TRANSCRIPTION 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.520
Hey everyone, welcome back. I'm Dr. Hunter Schultz
00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:04.820
from 920 Chiropractic Health and Injury Care
00:00:04.820 --> 00:00:06.919
here in Green Bay. And today we're talking about
00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:09.619
something so simple that most people completely
00:00:09.619 --> 00:00:11.500
overlook it when it comes to their spine and
00:00:11.500 --> 00:00:14.060
joint health. We're talking about water, plain,
00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:16.359
ordinary water. And I know what you're thinking.
00:00:16.579 --> 00:00:19.899
Come on Dr. Schultz, hydration, really. But stick
00:00:19.899 --> 00:00:22.579
with me here because by the end of this episode,
00:00:22.600 --> 00:00:24.559
I think you're gonna look at your water bottle
00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:27.719
a little differently. So here's the thing. Your
00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:31.050
spine is made up of vertebrae. And between each
00:00:31.050 --> 00:00:33.350
of those vertebrae, you have these structures
00:00:33.350 --> 00:00:36.329
called inner vertebral discs. Think of them kind
00:00:36.329 --> 00:00:39.369
of like shock absorbers. They cushion every step
00:00:39.369 --> 00:00:41.990
you take, every twist, every bend. Now here's
00:00:41.990 --> 00:00:44.649
what most people don't realize. Those discs don't
00:00:44.649 --> 00:00:47.390
have their own direct blood supply like most
00:00:47.390 --> 00:00:50.109
other tissues in your body. They get their nutrients
00:00:50.109 --> 00:00:52.810
and a lot of their hydration through a process
00:00:52.810 --> 00:00:56.340
called diffusion. Basically, When you move and
00:00:56.340 --> 00:00:59.159
then decompress, the disc absorbs fluid from
00:00:59.159 --> 00:01:01.759
the surrounding tissue. It's almost like a sponge.
00:01:02.020 --> 00:01:04.319
When you're well hydrated, that sponge stays
00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:06.640
plump and resilient. when you're chronically
00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:09.200
dehydrated, that sponge starts to dry out and
00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:12.140
compress. And that matters a lot. A disc that
00:01:12.140 --> 00:01:14.780
loses too much hydration over time becomes thinner,
00:01:15.140 --> 00:01:17.159
stiffer, and a lot more vulnerable to injury.
00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:19.599
This is actually one of the reasons why disc
00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:21.840
problems become more common as we get older,
00:01:22.140 --> 00:01:24.879
because our discs naturally lose some of their
00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:27.959
water content over time. Now we can't stop aging,
00:01:28.260 --> 00:01:31.079
but we absolutely can support those discs by
00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:33.700
keeping our body well hydrated. Here's what's
00:01:33.700 --> 00:01:36.430
interesting too, it's not just your discs. Your
00:01:36.430 --> 00:01:38.750
joints throughout your body are surrounded by
00:01:38.750 --> 00:01:41.430
something called synovial fluid. That fluid is
00:01:41.430 --> 00:01:44.090
what keeps your joints moving smoothly, like
00:01:44.090 --> 00:01:46.989
oil in an engine. And guess what? That fluid
00:01:46.989 --> 00:01:49.189
is largely made up of water. When you're not
00:01:49.189 --> 00:01:52.129
drinking enough, that joint lubrication can decrease.
00:01:52.450 --> 00:01:54.849
And when joints aren't moving smoothly, you start
00:01:54.849 --> 00:01:57.790
to feel stiffness, achiness, and that grinding
00:01:57.790 --> 00:02:00.189
sensation that a lot of my patients describe.
00:02:00.530 --> 00:02:02.469
Now here's some practical advice you can start
00:02:02.469 --> 00:02:05.840
using today. First, sip consistently throughout
00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:08.180
the day rather than trying to slam a big glass
00:02:08.180 --> 00:02:11.259
all at once. Your body absorbs water more effectively
00:02:11.259 --> 00:02:14.539
when you give it a steady supply. Second, pay
00:02:14.539 --> 00:02:16.819
attention to your urine color. I know, I know,
00:02:16.819 --> 00:02:18.939
but it's actually one of the best real -time
00:02:18.939 --> 00:02:21.219
indicators you have. Pale yellow means you're
00:02:21.219 --> 00:02:23.300
doing well. Dark yellow means you need to drink
00:02:23.300 --> 00:02:26.460
up. Third, if you're having coffee or caffeinated
00:02:26.460 --> 00:02:28.800
drinks, balance those out with extra water because
00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:32.879
caffeine has a mild diuretic effect. And fourth,
00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:35.240
If you're sitting at a desk all day, try setting
00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:38.259
a reminder to take a few sips every 30 to 45
00:02:38.259 --> 00:02:40.860
minutes. Your spine will genuinely thank you.
00:02:41.139 --> 00:02:44.039
Now I also want to mention, hydration alone isn't
00:02:44.039 --> 00:02:46.419
going to fix everything. If you've been dealing
00:02:46.419 --> 00:02:48.740
with chronic back pain, neck stiffness, or that
00:02:48.740 --> 00:02:51.379
deep, achy joint discomfort, there's usually
00:02:51.379 --> 00:02:54.560
more going on than just thirst. Spinal alignment,
00:02:54.900 --> 00:02:57.099
movement patterns, muscle tension, all of these
00:02:57.099 --> 00:02:59.849
play a role too. That's where we come in. If
00:02:59.849 --> 00:03:01.509
you've been putting off getting checked out,
00:03:01.669 --> 00:03:05.069
I really encourage you to come see us. At 920
00:03:05.069 --> 00:03:07.469
Chiropractic Health and Injury Care, we take
00:03:07.469 --> 00:03:09.629
a thorough look at what's actually going on with
00:03:09.629 --> 00:03:13.689
your spine and joints. And we build a plan that
00:03:13.689 --> 00:03:15.949
makes sense for your life. Whether you're dealing
00:03:15.949 --> 00:03:19.530
with an old injury, everyday stiffness, or you
00:03:19.530 --> 00:03:22.360
just want to move better and feel better. We're
00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:24.659
here for that. We're located right here in Green
00:03:24.659 --> 00:03:27.219
Bay and you can reach us by phone or through
00:03:27.219 --> 00:03:29.800
our website to get scheduled. New patients are
00:03:29.800 --> 00:03:31.800
always welcome and we'd love to be part of your
00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:34.159
health journey. Thanks so much for tuning in
00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:36.699
today. Remember, sometimes the simplest things
00:03:36.699 --> 00:03:38.939
make the biggest difference. Drink your water,
00:03:39.300 --> 00:03:41.520
move your body, and take care of that spine.
00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:44.159
I'm Dr. Hunter Schultz and we'll talk again soon.
00:03:44.340 --> 00:03:45.199
Take care of Green Bay.