HYDRATION: WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT

The human body is comprised of 60% water, so water is clearly critical to a healthy and productive lifestyle. But what happens when we do not drink enough water? How does a deficit in water intake affect our bodily functions, behaviors and health?

Odds are, you aren’t drinking enough water. We’ve all been taught to drink 8 cups of water a day. However, over the years, studies have shown that that may not be enough to keep us properly hydrated. Normally, we don’t even realize that we are dehydrated until it’s too late and we begin to feel sluggish, get a headache or experience brain fog.

Drinking enough water each day is crucial for many reasons: to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.

Many health and wellness experts recommend drinking half your body weight in water daily but this is dependent on your level of activity and water loss throughout the day. If you work a sedentary job sitting in front of a computer screen all day you might not need as much water as someone working construction outside during the summer. At bare minimum, you should aim for 64oz of water per day with the goal of working up to half your body weight. For example, if you weigh 160lbs, you should be drinking at least 80oz of water per day. 

Signs of Dehydration

In short, dehydration is a dangerous loss of body fluid caused by illness, sweating, or inadequate intake.

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a variety of ways our bodies can lose excess amounts of fluids:

• Exercising and Sweating: People often become thirsty engaging in sports, which is the body’s way of saying it needs more water to hydrate the muscles and cells. Hot weather and humidity also cause the body to sweat thus losing fluids through our pores.
• Vomiting or Diarrhea: The body loses significant amounts of fluids and electrolytes when we vomit or have diarrhea.
• Fever: When you have a fever your overall body temperature increases, thus putting strain on your internal organs and tissues to work harder. As a result, fevers are known to cause dehydration by requiring the body to process water at a higher rate than normal.
• Increased Urination: Conditions such as diabetes, other illnesses, and even some medications can cause increased urination, resulting in the loss of fluids at a higher rate than normal.
• Drinking Alcohol: When you drink alcohol you also increase the rate at which the body urinates. If you don’t replace the fluids you’ve lost, then even a couple of drinks may lead to dehydration.

Signs of Dehydration in Adults:

• Muscle fatigue
• Reduced cognitive processing
• Dizziness
• Confused or dazed states of awareness
• Thirst
• Infrequent urination and dark colored urine
• Dry mouth

Signs of Dehydration in Children and Infants:

• Easily irritable
• The top of the skull has a sunken soft spot
• Tearless crying
• Dry tongue and dry mouth
• Sunken cheeks and eyes
• Infrequent urination (no wet diapers for three hours)

Ways to Avoid Dehydration

Drink plenty of water, as directed by your doctor. Eat foods with high amounts of water like fruits and vegetables. Avoid or limit drinks with caffeine like coffee, teas and soft drinks. Avoid or limit drinks with alcohol.

• Drink a minimum of 64oz of water per day with a goal of half your body weight.
• Use a refillable bottle to track your water intake throughout the day
• Flavor up your water with calorie free powders or high quality essential oils
• Apples, cantaloupe, watermelon, cherry tomatoes, oranges, celery and carrots are full of water and are a great way to supplement your H2O intake
• Start your day with a glass of room temperature water to replenish the fluids lost during the night
• Use the alarm function on your phone as a reminder to drink your water and refill your bottle
• Don’t overdo it. While it is incredibly rare to drink too much water, it is a possibility. 

Can I Drink Sweet Tea, Soft Drinks or other Sugary Drinks Instead of Water?

In short, that is a bad idea. Drinking high amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages — such as soft drinks — can have various adverse impacts on your health. These range from increased chances of tooth decay to a higher risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders. While sugary drinks are not “dehydrating” they are unhealthy and can cause a plethora of health problems. According to the CDC, frequently drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with weight gain/obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities, and gout, a type of arthritis.  Sugar-sweetened beverages should be consumed in moderation. If you need to hydrate, grab a glass of water!

Helpful Water Bottle Options

Many people find it helpful to use a water bottle with ounces marked on the bottle so they can track their intake during the day. It also serves as a gentle reminder to stay on track and keep up with your water intake. Here are a few of my favorite water bottles on Amazon. I love the various size options.

My Water Routine:

I prefer to drink my water in glass bottles or cups, mainly because I add essential oil to my water for additional health benefits and some oils don’t do well in plastic containers. When I am at home, I like to use my 24oz mason jar to measure and drink my water. I start the morning with my 24oz glass and 2 drops of lemon essential oil. The lemon essential oil provides a flavor boost as well as natural cleansing ability for the  kidneys and liver. I spend most of my day working behind a computer screen so I do not “sweat” much liquid out during the day. As a result, I aim to fill my glass 3 times per day, adding more essential oil each time.  I normally drink between 60-72 oz of water a day. If I am exercising or spending more time outside in the heat, I try to add an additional 24oz to my daily intake. When I am on the go, I always take a water bottle with me!

Some other doTERRA essential oils that are great to add to water are:

Basil

Cilantro

Ginger

Grapefruit

Lavender

Lemon

Lemongrass

Lime

Peppermint

Slim & Sassy (Metabolic Blend)

Wild Orange

As long as there are supplement facts on the bottle, the oil is safe to take internally. You can even get creative and make your own blends; like 1 drop of Wild Orange and 1 drop of Ginger. (tip: citrus essential oils need to be added to glass or stainless steel, they don’t play well with plastic)

Drinking fluids is crucial to staying healthy and maintaining the function of every system in your body, including your heart, brain, and muscles. Fluids carry nutrients to your cells, flush bacteria from your bladder, and prevent constipation. By drinking water throughout the day and eating water-rich foods, you ensure that your body stays hydrated and is able to function properly. The next time you go to reach for a drink, make it an ice cold glass of water!