Water and Your Body
WATER AND YOUR BODY
Never forget to hydrate!
Water is essential for the human body to function.
Cardiovascular function, regulated blood pressure, joint lubrication, regulation of body temperature, keeping tissues in our eyes, nose and mouth moist, protecting our spinal cord and other sensitive areas and getting rid of waste are a few of the many ways water keeps us moving and shaking every single day. Without it? Dehydration can cause a number of physical and mental symptoms: constipation, loss of appetite, heat intolerance, fatigue, dangerous drop in blood sugar, inability to focus, kidney stones, dizziness and poor memory. As we age and certain ailments come up, monitoring our body’s retention and output of fluids may be one of the most important factors of our overall health. The elderly folks in your life can probably tell you a thing or two about their fluids and may even have a specific doctor whose sole purpose is to ensure a balance for appropriate kidney function.
Do not take the risk of dehydration lightly - it can come easier than you think and symptoms will happen almost immediately. In a study where women were purposefully dehydrated, they made 12% more errors in a simple card game. Ever find yourself making silly mistakes at work and think you will feel better with a little caffeine or sugar jolt? Perhaps you might need to grab your water bottle instead.
A moderate, one hour hike in temperate weather without drinking water can cause dehydration. So if you find yourself working outdoors on a summer day or enjoying an alcoholic beverage and some salty food at a barbeque, odds are that unless you are balancing those things with 2-4 cups of water an hour, you are going to end up experiencing some of those nasty dehydration symptoms.
So how much water is enough?
The Mayo clinic recommends the following minimum: 11.5 cups a day for women and 15.5 cups a day for men. Let’s assume this recommendation is a baseline for all humans, without considering circumstances that will dehydrate your body more quickly. Basically, your body will need more water if you are doing things that use more water: physical exercise, sweating in hot climates, running a fever or experiencing vomiting or diarrhea.
If you’ve participated in our Downs Fit in Six and followed our meal plan, you know that we recommend members drink one gallon of water a day. With intensive workouts six days a week, plus the added goals of weight loss and muscle gain, it is imperative that participants stay well hydrated. Furthermore, it is important that hydration become a consistent and regular part of your healthy lifestyle. Especially if you plan on staying regularly active or if you will be exerting yourself on a hot day, you should prepare with ample hydration the day before. This will ensure you avoid dehydration while you are exerting that energy and feel your best while doing it. Ever forgotten to hydrate before an intense workout? Aside from the workout being that much harder to complete, you may be risking an unnecessarily higher heart rate and overall core temperature.
So how do you know if you are drinking enough water? It’s all about your urine. That's right - keep a close eye on the color of your urine every time you use the restroom. If you see a dark color, you are likely dehydrated and may also be feeling some of those unpleasant symptoms. The lighter, the better - experts describe an appropriate color as pale lemonade or the color of straw.
Keep in mind that a well balanced diet will contribute to hydration. About 20% of water in our body can come from the foods we eat. Furthermore, some superfoods even help us stay hydrated longer. Chia seeds serve as slow release hydration and absorb 30x their weight in water. So keep up with those healthy recipes and don’t forget your fruits and veggies, drink up and your body will thank you!