At Last - A Miracle Drink, Water

Water, it’s impossible to live without it. It is the most essential element the body needs for survival. One of the most effective ways you can improve your overall health is very simple…drink more water. Proper hydration is vital for everyone, not just active individuals. Water regulates body temperature, protects internal organs, improves digestion, transports essential nutrients, and flushes waste and toxins from your body. Water is also the ultimate moisturizer for our skin.

With all the things Moms have to do, it’s no wonder you may not drink as much water as you should. Frequent headaches and fatigue are among the most common signs of dehydration. Many of us don’t realize we suffer from dehydration because we blame headache, fatigue and dizziness on other causes.

How can you tell if you are dehydrated? An easy way is to check the color of your urine. If your urine looks like the color of apple juice you are probably dehydrated. Urine should be very pale yellow to clear. A caution, however, certain vitamins and prescription medications can cause the urine to appear darker. Check with your pharmacist.

How much water do you need? The correct answer, of course, varies from person to person. Every day you lose water from sweating, exhaling, urinating and bowel movements.

The most common rule is the “8 glasses a day rule”. This is a general starting point, but here are several factors that can influence your water needs:

1. Environment – Hot or humid weather requires additional water intake to help lower your body temperature and to replace what you lose.

2. Exercise – If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat you’ll need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss.

3. Health conditions – Fever, vomiting, diarrhea can cause your body to lose extra fluids.

4. Pregnancy or Breast feeding – women who are pregnant or breastfeeding require additional water to stay hydrated.

Bottom line. Drink before you are thirsty. Thirst alone isn’t always an adequate gauge of your body’s need for a drink. Thirst tells us we are already dehydrated. Make water drinking a daily part of your normal routine. Keep a water bottle on hand and drink from it throughout the day. If you have difficulty with enjoying water, try squeezing some lemon or lime juice into it.

Start drinking your way to better health today. Your body will thank you.