Why The Body Needs Water
We cannot survive without water. We know this already and yet it can be a chore to stay hydrated. Fortunately, we have easy access to clean drinking water in the United States of America. With a few small changes in routine, we can get the water our bodies desperately need on a daily basis.
Warning Signs That You Are Lacking Water
The beauty of the human body is how quickly it will communicate if we choose to listen. What appears on our skin, chronic pain, how we are feeling will reveal our health and what we might be lacking. For example, when the body needs more water, it will tell us. Some signs of dehydration include acne, bags under the eyes, other skin issues, headaches, asthma and allergies, digestive disorders, constipation, joint stiffness, weight gain, and premature aging - to name a few. And all of this makes sense as the average body is made up of 75% water (in fact, 75% of your brain is made up of water) We need hydration to feel healthy. We need hydration to function!
Benefits of Water
When we do make an effort at giving ourselves the water we need, the benefits are astounding. When you are hydrated you have the ability to banish headaches, improve mood, relieve fatigue, boost energy levels, relieve constipation, flush out toxins, improve digestion, promote weight loss, prevent kidney stones, boost your immune system, improve complexion, prevent hangovers, alleviate back pain, regulate body temperature, protect body organs and tissues, lessen the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products, carry nutrients and oxygen to the cells. So what is the secret to looking young, burning fat and feeling alive? Water!
6 Tips for Staying Hydrated
- Track your intake! And do it in a fun way, with a marked water bottle or journal you can tangibly “check off” when you’ve had a glass.
- Set alarms. Your phone likely has a function where you can set recurring alarms for certain times of the day you want to go fill up your water bottle. After a week or so, you probably won’t even need a reminder.
- Associate your water intake with certain activities during the day. Maybe at work, there are certain tasks you accomplish before noon. Tie drinking 20oz of water into each task and soon you’ll be in the habit of guzzling h2o - no problem.
- Explore a variety of water - with our steady available clean drinking water, we also have other options such as La Croix and other sparkling waters. You can also enjoy flavored water using fruits (strawberries, blueberries, lemon).
- Become more educated about what types of water to avoid - for example, science is finding plastics in our waste which is linked to drinking plastic bottled water. Research at-home filters, use glass containers, and see what types of waters your local health store offers.
- Know your intake recommendations. A common question asked is, “exactly how much water should I consume?” A quick way to determine this: take your weight, divide by two, number of ounces. Example: 135 divided by 2 equals 67.5 , so 67.5 or 68 ounces daily.
