Why do I need to drink water?
10 Reasons you need to Hydrate
We are constantly being told we need to drink more water, but why and how much water should I drink?
In my effort to always keep things simple (I’m all about the KISS – Keep it Simple Stupid), I could just say yes and send you off with a chart to tick when you hit 2 + litres a day. But generally, humans don’t do stuff until they have a good reason to. Knowing why and what might happen if you don’t keep up with the H20, helps in the whole adherence thing.
Research suggests that up to 75% of the population is dehydrated. That’s huge! And we aren’t talking about those unfortunate enough not to have access to clean drinking water, we are talking about the population who can turn on a tap any time of day and night. This is the kind of marginal dehydration that you may not even notice. Low energy, poor or dry skin, difficulty concentrating, slight constipation, irritability, slight headache, all things that could easily be attributed to different things.
Your body is about 60% water and you are losing it all day long. Of course, the amount will depend on a number of factors, activity levels, sweating, urination, age, body composition (fatty tissue contains less water than lean tissue), but it all needs constant topping up.
How much water is enough
There are endless studies on ‘how much water is enough’. People worry and overthink it like so many other things. Some people worry they might be drinking too much. Let’s get real, if you can manage 2-3 litres of water a day, you will be way ahead of most of the population. Just get this nailed and stop worrying.
So, how do you actually get this much water in, and what counts as water?
Let’s hit the easy button here…
Measure out 2 litres of water in a jug, see what that looks like.
Pour a measure into your fave glass – how many glasses does it take to empty the jug?
Boom, that’s your baseline.
Now drink a glass as soon as you wake up in the morning, another with every meal and the rest through the day.
DONE!
Do other drinks count as water?
Yes, some, but let’s be sensible. Sure, you could count fizzy pop, but the sh*tstorm of other crap in there totally negates the benefit. Fruit & herbal teas, go for your life. Caffeinated drinks; to an extent, but again, like so many other dietary considerations, when the body is dealing with other compounds, the benefit of something can be lost. Soups, milk, smoothies, yes, they all contain water, but I’ll say it again…
“Stop overthinking and keep it simple”
Concentrate on plain old water, and build other drinks around that and you won’t go wrong. .
So, here's the 10 reasons......
1. Skin – You’ve seen a dehydrated plant right? Dry & wrinkly!
2. Digestion, Waste & Kidney Function – Passing pebbles is no fun; soften up those stools!!! Also, needed for sweat and urine production – we don’t need all those waste products hanging around in our body any longer than necessary. Kidney stones can be linked to dehydration.
3. Blood – Blood is 90% water and carries oxygen around the body and to the brain, pretty important!
4. Lubrication – Dehydration can lead to reduced shock absorption capability of cartilage in the joint and discs in the spine. Painful!
5. Slobber chops – Saliva and mucus prevent friction and damage in eyes, mouth, nose and throat. These are essential for digestion and also supporting a clear airway (asthma sufferers take note) Drinking water also helps keep the mouth clean.
6. Temperature Regulation – you need water to sweat. Not enough water can cause heat storage, which will create a strain on the body.
7. Blood Pressure. Dehydration can cause thicker blood which increases blood pressure.
8. Hormone function – Water is required to support hormone function and production, and with over 52 hormone sending signals around the body, we don’t want to mess with the messages (really relevant in menopause too!)
9. Brain Function – As well as being essential for cognitive function, water also plays a role in cushioning the brain and spinal cord. If ever there was a reason to drink more water – keeping your grey matter happy is pretty high on my list!
10. Nutrition – lots of vitamins and minerals are water soluble, without an adequate supply, the body can’t absorb them.
Right, hope you found that useful; reckon these nuggets will get you downing the ogin ?
Before you go – work up a thirst and do a #giveit10
10 burpees – GO!
Cheers
Jennie 🙂 x
Here’s a few more resources you might find useful
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dehydration
https://nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/hydration/adults-teens
https://healthline.com/health/body-water-percentage
https://journals.healio.com/doi/10.3928/00989134-20200108-03
