Where are you these days on your water intake? Do you drink a glass or two of water first thing when you wake up in the morning? (Warm or hot water is even more helpful). Do you always have a glass of water within arm’s length?
Up to 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated—isn’t that wild? Some side effects of this epidemic include:
· Impaired metabolism and cell function
· Decreased performance
· Increased inflammation
· Weight gain
· Joint and cartilage damage
· Swollen joints and ankles
· Elevated cholesterol
· Lack of focus, fatigue
· Increased sense of hunger (thirst is often masked as a false feeling of hunger)
· High blood pressure
To get more water from your food and to maximize your drinking:
· Get in more fresh, raw fruits and vegetables. These have lots of water, especially ones like celery, melons, citrus and cucumber.
· Limit dry snacks like crackers, chips, cookies and pretzels—these are low in water and lack the hydrating benefits of mini meals like hummus and vegetables, green apple and nut butter, soups or a shake!
· A hearty morning porridge is nice because it soaks up any liquid you cook it with, so you’re getting a little extra dose of liquid first thing.
· Sip on herbal teas or spice up your water with flavorings like food-grade essential oil, white balsamics from Amphora Nueva, one of our flavor sticks like apple cider vinegar hibiscus cranberry (also great for digestion), mint or other herbs, or some sliced lemon/lime/cucumber.
· Soups are awesome, especially this time of year. Stews, chilis, soups—they all are full of extra liquids in the form of water or broth. So eat up!
Other Tips & Tricks:
Aim for half your total weight in ounces of water per day. Exercise will increase your needs. During a workout, make sure to drink water every 10-15 minutes and plan for about half a cup per 10-20 minutes to replace what’s lost.
Salt and electrolytes are important for your body to absorb water efficiently. Adding a pinch of sea salt to your water can be useful here, or you may want to try making your own electrolyte drink after a solid workout: https://wellnessmama.com/2575/natural-sports-drink/. This is typically not necessary unless you’re losing A LOT of sweat.
To prevent waking up to pee in the middle of the night, try front loading your water intake…meaning, you drink more throughout the earlier part of the day and stop a couple of hours before bed.
Keep in mind caffeinated beverages like coffee and some teas, as well as alcohol, are dehydrating—so if you’re consuming those drinks you’ll want to replenish with extra water. It’s also more effective to drink slowly throughout the day to truly hydrate, rather than guzzling a bunch of water a few times a day.
Drinking tap water or using a Brita? It might be time to upgrade your water filter! There’s no perfect option, but you can consider filters like the Berkey, AquaCera, Rising Springs, alkaline water or reverse osmosis (if you choose this option, be sure to add minerals back in—but if you have questions chat with me further. After consideration this is not my first option…it filters out the most chemicals and metals but also strips water of precious minerals). A shower filter or whole house filter is also ideal, as water and chemicals can get in through your skin and lungs!
Apps & Hacks to Track your Water (if you’re so inclined):
Plant Nanny
Aloe Bud
Aqualert
My Water Balance
Smart water bottles: Hidrate, Bellabeat
Other water bottles that help:
HydroMATE
Healthish
LifeFuels
You can also consider a good old-fashioned journal technique!
Any other ideas, thoughts or questions? Let me know by emailing us at info@cambiati.com.