Drink Water, Not Alcohol
The disease process of alcohol dependence includes a relapse component. Relapse can occur at any time for alcoholics, if they are not taking measures to avoid it. Summer provides many scenarios that may lead alcoholics to relapse. And for those who recently completed alcohol treatment, it is critical to take steps to avoid relapse.
For example, they tend to seek a “cold one” for relief from the heat. Drinking water is a great substitute for alcohol, and is more refreshing. Read on to see all of the benefits that come from drinking water in the summer months.
Water, Water, (and more) Water
Staying hydrated is always important, particularly during the summer months and during extreme hot weather. But we cannot just drink anything; we are supposed to be drinking water. Eight glasses of odorless, tasteless, boring water.
How is it that something as bland as water can be so important to our health and wellness? Now that we can go to the store and find diet soft drinks, “smart” water, sports drinks, and low calorie juices, why is it that something as simple as plain water is so essential to our health?
As it turns out water serves many functions in the body that no other type of drink can replace. Up to 60% of the human body is water, the brain is 75%, blood is 82%, and lungs are nearly 90% water. Only water can:
- Regulate body temperature. When you are hot, your body sweats. When the sweat evaporates off your skin, your body is able to cool.
- Moisten tissues. Drinking water can help prevent the discomfort of dry eyes, noses, and mouths.
- Lubricate joints. When you are well hydrated your cartilages glide smoothly, reducing the risk of pain during daily exercise.
- Protect vital organs. Water acts as a “shock absorber” to cushion organs from damage.
- Prevent constipation. When you do not drink enough water your body takes it the water it needs from the colon.
- Flush toxins from the kidneys and liver. When you drink water it runs through the liver and kidneys, washing out waste.
- Dissolve minerals and vitamins. Many vitamins and minerals we eat are water-soluble meaning they are broken down in water and then used by our body.
- Carry nutrients to cells throughout the body. Water is able to move throughout the body carrying nutrients to the organs where they are needed.
For additional information regarding how much water you should drink in a day, and to learn more about signs of dehydration go to: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community. The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.
Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.