Issue 3.15.19 Dehydration – Inflammation & Depression – Is there a connection? – Your Health Detective

About 60% of the adult human body is made up of water…AND…when that water runs low, your body lets you know – often, this comes in the form of pain. That said, many people don’t make the connection that the pain (physically AND emotionally) is being caused by a form of dehydration. Because water, and the water in our cells, play such a critical role in our body’s effective functioning, it is no surprise that nearly every organ in our bodies needs to be adequately hydrated to function properly.

Many people, even some medical professionals, confuse severe dehydration with other health issues and, therefore, patients may then be misdiagnosed and prescribed unnecessary drugs or treatment, when simply optimizing cellular hydration would resolve many of their clinical complaints without the potential side effects of drugs…Click to continue reading…

Symptoms of dehydration most commonly include, but are not limited to

chapped lips
dry skin
constipation
headaches
migraines
heartburn
back pain
chronic pains such as experienced in fibromyalgia and arthritis
stiffness or soreness can also be a common clinical complaint caused by dehydration.

How do you know if you’re dehydrated…

One way to tell if your body is dehydrated is to take a look at the color of your urine. A hydrated body will produce a light yellow, almost clear color urine, whereas a dehydrated body produces a dark yellow or orange color urine.

You can also check for dehydration by conducting a simple skin test by gently pinching the skin at the back of your wrist or arm. Once you release the skin, if it goes back quickly to its original state, you are well hydrated. If it stays pinched for more than a few seconds, it means you are dehydrated – this occurs because the skin cells are sticking to each other, due to lack of fluids.

Depression and Scientific Perspective…

Could Depression Actually Be Nothing More Than an Allergic Reaction? is the title of a story that appeared on VICE on Jan. 5 of this year. Author Eleanor Morgan wrote, “We know that people may be genetically predisposed to depression and anxiety disorders. We also know that specific life events may trigger depressive episodes in those who have previously been the picture of mental health. But so far we’ve been unable to identify one single, definitive catalyst. However, new research suggests that, for some people, depression may be caused by something as simple as an allergic reaction – a reaction to inflammation – a product of the body, not the mind.”

Dehydration leads to inflammation, and depression can be caused by an allergic reaction to inflammation, according to Tim de Chant of the publication NOVA, who writes, “Inflammation is our immune system’s natural response to injuries, infections, or foreign compounds. When triggered, the body pumps various cells and proteins to the site through the blood stream, including cytokines, a class of proteins that facilitate intercellular communication. It also happens that people suffering from depression are loaded with cytokines.”

Inflammation can be caused by obesity, high sugar intake, high trans-fat intake, among other things. If depression is treated and inflammatory symptoms ignored, good health will still be elusive!

Morgan also wrote, “Cytokines skyrocket during depressive episodes and, in those with bipolar disorder, halt in remission. The fact that ‘normal,’ healthy people can become temporarily anxious or depressed after receiving an inflammatory vaccine — like typhoid — lends further credence to the theory. There are even those who think we should re-brand depression altogether as an infectious disease … Carmine Pariante, a Kings College psychiatrist who is quoted in The Guardian report, says that we’re between five and ten years away from a blood test that can measure levels of inflammation in depressed people. If both Pariante’s estimate and the inflammation-depression theory are correct, we could potentially be just five years from an adequate ‘cure’ for depression.”

As I’ve learned to drink adequate water every day for over twenty five years – including a cup of hot water with lemon first thing in the morning – my body is naturally alkaline and my detoxification protocols are much more effective.

AND NOW…as promised…a special offer for subscribers of Your Health Detective…IF you’re ready to learn about simple recipes that can give you what I call The Anti-Inflammation Advantage…read carefully. After many months in the making and as an added value to my subscribers, you can now Download your FREE 40+ page cookbook, The Anti-Inflammation Recipe Sampler at: drgloriaskitchen.com/healthdetective/

Click on photo to enlarge.

ADDITIONALLY…mark your calendar for April 2019 when we launch our cooking videos and I’ll be able to literally take you by the hand into Dr. Gloria’s Kitchen and lead you step-by-step through an entire library of anti-inflammatory meals that are easy to prepare and absolutely delicious! In addition, the educational information included will help you understand the why’s and how’s of specific foods, nutrients and ingredients known to “ignite inflammation”…that’s where my commitment of “Health thru Education” comes in…it gives YOU the ADVANTAGE to take control of your health, Naturally…Stay tuned…