How Clean Water Affects Heart Health
Water plays an important role in our bodies. It carries nutrients and oxygen to our organs When you think about your body, it is probably hard to imagine 70 percent of it is water. However every cell, which your body is made of trillions of, is almost entirely water. And those cells do a lot. Beyond making up your body’s entire structure and converting nutrients into energy, they each have their specialized functions and your body needs water to perform its tasks properly. It is crucial to keep your body at a normal temperature, flush out waste, and lubricate your joints so they move and bend safely. However one of the most important things water does starts in your bloodstream.
Since it is mostly water itself, the amount of blood circulating through your body decreases when you are dehydrated. Blood will become more concentrated as it starts to retain more sodium and your heart will work harder to compensate. Your heart is the most critical and remarkable muscle in your body. It beats over 100,000 times a day to send more than 2,000 gallons of blood through your blood vessels. It is a vast and extraordinary system with a staggering over 60,000 miles length. Compare that to the number of miles it takes to travel around the world - less than 25,000. Your blood vessels could wrap around the whole world twice! And on that journey, your blood is carrying all of the oxygen and nutrients that your body needs. It’s all thanks to your heart.
When your heart begins to compensate because of dehydration, it will beat faster to move less or thicker blood through your body. Your blood pressure will also rise, which is dangerous. High blood pressure occurs when the force of the blood against your artery walls is too high. The pressure can create a build-up of plaque that hardens and narrows those arteries. The blockage keeps your heart from receiving enough blood which could ultimately result in death. Researchers have found that men and women who drank five or more eight-ounce glasses of water a day had around half the risks of dying of coronary heart disease.
Eat more foods that are high in water
Luckily your body doesn’t get all of the water you take in from drinking alone. Lots of delicious fruits and veggies are over 90 per cent water. Eat more salads with lots of lettuce, celery, and cucumbers. Or pick up a melon next time you’re grocery shopping. There are lots of hydrating options that won’t feel like a chore to eat.
You have to have enough water to keep hydrating. Water is consumed constantly - when you breathe, sweat, or digest. Water will be consumed in large amounts when your body is fighting the flu or getting exercise. Every piece in your body relies on your heart to do its job....and your heart relies on you to keep it hydrated!