Why it’s Important to Stay Hydrated.
For the past couple of decades, there has been a considerable amount of advertising push by companies that sell hydration products that tell us to be properly hydrated we should use their products. While these products may be helpful in some ways, yet the good old fashion quenching your thirst with water and water concentrated foods such as fruits and vegetables can solve many hydration issues. The value of being properly hydrated has sound health benefits, here are a few of the benefits that staying hydrated offers.
Avoid Dehydration, Related Issues.
Through the years, I have spoken with many people who just flat out don’t like water. More times than not these are the people that have or end up having the biggest health issues and muscular tension. If you’re someone who doesn’t prefer water, you may want to look towards teas, homemade broth, fruits, and vegetables for your hydration. For now, we are going to talk about using water to fulfill your hydration needs.
As summer rolls around and the heat rises, replenishing your body with fluid and electrolytes become essential. We need to listen to the thirst signals and stop what we are doing, take a break and hydrate. Every year, many thousands of people are stricken with heat exhaustion and dehydration issues all without realizing what has happened. Many times this occurs because they didn’t listen to their thirst response and other signs.
It would seem as if dehydration in the summer would be a given, because of the sheer fact that it is hot, and the thirst response is more active. But winter can be more of a threat than summer because it is cooler and we tend to think that we need less water. If you’ve come to that point that you’ve stopped listening to your body thirst response and what it is telling you when it comes to getting something to drink, here are some more serious tell-tell signs your body will alert you to when you need to hydrate. Dry mouth, feeling tired or sleepy, urine is darker than normal, headaches, dizziness, bloody nose for no reason are a few things to watch for.
Many say you should drink x-amount a water a day and others say drink whenever you’re thirsty. I would suggest knowing what your x-amount of water is and shooting for that each day to avoid more serious issues. If you’re still having issues you may need to raise your consumption or visit with your doctor. What is the suggested amount of water you should consume per day? Half ounce of water per pound of your body weight. If you weigh 180 pounds, consume 90 ounces of fluid a day, water or juice from fruits and vegetables.
Less Chance of Injury.
You can think of adding water to the body much like adding oil to the engine of a car. Being hydrated means that all the muscle and connective tissues are more mobile and can be stretched with less chance of injury. Of course, drinking more water will not make you a star athlete or more flexible overnight, but it can help you to avoid cramping or worse, sustain a pull or tear of the muscle, ligaments or cartilage that results in injury.
Water actually changes the consistency of the tissues in the body. Now I might not know of all the physical or chemical changes that occur when one consumes their daily allowance of water each day. What I do know, is when I’ve massaged someone for a while and they switch to becoming properly hydrated, I can actually feel the structure and consistency in the muscle tissue and how it has changed. It is more pliable, overall muscle tissues are more relaxed than normal and the tissue responds better to the massage or energy work. Most of the time when I ask the client if they’re consuming more water on a regular basis, they are curious as of how I knew, the body tells a lot more than you may think.
Feeling Refreshed.
You feel better when you drink more water and get fully hydrated. Your head is clearer, your muscles feel more refreshed, and you are better able to take on the day. While being hydrated isn’t the only thing you can do, but it is a good place to start, so you can get on with the things that you need to get accomplished. You may find that drinking a little extra water in the morning helps the body to feel better as you get going. In fact, for a while now, I make it a point to drink 16-20 ounces right when I get up in the morning. This has made a world of difference for my alertness and concentration during the morning and into the afternoon. Continued consumption of water throughout the day can also help keep the fogginess and exhaustion at bay throughout the day.
Better D
igestion.
If your digestive system has been sluggish lately this may be a sign of dehydration. By having an ample amount of fluid in your system is key, fluid will assist in getting the food you eat through the stomach, and colon with less difficulty. Water and fiber from the foods you eat will help carry away unwanted materials and lets them pass naturally through the body.
Lose Weight.
You will feel fuller if you drink more water with your meals so that you eat less. For example, drinking a glass of water ten to fifteen minutes before a meal will help you reduce the portions that you eat. This means that you consume fewer calories while still feeling full and ready to go.
Since many people start to become dehydrated at the beginning of their day and in many cases before even awakening, and they misunderstand the thirst response as a hunger response. Most of the time they’ll grab something unhealthy to eat for a quick pick me up, that has little or no organic juices in it. At that moment in their day, they’re setting themselves up for a deeper level of dehydration and issues. The snack might have satisfied them for a bit, but now their brain starts to ache and their concentration begins to drift. They reach for another snack, most likely a sugary one, high carb no nutritional value or a caffeinated jolt to stimulate their senses and get them back on track.
Mid-day rolls around and they’re super wired, their head is pounding or they’re battling the invasion of the ZZZ’s, It takes just about all they have of their abilities to stay focus on their projects and force their self to be happy about it. Lunch is finally is upon them and hopefully, they get a well-needed break to rejuvenate. Yet, again they consume little or no water with their lunch, usually a large soda with their non-hydrating meal. The battle to find their stride continues to elude them and as the work day ends all ambitions to workout or just go for a walk fade away like a distant dream.
Now I know there can be other factors that may contribute to this scenario, such as lack of sleep, or other health issues, but being hydrated can play a big part on how people consume food in their day. Choosing foods that assist in staying hydrated make great snack foods and will add essential nutritional value to the ability to consume less junk food. Choosing water instead of soda will be a huge plus. If you’re looking to lose weight stay hydrated, it’ll make your endeavor easier.
Incorporating hydration in your life may take some effort, in the beginning, be patient with it and yourself, adjust it as you go. If you’re weaning yourself from sugary foods and caffeine, you may want to schedule more sleep time into your schedule for the first 7-10 days. Notice the changes that you feel, and how you feel throughout your day. Be aware of the weather and change consumption accordingly. And always remember to be kind to yourself.
