During therapy sessions we are constantly asking patients if they would like water (H2O) between exercises. It’s an automatic question for us to ask, but why? Why is drinking H2O so important? As we get older the desire to drink lessens making us dehydrated without really knowing it. Especially during the summer months, the need to increase fluid intake becomes even more important because of increased perspiration. It is necessary to drink enough water to help with digestion, hair and skin health and even combating fatigue. Most systems in our body rely on water, such as lubrication of our joints, circulation of blood and also temperature control.
Now, how much should you be drinking? A general rule of thumb is to drink 8oz of water for every 20 pounds of body weight. So if you weight 150 pounds that’s about 7 to 8 glasses of water per day. This may sound like a lot for people, especially for those who cannot stand the taste of drinking plain water. There are some tricks to getting proper fluid intake. Adding lemon to H2O is a great way to help with digestion, as well as, boosting your immune system because of the vitamin C. Another great way to help with fluid intake is to dilute Gatorade. Gatorade can be sweet so cutting it in half with water will help. This is a great source of electrolytes which are great to ingest especially in the summer months to help your body stay balanced.
There are some applications for the Iphone or Ipad that can help you track your H2O consumption, such at WaterMinder® or Water Alert. The applications can calculate how much water you should consume, alert you when you should drink water and then you input into the application the water you consume throughout the day. These applications can help you stay on track to keeping hydrated.
So the next time someone asks you if you would like a glass of water, say “YES” Please!
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