I’m sure you have all heard… drink your 8 glasses of water a day. That may not even be enough! It comes down to lifestyle and of course genetics.

Just A Few Water Facts

• The human body is more than 60 percent water.
• Blood is 92 percent water, the brain and muscles are 75 percent water, and bones are about 22 percent water.
• Water is a carrier of essential nutrients to cells, such as glucose, minerals and vitamins and it removes waste products, like (water soluble) toxins.
• Water helps runs your metabolism – which is basically a series of chemical reactions that take place in your body. You need to stay hydrated to keep all of those reactions running smoothly. Being even slightly dehydrated can cause a significant drop in metabolism (as well as cognitive thinking and athletic performance).
• Water plays a crucial role in detoxification
• Severe dehydration can cause organ damage – it is incredibly vital for energy, vitality and optimal functioning

It’s very difficult for the body to tell the difference between hunger and thirst. So if you’re walking around feeling a gnawing sense of hunger, you might just be dehydrated. Try drinking a glass of water before grabbing a snack.

For the parents out there, this is important for you to know. We need to offer water (NOT JUICE) throughout the day, especially if you have one of those kind of kids that asks for a snack every five (like mine!).

If you aren’t consuming enough water, your body has to decide what functions are most important, and steal water from other cells – kind of like a sacrifice to get the job done. Instead of just thinking about drinking water to quench your thirst, think about bathing your cells! Afternoon energy slumps, difficulty waking up…first up, hydration. In our practice, we see patients who go hours and even complete days without drinking much, simple and modifiable lifestyle changes like adequate hydration change be game changers for feeling your absolute best.

 

Do you Measure UP?

So likely those 8 glasses aren’t enough. 8 glasses of 8 ounces is only 64 ounces, so that’s only good enough for someone 64 lbs. That’s about the average weight for a 10 year old.

The amount of water you need really depends on your size, weight, activity level and where you live.  In general you should be drinking between half an ounce and one ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs, that should be 75 to 150 ounces of water per day. If you’re exercising a lot or living in a warm climate (like Bermuda) you need to be on the higher end of that range (think summer, running, etc.)

By the time your body begins to feel the signs of dehydration – headaches, energy slumps and goose bumps in athletes, you need to think about proper hydration and also giving your body a break some time to absorb and return to homeostasis, it’s been asked to function under difficult conditions and it needs a breather.

Tips to Increase Your Water Intake

• Take it to GO – carry a sports bottle with you and fill it up periodically.
• Flavor it – spice it up with some lemons, berries, cucumber or mint
• Keep a glass next to your bed. Many of us wake up dehydrated first thing in the morning – so have water first thing!
• Say NO to SODA – seriously, just say no and drink water – we all know soda is just sugar.
• Alternate beverages – if you’re hooked on one kind of drink, make an effort to have a water in between.
• Drink small amounts of water throughout the day (but not with meals – it dilutes stomach acid).
• For tech people, GET THE APP. There are lots of apps on the market – and lots of free ones that help track your water. We recommend Daily Water Free. It measures and reminds me to drink!
• The easiest way to remember is trying to drink your weight in ounces!

Cheers to Bathing your Cells!
In Health,
Your Ocean Rock Wellness Team