How Hydrated Are You?

Are you drinking enough water? There are many factors that play into how much water each individual should be consuming throughout the day. But not getting enough can wreak havoc on your body. Why is it so important? Water accounts for 50% to 80% of our body weight depending on our lean body mass, it helps your body function properly and it removes toxins from the body. It is an essential nutrient that is required for digestion, transportation, absorption, dissolving nutrients, eliminating waste and controlling your body temperature. How do we become dehydrated? Everyday we lose water through the breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. Thirst isn’t always going to be the best indicator of hydration. Sometimes by the time we feel thirsty our body is already suffering from dehydration. What are symptoms of dehydration? Stress, forgetfulness, agitation, headaches and fatigue are only a handful of the symptoms you might feel when you are dehydrated. If you pay close attention and notice any of these coming on, hit the pause button and drink a glass of water.

Are you eating the right foods to stay hydrated? About 20% of your daily intake of water comes from your foods and the rest from drinks. Raw foods like berries, cucumbers and celery are a good source of water. How much water do you need to consume in a day? It is going to vary for each of us depending to some extent on our metabolism, physical activities and the environment we live in. A good rule to go by is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water. If you are in a hot climate, have a physical job or do exercise strenuously you might need more than that. If you aren’t drinking much water now start small and increase your intake gradually. If water isn’t your favorite try spicing it up with cucumber, mint or lemon.

Get the best advice for your care. Call now to make an appointment with our Beaverton Chiropractors at (503) 439-9494