In Sacramento, CA, no matter what time of the year it is, it’s hard to stay hydrated. During hot weather, you sweat, but since it’s dry heat, it evaporates quickly. You don’t notice how much you’re sweating and can dehydrate quickly. In the winter, it’s harder to remember to drink water, particularly since you’re cold and it’s so rainy outside. Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Luckily, it’s also one of the easiest things to do.
Your body is mostly water.
The percentage of water in your body varies from individual to individual. Older people have less fluid, which makes it harder to stay hydrated as you age. Dehydration can affect all parts of the body. It can make you tired, interfere with temperature regulation, make joints ache, and may cause mental confusion, which can be mistaken for dementia in seniors. Carrying a bottle of water with you and sipping on it frequently through the morning, then replenishing it at mid-morning, noon, mid-afternoon, and evening, ensures you’re getting adequate water.
Remember to drink a glass of water before every meal.
You’ll be doing yourself a big favor by drinking water a half-hour before a meal. Not only will you stay hydrated, but you’ll also improve your potential to lose weight. One study showed that people who drank a glass of water a few minutes before eating consumed less food and lost approximately 40% more weight than the control group who didn’t. If you make the glass of water icy cold, you’ll also burn a few extra calories. The icy water cools down your insides and the body has to warm it again, which causes the extra calories to burn.
Switch out sugary drinks or coffee with water.
If you normally have a soft drink during the day, make it water instead. Some people don’t like water and if you’re one of those people, there’s still hydration hope. Try infused water. Infused water is water that’s had slices of fruit, herbs, or vegetables in it, which are then removed. What’s left is water with the flavor of the fruit, herb, or vegetable. It’s almost devoid of calories and can be a real taste treat that’s hydrating and thirst-quenching.
- Set the alarm on your smartphone to ring every 30 minutes as a reminder to drink more water. If you’re busy or just tend to forget, it’s a good reminder. You won’t have to worry about dehydration since you’ll drink more if you’re thirsty.
- You can increase your water intake with food. While drinking water plays an important role in hydration, so does the food you eat. Eating fruits and veggies high in water content can help. Watermelon, for instance, is 91% water and celery is 95% water.
- Avoid a hangover by drinking water. The headache and fatigue of a hangover are often due to dehydration. Drink a glass of water between alcoholic beverages, before you go to bed, or first thing in the morning to avoid the problem.
- Make it a habit to drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Some people prefer a cold glass of water to get them going, but others prefer cool, to avoid shocking their system.
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