Yes, there is a picture of a dying plant attached to this article. Without water, plants wilt & die. And guess what: so do people!!  Now that I have your attention, stop reading & go get yourself a glass of water (then come back, please ... it's okay, I'll wait). We’ve all heard it: “Drink 8 glasses of water a day.” Admittedly, that does sound like a lot of water. I mean, who has the time to keep refilling all of those glasses?! The truth is, we need to make time.

I recently realized how old I started to look. I stopped one day & really took a good look in the mirror … and I did not like what I was seeing. I looked, well, wilted. So I thought to myself, “Self, you need to fix this.” Then I started reading … about what makes one start to look old. One of the interesting things was that the more articles I read, the more I noticed that most of them hinted that dehydration is one of the many factors that can cause premature aging.

So back to that point: 8 glasses of water a day. Technically, healthy nutrition includes drinking at least 4 to 8 glasses of water every day. Here’s the catch, though: that range is meant to be a guide. Drinking 4 glasses of water a day is not recommended … that’s the minimum intake for adult men and women. Mom always said, “If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.” Dang it all, Mom was right (again).

Warning! I’m about to get serious on y’all: 

Sufficient water intake is critically important in maintaining normal physiological processes and eliminating metabolic waste products. (Ooof. That was painful.) What I’m trying to say, in a nutshell, is that our bodies are made of water (woohoo! That 4^th grade science class came in handy there!), and so, our cells need to be hydrated to do their jobs. When you get a headache from dehydration, that’s your brain complaining (and really, who can blame it?), so keeping on top of your water consumption will keep your brain from kicking you in the butt, so to speak.

Your spine needs to be watered, too. The intervertebral discs (the squishy things between the bones in your spine) absorb shock to the spine, support the weight of your head (and giant brain, as evidenced by the fact that you’re reading this article) and torso, and help to distribute mechanical loads so that you can carry things and move in general.

Scary fact coming up:

Intervertebral discs begin to degenerate by the age of 4, and begin to gradually lose their blood supply, turgor (fancy medical jargon for elasticity), weight-distributing, and shock-absorbing capabilities. If your body is consistently dehydrated, it’s harder for cells & discs to bounce back, often resulting in back injury from seemingly simple tasks.

Happy news ahead:

Regular chiropractic care helps to keep your spinal misalignments to a minimum, which makes it easier for those 8 glasses of water to hydrate your discs. Call Gulph Mills Chiropractic Center to schedule a Complimentary Initial Assessment and start enjoying the benefits of a healthy spine today! 484-751-5037