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Yes! This is another “drink more water” post. And do you know why? Because there’s a good chance that you NEED MORE WATER!
I’m sure you’ve heard about the benefits of keeping hydrated. The Mayo Clinic lists the following benefits of good hydration:
- Regulates body temperature
- Moistens tissues in the eyes, nose and mouth
- Protects body organs and tissues
- Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells
- Lubricates joints
- Lessens burden the on kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products
- Helps dissolve minerals and nutrients to make them accessible to your body
But did you know that there are lesser known benefits of drinking water? Check it out!
Improved mood AND improved sexual health? Excuse me while I go fill up my water bottle ;).
How do I know if I’m getting enough water?
Your body is very smart and knows exactly what it needs. Sometimes we just have to practice to understand what it’s telling us. Six of the major signs of dehydration include thirst, darker colored urine, urinating less, headache, dizziness, fatigue and confusion.
How to increase water intake
Getting enough water can sometimes be a challenge for many of us. There are so many more tempting beverages out there, and sometimes water can be just plain boring. Below are a few ways to increase water intake.
- Find fun ways to track your water intake. This could be done by something as simple carrying a pre-marked water bottle with mini motivations, moving a rubber band every hour you drink your water, competing with friends, or even techy apps and water bottles like HidrateSpark to monitor water the “smart” way
- Zhush up your water by adding fruit, mint leaves or flavor drops.
- Make it routine. Tie it in with the things you do on a routine basis, such as when you first wake up, brush your teeth, while cooking dinner, or have a glass before you drink your alternate beverage of choice.
- Get an ice maker. This is seriously one of the biggest game-changers in my water increase. I got a pretty basic one which meets my needs, but it’s nice to always have clean ice (that doesn’t taste like the fridge). Of course, if you can’t live without your nugget ice, I’ve definitely got my eye on this one:
Now that you have some ideas to increase your water intake, you may be wondering how much water is appropriate. You should aim for about 2.7 liters of water per day if you are female, and 3.7 liters per day if male (Mayo Clinic).
So there you have it. Just another post about water. Go ahead and take it as a reminder to drink up!
Stay hydrated,
Jacoy
