Why
you need to stay hydrated?
There’s a reason why so many health articles
stress the importance of hydration—you need to stay hydrated to survive! Every
aspect of your body needs water to work properly. Water is used to carry
nutrients to your cells as well as flush waste from your body. It’s used to
control body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Proper hydration
affects the health of your muscles, joints, heart, skin, and even your brain,
and without it, your body begins to shut down.
There are plenty of reasons why hydration is
essential to overall health. Let’s break down what you can do to keep yourself
hydrated every day.
How much water do I
need? You probably know by
now you need to drink water every day. The most common recommendation is 6 to 8
glasses of water a day, 8 ounces each. This is a good goal to maintain, but
keep in mind that everyone has different hydration needs depending on various
factors like age, weight, amount of physical activity, and climate. You may
need more than 8 glasses of water a day, especially if your lifestyle is very
active. The best thing you can do to know how much water you need is to listen
to your body’s signals like thirst, dry mouth, fatigue, darker-colored (more
concentrated) urine, headache, dry skin, dizziness, and mental fogginess.
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What can I eat or
drink to stay hydrated? Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated, but there are
other foods and drinks that help as well. Water can be found in fruits,
vegetables, and foods like soup, sauces, and gravies. Juices, milk, tea, and
even coffee contain water that helps with hydration. However, food and drinks
other than water can contain extra calories, sugar, salt, and caffeine, and any
of these in large amounts can counteract hydration.
For athletes, sports drinks can be helpful for
hydration because they have carbohydrates and electrolytes to increase your
energy and help your body absorb water. But watch out for added sugars! Also,
recognize the difference between sports drinks and energy drinks; energy drinks
usually contain large amounts of caffeine, and it’s best to limit caffeine
intake if you want to prioritize hydration.
What are some
strategies to help stay hydrated? If you have a hard time staying hydrated and/or keeping track of
how much water you’re drinking, here are some tips that can help:
·
Carry a reusable water
bottle with you during the day.
·
Hydrate on a schedule.
For example, drink water when you wake up, at every meal, and before you go to
bed. Another easy routine is to drink some water at the beginning of every
hour.
·
When you are
exercising, remember to drink water before, during, and after your workout.
·
You can make water
more appealing by infusing it with lemon, lime, strawberry slices, or other
fruits.
·
When you feel hungry,
drink water first! Hunger can be confused with thirst.
·
When you go out to
eat, drink water at the restaurant. It keeps you hydrated, and you don’t have
to spend extra for a drink.
Keeping yourself hydrated
is one of the best things you can do for your health. Remember that your body
only functions well when it’s hydrated, and while many foods and drinks can
help, water is still the best option. Now grab your water bottle, fill it up,
and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Use out Hydrate
