National Hydration Day

With today being National Hydration Day, lets talk about water!

How much water have you drunk today? How much do you drink per week? Reflecting on your water intake thus far today, I’ve put a few things water is important for, and some tips to increase your intake below 😊

What does it do?

Water is needed for chemical reactions, body temperature regulation, blood, urine, saliva, and other gastrointestinal secretions, maintaining pH balance in the body and lubrication of joints, spine, intestines and the respiratory tract (Gropper, Smith, & Carr 2017). Hydration is important for cognitive performance, physical performance, gastrointestinal function and is important for detoxing or filtering the waste from the blood to the urine (Popkin, D’Anci, & Rosenberg, 2010).

How much should you drink?

About 25% of your water intake comes from the food you eat, and the other 75% comes from the beverages you drink. Recommendations are 8 cups for women and 12 cups for men, however, every person is different and if you are physically active 3L a day is recommended (Gropper, Smith, & Carr 2017).

Does it matter what I drink?

While you can get your recommended intake from milk, fruit juice, broth, soft drinks, coffee or tea, healthy recommendations are those low in sugar (Gropper, Smith, & Carr 2017). Studies suggest that consuming water over other sweetened beverages (such as soft drinks and commercial fruit juices) can reduce your caloric intake, reduce your risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes (Popkin, D’Anci, & Rosenberg, 2010).

So how do I increase my intake?

Now, this fully depends on how much you already drink, a registered naturopath can help you determine this, and help support you to increase your intake.

• Keep a BPA free water bottle with you throughout the day and refilling it several times a day (depending on the size will determine how many times you will have to refill it).

• Have a glass of water each time you make a coffee or cup of tea (coffee is a diuretic which means you need to consume more water for each coffee you have).

• Buy a water filter and keep a glass next to it, each time you walk past you will have easy access to delicious clean water free from the chemicals in most tap water.

• Fill a jug or pitcher with water, add sliced lemon, orange, mint  – or use whatever is in your garden to suit your tastes

Medical Disclaimer. The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only.

References

Gropper, S. S., Smith, J. L., & Carr, T. P. (2017). Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism (7th Rev.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Popkin, B. M., D’Anci, K. E., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2010). Water, hydration, and health. Nutrition Reviews, 68(8), 439–458. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x

Yarawamai, M. (2017). Drink Up! The Importance of Hydration. Received from https://www.hawaiipacifichealth.org/healthier-hawaii/live-healthy/drink-up-the-importance-of-hydration/