By Haley Heisley

“Hi, my name is Haley and I will be your a nurse today.”

This is a column I created to introduce health education to you in the comfort of your own home or wherever you may be scrolling rather than at your bedside in a hospital. I feel that the role of a healthcare worker in the community should begin years before illness or disease strikes in order to promote healthy lifestyle, raise awareness on topics and promote good habits. Knowing risk factors for certain health complications that may cause a hospital visit may even help to prevent you from ever having to be there. 

A common thing I tell my patients, and something my coworkers constantly remind me of as well, is to drink more water! “Keep hydrated! Drink more water!” I feel like I have been hearing this my whole life. Besides keeping yourself hydrated, why do we really need water? What does it even mean to “keep yourself hydrated?” Have you ever really thought about what water really does for our bodies? 

Our bodies absolutely need water to function. The amount that each body needs is specific to each individual. Water brings essential nutrients to our body’s cells and helps cleanse our body to get rid of toxins and waste. Our kidneys play the role as the filter in our bodies, and they depend on water to do this job. Water also plays a role in regulating our body’s temperature. Sweating is a reaction our bodies have when we are too hot. When we sweat, we loose water, which helps dissipate the heat our bodies are holding onto. So all of those times you are spending the day on the beach and don’t feel thirsty, drink some water anyway. Water does not have the same additives or calories that sports and energy drinks contain, so it’s best to pack a good old bottle of water. 

The amount of water one should drink depends on many factors, including illness/disease that requires fluid restrictions, genetics, age, activity levels, gender and size – so consult with your doctor for recommendations. Even something like water that seems perfectly healthy can be toxic if consuming too much of it, or likewise, too little. Over hydration can affect the electrolytes in our body in a negative way. Some common signs of over hydration are cramping, headaches, nausea and confusion. Dehydration can also negatively affect the electrolytes in our body and cause some common symptoms like fatigue, faster than normal breathing and thirst. Who knew that something as simple as water could be so complex? Water for your body is like the gas a car needs to even start in the first place.