Are you drinking enough water?

Are you drinking enough water?

If you are drinking less than 8 glasses a day, you’re probably not drinking enough water. In most cases, you want to be drinking half of your body weight in ounces every day (for example: if you weigh 150 lbs., you should be drinking about 75 oz. of water per day, which is a bit more than 9 glasses a day).

The many benefits of water may surprise you. Water intake goes far beyond just quenching our thirst. Water plays a vital role in all of our body systems and makes up most of our organs and tissues. Not drinking enough water can be the cause of many common health problems. 

If you’re dealing with any of the following issues, you probably need to be drinking more water. Get your water intake up and watch these complaints disappear.

-          Weight management

-          Constipation

-          Dry skin or acne

-          Muscle cramps

-          Stiff joints

-          Headaches

Water helps with:

1.       Weight management. A lot of times those hunger signals you think you feel are really due to dehydration and your body’s need for more water. Feeling hungry shortly after you ate? Try drinking a glass of water and waiting for 10-15 minutes before reaching for a snack. A lot of times, that glass of water will take care of those hunger signals, and save you from those extra calories that you didn’t really need.

2.       Detox. We hear the word detox all of the time, but what does it really mean? It simply means eliminating toxins from your body. One of the greatest ways to help your body do this is to drink enough water. Water helps flush out your cells, helps improve your digestion (by keeping you regular and preventing constipation), and helps your liver and kidney flush out the toxins they are working so hard to process and eliminate. Without enough water, those toxins can get stuck in your organs and literally create a toxic environment in your body. Don’t let dehydration ruin your detox efforts.

3.       Improved Digestion. Water keeps your entire digestive tract lubricated. This can help “keep things moving” and prevent constipation. Did you know that you should be pooping every day? If you’re not pooping daily, dehydration may be to blame. Your digestion and colon help to eliminate toxins from your body and if things aren’t moving through regularly, your body may be holding on to toxins rather than eliminating them.

4.       Better skin. Is dehydration making your skin look dry and wrinkled? It’s very possible that dehydration is the cause and getting that extra water in can help your skin look moisturized and fuller, actually making you look younger. There is a reason that facial products all tend to promote that they “moisturize” your skin, because your skin needs moisture to be healthy, and look young! The detoxing benefits of water can also help decrease skin outbreaks including acne.

5.       Healthy muscles and joints. Your muscles and joints need water to keep moving efficiently and stay lubricated. If you find yourself with stiff joints or muscle cramps, especially after exercise, a lack of water may be the cause. Water helps replenish and balance your electrolytes too, which can help prevent muscle cramps.

6.       Less headaches and improved brain function. Did you know that your brain is 75% water? That means that without water, your brain can’t function properly. Sufficient water makes sure that your brain has sufficient blood flow and that your brain cells have what they need to work and help you think clearly. Headaches are often caused by dehydration so drinking more water can actually help prevent headaches. Dehydration can also make the headaches you get worse. So, increase your water intake to help decrease the severity and frequency of headaches, and maintain your brain function.

I’ll be honest, the most common answer I get when I ask patients how much water they drink is “not enough.” That means that you know you should be drinking more water, but still aren’t doing it! Check out the easy tips below to increase your water intake and start eliminating your excuses (and your toxins!). (And no, coffee and alcohol do NOT count toward your daily water intake!)

Tips to increase your water intake:

1.       Carry water with you, ALL the time. Keep a (stainless steel or glass) water bottle with you wherever you go to make sure you always have water available. Keep it full and make sure you get a steady stream of water into your body throughout the day. Every time you see it, that water bottle will act as a reminder to drink more water throughout the day.

2.       Drink water throughout the day. People try to chug a huge amount of water at once and then find themselves running to the bathroom. If you drink smaller amounts of water all day long, your body will be able to process and utilize it more efficiently, and you won’t find yourself running to the bathroom more than you need to.

a.       For example, if your goal is to drink 8 glasses of water a day and you have approximately 16 hours to drink it in, assuming that you are sleeping for 8 hours a night (wouldn’t that be nice?!), that equates to 1 glass of water­ every 2 hours. Drinking one glass of water every two hours sounds pretty doable to me!

3.       Start your day with a full glass of water. Keep a glass of water by your bed, and start your day by drinking a whole glass when you wake up in the morning. This helps set the tone for your body for the whole day. Start your day hydrated and your body will want to keep it up, all day long.

4.       Don’t wait until you’re thirsty. If you are feeling thirsty, then you’re already dehydrated. Think about the times when you feel the thirstiest, and start drinking water before you do those things. The most common activity that leads to thirst is exercise, so make sure you’re drinking water before and during your exercise to avoid that post-work-out dehydration which can also cause increased fatigue and muscle cramps. ­

5.       Avoid other beverages. Of course a cup of coffee in the morning is totally fine, but skipping those extra beverages later in the day (like juice and soda) and replacing them with water is a great way to increase your water intake, and decrease those unwanted extra sugar and calories.

Water is essential to your health and body functions, so make sure you’re drinking enough water EVERY DAY. Don’t be one of those “I know I’m not drinking enough water” people. Get your water intake up!

Contact Dr. Christina Sahni today to ask any questions you might have about your water intake or schedule an appointment!