Essential Hydration: Why Water Matters
We all have that one health-guru friend who is determined to find the ultimate wellness tip to solve all of their problems, and today they bring news of a life-changing supplement. It reduced their fatigue and improved their knee pain, memory, and chronic headaches. They claimed it can cure constipation and make it easier to lose weight. The best part? They said it was free.
You ask them what it is, and their answer surprises you.
“Water.”
“Is it a special kind of water?” You ask.
“No,” they say, “just plain tap water.”
Water: The Ultimate Quick Fix
Often, in our quest for quick and easy ways to improve our health, we overlook the best and most convenient solution: drinking more water.
We can survive for weeks without food but only days without water. Our bodies are composed of 60% water, so it makes sense that dehydration causes issues.
When we start feeling thirsty we are already mildly dehydrated. So, how can we prevent dehydration from happening in the first place?
How Much Water Should I Drink?
| Women | 9 cups | 72 ounces |
| Men | 13 cups | 104 ounces |
These recommendations are a good starting point, but needs are different from person to person based on lifestyle and the temperature outside.
Hydration may not seem like a big deal, but studies show that any amount of dehydration affects our performance. When we think of performance, we often think of athletes. However, fatigue or an inability to concentrate affects office employees just as strongly as athletes.
A simple method to decide if you are hydrated is to check the color of your urine. See the reference below.
Benefits of Drinking Water
Let’s look at some ways water can improve your health today.
- Weight Loss
Water can decrease appetite by filling up our stomach, and it can lower the amount of calories we eat by replacing other high-calorie sugary drinks. This could be beneficial for people who want to lose weight.
- Detoxification
Forget the trendy detox juices and reach for a glass of water instead. Why? Our body is capable of detoxifying – removing unwanted waste – by itself. However, hydration is important to make sure this process runs smoothly.
- Skin
As we hydrate our body, we also hydrate our body’s most important protective barrier: our skin! This helps with skin elasticity and moisture.
- Digestion
Water ensures that food moves smoothly through the digestive system. By doing so, it helps prevent constipation and reduces bloating.
- Exercise
Water increases energy, prevents cramps, and helps to ease sore muscles.
Water is also important to regulate the body’s temperature. Have you ever wondered why we sweat? Sweat is 99% water, and it helps cool our body down when we get hot. Just like a phone left too long in the sun, we tend to overheat if our cooling system (aka our ability to sweat) is interrupted by dehydration. The more we sweat, the more water we need to drink.
Try drinking an extra glass of water before and after a sweaty exercise session. If your urine still looks too dark, drink more water.
Recognize Symptoms of Dehydration
Pay special attention to hydration if you are an older adult, sick, exercising, or if it is hot outside. In addition, watch out for these symptoms:
- Dark-colored urine
- Thirst
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Less frequent urination
Easy Tips to Stay Hydrated
- Reusable water bottles.
Find out how many fluid ounces are in your favorite water bottle, and calculate how many bottles you need to drink daily to hit your goal. Shoot for 72 oz a day for women and 104 oz a day for men. - Substitute water for other drinks.
Squeeze a dash of lemon juice or try a sugar-free flavoring to spice your water up, and then try substituting it for sugary drinks, such as soda. If you want more ideas on how to make drinking water fun, check out our blog Hydrate Smart: Choose Water Over Sugary Beverages. - Make it a routine!
Set a goal for yourself, such as drinking a glass of water when you wake up or before bed, and make it a habit. Eventually, it will be second nature!
Final Thoughts
Can you imagine building a house without laying a foundation? It would fall down right away! That’s what our health is like if we don’t set a solid foundation of healthy habits, like staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet, and sleeping enough.
Out of these foundational healthy habits, drinking more water is often the easiest to add to your busy life. So what are you waiting for?
