Hydration, Health, and Your Spine

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Staying hydrated is important no matter what time of year but especially so during summer. As we spend more time in the water, we also tend to forget to drink enough of it. Here’s why hydration is so important to the health of your spine and your body.

Hydration and Your Body

Did you know your body is made up of 60-65% water? Many of your body’s functions depend on proper hydration to operate and certainly to function optimally. Every cell in your body needs water and it does many other things including:

  • Regulates temperature

  • Carries oxygen and nutrients to cells

  • Flushes out waste products in the liver and kidney

  • Makes nutrients and minerals accessible to the body by helping dissolve them

  • Moistens tissues (think your nose, mouth, and eyes)

  • Provides lubrication to the joints

  • Helps prevent constipation and increases the ease of bowel movements

  • Protects body tissues and organs

  • Assists in the metabolism process

This list isn’t complete but helps show you just how important water is to your health.

Hydration and Your Spine

The health and function of your spine also requires proper hydration. The discs in your spine are made up mostly of water, but they don’t have the ability to absorb water like the rest of your body does. These discs receive nutrition (including water) through imbibition. Imbibition is a process that results only when there is proper motion between the joints above and below each specific disc. This motion creates a pump-like effect and nutrients are moved in and out of the disc, which means proper hydration is required for nutrient delivery.

How Much Water Do You Need?

Most people follow the old rule that you should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day, but keep in mind that each body is different. A good rule of thumb to stick to is to drink half your body weight in ounces. So, if you weight 180 pounds, you should drink 90 ounces of water per day. Keep in mind that alcohol and coffee can dehydrate the body, so keep that in mind when determining your daily water intake.

Chiropractic Care at Healthy Life Chiropractic

Misalignments or restrictions in the spine impact the imbibition process and the supply of nutrients that the discs receive. If the discs are lacking water, it can lead to disc degeneration, instability, and spinal decay. This decline in spinal health can also affect the central nervous system, which communicates with every system, organ, structure, and cell in your body. So, a lack of proper hydration impairs the health of the disk, the spine, and even the overall health of your entire body. With regular chiropractic adjustments, subluxations are removed, and proper alignment is restored, therefore improving the imbibition process. With regular adjustments, you can help your body absorb water and stay healthy.

As summer gets started, it’s important to remember to stay hydrated and remember that heat pulls water from your body. Stay hydrated and keep up with your regular chiropractic adjustments at Healthy Life Chiropractic in Newnan, GA for a happy and healthy summer! Click here to schedule an adjustment today.

Patient Reviews

"Very pleased with the practice. The service is excellent and everyone seems to truly care about you as a person first. Most businesses see customers or money walking in, but these practitioners love what they do. It shows."

- Patty Uzar

"I've been with Healthy Life for many years. The staff is very friendly and efficient. The services offered are very beneficial to my wellness routine. I receive massages and adjustments regularly. They offer many packages and sales that makes it affordable for me. I have recently tried the hyperbaric chamber for both recovery and general health. This is has been really helpful since I exercise often and intensely. I have also noticed an improvement in my brain fog which comes from normal aging and day to day stress. Dr. Rob and Dr. Tina are very good chiropractors who make sure they are providing a complete wellness exam and service. I continue to maintain a healthy body and recover quickly from my day to day activities. Overall, I would recommend Healthy Life Chiropractic."

- Rachelle Prevost

"I absolutely love Healthy Life! The staff is wonderful and helpful! The doctors are amazing! I hurt my back a few months ago exercising, and nothing seemed to help! I went in for a routine visit, and explained. I was consistent with my adjustments, muscle stim and massage and within a few weeks, I am back to exercising without pain! I am a Flight Attendant, so closing overhead bins and pushing a heavy cart are necessary for my job, so I appreciate them keeping my healthy and not missing work! My foot levelers are a game changer! The best investment!

My update yesterday validated what my body told me! I am back to almost 100% You will love them!"

- Melissa Beach

"I am very grateful for the care I receive from the entire staff and doctors at HLC! They are very attentive to my specific health, well-being, and pain relief needs. I take advantage of the fact that I can go for chiropractic care, massage, therapy, supplements, pain relief, and more. It’s great to enter the practice and know that I will be treated like family."

- Jan Tardie

"I was experiencing a lot of pain in my feet following the birth of my son. I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in both feet. After seeing my PCP and being prescribed anti-inflammatory medication, I looked into the benefits of Chiropractic care. I was in so much pain from the plantar fasciitis that is because difficult for me to walk. I was unable to carry my newborn and walk because I was concerned for his safety. As part of my care plan, custom orthotics were recommended. Within days of receiving my orthotics I had a reduction in my pain. Regular Chiropractic visits and my orthotics have allowed me to be able to care for my son again!"

- Erica Payne

"I worked for Wal-Mart for 20 years walking on hard floors 10 hours a day. I felt a horrible pain in my right hip/buttocks area and could not bend or walk. My sister did a little research and recommended Healthy Life Chiropractic- They do EVERYTHING! After the first treatment, the pain was gone! After being educated on my problems, they worked on my whole body and it feels 100% better. I have never been a good sleeper, but I am sleeping much better and get up in the morning ready to go! I have never felt better!"

- Michael Chambers

"My daughter came in to see Dr. Rob for possible curve in her spine. She was officially diagnosed with scoliosis after her evaluation. As parents, we were having a hard time wrapping out heads around what that meant for our beautiful 8 year old girl. Dr. Rob, Dr. Tina, and the whole staff at Healthy Life Chiropractic have been phenomenal! After 2 months of treatment- regular adjustments and exercises- we are seeing a huge improvement! Her hips are aligned now, her feet meet properly, and she is feeling better all around. We haven’t retaken her x-rays yet- not until we’ve done treatment for a whole year- but based off our experience, and results we’ve seen so far, I am confident that her curve has not gotten worse and has probably even improved!"

- Margaret Wearne

"I began my chiropractic care in October 2017 because of increased pain and decreased mobility in my left hip that had gotten increasingly worse over the previous 4-5 months. I love that I have been able benefit from whole body treatment that in turn has almost completely taken away the issues I was experiencing with my hip. I am so grateful for feeling good again and I highly recommend Healthy Life for your chiropractic care and total life wellness."

- Cindy Chaisson

“The online store is wonderful. It is very convenient for those busy and always on the go. I love all the purchase options. From supplements to oils and even honey can be purchased from your computer or smart phone. I look forward to a search option becoming available as there are so many products offered.”

–Vermillion Himes

"I have been a patient at Healthy Life Chiropractic for over 3 years! After driving several hundred miles a week and spending time on the computer for work, I not only get regular adjustments, I utilize the massage therapists as well. I've recently begun using, with success, Standard Process supplements and Doterra Essential Oils. I appreciate the holistic approach to care by all of the staff at Healthy Life!"

-Debbie Fambro