Are You Drinking Enough Water?
When I start working with a new client I have them fill out a 5 day food journal. This gives me an idea of where they’re starting dietarily so I can meet them where they are and come up with a plan to help get them to where they want to be.
One of the things I am looking at in the food journal is hydration. I review how much water they're taking in on a daily basis and I also like to see how many diuretic beverages (coffee, soda, juice) they drink.
I will say that as a whole, there's a lot of room for improvement when it comes to water intake. Some surveys show that up to 75% of Americans are walking around in a state of dehydration. It’s the most common nutritional deficiency in the American population.
You can go for about 8 weeks without food but only about 3 days without water. Water makes up about 60% of our body mass. Makes sense we need to consume enough to our machinery working in tip top shape.
I think of water intake on a regular basis (i.e. hydration) as an important part of preventative care as well as part of any healing protocol.
Water plays numerous important roles in the body. Here are just a few: It improves oxygen delivery to the cells, transports nutrients, enables cellular hydration, moistens oxygen for easier breathing, balancing internal temperature, cushions bones and joints, improves cell to cell communication, empowers the body’s natural healing process and helps flush toxins from the body. That sounds like pretty important stuff, huh?
Some common signs and symptoms of dehydration are: headaches, fatigue, muscle weakness, decreased urination, concentrated urine that is dark and has a strong odor, muscle weakness, irritability, depression, cravings and cramps. It can also contribute to constipation, elevated blood pressure, heartburn, joint and back pain and colitis.
I’m always a little surprised and honestly, I get a little excited when I see that someone isn’t getting in enough water because it's such low hanging fruit with a pretty simple fix and has the potential to have a profound impact. It’s also pretty much free (although I do recommend using a water filter that filters out contaminants like chlorine/chloramines and fluoride) and easy to try.
Here are 3 simple tips to help you figure out how much water
is right for your body size and how to consume it!
To determine how much water you should drink in a day, take your body weight, and divide that by two. Aim to drink half your bodyweight in ounces of filtered water. daily.
Tips for getting this in: a) start your morning with a large glass of water b) put reminders on your phone or place post-it notes in your kitchen, on your computer and your bathroom mirror. c) Always have a water bottle on hand (car, desk at work, bedside table) d) not a fan of water’s taste… add some sliced cucumber, sprigs of mint, squeeze of lemon or lime e) measure out your water in the morning so you can see how much you need to drink in the day
If you urinate often, try adding ¼ - 1 teaspoon sea salt to a large glass of water in the morning. This helps with electrolyte balance and cellular uptake of water..