limited so when the body loses the water from the urine and the stool like in the general illnesses that we was discussing earlier it needs to be replenished as...