Hello and welcome back! I hope that this week is providing a bit of a break after those midterms, and that you’re finding a little more time to take care of yourself! This week, I’d like to address something super important that many of us may not even really think about – hydration. Humans cannot live without water, yet much of the time, we don’t have enough of it and might not even be aware that we need it.
Figure 1-1. Bliss Mishler. Hydration.
We’ve all had plenty of headaches, moments of fatigue/dizziness, and bouts of just feeling “off.” Sure, these can be linked to more serious health disorders, but a lot of the time, that’s simply just dehydration, even if we don’t feel thirsty! In fact, if you feel thirsty, you’re probably already dehydrated (this is especially true in older adults), and not addressing this can lead to the above symptoms, which will only worsen the longer you go without water. In fact, letting yourself become dehydrated frequently can result in low blood pressure, dry skin, and kidney problems, just to name a few issues.
Figure 1-2. Deborah (The Harvest Kitchen). Infused Water.
The solution? It’s easy – have a drink! The easiest way to cure dehydration is to simply have some water (and not sugary drinks). Now, you’ve probably heard that stated a hundred times, but it really is the best way to go. What you might not have heard though, is that it doesn’t just have to be plain old water (even though plain old water is great). Something that you can do, that I’ve also seen my peers do a lot, is put some fruit slices, or even cucumber, in your water bottle to infuse a bit of flavor into the water! You can also have some sparkling water, or even opt for green tea, which brings with it some compounds that help prevent cancer and heart disease. You could even try adding a vitamin packet into your water to get your body some other compounds that it needs.
How much water do you need? The recommended amount varies (especially if you’ve been exercising or doing other strenuous physical activities), but typical amounts should be about 11 cups of fluids per day for females, and about 16 cups per day for males. Keep in mind that consuming fruits, vegetables, soup, and other liquid-based items can count towards the total, but you should try to stick to water for the majority of your fluid intake. Keeping your fluid intakes up helps lubricate your joints, prevents infections, and allows your body to spread nutrients effectively. It also regulates your temperature, and helps keep anxiety levels down and memorization abilities up, both of which are essential to productivity and overall well being. So, next time you’re between classes, have just finished exercising, or just don’t feel quite right, get a glass or two of water! I can guarantee it’ll do wonders, and it really doesn’t take more than 30 seconds to get a glass, so it’s a quick but monumental action for which your body will be quite thankful!
Hi, it’s my first time on your blog and it’s great! Drinking water is definitely something that almost everyone struggles to do. I’ve found that I consume significantly more tea, especially green tea, than water. It’s not that water tastes bad, but I just prefer to drink other things. I have noticed, though, that as I’ve been on campus, having a bottle of water constantly on my desk reminds me to drink water, so I’ve gotten much better about it. But, you’re absolutely right. Drinking water is crucial! Thank you for reminding me, I’ll take a sip of my water now!
This is something I definitely needed to hear — I am almost always dehydrated! Water doesn’t seem like it does much, especially because we usually only associate good sleep and food with energy, but in my experience, staying hydrated gives me the most energy. Whenever I am overtired or irritable, it is usually because I didn’t drink enough that day, so when I finally drink enough to be hydrated, my entire mood flips within minutes. It’s super neat how that works!
I love this post! I am always drinking water all the time! I really hate all other kinds of drinks, so I never drink anything other than water. It really does help a lot. I have gotten so used to drinking water all the time that when I don’t have some for even a small amount of time, I start to feel dehydrated. Personally I don’t like adding flavor to my water. I just like the taste of water and really nothing else. Drinking water really does help a lot in a few different way, and it is such an important thing to remember to do. I am constantly always reminding my family to drink water and not as much sugary drinks.
This is something that I definitely needed to hear. While I do drink water, I know that I do not drink enough to the amount that is suggested. This is something that I have been working on because it is so important to be hydrated. Although I see many people put fruit in their water to add some flavor, I have never done that before. However, it is a great alternative in comparison to the sugar flavor packets. Next time, I might have to try adding some fruit!