Hydration is one of the first things all of us should work on. Bottom line being properly hydrated will help everything else fall into place.
1 Whats the big deal? Water makes up 55-60% of our body’s mass. You can go about 8 weeks without food but only days without water. It has a lot of important roles in the body which are listed below.
2. Water has important roles in the body – it improves O2 delivery to the cells, transports nutrients, enables cellular hydration, moistens O2 for easier breathing, cushions bones and joints, absorbs shocks to joints and organs, regulates body temp, removes waste, flushes toxins, prevents tissues from sticking, lubricates joints, improves cell to cell communications, maintains normal electrical properties of cells, empowers the body’s natural healing process.
3 Water loss: Don’t forget that we lose water throughout the day too. Here are the ways and percentages of water lost throughout your day:
- GI tract: 4%
- Lungs: 12%
- Skin 24%
- Kidneys 60%
Also when we exercise we may lose even more. This is why it is very important to be mindful of how much water you are consuming on a daily basis.
4 Water is dependent on electrolytes- For water to be properly absorbed. These are the minerals that become capable of conducting electricity when dissolved in water.
Electrolyte functions:
- Control the osmosis of water between fluid compartments
- Help to maintain the pH balance
- Carry electrical current
- Serve as cofactors needed for optimal activity of enzymes.
Electrolytes that our bodies need:
- sodium
- potassium
- calcium
- bicarbonate
- magnesium
- chloride
- phosphate
Below are some of my favorite ways to get electrolytes in my water:
5 How much should I drink a day? Try to shoot for half of your body weight in ounces each day ( i.e. 120lb person needs 60oz) also if you are drinking diuretic beverages you should add another 12oz of water for every 8oz of diuretic. ( i.e. 16oz coffee add back 24oz of water to your daily intake)
6 Diuretics: these are fluids that actually increase urination therefore water loss is present.
These include:
- coffee
- tea
- juices
- soda
- beer
- alcoholic beverages
7. Dehydration: If your body’s water content even drops by as little as 2% you will experience fatigue. If it drops by 10% this can cause significant health problems like:
- Digestive
- Cardiovascular
- Immune
- Musculoskeletal
Some signs that you could be dehydrated are:
- fatigue
- anxiety
- irritability
- depression
- cravings
- cramps
- headaches
Eventually if you become severely dehydrated you could have some severe issues like:
- heartburn
- joint pain
- back pain
- migraines
- fibromyalgia
- constipation
- colitis
With all of this said start to really begin to be mindful of your daily water intake. Use my fitness pal to track your water in ounces each day. Find a water bottle that is best for you to carry with you everyday that you can easily refill. The link below is my favorite water bottle that has a filter inside to be sure you are getting the purest water every time you fill your bottle:
Healthfully Yours,
Krystal Goodman
