By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Wellness
Even though summer is over, your need for water doesn’t wane. Just because you aren’t as thirsty as the weather cools, you still need to be properly hydrated. But thirst alone isn’t the best indicator of dehydration or the body’s fluid needs.
When we drink to simply quench our thirst, we aren’t satisfying our total fluid needs. The problem is that our brain doesn’t tell us it needs water until it’s too late—and that means your body isn’t operating at peak efficiency.
Human Body= Two-thirds Water!
The human body is made up of approximately two-thirds water. About 75 percent of the brain is water, 75 percent of muscle, and more than 90 percent of blood. As a result, nearly every body function depends on water. Water helps transport oxygen and nutrients to our cells. It also regulates body temperature, lubricates and cushions joints and key organs, and removes toxic wastes. Brain function, immunity and elimination all rely on water. Water even helps us breathe. It also helps keep skin youthful.
Water is especially beneficial to weekend warriors, exercisers and athletes.
Studies demonstrate that as little as two percent dehydration significantly decreases athletic performance. And even sedentary people experience a boost in their vitality after they increase their daily water intake.
Symptoms of Dehydration
How do you know if you’re dehydrated? Symptoms include fatigue, mild nausea, headaches and dizziness. More profound dehydration can result in weakness, increased heart rate or serious confusion. Children, the elderly, people who exercise and people living in hot, humid climates are at a greater risk of dehydration. But you may be mildly dehydrated even if you don’t have any symptoms. One of the best ways to tell is by the color of your urine. As a general rule, a well-hydrated body excretes clear or lightly colored urine.
How much water do you need? In 2004, the National Academy of Sciences reported that men need about 125 ounces and women need about 91 ounces of fluids each day. However, specific fluid needs depend on a number of factors. For example, a 150-pound person who walks 30 minutes a day at about four miles per hour should drink 84 ounces. If that same person walks for 60 minutes, they need 93 ounces.
Calculate Your Hydration Needs
To quickly calculate your hydration needs, simply divide your body weight in half. That will be the number of ounces you need each day. For every 20 minutes of exercise, add eight ounces to that number. If you drink alcohol, drink an equal amount of water to offset the dehydrating effects of the alcohol.
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About 80 percent of our fluids come from water and other beverages. The other 20 percent comes from food. Many fruits and vegetables are good sources of fluids including watermelon, oranges, cucumbers, peppers and lettuce.
With a bevy of beverages filling the shelves, you may think it’s easy to avoid dehydration. But drinking just any fluid isn’t really the best way to stay hydrated. Coffee, for example, is dehydrating because of the high caffeine content. Sodas and some sports drinks contain a lot of sugar, which can negatively affect health on many levels.
Your best bet is to drink distilled, purified water. An economical way to get pure water is to buy a countertop water purifier that naturally distills the water. Shoot for at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. To boost flavor, squeeze some fresh lemon juice in a glass of chilled water.
Green Tea For Hydration
You can also go beyond basic hydration by choosing tea. Green tea contains 90 mg. of the powerful antioxidant EGCG. Herbal teas offer antioxidants along with a variety of healing herbs. Don’t have time to brew you own? Try bottled tea. The best health-promoting bottled teas begin with high quality filtered water and do not contain artificial flavorings, colorings, or other chemicals.
It’s important to make hydration a health priority. But choose your fluid sources carefully. Adding high quality, natural iced tea or flavored water adds variety and may encourage you to drink more. Making healthy hydration choices is a refreshing way to enhance your health every day.
References:
Edmonds CJ. Should children drink more water?: the effects of drinking water on cognition in children. Appetite. 2009;52:776-779.
Jéquier E. Water as an essential nutrient: the physiological basis of hydration. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009 Sep 2. [Epub ahead of print]
Water: How much should you drink every day? Mayo Clinic. Available at www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283.
