Drink Water People!

Dehydration can come in many forms. Most commonly we experience headaches, but it can also present as dry skin, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, and brain fog or confusion. Now remember, the amount of water intake you need daily varies on your age, weight, environment, and amount of physical activity and whether you are pregnant and/or breastfeeding. According to the Mayo Clinic, women should drink on average 2.7 liters of water a day and men should drink 3.7 liters daily (Water, 2022). Also, water is water! Seltzer is not water, tea is not water, coffee is not water! A lot of people out there will say, “I don’t like water, it’s just so boring” and they end up drinking flavored drinks like Gatorade that can be full of sugar. So be careful if you are adding flavored packets, electrolytes, etc. to your water that do not contain a ton of sugar. These sugary drinks can lead to weight gain and inflammation causing even more dehydration.  

So now that I have read you the riot act, here are the benefits of staying hydrated! Being hydrated helps your blood carry nutrients and oxygen to your cells. It helps flush bacteria from your body and regulates your body temperature. It aids in digestion and prevents constipation. It helps cushion your joints and decrease inflammation and lastly, it normalizes your blood pressure and maintains your electrolyte balance. Please keep in mind, our bodies are a steamy 98.6 degrees, so the warmer the water the faster your body can absorb it.  

With all that said, if you are one of those people that gets up and immediately drinks coffee, has a late afternoon lull and tends towards headaches, try drinking water first thing in the morning! And if you feel inclined, add some lemon in there....it helps with weight loss:) 

Mayo Clinic. (2022, Oct 12). Water: how much should you drink everyday. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256