With summer here again in the Northern Hemisphere, the raising temperatures can not only have an impact on our power bills, but also on our health and wellbeing, especially when it comes to keeping our bodies hydrated.
Why is it so important to stay hydrated anyway? Do you think you drink enough water to properly hydrate your body? When’s the best time to hydrate? What if you don’t like the taste of water?
We will dive into all of these things and more in this post.
It is said that the human body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature, aid digestion and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, and protects your joints and organs. It helps flush toxins from your skin and body, helps your skin maintain elasticity and maintain a healthy glow. Good hydration keeps the body functioning properly, by helping you sleep better, helping you think more clearly, helping you lose or maintain a healthy weight and can even improve your mood.
Do you know how much water your body needs each day to properly hydrate your body? It turns out that it may be a little more complicated than just drinking 8, 8oz glasses a day. There are six factors that play into the equation of how much hydration you require each day as follows:
1. Your Weight: The more you weigh, the more hydration required.
2. “Life Circumstances” such as: If you have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, you need more hydration because your body loses fluids in these conditions. If you have a bladder infection or you may need more water to help clear the urinary tract and any stones there. If you are pregnant, you require more fluids than someone who isn’t pregnant so that you can maintain proper amniotic fluid
3) Exercise Habits: The more you move (or more accurately, the more you sweat) the more fluid you need. Any activity that makes you sweat requires you to drink extra fluids to compensate for fluid loss during exercise. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat, how long you exercise and the type of exercise you are doing. Definitely those who are very active will lose more water than those who are sedentary, and the more active we are the more hydration we need.
4) Diet Quality: The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the less fluids you need. The more alcohol or caffeine you drink, the more fluids you need (these things can trick your body into thinking you have more water than you need). Twenty percent of your hydration needs will most likely come from the foods you eat. Examples of foods that can help you with your daily hydration are things like watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, pineapple, tomato, apple, and even beans.
5) Dehydration: If you are thirsty, you are already at least a little dehydrated and probably need fluids. Additionally if you have pain in your joints, muscles, lower back, headaches, or even constipation you probably need more fluid.
6) Climate: Hot and humid conditions can make you sweat and when you sweat you need additional fluid intake to replenish what you lose through sweating. Also, altitudes greater than 8,000 feet where the air is thin can make you breathe more rapid and that uses more fluid reserves requiring more hydration.
How much water do YOU need to drink? A good way to figure it out is to start with your body weight. A good estimate to determine your daily water intake is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. That gives you the number of ounces of water per day that you need to drink. For example, I weigh 130 pounds, half of 130 is 65, so my minimum intake is 65 ounces of water per day.
However, because I exercise about 90 minutes each day, I should add another 36 oz of water (about 8 oz for every 20 active minutes), making my daily water goal 101 oz. I also live in a relatively dry climate, so I need more water to account for my environmental climate. But I personally tried drinking that much water and it’s just too much for my body. So instead I shoot for a minimum of 65-80 oz per day. I have a 40 oz reusable bottle that I carry around. I fill it twice daily and I try to drink all 80 oz (most days I do, some days I don’t) and that combined with the mostly plant based diet I eat daily, I get the right amount for my body. I checked with my urologist and he agrees with my approach. If you aren’t sure, check with your doc.
Other considerations: If you drink alcohol, you should drink at least an equal amount of water. When you are traveling on an airplane, it is good to drink eight ounces of water for every hour you are on board the plane. If you live in an arid climate (minimal precipitation), you should add another two servings per day. As you can see, your daily need for water can add up quickly.
One thing for sure, we never want to let thirst be the only guide for when to hydrate. When you feel thirsty, you are probably already slightly dehydrated. Also, you should be aware that as you get older your body is less able to sense dehydration and send your brain signals of thirst.
Excessive thirst and increased urination can be signs of a more serious medical condition. Talk to your doctor if you experience either.
The color of your urine is also an indicator of your hydration level. If your urine is pale yellow or light yellow, you are probably properly hydrated. Darker urine is a sign of dehydration and cola colored urine means a medical emergency (meaning, seek medical attention)! Keep in mind that certain pharmaceutical drugs and vitamins can make your urine darker – so this is just an indicator and shouldn’t be the only way to monitor the effectiveness of your daily hydration.
Besides water, what else hydrates the body? As we mentioned above, roughly twenty percent of your hydration needs will come from the foods we eat and most of that will come from fruits and veggies. The rest of your water need will come from the beverages you drink. Water is the best choice. Sodas have a lot of sugar in them, so I recommend avoiding soda to avoid the calories. Herbal teas that aren’t diuretic (no caffeine) are acceptable. Sports drinks contain electrolytes and can be more hydrating that water (especially if you sweat a lot which lowers your electrolyte levels), but look out for added sugar and calories in those sports drinks. Juices are good because they have vitamins and nutrients but they too can contain a LOT of sugar. A general guideline is to stay clear of anything with added sugar or artificial sweeteners (in your fluids and in your foods).
Some say that caffeinated beverages do “count” towards your daily hydration needs but caffeine is a diuretic. I actually think it’s best not to count it because you will eliminate it quickly and will need to replenish the fluids to cover what you lose through elimination. Energy drinks and alcohol definitely DO NOT “count” towards daily fluid quota. Alcohol causes your body to lose more fluid than you get from the beverage itself and energy drinks are usually heavily caffeinated so they act as a diuretic.
