The Nurse Nutritionist
Summer has finally arrived in Western New York on both the
calendar and how it feels outside. So now is a great time to review the
importance of keeping well hydrated. During the warm summer months we are often
outside gardening, bike riding, walking, and mowing. This increased activity
combined with perspiring can lead to dehydration unless you’re careful that
your input equals your output. With this in mind, many clients ask, “How much
water do I need to drink daily”? Apparently the conventional wisdom of drinking
eight glasses a day was only a guideline and not based on scientific evidence.
So I often tell people to take their weight (in pounds), divide it in half, and
drink that number in ounces. This too is just a guideline because the amount of
fluids a person needs daily is unique to them. According to nephrologist Steven
Guest, MD, “Fluid losses occur continuously, from skin evaporation, breathing,
urine, and stool, and these losses must be replaced daily for good health”. A
good rule of thumb is to look at the color of your urine. Is it dark yellow or
orange in color or does it have a strong smell? These may be signs you’re not
drinking enough. Urine should be a pale yellow to a clear color. If you are
thirsty, this is the most obvious sign you need to hydrate more. It is a good
practice to drink more water when you are not thirsty then to wait until you’re
thirsty. Dry skin is another sign of dehydration, as is pinching the skin on
your hand. If it takes more than a few seconds to return to normal, this is a
sign of dehydration. When exercising, the American College of Sports Medicine
guidelines recommend that “people drink about 17 ounces of fluid about two
hours before exercise. During exercise, they recommend people start drinking
fluids early, and drink them at regular intervals to replace fluids lost by
sweating”.
The role of water in the human body is vital to our
survival. We are anywhere from 55% to 78% water depending on our size, but a
rule of thumb is 2/3 of our body consists of water. In addition:
·
The brain consists of 90% water
·
Bone consists of 22% water
·
Blood consists of 83% water
·
Muscle consists of 75% water
Even more than dehydration though, drinking water has many
health benefits. Some of which include:
·
Drinking water may help with headaches and
fatigue. Since the brain is 90% water, if you become dehydrated, the brain
can’t function as well and you may get a headache. In addition, hydrating may
help you be more alert and able to concentrate better.
·
Water helps with maintain normal bowel function
and prevent constipation. If you don’t drink enough water then the colon will
pull water from your stools to help maintain hydration and you get constipated.
·
Hydrating helps with muscle cramps and fatigued
muscles. “When muscle cells don’t have adequate fluids, they don’t work as well
and performance can suffer,” says Dr. Guest. Water helps keep muscles and
joints lubricated as well as giving them the electrolytes to function properly.
·
Water helps to detoxify us. The main toxin in
our bodies is blood urea nitrogen. This toxin is excreted through our kidneys.
Water helps flush toxins and waste products through our kidneys and out of our
bodies.
·
Drinking water helps you to lose weight. Often
times people mistake thirst for hunger. Also water flushes out the by-products
of fat breakdown. There are no calories in water either. The next time you are
hungry drink a glass of water prior to eating something.
·
Keeping hydrated helps your skin look younger.
“Dehydration makes your skin look drier and more wrinkled, which can be
improved with proper hydration,” says dermatologist Kenneth Ellner, MD. Water
helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturize skin, and increases skin
elasticity.
You can increase your water intake by having a glass of
water with every snack and meal Think about keeping a bottle of water with you
in your bag or desk. In addition, try eating lots of fruit and vegetables
(about 20% of our fluid intake comes from food). If you don’t like the taste of
water add some lemon or a squirt of juice.
Remember, drinking a healthy amount of water is not only
healthy it is vital to your health, so drink up!
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