Stay Hydrated!
Do you pay attention to how much water you drink every day? Are you constantly overwhelmed with stress, hunger, or fatigue throughout your day? Proper hydration can help with these problems. The average human should consume around 8-10 cups of water everyday. However, during the month of December when the weather gets colder, it becomes easier to forget to hydrate since we feel a sense of thirst less and less. Below are a few health benefits I have learned about drinking enough water.
Benefits of Hydration:
1.Drinking water helps maintain the balance of body fluids. Your body is composed of about 60% water. Some of the bodily functions dependent on water include digestion, circulation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature.
2.Water helps to remove waste from the body, thus aiding in a clear complexion. Water helps the kidneys eliminate toxins from the body and impurities from the skin, while retaining essential nutrients and electrolytes.
3.Water serves as a natural appetite suppressant. Water can help to take up space in the stomach, leading to a feeling of fullness and reduced hunger throughout the day. Many times, feelings of thirst are often mistaken as hunger, so drinking water can help to curb unnecessary snacking.
4.Hydration helps to reduce stress and fatigue, while increasing brainpower and energy. Since your brain is made of 73% water, drinking water can help prevent fatigue and feelings of stress, as well as providing improved focus and concentration.
While everyone knows that it's important to stay hydrated, doing so can be difficult at times. so here are a few tips to help maintain proper hydration:
Tips to help maintain proper hydration:
1.Have a have a glass of water before every snack or meal. Drinking water before each snack or meal ensures that you are hydrating throughout your day. Remember; don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink.
2.Add flavor. It may help to add a little bit of flavor to you water by adding fresh fruit, cucumber slices, or herbs in your water. Try to refrain from using powder or liquid water flavorings as many of these products contain sugar, artificial sweeteners, or other additives.
3.Set reminders! Set reminders on your phone reminding yourself to drink 8-16 fl. oz. of water throughout your day.
4.Eat fruits and vegetables with high water contents. This includes berries, grapes, melons, tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, and lettuce. Ultimately, about 20% of our fluid intake comes from foods.
5.Keep a reusable water bottle with you either in your locker, at your desk, or in your bag. It helps to keep a filled water bottle near you to serve as a reminder to stay hydrated. However, try to refrain from plastic water bottles since it may contain many harmful chemicals from the plastic bottle itself.
Even though it might seem difficult at times to constantly hydrate, it will get easier. In the long run, you will feel happier and healthier!
Lauryn Tu December Newsletter 2019
