Got…Water?

The research is old but it doesn’t hurt to remind everyone that dehydration and poor water consumption can easily impact our mental health. There are key nutrients, chemicals and vitamins in the body that affect our mood, including vitamin D and water. So if you feel lethargic, foggy, and low in mood, drink up! It makes sense. Here’s why. Well first, our brain tissue, like all the other cells in our body is made up of mostly water. So, low water in the brain means poor functioning. Second, dehydration impairs the body’s ability to detoxify, causing a depletion of essential amino acids and antioxidants, including tryptophan. You’ve probably heard about tryptophan before. Think turkey at Thanksgiving. Now here is where it gets tricky - some research suggests that tryptophan is converted to serotonin once it crosses the blood-brain barrier. Aha! So…if we are not making enough tryptophan, then we are not making enough serotonin, which is one of the major causes of depression. One cause of perhaps many. But remember, drinking other fluids like coffee, soda, alcohol and juice are not likely to help as these can act as diuretics and actually cause further dehydration. I know, I know. Drinking more water can be really difficult, and it’s easy to get lulled into consuming those fancy water beverages with all the sugar and additives. Try it plain and simple though by just adding a squeeze of fresh orange, or perpahs a little bit of lemon, cucumber or berries.