How is your hydration?

We constantly hear that we should be drinking 8 glasses of water a day. Most people take this as a suggestion of how to be healthy and not a necessity. But why is drinking the proper amount of water a day important? We’ll tell you! Dehydration can cause a wide variety of symptoms and even lead to some health conditions.

Common symptoms of dehydration are:

• Headaches and/or poor concentration
• Fatigue
• Dark colored Urine
• Dizziness and/or low blood pressure
• Nausea

Proper hydration is specific to a person based on gender and quantity of physical activity or how much you are sweating. Doctors recommend that the following rules of proper hydration be followed to maintain adequate hydration:

• About 15.5 cups of fluids a day for men
• About 11.5 cups of fluids a day for women

Important factors to consider when trying to maintain proper hydration are:

• Exercise/Physical Activity: If you participate in activity that makes you sweat, drink extra water to make up for lost fluids.
• Environment: Hot or humid weather can cause an increased volume of sweat, requiring additional fluid intake.
• Overall health: when you have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, it is important to drink more water in order to compensate for the loss.

In one study, it was found that some middle-aged individuals who were not adequately hydrated on a consistent basis were more likely to develop chronic diseases. The diseases could include heart failure, kidney stones, diabetes, chronic lung disease, and cognitive diseases like dementia. Chronic dehydration causes your body and skin to age faster as well. The health and elasticity in your skin are strongly affected by water levels within the body. When thinking about ways to rehydrate, you should focus primarily on water but can also consider low-sugar options as well like flavored waters or diet sports drinks. Not only are sugary sports drinks unhealthy for you but can also exacerbate dehydration.

To prevent dehydration, make water your beverage of choice. A simple way to stay on top of your water intake:

• Drink water with each meal and between meals
• Before, during and after exercise
• or if you feel thirsty

Did you know that…?

Often times, fatigue can actually be caused by dehydration. So, if you feel more fatigued than usual, try drinking water before running to caffeine.