At some point in all of our lives we have been told how important it is to drink water. Majority of us are aware that water makes up a large portion of our total body mass, 55-60% or 10-13 gallons to be exact. It is also common knowledge that we can survive longer without food than we can without water. We are talking roughly 8 weeks without food and only days without water. Okay fine, but why?
Answer #1 Our bodies have no storage system for water yet every single cell and body system requires it so in order to survive, we need to have a daily water intake. The body can however produce about 8% of our daily water need through metabolic processes. The remaining 92% must be obtained through the diet via food and beverages.
Answer #2,3,4,5,706 etc.
· Without water our bodies cannot maintain normal electrical properties and may struggle with cellular communication
· Water supports digestive function and joint health
· It absorbs shock to prevent organ/joint damage and lubricates joints
· It is essential for waste and toxin removal from the body
· Water is crucial for temperature regulation
· It allows for the transport of oxygen and nutrients (via the blood) throughout the body
· It moistens oxygen for easier breathing
We could bore each other by continuing on and on with more specific examples but I think we can get the idea. Water is so crucial to our existence that even a meager 2% decrease triggers dehydration symptoms, fatigue being the most common. A 10% drop results in significant digestive, cardiovascular, immune and musculoskeletal issues while a drop over 10% can lead to death. The problematic reality is, most Americans live in a constant state of dehydration. In our busy lives we distance ourselves from our thirst cues and in doing so forget to drink. To further complicate things thirst signals decline with age, cues become less sensitive during exercise and thirst sensations tend to be alleviated before complete hydration is achieved. So, what can we do? Unfortunately, unlike vitamins and minerals there is no one recommended water intake. Instead, our country determined average intakes of healthy individuals. To set yourself up for success, start by using the average intake for your age and gender as a goal. Then try to be conscious of your body’s thirst signals, urine color and body feel to adjust accordingly. These numbers are simply a starting point, ultimately it is up to us to respond to our body’s subtle demands for water. Males age 19-70 have an average intake of 100oz (3L) while women age 19-70 consume an average of 74oz (2.2L). Activity level, diet (notably processed food and sugar consumption), environmental conditions, elevation and disease states will all affect hydration needs. Another factor worth mentioning is water can also come from food. In the United States it is estimated that about 22% of water intake comes from food. Percentages tend to be much higher in countries with higher intake of fruits and vegetables such as Greece or South Korea. Anyways, now that we have a rough baseline goal, we can next familiarize ourselves with the symptoms of dehydration…
Dehydration Cues:
· Signs of early dehydration: Thirst, fatigue, low mood, dry mouth, drops in memory, concentration and overall cognitive function, darker urine, cravings, muscle cramps, anxiety, headaches and migraines
· Chronic dehydration symptoms: Heartburn, joint pain, back pain, constipation, colitis (inflammation of the lower bowels) and exercise asthma
Now we have a baseline goal and we know what to pay attention for so what next? Well not all methods of drinking are created equal. Sipping over gulping for example. Experiment with the hydration tips below to begin hydrating intuitively.
General Hydration tips:
· Try to drink a glass of water upon waking
· Drink slowly throughout the day. Gulping down lots of water in a single sitting may be tempting but this method doesn’t provide the body much time to incorporate water into the body so you’ll end up peeing more and retaining less
· Drink at the first sign of fatigue, tension within the body, anxiety, headache sensations or difficulty concentrating
· Enjoying some water about 30 minutes before a meal can be quite supportive of digestion. To further jump-start digestion you can try adding lemon and/or apple cider vinegar to water before a meal. Avoid drinking too much water with meals though as this can have the reverse effect on hydration
· Drink water before and after vigorous exercise but not much during
· Make sure you have a good source of quality drinking water
o You can even get your tap water tested to check for pollutants or other potentially harmful compounds
· Make it fun by experimenting with adding lemon, lime, berries or cucumbers
· In order to keep our bodies adequately hydrated it is crucial to include some electrolytes in your water, especially if your water source is filtered using reverse osmosis
o You can easily add healing electrolytes to your water by adding un-refined sea salt, trace mineral drops or electrolyte solutions like coconut water, switchel or sole
o Electrolytes are essentially minerals with the special role of regulating electrical properties within the body. We cannot produce our own minerals so getting them in the diet is crucial for immune function, enzyme function, energy production, bone and skin health, hormone production and much more.
· Drink whenever you experience a thirst sensation but don’t wait for thirst to start drinking. The body initiates a thirst response when you are beginning to become dehydrated. Stay ahead by sipping water throughout the day.
· Checking the color of your urine can be a helpful way to assess your hydration status. Aim for a light yellow or straw color. It is important to note that urine color can be altered by diet, medications and vitamin intake.
· Avoid excessive bathroom trips by adding electrolytes to your water and slowly sipping throughout the day.
· It is surprisingly easy to ignore and suppress our thirst signals. As we begin to be more conscious of hydration we naturally learn to recognize signs of water need more efficiently
How to incorporate electrolytes via sea salt:
· In a nutshell, electrolytes are minerals (i.e. sodium, chloride, potassium and magnesium) which are essential to health. In addition to each of their specific metabolic functions, together they help produce stomach acid, regulate electrical properties, maintain pH balance and help us retain adequate levels of water. By incorporating electrolytes into daily life we can improve our hydration status and overall health
· High-quality sea salt is a great source of electrolytes and other trace minerals
· When adding sea salt to your water, you don’t want to overdo it and end up with something resembling ocean water but there really isn’t a perfect proportion you need to add either
· If you’d like, you can math it out and aim for about 2 grams of sodium (the main electrolyte in salt) per liter of water. Given that 1 tablespoon of salt contains roughly 1.6 grams of sodium you can use this method to deduce your sea salt goal; multiple your water intake goal (in liters) by 2 and then divide that number by 1.6 to determine how many tablespoons of salt you could aim for OR simply add ½-1 tablespoon of sea salt to a water bottle once or twice a day. It doesn’t have to be exact, simply supporting your hydration with some electrolytes and trace minerals is beneficial in itself.
How to Incorporate Trace Mineral Drops:
There are a ton of trace mineral drops on the market today so feel free to do your own research. I have attached links to two options to get you moving with your exploration…
An important note, trace minerals drops can have a strong flavor! Consider experimenting with adding them to different juices, smoothies, protein shakes or flavored beverages such as chocolate milk or chocolate almond milk