Why Drinking Water is So Important for TMJ/Joint Issues
Staying hydrated is VERY important, especially as someone who used to struggle with joint issues AND is a singer for 7+ hours every day. The amount of water each person needs is going to depend on that person and how physically active they are in a given day. I get a few miles of exercise just jumping around my classroom every day! And I also do 2+ miles of walking with the dog daily. Do some experimenting with how much water works best for you. Some people may function better with more water than usual, and it may help reduce issues!, while for others it only causes the inconvenience of more frequent trips to the bathroom.
For me, my voice has to stay hydrated to perform at optimal levels. I already knew that from how much training I had as a singer during college. But did you know that the WHOLE BODY is like that? I kind of did, but not as much as once I started looking up WHY dehydration is such a problem, especially if you're experiencing discomfort.
Your body needs water to function and without sufficient water your body struggles to perform all its necessary tasks, like flushing toxins from the system and lubricating your cells. Believe it or not, there is actually some evidence that supports increasing water decreases some symptoms.
Many health experts have recommended a diet high in antioxidants (remember my red drink? If not, contact me and I'll tell you about my antioxidant hack) as well as drinking fresh water as being great ways to manage inflammation and pain. Water is recommended because it can flush toxins and other irritants out of our systems, decreasing the inflammatory response.
When there is a scarcity of water in the body, cartilage loses its sponginess. Drinking more water may not treat the underlying cause, but it can help keep your joints healthy. Proper hydration can improve the production of synovial fluid, reduce the inflammation, and maintain the shock absorbing properties of cartilage.
Throughout the day, the discs in our backs lose water and need to rehydrate. Drinking water to adequately replenish the discs with the amount water needed to work properly can reduce the likelihood of developing back issues.
It is well documented that water dehydration can lead to the development of headaches. Some observational studies indicate that water dehydration, in addition to impairing concentration and increasing irritability, can serve as a trigger for migraines and other forms of headaches. In those with a water deprivation-induced headache, ingestion of water provided relief from headache in most individuals within 30 minutes to 3 hours.
Our immune system also requires water to work at optimum levels.
As you can see, water is really important! I know some people don't like drinking plain water (which is why they drink other things that contain harmful additives in them). I actually like adding a natural electrolyte squirt (you can find here) to flavor my water and change it up. 🙂 If you do add any GRAS essential oils to your water (which I also recommend!), just make sure you use a glass or metal water bottle. I really like this one personally. And make sure your oils are therapeutic grade and the purest! We definitely would not want to introduce more toxins to your body by using oils that are not pure.

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So now that you know how helpful staying hydrated is, keep at it! If you need encouragement or accountability to stay on track, I have the perfect opportunity for you; reach out to learn more about it!

Struggling with TMJ issues? I did too. (Yes, that is a past tense verb! I've been pain-free for almost 3 years now and grateful every single day for it.) There are so many things that can exacerbate it, but that also means there are so many natural options at your fingertips for addressing those issues and finding relief. One quick example? Hormones can cause issues with joints. I know more than I'd ever care to know now about TMJ and joint issues, and my goal now is just to bless as many people as I can with what I learned. If I can help others experience less pain or less years of pain than I did, this journey will have been WORTH it to me.

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