Hydration: The Most Underrated Health Hack

We use the word dehydration everyday but if we really knew what it actually meant for our body; we’d all look at water a little differently. It’s when we lose more fluids than we take in, leaving an insufficient amount of water to perform all our bodily functions. Considering we seem to be obsessed with wellness, spending our hard-earned cash on the latest unproven fad, it’s doesn’t make sense that so many of us neglect something simple, cheap but absolutely essential for optimal health – water.  

Why Hydration impacts how you feel

Getting enough water and staying well hydrated can be the difference between feeling energised and focused throughout the day or struggling through it; in fact, being just 2% dehydrated can affect us physically and mentally. 

If you’re wondering whether you’re dehydrated or not; your body is trying to let you know; signs include dry mouth, fatigue, headache, dizziness and urinating less than 4 times a day, dark coloured urine and of course thirst. It might seem surprising that anyone would allow themselves to develop a dehydration headache or risk low energy, but it’s actually really easy to miss the initial subtle signs, especially on a busy day.  

Make it a habit!

So, make it easy on yourselves, take out the guesswork and make drinking throughout the day a habit. The starting point is knowing approximately how much liquid your body needs; multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.033 = recommended water intake per day in Litres. After that, make adjustments based on your lifestyle. If you’re physically active or it’s a hot day, you’ll need more. 

The real tip in that paragraph is “make it a habit”. I promise you, if you only have a drink every time you feel thirsty and you need to go to another room to get it, you will drink far less than if you always have a bottle of water nearby. It’s convenient and a reminder to take a sip. Plus, sipping throughout the day is more effective for hydration rather than chugging a big glass of water at once.

If you don’t love plain water…

I keep using water as an example because I’m a nutritionist, water is my favourite drink, and I do think it’s enough to keep most of us hydrated. But, if you don’t love plain water, make it more enjoyable by adding flavour and other liquids count too. Nonetheless, I do suggest being mindful of what else might be in your drink e.g. caffeine or sugar. Other than water, herbal teas and bone broths are two of my favourite drinks for hydration and added health benefits. Soups and smoothies are great too. 
Eat your water!

A final hydration tip I love, is to eat your water. Some fruit and vegetables are over 90% water including watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, melon, celery, strawberries. Make these regular snacks and get hydration, vitamins, minerals, fibre – win win!
If you take anything from this blog; it should be that staying hydrated is probably the most underrated health hack. Whether you have specific health goals, or you just want to feel your best; optimising your hydration is absolutely key.