Tag Archives: blood work

Are you dehydrated? How do you know?

Are you dehydrated?? How do you know??
Happy Monday Everyone!  I hope you all had a fantastic weekend.  There’s a lot here in southern cali that have come down with the flu, so boost up on your essential oils, chiropractic care, and your good supplements to not get it!

I also wanted to share that I will be starting my private practice at my second location February 1!  This is where I plan to stay, so I am excited to announce it’s location.  Drum roll!…. The new office is located In La Jolla, CA.  I will have my online booking up again soon, if you know anyone in the area.  The office number is 858-775-5138.  Please spread the word, as I will need all the help I can get starting out again!

Ok onto this week’s topic….

I’ve talked about hydration before..our body is comprised of 55–75 percent water, blood is 80 percent water, the human brain is 95 percent water, the lungs are composed of nearly 90 percent water…water is not only the body’s most plentiful nutrient, it is arguably its most essential.

Most of us, if not all are dehydrated.  Depending on activity level, the proper hydration is half your body weight in ounces of water per day.  If you exercise, or drink coffee you will need more than that.

A lot of us are dehydrated, but think we are hungry.  That being because water actually suppressed the appetite when we are properly hydrated.

“Acutely, short periods of dehydration cause your body to ration water, resulting in short periods of symptoms that may be mistaken for illness such as acid reflux, muscular cramps, headache, nausea, and even allergies. Chronically, minuscule decreases in body water levels can have drastic long-term effects on a number of body systems. In response to cellular water loss, the blood becomes thicker, causing impeded blood flow that results in elevated blood pressure.
Furthermore, blood cholesterol rises and your brain actually shrinks. A team of scientists in the UK found that losses in blood water levels as minute as 1.1 percent, something that can occur with as little as 90 minutes of high-intensity physical activity without fluid replenishment, can shrink the brain as much as a year of normal aging or 2.5 months of Alzheimer’s Disease. This reduction in mass forces the brain to work harder, leading to struggles in short and long-term memory, problem solving, and other general cognitive tasks. If the condition persists, the results could be fatal. ”

How do you know you are dehydrated?

Other than symptoms which I will discuss in a minute, you can also see cellular level dehydration through functional blood work.  The blood test is called a CBC with differential.
You can also determine other patterns through this lab work(big one is parasites), but of course we are focused on dehydration today.

Taking a look at dehydration.

– One marker to look at is the RBC (red blood cells).  RBCs are the most common type of blood cell and the our principal means of delivering oxygen (O2) to the body tissues—via blood flow through the circulatory system. RBCs take up oxygen in the lungs, or gills of fish, and release it into tissues while squeezing through the body’s capillaries.
    -When the RBC is increased (3.9-4.5 F) (4.2-4.9 M), this is a sign of dehydration.  Over the           short  term, you might also see Hemogloblin and hematocrit also elevated.  Sometimes             a relative  increase in sodium and potassium might also be noted.
– Long term, all the above plus increase albumin or protein and BUN.

Make sure you drink enough water before the laboratory test is important too, about a week beforehand, to see if it’s really chronically dehydrated.

Dehydration can also be due to intake of diuretics or carbonated beverages such as caffeinated drinks and sodas.

Over time, dehydration can cause significant renal (kidney) stress.

If you are dehydrated, of course you will also want to look at your electrolytes to make sure they are all in balance as well.  Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium.

What are symptoms of dehydration??

  • Increased thirst
  • Dry Mouth
  • Tired or sleepy
  • Decreased urine output
  • Urine is low volume and more yellowish than normal
  • Headache
  • Dry Skin
  • Dizziness
  • Few or no tears
  • Low back pain

A big one that I see quite often is people with dehydration, do not hold their adjustments very well at all.  In particular, the low back.  The psoas muscle is connected with the kidneys, so consistent low back pain, is usually a kidney dehydration problem.

I hope that was helpful this week!

That is all for now.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy week.

Dr. Hamel

OIL OF THE WEEK

On the spotlight this week is DoTerra’s Lemon Oil.

The top-selling doTERRA essential oil, Lemon has multiple benefits and uses. Lemon is a powerful cleansing agent that purifies the air and surfaces, and can be used as a non-toxic cleaner throughout the home. When added to WATER, Lemon provides a refreshing and healthy boost throughout the day. Lemon is frequently added to food to enhance the flavor of desserts and main dishes. Taken internally, Lemon provides cleansing and digestive benefits and supports healthy respiratory function.* When diffused, Lemon is very uplifting and energizing and has been shown to help improve mood.  I put lemon oil in my water everyday.  Not only does it improve the taste, but it detoxifies gently.  It’s a MUST have.

Uses

  • Take internally to assist with seasonal respiratory discomfort.*
  • Add Lemon oil to a spray bottle of water to clean tables, countertops, and other surfaces. Lemon oil also makes a great furniture polish; simply add a few drops to olive oil to clean, protect, and shine wood finishes.
  • Use a cloth soaked in Lemon oil to preserve and protect your leather furniture and other leather surfaces or garments.
  • Lemon oil is a great remedy for the early stages of tarnish on silver and other metals.
  • Diffuse to create an uplifting environment.

Directions for Use

Diffusion: Use three to four drops in the diffuser of your choice.
Internal use: Dilute one drop in 4 fl. oz. of liquid.
Topical use: Apply one to two drops to desired area. Dilute with doTERRA Fractionated Coconut Oil to minimize any skin sensitivity.