The roles of water in the body are invaluable. Think of it as the body’s transportation system, allowing chemical reactions to take place inside the 200+ types of human cells. It provides structure and support to all these cells and tissues while protecting multiple ‘moving’ organs such as the heart, lungs, intestines, and eyes. Indeed, water is critical to our overall health and performance.
Adequate hydration can help ease chronic aches and pains and reduce the chances of soft tissue injuries. It functions as a joint lubricant, allowing muscles to slide smoothly without adhering to each other. Dehydration gives priority to vital organs and therefore draws H2O from our soft tissue. The result is stiff and less elastic tissue, snagging easily on other tissues during movement. This can lead to muscle cramps, strains, and the development of trigger points.
Water plays a key role in regenerating the building blocks of our fascia as well. Fascia is the connective tissue enveloping every tendon, ligament, nerve, muscle, bone, and organ in our bodies. An important structure to say the least; water helps restore it after physical strain and allows for healthy renewal as we age.
When performing stretches, massage, or regular exercises, water moves around an in the soft tissue structures, re-hydrating these tissues. This process helps in the regeneration of healthy fibers and clears inflammatory waste products from the area. When we are dehydrated this movement of water will be greatly decreased, limiting the body’s ability to reduce inflammation and repair damage.
Any time we feel thirsty, many of our body’s systems are already being deprived of their water supply. Muscles and tendons are some of the first structures to be victimized by dehydration. To avoid this, start each morning by drinking one to two big glasses of water to get ahead of your hydration requirements.
Dehydration can also make us fatter. How? The body’s muscle glycogen stores (sugar energy from carbohydrates) are stored along with water. For every gram of glycogen in muscle, there should be three grams of water. Dehydration forces glucose to remain in the bloodstream instead of muscle until finally going to the liver for overflow purposes. When the liver is full, the excess sugar has no place else to go but your fat cells .
Make a goal to drink half your bodyweight in ounces of water daily. It makes up 40-75% of an adult’s bodyweight. Muscle tissue is 70-75% water and receives its nutrients from blood which is almost entirely composed of water. Adequate hydration should be a top priority.
Reach Tim Demado, Certified Fitness Trainer, for more information at www.triplejumpfitness.com
He is located in the Portland, ME area.