Drink Water: Tips To Stay Hydrated!
Drinking enough water is a challenge for many people. Although most people know the importance of staying hydrated for good health, people often fall short of the recommended 2 litres of water daily. Since approximately 60% of our bodies are made up of water, being dehydrated can lead to some major health concerns.
Reasons to drink more water include:
Healthier skin. Our skin is the largest organ in our body. Water consumption can improve the colour and texture of your skin. Drinking water also helps the skin do it's job of regulating the body's temperature through sweating. Make your skin glow.
Reduce joint pain. Most joints are hydrophillic meaning water loving. So they need to stay hydrated to work, reduce stiffness and not cause pain.
Stop headaches and dizziness. A common cause of both symptoms is dehydration. If there is not enough water in your body, it can impair proper circulation to your head leading to headaches and dizziness.
Lose weight. Sometimes we think we are hungry, when actually we are thirsty. Staying hydrated can lead you to stop reaching for a snack when it is not needed, thus helping with weight loss.
Flush out waste. Waste is flushed out in the form of urine and sweat. If we don't drink water, we don't flush out waste and it collects in our body. Also combined with fiber, water can cure constipation.
And many more!
Try some of these tips to make sure you stay healthy and drink water.
1. Start every morning with a large glass of water. Having a glass of water right when you wake up helps to replenish your body after the drought it experiences during sleep. It helps to wake you up in the morning plus it gets one glass of water out of the way!
2. Keep water visible and nearby. Seeing a glass/bottle of water on your desk/in your bag/right in from of you makes it a constant reminder that you need to drink water. Keep it close and don’t give yourself any excuses.
3. Tired of the taste of water? Flavour your water with vegetables or fruit. Spice (or fruit) it up with lemon slices, sliced cucumber, strawberries, or oranges. What about mint leaves? There are tons of ways to transform regular water into a delicious and memorable treat.
4. Drink herbal tea.
Non-Caffeinated herbal teas are a great way to drink more water. With hundreds of different varieties to choose from, herbal teas can be a sneaky way of increasing your water intake. Have a nice warm cup of herbal tea or put it on ice, non-caffeinated herbal teas count for 1 cup of water.
5. Set daily goals of water intake. Start with small goals and then work up to a comfortable water intake. Make note of how the body responds when each new water goal is met. For instance, try to replace every soda you might have with a glass of water and see how you feel after a week. Adjust future drinking goals accordingly. Invite your family and friends to join you - you could even turn it into a competition. You will be drinking 2 litres of water daily sooner than you think!
Bonus tip: If your urine is medium to dark yellow (except if you are taking B vitamins), it most likely means you are not drinking enough water. Drink up!
If you interested in more information, please considering booking a FREE 15 minute consultation with me here
Yours in health,
Jaclyn
Naturopathic Doctor in Norwich and Woodstock Ontario
