The Importance of Hydration
Staying hydrated is an essential part of living a healthy lifestyle. Our bodies depend on water to survive and every cell, tissue and organ of the human body needs water to properly function.
Benefits of Drinking Water
It lubricates the joints.
It helps covert food into energy
It carries nutrients and oxygen to all cells in the body.
It boosts athletic performance.
It boosts skin health and helps with acne.
It helps with weight loss.
It regulates body temperature.
It helps maintain blood pressure.
It helps with digestion.
It prevents kidney damage.
It flushes out body waste.
How much water should you drink per day?
The human body consists of 50-70 percent water. During the day the body is constantly losing water through urination, sweating, bowel movements and bodily functions. To prevent dehydration we need to make sure we are getting enough water, but how much is that?
You've probably heard the advice to drink eight glasses of water a day and it's a reasonable goal, however, this is an overly simplistic answer to a very complex question. Every body requires different amounts depending on many factors such as exercise, hot or humid conditions, pregnancy or breast feeding, an illness and more.
The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. Your recommended fluid intake does not have to come fully from water itself. What you eat also provides a significant portion. For example, many fruits and vegetables are almost 100% water by weight.
So how do you know if you’re drinking enough water? The easiest way to tell if you’re adequately hydrated is by checking the color of your urine. If your urine is clear or light yellow then you don’t have anything to worry about.
Effects of Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when the body loses more water than it takes in and the body doesn’t have enough water left to carry out its normal functions. Dehydration is very dangerous and can lead to serious complications, including: heat injury, urinary and kidney problems, seizures and many more. Dehydration occurs for a number of reasons but the most common reasons are excessive sweating, certain medications, vomiting or diarrhea, and a fever.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:
Headache
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Sleepiness
Decrease in urination
Dark colored urine
Decreased skin elasticity
Low blood pressure
Weakness in muscles
Dry mouth
Dehydration is treated by replenishing liquid back into the body. This can be achieved through simply drinking water, a sports drink or broth. In severe cases of dehydration, intravenous (IV) fluids are required to rehydrate.
How does hydration effect athletic performance?
Exercise performance is impaired when an individual is dehydrated by as little as 2% of body weight and can decrease the capacity for work by up to 30%. Hydration status affects the two major influential factors concerning performance during exercise in a hot environment: cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function. Dehydration reduces blood volume, decreases sweat rate, increases core temperature and increases the rate of muscle glycogen use.
Blood volume, which drives all pressure in the body, is primarily fluid based. When your blood volume drops, your heart has to beat faster to try and circulate the same amount of blood throughout your body. This causes your heart rate to spike and ultimately makes you feel like your cardiovascular system is working even harder than it should be, causing fatigue.
Tips For Staying Hydrated
Drink water throughout the day.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Drink water or a sports drink before, during and after exercise.
Add lemon or fruit to water if you don’t like the taste of plain water.
Monitor coffee and alcohol intake as overindulging can lead to dehydration.
Carry a reusable water bottle with you throughout the day.
Drink a glass of water upon waking up and before meals.
Milk, teas and soups can also keep you hydrated.