Summer is here and it has been hot! We all know it is important to drink water, however many people are suffering unnecessary side effects to chronic dehydration and are unaware of it.
Since water makes up at least two-thirds of the human body, it plays a large part in your normal functions, such as lubricating your joints and eyes, keeping your skin healthy by eliminating toxins, facilitating proper digestion and proper brain function. Once the water in your body is reduced, it needs to be replaced because an imbalance between the salts and sugar in your body can affect the way you will perform. It is recommended that a minimum of eight glasses of water be consumed per day. Your kidneys and liver need five cups of water to do their job efficiently; anything less causes your entire system to go out of balance.
We routinely lose water when we sweat to cool the body, breathe as humidified air leaves the body and when we use the washroom. Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated. Thirst isn’t always a reliable early indicator of the body’s need for water. Many people, particularly older adults, don’t feel thirsty until they’re already dehydrated. That’s why it’s important to increase water intake during hot weather or when you’re ill.
Other substances that you take in can also cause dehydration such as alcohol, caffeinated beverages and some prescription medications. Coffee, for instance, is a diuretic, it increases the amount of water and salt expelled from your body so if you love your cups of joe then you need to drink more water than the daily requirement.
There are different percentages of dehydration. Mild dehydration, a 1-2 per cent water loss, can cause a myriad of side effects which include: dry, sticky mouth, sleepiness or tiredness, dry, cool skin, headache, dizziness and lightheadedness, muscle cramps, minimal urine, few or no tears when crying, irritability or confusion, memory loss, lack of concentration, low blood pressure, constipation, poor and sluggish digestion, poor sleep and/or restless sleep and joint stiffness. If you continue the cycle of not taking in enough water, you will enter a chronic or sustained period of mild dehydration. This will begin to affect your organs and cause poor lubrication in your joints and cause damage to them and your muscles. It can also lead to kidney stones and cholesterol problems, poor elasticity in the skin, making healing from injuries a lot more difficult.
So, how do you know if you are drinking enough water? First, aim for a minimum of two litres per day. When you are spending time outdoors in hot weather, even in the shade, you can perspire up to one litre of water. Replenish your water stores while you are outdoors to prevent dehydration.
The kind of physical activity you are doing throughout the day will also be an important factor in maintaining proper hydration. If you are exercising or doing heavy, manual labour, then 1-2 litres of water is a safe range to make sure you are taking in what you will be losing; balancing the scales. This means if you are gardening outdoors for a few hours on a warm, sunny day you will need to drink one litre while you are outdoors and aim for one more once indoors. This two litres is in addition to your daily requirements. Yes, you read that right, four litres of water!
I know you may be thinking that is an insane amount of water to try and drink in a day, especially if you are currently not drinking much water, however, I can promise you will feel better if you increase the amount of water you drink. Maintaining a healthy weight, energy levels and proper bodily functions are all water dependent. There are apps you can download on your phone to remind you to drink water.
Keep a water bottle with you to track the amount you are getting. Create a few rules for yourself to sneak water in like, two glasses before your morning coffee and one directly after. One glass before a snack and two glasses an hour before a meal. Getting eight glasses in this way then becomes part of your daily routine and adding the additional litre when exercising does not become such a challenge.
You can also add fruit to your water to make it more fun and flavourful. Try fresh lemon, lime, raspberries, strawberries or cucumber and mint. You can also brew herbal teas and refrigerate them for a refreshing drink in the summer instead of sodas. If you are reading this and realizing you are not taking enough water, remember good habits are not built overnight. Try adding one more glass a day and when that is a habit add another and so on. Eventually, you will get there and notice how good you feel because of it. Enjoy this beautiful summer weather and stay hydrated.
(Nicole Cournoyer is the general manager of Anytime Fitness in Chemainus).