How is it possible that so many people walk around dehydrated without even knowing it? How is it possible that in this day and age when there is so much information available in various forms, that there are still millions of individuals dying of thirst every year?
The answers to this are twofold; there are millions of individuals around the globe that either do not have access to clean water or have to walk very far to get water, and the other is that even in first world countries, too many people are just not aware of the signs of dehydration therefore do not drink sufficient water on a regular basis, especially in hot weather or when physically exercising or doing physical work.
What are the First Signs of Dehydration?
The very first signs of dehydration are one that most of us know, a dry mouth and feelings of thirst; what most individuals do not realise however is that by this time our bodies are already 2% dehydrated.
Other initial signs of dehydration that we may not be that aware of and therefore do not generally take notice of are a lack of energy, which is due to the fact that the cells of the human body are the first to lose water. Water is the principal driving force of energy production in our cells, and every 1% drop in the water level inside your cells cuts energy production by 10%.
Indigestion, heartburn, and acid reflux are also all initial signs of dehydration because water is needed to break down the food that we eat and dehydration causes a shortage of stomach acid, which means that the stomach cannot digest the food and pushes it back up the oesophagus together with some acid.
Constipation is also a well-known symptom of dehydration; when there is insufficient water in the body, the intestinal tract cannot liquefy and break down the food you eat so nutritional elements can be extracted. The body reabsorbs the water, making the colon very dry and making it difficult for the passage of waste through the lower intestine, causing chronic constipation which can result in haemorrhoids, polyp formation, diverticulitis, and colon cancer.
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