A Key Reason You are So Stiff and Sore That is Commonly Missed

The last 2 days in my office I've had some new patients who came in and I hear the same ole thing:  "But Dr. Russell I don't know what I did but yet my muscles are so tight and I"m sore all over."

We can look at many reason why you might be stiff and sore.  Can be postures, sitting at a desk all day, carrying a heavy pocket book or briefcase and many more.  There is one common factor though that most overlook and aren't advised on.  DEHYDRATION!

Our bodies are meant to be properly hydrated.  Approximately 80% of the body is made up of water.  Your brain, muscles, heart, stomach, kidneys, blood.. you name it all need the proper amount of water to be healthy. 

I want you to think of your body like a sponge.  When you use a sponge and it's kept wet, it is soft, keeps its shape and has strength to deal with twisting and pulling.  BUT if you leave the sponge on the counter top and don't keep it wet, what happens to it?  It dries out, gets stiff, loses it's structural integrity that if you bend or twist it the sponge starts to tear and break.

Now most people are severely dehydrated.  Your muscles can't take the normal wear and tear, they are dried out and stiff, so they start to tear and form scar tissue.  This type of tissue is more susceptible to injury, it's more delicate and sensitive with pain or soreness.

It is highly recommended to drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day.  So if you weigh 200lbs you should drink 100 ounces of water per day.  Coffee, soda, juices, seltzer and other drinks do not account for that water.  Actually soda and coffee which have caffeine dehydrate the body.  Some studies show one regular size cup of coffee can pull up to 8 glasses of water from your body.  We all know most people do not drink the half the body weight in ounces of water, so adding the caffeine puts a major deficit on the body when it comes to water.

One last analogy before I close.  Many people are familiar with drought.  Our country right now is experiencing major drought in California.  The ground is severely dry and is cracking.  Plants and animals dry.  Now they are getting a sudden rush of rain with some storms, but the ground is so dry it just washes off as it cannot absorb that quickly.  Your body if it has been dehydrated a long time cannot just be inundated with quick water and expect to be hydrated.  It takes time to make up for the deficit.

So a major recommendation I make to all my patients is to start drinking more water.  It helps keep you hydrated, improves organ functions, cleanses out toxins, decreases soreness and stiffness as well as many other health improvements.  Try it.. you'll thank me later!

If you would like to find out more ways to improve your health and wellness naturally without drugs or surgery, call our office at 732-780-0044 or visit us http://www.chiropractorfreehold.com/

By Dr. Russell Brokstein