My Health Tips Series! ALL ABOUT NUTRITION: Water

Benefits of hydration

I find that I get dehydrated easily throughout my day, especially at work. For me the most common sign that I am dehydrated is a headache or dry lips. Most people (and I am guilty of it too) usually just take a pain killer for the headache or use lip balm when the lips feel dry. I find that if I drink some water or juice then the headache will go away on its own. With the dry lips I tend to drink water and use the lip balm as well due to the fact I lick my lips a lot and that dries them out a little faster as saliva isn't the greatest lip moisturizer.

To the right I have a picture that shows some of the benefits of drinking the proper amount of water and being hydrated. When your body has the correct amount of water/fluid it functions much more efficiently. As I mentioned above it helps to moisten your body's tissues such as your lips, eyes and mouth. We have all experienced at one time or another dry eyes, mouth or lips.  Being hydrated has so many more benefits besides what I have just mentioned. It helps in general with your overall well being and feeling good.

Drinking enough water has a big benefit with how it helps your body to flush toxins and waste products out. A common tip given to someone who is having difficulty managing the sodium (salt) or glucose (sugar) levels in their body (such as someone with diabeties) is to drink more water as it will flush out the excess. The body will take the nutrients it needs from your food and will then try to remove the rest it doesn't need. With a fluid intake of 2-3 Litres a day you will be assisting your body's systems to do their job in keeping you healthy and functioning.

Urine color chart

A good way to know if you are getting the fluids you need throughout your day is to look at the color of your urine when you pee. It is one of the simplest ways to know if you are hydrated enough. Not everyone is able to tell by how they are feeling whether their fluid intake for the day has been adequate. The picture (to the left) shows a color chart. Next time you go for a whiz take note of the color of your pee and then compare it to this chart.

The basic principle of this chart is a simple one to remember: the lighter the color the better hydrated you are. If it is dark then you need to drink more fluids, preferably water or other sugar free, caffeine free, non alcoholic beverages. Water is always the best option but clear fluids like herbal tea, apple juice, cranberry juice and white grape juice are great too. Any other juice and milk are healthy options as well.

Now that Summer is supposed to be here, maintaining good health in the sun and heat is essential. Eating right and drinking 2-3 Litres of fluid will go a long way to helping you enjoy your Summer every day.

BIG TIP!


My big tip for you is to stay hydrated all the time, not just when it is sunny or hot outside. Drink lots of water! At least 2L a day, 3L would be best. Avoid caffeine and sugars in your fluids as these can negatively affect your health and well being. Caffeine is also a diuretic which means it flushes the water and nutrients from your body; that is the opposite of what you want. So avoid coffee or regular tea as they both contain caffeine. As one of the sites in the link list below will tell you, when you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated; it is usually the first sign.

So Keep Hydrated!

For more information check out these links:
6 simple signs of dehydration
Dehydration
Symptoms of Dehydration