As a Chiropractic Physician of over 29 years, I see many patients daily who report so many health conditions, like difficulty sleeping, anxiety, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and many more conditions that are often related to lack of proper hydration. I say proper hydration, because so many people are just drinking bottled water all day, water from their reverse osmosis unit at home, in bottles, or are using substandard electrolytes they buy at the big stores. I’ll talk about what dehydration really means, and how minerals and electrolytes are related, not only in the heat of Summer, but all year.
Are You Dehydrated?
When you become dehydrated, it means your body is losing more fluids than it’s taking in. This results in an imbalance in the healthy concentration of electrolytes and minerals in your body. Electrolytes are positively charged minerals. One major cause of dehydration is consuming water that is stripped from all minerals. Reverse osmosis water is stripped of all minerals. It is also the most common type of filtered water found in home filters and bottled water. If you are not consuming minerals, you can’t make electrolytes. Electrolytes are responsible for balancing our body to perform properly. All systems of the body need to be balanced so the body can function. Even the slightest imbalance of the systems can cause serious health issues. This can disrupt the normal electrical activity in our cells, affecting nerve conduction, muscle contractions, and many other vital bodily functions.
The main electrolytes in the body include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate. Sodium is an important electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance. Dehydration can lead to an increase in sodium concentration, which can affect blood pressure and fluids within our cells and tissues. This is one of the major reasons people have blood pressure issues, dizziness, and general performance of daily activities here in the extreme heat.
This is also a result of people not eating enough salt in the hot weather, and especially eating the wrong salt. Common iodized table salt, what most restaurants use, is not good for you. It is bleached of most of the minerals and contains the wrong kind of iodine. It is actually dangerous for you. Low-sodium diets or any food plan should contain a healthy level of sodium and the right kind of salt. Most people are consuming 2000 – 3000 fewer milligrams of sodium than they should be consuming, especially here in Arizona’s dry climate. The levels necessary for maintaining electrolyte balance should be adjusted at different times of the year, but cannot be ignored even in the cooler months. Fatigue is one of the first and most common symptoms that arise with chronic dehydration. Electrolyte imbalances resulting from dehydration can lead to muscle cramps and spasms. Potassium, for instance, plays a major role in maintaining proper muscle and cardiac function, and its levels can be severely disrupted during dehydration. Difficulty sleeping is another common symptom that is overlooked by dehydration.
Sufficient hydration is necessary for the kidneys to effectively filter waste products and maintain electrolyte balance. Dehydration can put extra stress on the kidneys and affects their ability to regulate electrolyte levels.
Dehydration can lead to reduced blood volume and thicker blood, which can affect circulation and increase the risk of cardiovascular issues. Heart palpitations may be common with chronic dehydration. Electrolyte imbalances caused by dehydration can cause improper transmission of nerve signals.
This can lead to symptoms like confusion, dizziness, and even seizures in severe cases. Anxiety is more prevalent in patients who suffer from chronic dehydration.
This should be addressed before anxiety medication is prescribed. Sleep disorders are also common with neurological dysfunction. Any sleep issues in the hot time of year should be addressed as to whether you are hydrating correctly. Sleep and anxiety medications may not even be effective if your electrolytes are off.
The Easy Solution
Easy solutions to this problem include getting a water filter in your home that leaves a sufficient balance of minerals in your water. If you already have a filter that removes the minerals, you can add liquid or powdered minerals to your house-filtered or bottled water. Adding Himalayan Sole, pronounced So Lay, are Himalayan salt stones that can be added to a quart of water, dissolved, and added by teaspoon to a glass of water. This provides all of the necessary minerals without causing high blood pressure, or other complications. Electrolyte drinks have sugar, artificial colors, and flavors that prevent the electrolytes in them from working properly. Sugar should never be added to electrolytes. It is counterproductive to hydration. It’s best to keep it simple with Sole, or other pure forms of minerals and electrolytes.
Should you want any information on minerals or water products, please call my office for a consultation.
For any questions regarding my articles, or to be added to our invitation list for our evening champagne and charcuterie events, please contact me at [email protected] or call my office.
Leisa-Marie Grgula, DC
Chiropractic Physician
Accurate Care Medical Wellness Center
18261 N. Pima Rd. Ste. #115
(480) 584-3955
