How Dehydration Affects Your Body

Did you know that 50-75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated? And that many of those individuals are drinking the suggested 8 glasses of water a day?

Dehydration is a condition that occurs when a person loses more fluid than he takes in. However, the problem is not just a lack of water, it is a lack of cellular water! If the water we drink is unable to get into the cells, we can drink water all day long and still be dehydrated.

Water is necessary to take nutrients into the cells and to flush wastes from the cells. Think about the amount of water that is expelled from our bodies every day. Copious amounts of water are required to digest food and eliminate wastes. Water in the kidneys neutralizes acidic wastes and sends them out in the urine. Water is expelled during respiration and is continually being moved through the skin to moderate temperature and flush the tissues of the skin. Water is also required for every metabolic process, so that nothing can happen without water. Ultimately, when water is lacking in our cells, organs cannot function properly and toxins are allowed to build up.

While some water is available from the food we eat, the majority of the water we need on a regular basis must be provided by drinking pure water. The consumption of tea, coffee, juice or soft drinks should never be considered water intake. Many of these drinks are so acidic that they end up pulling more water from the cells to neutralize the acidity—making dehydration even worse.

Common signs of dehydration that are often ignored include dark urine, afternoon fatigue, heartburn, dry skin, acne, headaches and constipation. If these are ignored, more serious problems develop.

Most diseases can be traced to dehydration. In fact, dehydration is the number-one cause of stress in the human body. Many scientists believe it is the #1 cause of death. Dehydration has also been linked with angina pain, asthma, colitis, diabetes, peptic ulcer pain, high blood pressure, low back pain, high blood cholesterol and aging.

When there is insufficient water inside the cells, every function suffers and the body must operate from a level of “crisis management.” This has been well documented from the medical perspective by Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj in his book, “Water: for Health, for Healing, for Life—You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty.” With a lack of cellular water, organs must compete for vital fluids; and balance (homeostasis) gives way to disharmony and disease.

As we age, the amount of water inside our cells decreases. Our cells actually begin to shrink and stiffen; their ability to expand and contract is reduced. As a result, nutrients, oxygen and other metabolic requirements are not efficiently exchanged at the cell membrane and waste products are not efficiently removed. What we need is the ability to get water back into our cells, where it counts—and that’s where hexagonal water can make a big difference.

Science is finally able to show that all water is not equal: that organized, hexagonal water does, in fact, penetrate the cells more efficiently than other water. Smaller, more organized, hexagonal units enter the cells rapidly and more efficiently, providing superior hydration with a subsequent effect on nutrient absorption, waste removal, metabolism, immune function and overall health.

Drinking vitalized water is one of the easiest and best ways to overcome chronic dehydration and to protect your body from the symptoms of disease and premature aging. Within minutes, vitalized water moves into the cells, taking nutrients and expelling metabolic wastes in a much more efficient manner.

Skin And Water
Health professionals are aware that the condition of the skin is a reflection of overall health. When it is soft, supple, moist, and free of blemish, it is a good indicator that the tissues inside the body are also healthy. But when the skin is dry, wrinkled or ulcerated, it is a reflection that those same conditions exist within the body.

Not only is the skin the largest organ of the human body, it is also the largest detoxification organ. It requires a continual supply of water as evaporation and perspiration continually pull moisture through the skin to eliminate wastes and cleanse the tissues. Without adequate hydration, wastes build up, causing problems for the skin as well as for the rest of the body.

As a reflection of the inner body, the skin is often the most obvious indicator of dehydration. Dry, flaky skin is a sure sign that the water level in the body is inadequate. Further symptoms, such as acne and skin disorders, are signals that the body is rationing water. When adequate water is provided, these conditions often subside.

Because aging is also correlated with a loss of water, the skin is a good indicator of age. Aging and dehydration result in thin, wrinkled skin which has lost its resiliency. Try this simple test: Gently pinch the skin on the back of your hand between your thumb and forefinger for 5 seconds. Then count how many seconds it takes for the skin to flatten out again. The length of time it takes can be correlated with age, dehydration, and skin health. Generally, those between the ages of 45 and 50 have a return-response time under 5 seconds, but by the age of 60, the amount of time it takes for the skin to return to its original position is double or triple (10-15 seconds), and by the age of 70, the response time is typically 35-50 seconds.

The lack of resiliency in older skin is due to a loss of water. As we age, the thirst mechanism declines and water is lost from many areas of the body. The structure of the water within our bodies also deteriorates with age, making it less efficient and less mobile. The aging process is literally a withering of the tissues throughout the body—visibly reflected in the skin.

Dehydration requires water rationing. During dehydration, the only areas of the body that receive allotments are those where water is absolutely necessary. Blood, brain, kidneys, liver and digestive organs all take priority over the skin and connective tissues; without water, they begin to dry up. What we notice in the skin is a reduction in collagen—no surprise, since collagen is mostly water. Collagen is organized in long, helical bundles, like ropes, which branch out to form a three-dimensional network providing tightness and elasticity for the skin. It is the primary support structure of the skin, making up 75% of connective tissue and 90% of dermal volume. Tiny layers of organized water form a cushion between each individual strand of collagen.

Without water, collagen dries out, becomes brittle and shrinks—and so does the skin. Without a continual supply of water between each strand, collagen dries, cracks and bonds to itself. This is called cross-linking. Once the fibers are cross-linked, they can no longer hold moisture; the skin thins and develops wrinkles. Without adequate water, less and less collagen is produced and the existing collagen becomes brittle. The outer layer of the skin remains soft and pliable only as long as the moisture content exceeds 10%. Much greater levels of moisture are required in the deeper layers of the skin.

Many women use collagen creams to attempt to replace lost and cross-linked collagen. But even more important is the continual supply of water. Adequate, efficient water not only prevents the breakdown of collagen, it also provides the means for cleansing the tissues.

Hexagonal water, because of its organization, re-hydrates the body much more rapidly than normal water. It moves into the cells almost immediately, documented by live blood analysis and bio-impedance testing. This is one reason why so many individuals notice an improvement in the condition of their skin when they begin to drink hexagonal water. Many notice softer skin within days. Improvements in acne, dry skin and other conditions are common. They are an indication of the internal facelift, which is reflected in the skin—a facelift from the inside out.

Reprinted with permission from Vortex Water Technology