Water. Humans are made up of roughly 60% of the stuff. It’s integral to life and so many functions in the human body. Yet, somehow, so many of us struggle with drinking enough. While the eight-glasses-a-day recommendation has been debunked in recent times – as your need for water can change depending on your sex, weight, age, climate, and activity level – it’s still a useful guideline!
As we are coming into the warmer months of the year, it’s important to ensure you’re drinking enough water.
Below are some of the reasons why you need water:
• Water helps maintain the balance of body fluids. The functions of some of these body fluids include temperature regulation, circulation, digestion, waste excretion, and saliva production.
• Water can help to improve performance during physical activity by maintaining fluid and electrolyte levels in your muscle cells, and staving off fatigue.
• Water can improve the moisture levels and physical appearance of your skin.
• Drinking plenty of water allows your kidneys to work properly, reducing the risk of kidney stones.
• Your hydration levels are reflected in the structure and function of your brain – prolonged dehydration can lead to a reduction in cognitive ability.
• Water helps to maintain healthy joints by ensuring that your cartilage, spinal discs, and joints are in good shape for weight bearing.
Here are some easy ways to include more water into your day:
• If you find the taste of water boring, add some flavour! You can mix this up each day by adding any or all of the following: mint, lemon, lime, watermelon, orange, berries, lavender, or cucumber (so refreshing!). This is by no means an exhaustive list and absolutely down to your personal preference.
• Include water into routines that you already have, as you’re more likely to remember this way – drink a glass of water right before or after you clean your teeth, have a glass directly before each meal, finish the glass on your desk before you leave for lunch, or take a sip from your drink bottle every time you stop at a red light.
• Mark lines on your water bottle! You can essentially turn your water bottle into a timer, so you know how much you’re supposed to have drunk, by a certain time of the day. A super easy way to track your intake each day.
• Increase your water intake through your food – eating more fruits and vegetables is the easiest way to do this. The water content is fairly high in many fruits and vegetables (salad greens, cucumber, cantaloupe, watermelon), meaning that just by eating them you are going to remain more hydrated throughout the day!
• Don’t forget that there are other beverages with lots of water in them! Herbal teas and unsweetened iced teas are a different and refreshing way to maintain your hydration – just watch out for the caffeine content in some of them.
Reference Article:
6 Reasons to Drink Water [Webmd]
This post was written by Dr Jemimah Nicholson.
You can find out more about Jemimah here or book an appointment with her here.
Alternatively, you can call the clinic on 03 9908 2844.