Three Reasons to Drink Water
Do you know how much water you drink each day? Have you ever measured exactly how much you do drink? Or perhaps you really don’t drink water but rather drink lots of coffee, tea, or other drinks. Plain water and hydrating foods are the best for hydration. It is recommended to drink half your body weight in ounces or no less than 64 ounces. According to the Institute of Medicine, almost 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Why is drinking water so important? 1 - Every part of your body is comprised of water. 2 - You lose water all day long, even while sleeping, through normal daily bodily functions and activities. 3 – Lack of water contributes to medical problems.
Your skin, lungs, kidneys, GI tract, bones, blood, joints, heart, brain, basically your entire body, inside-and-out is made up of water. I like to say your organs are like flowers. If they aren’t watered, they will wither and perhaps even “die”. Visual, isn’t it? But so true. Water to your body is like oil for your car. It lubricates all the moving parts. You can only survive for about 3 days without water but you could survive 1 - 2 months without food. That should tell you how important water really is!
We lose water through daily activities like breathing, moving, and urinating. If the water that is expelled isn’t replaced, you could end up in bad shape. We replace lost water with drinking water or by eating water dense foods like melons, oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, cucumber, celery…well, you get the point. You should drink water throughout the day. Don’t guzzle at the end of day. Guzzled water is less likely to actually be absorbed and you will most likely be getting up in the middle of the night. Think of that downpour of water on your garden. Too much water at once and it just runs right off.
Lastly, without water health issues are real! If you aren’t hydrated enough, you may notice “low level” health concerns like: brain fog, headaches, achy joints, hair loss, constipation, weight gain and so much more. On a more serious level, dehydration might increase your risk of stroke, kidney stones, renal failure, and other medical health concerns.
Often because water intake is not the most pressing topic for the average clinical visit, it is often overlooked regarding patient care. If you think you’re not hydrating enough or can’t seem to figure out how to incorporate drinking water into your daily routine, reach out! This is one of the basic habits that I review with all my clients as, honestly, drinking enough water is a struggle for most people.
