Drinking Water
We’ve all had those days where we take a water bottle to our work day or school and at the end of the day, the water bottle is only half gone. In 8 hours, you’ve only drank maybe 8 oz of water. Drinking lots of water doesn't seem like a big deal unless you’re thirsty. We can all manage with just a little water everyday, but we should really be prioritizing this small part of taking care of ourselves. Creating and keeping up with this goal can make a huge difference.
Water makes up anywhere from 50-70% of your body weight. We (obviously) need it to survive. Within our body, water helps get rid of waste through urination, fecal matter, and sweating. It helps keep our body temperature regulated. It keeps joints cushioned and protects tissues that are sensitive. When we’re dehydrated, we can feel tired, and I know for me, I get headaches and my throat will feel very dry (Nutrition and Healthy Eating, 2020).
There are varying opinions on how much water each person should drink every day. I’ve heard 64 oz, your body weight in oz, 8 glasses per day, etc. The U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine decided that the adequate water intake would be 15.5 cups (124 oz) for men and 11.5 (92 oz) cups for women. This includes water you receive from food, which is usually about 20% of the total intake for the day (Nutrition and Healthy Eating, 2020).
This overall intake also depends on your lifestyle. If you regularly exercise, you will have to drink more to replace the fluids you lose when you sweat. The weather can also change how much you drink. If it is hot outside, you will sweat and need to replace those fluids (Nutrition and Healthy Eating, 2020). I notice that I tend to drink more in the summer versus winter. You may also need to drink more if you are in an area with a higher altitude. Your health impacts how much water you need too. If you’re sick with a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting, you are losing water so you should drink more to replace that. Overall, you know you’re drinking enough if you’re not thirsty often and your urine is light yellow or clear (Nutrition and Healthy Eating, 2020).
For those of you who are not fans of just plain water, there are still ways to get the fluids you need. Could you add flavoring to your water? Try seltzer water? Lots of foods are made mostly of water like watermelon, spinach, and lettuce. You could incorporate some more of those into your diet. Juice and teas also contain a decent amount of water. Soda contains some water as well, but be careful. If you’re drinking things like juice and soda often as water replacements, the added sugar is not helpful (Nutrition and Healthy Eating, 2020).
Drinking enough water is something just about everyone could work on. Let’s work on getting that water intake up this week!
Reference: Nutrition and Healthy Eating. (2020). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256.
Challenges/Points:
Drinking enough water helps with getting rid of waste, regulating body temperature, keeping joints cushioned, and protecting sensitive tissues.
If you are exercising, out in hot weather or high altitude, or in poor health, you need to drink more than generally recommended.
If you are a man, try to drink 124 oz every day this week. If you are a woman, try to drink 92 oz every day this week.
Questions:
Do you drink an adequate amount of water every day?
Do you feel any of the effects of dehydration regularly?
Would prefer to drink plain water or make it up in alternatives?
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