This article brought to you by Sky Forest Inn Event and Retreat Center
Article by Billie Bueler – Rim Chiropractic
Are you drinking enough water?
We ask the patients in our office this question frequently. Dr. B tells them that they should be drinking half of their body weight in ounces! So if the patient weighs 140 pounds they should be drinking about 70 ounces of water a day. And this amount changes. If it’s a hot summer day, your body will need more. When you’re exerting yourself more than usual, running a fever, or fasting, the amount increases. But as a general rule, this should be your target amount. And for those wondering if you can drink too much water, the answer is yes! Drinking too much water can cause an unbalance in your electrolytes, the minerals flowing through your body in your blood. Drinking the required amount of water in reasonable increments throughout the day is all you need to do. This water can come from food sources to a small extent, and of course there is water in beverages, but fresh, clean, filtered water is what we’re talking about here.
The responses we hear from patients are almost always as follows, “I can’t drink that much water! I’d float away!” Or “I drink coffee… that should count for something!” Exclamations like, “Oh, I drink plenty of water!” And let’s not forget the occasional, “I don’t care for water!”
If you wonder what water is being used for in your body, consider this. Have you ever been cold in a room when everyone else feels comfortable? You could be dehydrated! Water helps maintain your body temperature. Feel achy and fatigued? Water carries waste and toxins from the cells! That waste builds up, causing headaches, muscle aches, even short term memory loss! Those same cells rely on water to deliver nutrition, oxygen, and many other necessary things to them. Your body needs adequate water to prevent constipation, protect the kidneys from the toxins carried in, and digest your food.
Water makes up between 50 and 70% of your bodyweight! That means it’s pretty important!
The symptoms of dehydration begin with thirst. That’s your body‘s first signal that supply is running low. Your mouth becomes dry, you may experience anxiety, or a negative mood. Fatigue, headache, even dizziness are symptoms of dehydration. In extreme dehydration, you may have little to no urination and even lowered blood pressure, muscle cramps and faintness. In chronic dehydration, you may experience higher than desired blood sugar, or less than optimal liver and/or kidney function.
Hunger is sometimes confused with thirst, so if you’re hungry between meals, try having a glass of water; it may hold you over until mealtime, and it has no calories! Avoid too much water just before a meal, as it can decrease the acid in your stomach, allowing food to leave the stomach only partially digested, which can cause abdominal discomfort and even lead to chronic conditions like inflammation of the small intestine, and other common problems. It’s regularly recommended to drink a full glass of water before a meal if you are trying to eat less for weight loss purposes. This shouldn’t be done if you’re over about forty years of age, as the production of stomach acid decreases with age, and then we have the problems we just discussed.
A constant supply of water throughout the day is best for your body. It keeps all systems running properly. Your body loses water through digestion, perspiration, muscle movement, ongoing elimination of toxins both ingested and as a result of metabolic processes. Some supplements and medications can increase your body’s need for water. You want to stay just ahead of these uses to feel your best.
Keeping yourself well hydrated isn’t that difficult! Keep a bottle with you when you leave home, and refill it throughout the day. Plastic isn’t your best option, so get yourself a stainless steel or glass bottle, and drink up! Enjoy a glass of water between your meals, when you wake, and before, during and after exertion. Avoid sodas because they add too much sugar or chemical sweeteners, depleting our bodies of water. Current research is proposing that coffee and tea are not as much of a diuretic as once thought, so may not dehydrate you as fast as once believed. That isn’t to say that either of these is a replacement for water, and you should still drink these in moderation. Alcohol is a diuretic, causing fluid loss, so if you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, your water intake needs to increase accordingly.
If the taste of water is just not exciting enough to entice you, add fresh berries, a slice of lemon or orange, sliced cucumbers and cut melon, or even herbs like mint leaves, lavender stalks and flowers. You’ll find an addition you like, and once it becomes a habit, you can enjoy the many benefits of hydration.