Why is what so important?
Water is one of the most important nutrients our body needs and is often ignored, which is crazy as your body can survive 5/6 weeks without food but without water you’ll only last 3/5 days! So become a fish!
Our body needs water to regulate temperature, transport nutrients and oxygen, flush toxins and waste away as well as keeping moisture in our body tissues, like the eyes, mouth and nose. On average the body is made up of 50% to 75% of water, so to ignore it is crazy.
How much should I drink per day?
Research of how much water to drink changes all of the time, some say to thirst, some say 8 pints per day. But the easiest way to see through all the mumbo jumbo is to listen to your body. If you see signs you need to drink more then do it. These signs can be excessive thirst, fatigue, headaches, dry mouth, little or no urination throughout the day, muscle weakness, dizziness and light-headedness. If you notice these then make a conscious effort to drink more throughout the day.
Reasons you may suddenly need to drink more water can be from hot and humid temperatures, increased exercise or activity levels, Illness (Fever, diarrhoea and vomiting can all be a cause of water loss), diets high in fibre, high volumes of caffeine and alcohol (these are diuretics so urination will increase to levels more than normal).
Always check your urine to asses your need for water, if it’s a dark colour, strong odor, or you are going to the bathroom less than 4 times per day, then you need to increase your water consumption.
Four easy ways to up your water consumption:
- On waking have a glass of water whilst the kettle boils
- Carry a bottle with you to work to leave nearby
- Set targets of how many bottles to get through by set points in the day. i.e one 500ml by lunch, another 500ml through lunch and the remainder of the afternoon, another when you arrive home from work.
- Have a glass of water every other coffee/tea to lower caffeine consumption and up water intake.