Water & Proper Hydration

I am going to continue to cover the most foundational topics of health before we dive into some of the more specific tips & tricks to improve your health. This weeks is water & hydration! Water is one of the few variables that makes the world go round. Without it, nothing could live. Our beloved planet Earth would be a desert wasteland and not a single bit of life would be found. As humans, we need a good amount on a daily basis to optimally function. You could almost call water an additional macronutrient because of how large of a roll hydration plays in our lives. I'm afraid labeling it as a macronutrient would be underselling it though! Read on to learn more about why we should keep your water bottle close by day in and day out to live the healthiest life possible.


What is water & why do we need it?

• Chemically speaking, water is an odorless, colorless found everywhere on Earth made of billions of molecules. Each of these molecules are made of one oxygen atom & two hydrogen atoms held together by covalent bonds. Depending on temperature, water can be found as a solid, liquid, or gas. All of which can provide hydration for plants and animals. As I am sure you could guess, we are primarily talking about the liquid form since it is most efficient at keeping us hydrated. 
• Water is in every bit of cells, tissues, and organs supporting our essential bodily functions to survive each day. To put it in perspective, about 60% of our bodies are made of water. Even 80% of our muscles and about 30% of our bones too! The importance of hydration goes without saying, but I am going to say it in the information below anyway 😉 

How much water do we need everyday?

• Everyone’s daily requirements for water are different. This depends on several factors: your age, weight, activity level, the climate you live in, if you are experiencing an illness or any medical conditions, and your diet. Someone who lives in a hot, dry climate and is extremely active would need much more water than the sedentary person who lives in a humid climate, and vice versa for the sedentary person living in a humid climate. Sickness more often than not requires consuming more water as well. Be sure to ask your doctor about this though.
• According to The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, for our bodies to efficiently perform their duties to survive, the general guidelines for women are 2.7 liters per day (4 liters make a gallon), and for men are 3.7 liters. There is no magic number though, so just do your best to hit these marks and add more based off the factors above.

Benefits of staying hydrated

• Improved physical performance
• Improved brain function
• Improved joint lubrication (pain free joints)
• Shuttle nutrients in body more efficiently 
• Improves the body’s natural detoxification process
• Supple & hydrated skin
• Core temperature regulation
• Weight loss
• Less water retention
• Prevention or reduce severity of hangover

Signs of dehydration

• Low physical & mental energy
• Brain fog
• Low motivation
• Dizziness
• Frequent headaches
• Dark/yellow colored urine
• Low urine volume
• Dry mouth & skin
• Constipated
• Mood swings

Tips to stay hydrated

• The most effective tip I could provide to be sure you get your recommended daily amount of water is to have a 1 liter water bottle with you at all times and to give yourself a “gulp limit” every time you drink out of your water bottle. So, every time you drink out of it maybe you say you will take a minimum of 5 “gulps” of water, or something to that nature. I say a 1 liter bottle because four of these bad boys make a gallon and it will save you a few trips to your water station.
• Did you know you can stay hydrated by eating as well? There are plenty of fruit of fruit and vegetables that are 80-90% water! Some examples are strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, celery, cucumber, broths/soups, and many more.

Conclusion

I don’t believe much has to be said! The long list of benefits and symptoms of dehydration speak for themselves. There are several ailments, vitamins, supplements, medical procedures, and exercises in the world that improve your health, but water is by far the most beneficial and cost effective of them all. So pick up your water bottle and chug, chug, chug! (haha) Kidding…you actually can over do it, but unless you plan on chugging a gallon in an hour or 3+ gallons over 24hrs then you have nothing to worry about 😉 Stay healthy and live large my friends!

#themoreweknowthemorewegrow
#thegreenthumbinitiative