Equipping People To Make Sense Of What They Are Told
The body is approx 60 - 70% water and requires a constant supply. Water is a solvent
- It carries nutrients and blood cells around the body and is involved in transporting
toxins / waste products from the body.
Involved in:
Acts as a lubricant for mucous membranes.
Assists in the digestion of foodstuffs - dissolving nutrients enabling them to pass
through the intestinal cell walls as well as helping foodstuffs move along the intestinal
tract.
Carries toxins and waste products to the kidneys for excretion via urine.
Prevents overheating by evaporation.
Provides the medium for chemical reactions to occur.
Dehydration can cause multiple problems such as:
Constipation.
Dizziness.
Fatigue.
Headache.
Irritability.
Lack of Concentration.
Loss of Appetite.
Nausea.
A dehydrated body will take action to preserve what water it has to ensure survival.
Sweat and urine production is reduced.
Additional water is extracted from waste products in the colon back into the body.
Resulting In:
Constipation - waste products passing through the colon need water to maintain softness
and bulk.
Headaches and lethargy occur as toxins build up.
Bad breath as the body strives to eliminate toxins through alternative routes.
The kidneys, skin, colon, lungs and liver are the pathways of elimination from the
body for its waste products. Lack of water (dehydration) - causes paths of elimination
to become less efficient, and in extreme cases they will stop functioning.
Additional strain is placed on the liver as it attempts to detoxify the waste products
normally eliminated by the skin, kidneys and colon.
Cellular waste elimination via the lymphatic system becomes sluggish.
The lymphatic systems function is to remove waste products from the bodies cells,
by moving the waste to the main blood circulation via thin walled lymphatic vessels.
Along the lymphatic vessel system at various intervals are lymph nodes which are
part of the immune system.
They are there to destroy pathogenic material. Which is then carried away for elimination.
The body needs its elimination system functioning effectively to support its health.
Approx 65% of water in your body is in the intracellular fluid and 35% is in the
extracellular fluid. The fluid balance in the body is regulated by the action of
electrolytes.
Intracellular fluid - The liquid inside body cells.
Extracellular fluid - All other body liquids.
Blood Plasma - clear liquid in blood.
Interstitial fluid - the fluid surrounding body cells.
Lymph - the liquid which flows through the lymph system.
Electrolytes
Substances that become ions in solution and acquire the capacity to conduct electricity.
The balance of electrolytes in the body is essential for normal function of the
cells and organs.
Common electrolytes include
Sodium - necessary for regulation of blood and body fluids, transmission of nerve
impulses, heart activity, and certain metabolic functions.
Potassium -the major cation (positive ion) inside animal cells, and it is thus important
in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in the body.
Chloride -a chemical the human body needs for metabolism - the process of turning
food into energy. It also helps keep the body's acid-base balance. The amount of
chloride in the blood is carefully controlled by the kidneys. Chloride ions have
important physiological roles.
The functions and normal range values for these electrolytes are important, if an
electrolyte is at an extreme low or high level it can become fatal.
Excessive consumption of water can dilute essential nutrients and in extreme cases
can lead to death.