When is the best time to drink water? Some say anytime is a good time to hydrate. I agree with that, but I also had to learn through trial and error what works for me. You’ll need to figure out what works best for your lifestyle. Here’s what I do incase it gives you some ideas:
- Years ago, I read that hydrating first thing in the morning is best because generally you’ve gone 6 to 8-ish hours with no hydration. Since I read that, I make sure to drink a cup or two of warm water with lemon every morning when I first wake up.
- I also have a cup of tea when I get to work (sometimes two) in place of coffee.
- I always drink a full glass (or two) of water about 30 minutes before a meal as it helps with digestion and fills me up so I don’t eat as much. And I try to drink one glass of water after a meal, but I always wait to drink it for about 45 minutes after eating so as not to disrupt my digestive juices.
- I usually sip on water during my workouts (only a little as I tend to get nauseated if I drink too much during my workout) and I definitely drink 8-16 oz of water immediately following any workout.
- I sip on water throughout the day. When I say sip, I take 4-8 gulps of water many many times throughout the day.
- I usually stop drinking water an hour or so before bed, but if my mouth is dry, I’ll drink a small glass. However, it usually disrupts my sleep so I prefer not to. I do put water near my bedside when I go to bed, but I rarely drink it.
A few random side notes, I prefer to drink my water at room temperature because I can drink more at one time. But if its super hot outside or I’m making a mocktail with unsweetened fruit juice, then I like it with ice. My Mom has a pomegranate tree and the juice from that fruit is my all time favorite with mineral water. I’m picky about the water I drink. To me, taste matters and without naming names, some brands of bottled water are off my list because of the way it tastes.
Try infused water! Some people don’t like the taste of water, I get it. But there are great ways to infuse it with yummy flavors to make things more interesting. Here are some of my favorites:
- Flavored organic bitters (best found online). If you are a mixologist, you know the value of bitters-they aid in digestion, and they can add great flavor and depth to drinks (cocktails and mocktails alike). It’s hard but try to find those with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners-they are out there! Be careful not to add too much of the bitters, as I mentioned it “aids in digestion” if you get my drift.
- Fresh herbs (mint, ginger, basil, etc.).
- Fruit (lemon, lime, pomegranate, or watermelon are my favorites as I like my other fruits juiced without added water).
- Veggies (cucumber is my favorite in water as I prefer my other veggies juiced without added water).
- Coconut water (not coconut milk) is super popular, and tasty, if you like coconut that is. Once again, be sure to find the brands with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners as there is natural sugar in the coconut. Coconut water has lots of vitamins and minerals too, and contains electrolytes such as potassium & sodium.
- Drink “fuzzy” water or what most people call carbonated water. I buy plain, unflavored mineral water (vs. club soda) because it actually has healthy minerals in it. Trader Joe’s Unflavored Mineral Water is my favorite high quality “fuzzy” water. I like it both plain and infused. But I stay away from any drinks (fuzzy or otherwise) that touts “Natural Flavors” on the ingredient list because there is no way of knowing what exactly those natural flavors include, and that’s why I like to add my own favors.
What about Kombucha? Some people ask me if Kombucha “counts” as hydration for the body, and yes it does. As with everything you put in your body, try to find the Kombucha brand that has no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. The beauty of Kombucha is that because it’s fermented it also introduces healthy gut-friendly bacteria (probiotics) to your diet. But, if you are sensitive to alcohol or are pregnant, Kombucha may not be for you as a little bit of alcohol is produced as part of the fermentation process. Also worth mentioning, I once heard from a friend undergoing chemo that her oncologist told her not to drink Kombucha because of her compromised immune system (it has to do with the probiotics in the Kombucha which is live bacteria). She told me that anyone taking drugs that suppress the immune system in any way, should avoid Kombucha. I have never had chemo and I’ve never taken drugs that suppress my immune system, so I suggest if you are experiencing either, that you check with your doc before you drink Kombucha.
Is there such a thing as drinking too much water? Yes…over hydration is possible, but for most adults in the US it’s relatively rare. It happens when you drink more water than your body can eliminate. Too much water in the system is called hyponatremia which is an extremely dangerous drop in electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. Among other things, potassium is an electrolyte that helps our bodies maintain normal levels of fluids inside our cells. Sodium is its peer, and helps us maintain normal fluid outside of our cells and regulates where water is distributed throughout the body. Our kidneys do have limitations of the amount of water they can eliminate. When the body can’t eliminate the water given, our cells will swell to hold the water which can make us feel bloated till the kidneys can catch up.
What steps can you take right now to ensure you are properly hydrating your body from this day forward?
Like all my posts this one is aimed at helping you think about how to improve your overall health and wellness. They are about the things that I’ve learned through my own exploration specifically related to my journey to better health and wellness.
The journey to a healthier, happier you is so worth it. I know—because I lived it. I stopped chasing skinny and started focusing on my health—and that single shift changed everything. I lost 140 pounds, but more importantly, I found clarity, energy, and a life that finally feels like mine. I share the whole story in my book. Click HERE to learn more.
