Note: Short posts like this one offer a big-picture look at nutrition, lifestyle, and sustainability topics. For a deeper dive into this subject, or any other one, reach out about my virtual classes or one-on-one sessions!
I can’t recall ever drinking water as a kid or even as a young adult. Or hearing the word “hydration”. Although for the past decade, I literally feel a wave of anxiety and fear when I forget to bring a bottle full of charcoal-filtered water with me when I leave the house. And I’m at a near panic when my kiddo’s water bottle comes home from school untouched! How did I even survive the 80s and 90s (ok, and most of the early 2000s) barely drinking any?
Lately I’ve been wondering—when and why did drinking water become so important!? Rationally I know that staying hydrated has always been important for humans since the beginning of time just like eating and sleeping. But my ongoing mild obsession with water fascinates me enough to dedicate an entire article to the topic. So here we go!
When Water Became Trendy
Carrying around water just wasn’t on ‘our’ radar until the invention and widespread availability of bottled water. Suddenly it was available alongside soda in every petrol station and grocery store. This was mostly due to the legitimate fear of contaminated tap water, but it gained momentum quickly since the profit-hungry soda industry was the manufacturer of bottled water. Flash forward to today and reusable water bottles have become a serious fashion accessory.
Pivoting over to water and nutrition: drinking water and staying hydrated is absolutely essential for our health—although easier said than done for most. I love water so much that I often find myself overhydrating, but I know not everyone feels the same about it. To inspire better hydration habits, let’s explore why water is important and some fun ways to incorporate it into your daily routine.
Water: The Essential Human Fuel
Our body is about 60% water. Wow, right?! That alone could wrap up this section on why water is essential for your body to function. It’s a vital, non-negotiable element for life. It fuels our energy levels, skin health, digestion, mental health, and brain function. Not to mention the trillions of cells in our body.
Dehydration, which can come on within hours, can cause low blood pressure, dizziness, increased heartrate, muscle cramps, headaches and a drop in electrotypes (minerals and salts our body need to function).
Chronic dehydration—consistently losing more fluids than you take in—can lead to even more intense consequences including kidney issues, heart failure, premature aging, memory loss, delirium and even brain damage.
What Exactly is Enough Water & How Can I Get It?
It’s hard to pinpoint exact water needs, but a good baseline is drinking at least half your body weight in ounces per day for a start. For example, if you weigh 160 lbs., aim for drinking approximately 80 ounces of water per day.
But most people struggle to drink enough water, and there are a number of reasons why:
- It’s boring to drink
- You forget to drink water
- Not a fan of the taste or tastelessness
- There are more exciting things to drink
- It has a funny taste from the tap
And all these totally make sense! Keeping in mind the reasons why your body needs water and what happens with dehydration, you can begin to shift your perspective and habits. Since that’s easier said than done, below are some accessible tips to keep you hydrated.
Hydration Hacks
- Make infused water: Add fruits, herbs and/or veggies (like cucumber & mint or oranges & ginger) to water for flavor. Add the ingredients into a pitcher or mason jar of filtered water and let it sit for at least 20 minutes; refresh water as needed and change out ingredients after 48 hours.
- Eat hydrating foods : Add hydrating foods to your daily routine such as watermelon, cucumber, oranges, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.
- Drinks with natural electrolytes: Coconut water contains all the electrolytes your body needs! You can also add lemon juice or a pinch of sea salt to plain or infused water.
- Herbal Teas: Drink hot or cold herbal teas to add a boost of flavor to your daily water.
- Reusable bottle: Lean into the fashion accessory trend and find a reusable water bottle that inspires you—even a mason jar (bedazzle it if you must) will work!
- Set alarms or reminder: If reminders motivate you, set one on your phone to sip on your water-based-beverage of choice every couple hours.
- Track your intake: Set your baseline daily water intake goal and track it throughout the week to see how you did.
Not All Liquids Are Created Equally
It’s true that there are many foods and drinks that can add to your daily water intake. Here are some general guidelines to make sure you get the hydration your body needs:
- Caffeine-free beverages are best: caffeinated coffee and teas still add to your hydration ounces, but they are a mild diuretic and tend to cause additional urine output aka fluid loss.
- Hydrating foods should be supplemental to drinking water: it’s great to add hydrating foods to your diet! But make sure to still drink plenty of water.
- Be weary of bottled beverages: bottled beverages often contain sugars, chemicals and preservatives that are harmful to your body—make sure to read the ingredients and nutrition label.
Want to learn more about how to decipher nutrition labels? Sign up for my next set of virtual group classes!
Consider it a challenge to try at least one new hydration tip this week! Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know what worked and didn’t work for you. Or if you have another tip to share with other readers!