By now you should know that our lifestyles, sleeping habits, what we put into our mouths and even our emotional state all contribute to a number of issues - or hopefully, the lack of them. I have discussed a number of subjects over the last couple of months. If you've only signed up for this letter recently and would like to know more about the previous letters, feel free to reach out anytime!
For a quick read on how your habits affect your health, you can catch me in Rise and Shine magazine's 2nd edition. Go and get your digital copy at www.riseandshinehouse.com and follow them @riseandshinehouse1.
Did you know ... 55 - 78% of our bodies are made up of water?
Our brains are made up of about 73% water, and so are our hearts, cool isn't it? Even our bones contain up to 31% water and our kidneys 79% And of course, our muscles - they also consist of about 79% water. Lastly, our lungs are made up of 83% water. But enough of the cuts and gore. I'm guessing you've developed an idea as to the topic of the day? You guessed it - DEHYDRATION! What is dehydration? Dehydration takes place when we lose more fluid than we take in; it is the absence of sufficient water percentage in our bodies. Losing as little as 1.5% of our bodies water can cause those irritating symptoms of mild dehydration, like headaches. Sound familiar? Sure it does, we've all experienced this before. Our first natural response to dehydration will of course be thirst, which we will avoid by consuming fluids (preferably water). Mild dehydration can look different in adults and children, as seen here:
What does mild dehydration look like? How many of these symptoms do you experience regularly? There's an easy solution to these problems!
Headaches
Tiredness (fatigue)
Occasional dizziness, weakness or light-headedness
Dry mouth, and in some cases, dry cough
High heart rate but low blood pressure (our hearts work harder when there's less water in the blood)
Low appetite along with sugar cravings
Swollen feet and muscle cramps (loss of electrolytes like sodium and potassium)
Heat intolerance or even chills
Constipation
Dark coloured urine (FYI, it should be clear)
You just realized you might be mildly dehydrated, didn't you? If you just reached for your water bottle, I am proud of you. If you didn't, GO DRINK WATER!!! (But only after you've done reading ...)
Dehydration doesn't only show itself by giving you swollen feet and hard poops. Dehydration can also manifest psychological symptoms. I know, that's pretty freaky ... What does this look like then? The following symptoms can also be indications of dehydration: Confusion, memory loss, crankiness and feeling anxious. Remember that your brain consists of 73% water? It's no surprise that the brain needs to be hydrated to function properly then. Severe dehydration can shrink the blood vessels in our brains, affecting memory and coordination.
Is it starting to make sense why hydration is such an important aspect of your health and performance? If you take a look at the picture above you might even think that all those health guru's who are always preaching about sodas and sugary drinks might have a point ... drinks with a high sugar content might even add to the possibility of you becoming dehydrated, if that's all you are drinking.
Why is drinking water so important? To summarise (no-one wants to die of information overload):
Water helps with our digestion by aiding in the production of saliva, stomach acid and intestinal fluids: all crucial for digestion and expulsion.
Water is important for the production of joint fluids, which helps our joints move smoothly and effectively.
The water we consume is absorbed by our intestines and released through our bodies in various forms like, for instance, blood.
Our bones aren't dry. Did you know that? Our bones consist of about 30% water, so it's crucial to drink enough water to keep our bones and marrow functioning the way they are supposed to. I guess the person who thought of the saying "as dry as a bone" has some explaining to do!
We need water to regulate our body temperature; aka sweat. You don't want to be sweating out more water than you're consuming now ... unless you want to look like a shrivelled up raisin by the time you are 40 ...
Water is very important when it comes to balancing your body chemicals, because all the chemical reactions in your body are pretty important to keep us functioning like a well-oiled (or well-watered) machine.
Nearly there ...
How can you treat or avoid dehydration? Drink WATER!!! It is really as simple as that. If you suspect that you are mildly dehydrated, adding a hydration sachet to your water can relieve the symptoms in a matter of minutes! Set a target. If 3 litres of water a day sounds a bit much, start with 2 litres, or even 1.5 litres. You'll be surprised how quickly your body starts asking for that water. An ideal amount would be approximately 1 litre of water for every 30kg of your body weight (even a bit more if it's very hot or you want to lose some weight). Always keep your filled water bottle handy. If you have a filled water bottle with you, you'll most likely be less tempted to drink other liquids which might speed up the dehydration process, like caffeine or alcohol. No, you need not completely cut out these beverages, but drinking 3 litres of coffee is not going to have the same effect as drinking 3 litres of water! If the bulk of your liquid intake is coffee or energy drinks (or alcohol?), slowly start by replacing them with water. There is nothing wrong with having a cup or two of coffee early in the morning - having the same in alcohol might be frowned upon however. Many people are of the opinion that water just tastes too horrible. But what's more important? Your health or your tastebuds? You'll never be hydrated if you don't even TRY! Add a drop or two of lemon juice, or drink sparkling water if you must. Or try these
So there you have it folks: the ins and outs of hydration. In case you missed this life-saving tip: DRINK WATER! Be well, Cheerio - Esté Should you be considering hiring a health coach, I offer a 3-month Habit Transformation program, as well as a 6-month Weight Management program. For more information about coaching packages you can simply reply to this e-mail with COACHING in the subjest line!
Introducing TeachWell, our new educator based programme!!!
Are you a teacher? Are you concerned about your health and wellness? Would you like your school to host a Wellness Day for you and your colleagues? Click on the link below to find out more!