Your Hidden Dehydration Situation
Understanding Body Hydration
In my recent Instagram Reel, where I dived deep into the mystery of hydration - the seen and the unseen. Today, I want to take that conversation a bit further as we all try to understand the messages our bodies tell us every day.
Our body, our vessel in this lifetime, is an amazing machine, a master of adaptation, and compensation. One such instance is when it deals with hydration - the fuel that keeps our physical engines running smoothly. In times of dehydration and stress, our body, always working to maintain balance, compensates by creating a new normal, a kind of mirage that seems okay on the surface but is far from ideal.
The Hydration Hair Tug Test
Using biofeedback, it’s possible to can get out of the dark about dehydration through what’s called the hydration hair tug test, a standard way of checking hydration levels in wellness kinesiology and is similar to the skin tug test. However, while the results might suggest that all is well even when it isn't, so don't be fooled! There is a more accurate test that can unveil this illusion by tapping along the sagittal suture - the center line of our skull and then conducting the test.
You might be wondering what this peculiar technique does. Let's break it down in simpler terms. Beneath the center line of your skull, there's a structure called the arachnoid villi. This system absorbs a fluid known as cerebrospinal fluid back into your bloodstream. The thickness, or viscosity, of this fluid, is influenced by how hydrated we are. When you tap your skull, you send a vibration that stretches the arachnoid villi, which then sends signals to your central nervous system.
If you're well-hydrated, this tap won't create enough change to show any differences. But if you're dehydrated, and the fluid is thicker, it causes enough change to reveal the truth about your hidden dehydration situation. After you've tapped and then perform the hair tug test again, it'll now show if you're dehydrated, even if it didn't indicate that before.
It's astounding how our bodies can hide things, isn't it? Even when our minds convince us that we're doing okay, our bodies, more honest than our thoughts, give us the reality check we need.
Dehydration of Specific Organs
It's important to remember that hydration is not just about gulping down gallons of water, but about how your body is absorbing and distributing it. If certain parts of your body aren't getting enough water, it's akin to a garden where some parts receive rainfall, and others are left dry. For example, I recently had a client that was in a state of dehydration due to the recent summer heat here in the Mediterranean. When going deeper, we found that the pericardium was specifically dehydrated. The pericardium is a double-layered sac that surrounds the heart, with a small amount of fluid (pericardial fluid) in the space between the two layers. This fluid acts as a lubricant, reducing friction as the heart beats. The pericardium isn't usually directly affected, but the fluid it contains can be diminished. I was then able to figure out how to “reprogram the body” using biofeedback to get this part hydrated. We successfully were able to accomplish this and improve overall hydration too.
Emotions and Hydration Are Interconnected
Another interesting aspect is how our emotions are connected to our hydration. Water is deeply connected with our emotional state, as it guides where our energy and nutrients flow. Here is another dehydration test you could try on a mental level: if even thinking about water makes you uncomfortable, consider it a wake-up call. Your body might be craving hydration! For example, if you’re selecting what to drink and you’re repulsed by the idea of water compared to soda, tea, or coffee, then stop and reflect for a minute. It amazes me how many people think tea counts as water….only water is water!
Remember, proper hydration is essential not just for our physical health, but also our mental and emotional well-being. Drinking the right amount and quality of water, ideally, half your body weight in ounces per day (and more if you're sweating a lot), is a simple yet powerful act of self-care.
The Power of Water and Positive Thoughts
Remember to accompany it with positive thoughts, just as water molecules form stronger bonds together, let's strengthen our mind-body connection with good water and good thoughts. Dr. Masaru Emoto was a renowned Japanese author and researcher known for his work with water. He believed that human consciousness could affect the molecular structure of water, and his experiments involved using different words, sounds, and intentions to see if they changed the crystal structure of water when it was frozen.
The Book Recommendation for Better Hydration
As you reach for your next glass of water, remember the magic it holds, not just as a source of life but also as a bearer of truth about your body. And if you wish to dive deeper into the importance of hydration, I highly recommend the book, Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You're Not Sick, You're Thirsty! by F. Batmanghelidj MD. It beautifully elaborates on these concepts.
So, my fellow stargazers, always stay open-minded, keep listening to your body, and above all, stay hydrated. After all, we are mostly water navigating the cosmos in a human form.
Happy hydrating, till next time!
