I read a great article and wanted to share it with you as I found it interesting. My mother died of dehydration so staying hydrated is very important to me.
Water is the foundation of all life and its value to our bodies is immeasurable. In fact, we are made up of nearly 70 per cent water! Many of our basic metabolic processes, such as the regulation of body temperature, require enormous amounts of water – up to three litres daily.
Even breathing expels up to a pint of water every day. Keeping your body functioning at an optimal level is necessary for physical and mental well-being, and proper hydration is essential to that.
As mentioned, daily bodily functions account for significant water loss. For example, your feet have 250,000 sweat glands and can lose half a pint of water on a normal day! If you’re exercising regularly, this amount can increase to 2.4 litres (five pounds) per hour! Imagine what that translates to when you include all of the sweat glands in our bodies, all of the metabolic functions, and any other processes that consume water.
How much is enough?
We’ve all heard that we should drink eight to ten glasses of water every day, but this is just a guideline. We are all unique. To help you stay as hydrated as you need to be, here’s a guiding formula: drink 50 to 75 per cent of your body weight in ounces, depending on how much activity you get daily. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, 70 ounces of water is optimal if you are sedentary and 105 ounces is best, if you are active. This means that at 140 pounds, you should be drinking a minimum of nine cups of water daily – 13 if you are getting regular exercise!
Reinvent your water
If you find plain tap water boring or unsatisfying, spice it up anyway you like. The internet is full of cool, quenching ideas, but here are a few of my favourite suggestions:
- Add Flavor and Fibre: Freeze some blueberries, mangos, or sliced peaches and add them to your water. This will not only sweeten it, but eating the fruits will also give you a tasty boost of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Fibre is important because it helps digestive functioning, lowers cholesterol, and, according to more recent studies, may even help prevent certain types of cancer.
- Emergen C: This powdered mix adds a kick of flavour and nutrients to your water. There are a variety of flavours you can choose from, and each conveniently sized packet contains a blend of seven ascorbates (types of Vitamin C), seven B vitamins, which keep your energy levels up, and 32 active minerals, antioxidants, and other micronutrients to refresh and energize you.
- Ester-C Individual Pack: This mix has a host of beneficial properties. Ester-C is a great source of vitamins C and B and also contains precious electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. This formula provides your body with the nutrients necessary to keep you energized and feeling great, and helps maintain muscle function, support bones, cartilage, teeth, gums, and even healthy skin.
- Get creative: These are only a few suggestions and of course you should explore options that satisfy your taste buds and bodily needs.
Symptoms of Dehydration
The effects of dehydrations are numerous and can range from mild, like feeling thirsty, to more severe, like delirium and even death. Dehydration is a serious condition which is easily prevented simply by getting plenty of water.
You should be conscious of dehydration when you feel any of the following symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Poor concentration
- Headaches
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Decreased sweating
It is important to note that even when you’re feeling thirsty, or your skin is dry, your body is trying to tell you that it is already dehydrated. At this point, you should amp up your water intake to prevent further, more serious dehydration. Only you know how much water you need to keep your body happy, healthy, and energized, but following the above mentioned guidelines will help you hydrate more effectively.
