The How-Tos of Hydration
It’s July, and boy, is it hot here in Texas!! Backyard barbecues, poolside parties, and 4th of July fireworks all require braving the heat, which can not only sap your energy, it can very quickly leave your body dehydrated. For this reason, it’s doubly important to ensure that you are getting plenty of water if you spend any time outside in the heat. Even if you spend most of your time wrapped in an artificially-cooled indoor cocoon, the increased use of air-conditioning can still contribute to dehydration. So, today’s blog is all about staying hydrated!
Our bodies are made up of about 70% water (and our cells are 90%!), and dehydration is defined as just a 1% decrease in body mass due to fluid loss, so it’s vitally important to continually keep the supply flowing! Water performs a multitude of functions in the body, including:
Protecting the kidneys - According to the American Journal of Nephrology, there is initial evidence that the incidence of Chronic Kidney Disease is closely related to chronically low intake of water.
Removal of toxins from the body – helps the body move waste materials out through the colon and urinary tract.
Good digestion – Water is necessary to produce enough stomach acid to digest our foods, and to move them through our digestive tract, where the nutrients can be properly absorbed. Constipation can be a big impediment to good digestion, as well as the removal of toxins, and is often related to dehydration.
Proper Brain Function – dehydration negatively impacts memory, mood, rational thinking and resilience in stressful situations.
Energy levels - Fatigue is very often related to dehydration
Helping maintain a healthy weight – In addition to the fact that buildup of toxins in the body can contribute to weight gain, low water intake often means that you are drinking other calorie-laden beverages instead. Increasing water intake will often decrease the intake of other beverages by default, reducing the daily intake of sugars that contribute to weight gain
The simplest way to stay hydrated is, of course, just to drink more water. How much more, you ask? Here are some good rules of thumb to go by:
Drink between 64 ounces and 0.67% of your body weight
For example, if your body weight is 150 pounds, then you need to drink anywhere between 64 ounces and 100 ounces (0.67% x 150) of water per day
The amount of water you’ll drink depends on:
How much water you were drinking before (increase over time)
Your level of activity (how much you sweat)
How much caffeine or alcohol you drink daily
Both caffeine and alcohol are dehydrating, so be sure you go “1-for-1” (drink 8 oz of water for every serving of either)
The temperature where you live
Super hot summers require more water
You can tell that you’re drinking enough water when:
Urine is on the light side
If the urine is dark and there’s not much of it, then you’re likely not drinking enough water
Urine is abundant
You have to empty your bladder about every two or three hours
If you’re going constantly, you could be drinking too much water, or you may not be absorbing it well. Try adding electrolytes to your water to increase cellular absorption!
NOTE: When you when you first start to increase water consumption, you WILL be in the bathroom more often than you’re used to, but that will only last a few days and then the body will adjust
Not a big fan of water? Here are some tips for helping you get your daily dose, but with a little flavor:
Add slices of lemon, lime, cucumber or orange to water, and keep in the fridge for a cool, refreshing drink
Add mint leaves to water
Drink your favorite flavor herbal tea, iced or hot
Heat water and drink with lemon
Make lemonade with some fresh-squeezed lemon juice and a little stevia
Eat fruits and veggies with high water content (just be careful of eating too much fruit, as it does add sugars to the diet). These include fruits like watermelon and berries, and veggies like lettuce and cucumbers.
And just a few more tips for keeping your hydration levels up:
Drink 8 oz of water before exercise
Drink 20 oz (1-2 glasses) of water first thing in the morning. You’ve been asleep for 6 to 10 hours, so it’s time to hydrate! This can even replace morning coffee, as rehydrating the body and brain will lead to clearer thinking and better energy
Keep a pitcher of filtered water in your fridge at home or near your workspace with the amount of water you want to drink each day. This makes it easy to remember to drink water and to track your intake!
Sip water during exercise
Bottles, bottles everywhere! Keep glass bottles of water in your car, at the office, or around your work areas
If you can’t access a filter for your water, then let drinking water stand at room temp for an hour or more. This reduces the amount of chlorine in drinking water, as the chlorine will evaporate.
Warm water absorbs better into the cells, and is also great for the digestive tract!
One last bit of advice while you are working on staying hydrated - quality matters! I recommend drinking only well-filtered water, like reverse osmosis or distilled. And yes, the filtration removes EVERYTHING, including minerals, and causes a slightly acidic pH. Adding a pinch of good salt, like Celtic Sea Salt, or adding electrolytes can remineralize your water, and slightly raise the pH, so that you absorb your water better.
Now, get out there and enjoy the summer! It will be a lot easier to tolerate the heat, and do the things you love doing outside if you are well hydrated!