It's all about Dihydrogen oxide!

​I want to share with you the first step I always take when looking at my wellness and what I need to improve.  It involves water!  Yes!  It's obvious, but increasing the amount of water, I drink daily is a priority.  You have likely heard all of the reasons, and may even feel some guilt about this so I will share my perspective with you.  

A few years ago, I did deep-diving research into the CDC website on reasons for death in every decade of life.  I then compiled the information with the associated diseases and then found 10 common things a person could do to reduce their risk of dying and even more importantly suffering for a long, long time.  I am not afraid of dying, but I do not want to suffer from long-term illness and be confined to a recliner in my older years.  I take that back any of my years…  

We need to drink enough water daily to keep our body tissues healthy.  First of all, without enough water in our body, the blood volume goes down, blood vessels constrict, and the heart has to beat faster.  (This alone can cause anxiety in people susceptible to heart rate changes associated with panic attacks).  Then, think about the organs that are affected?  Kidneys and the Liver are the first that come to my mind.  These organs need consistent, pure water to flush out toxins and clean the blood system.  When we don't have enough, these organs must work much harder and can not do the job adequately.  The other organ that we don't think about is our brain.  When we don't have enough water, our mental cognitive ability can go offline in a hurry.  Brain fog, memory loss, reduced computation skills, anxiety, irritability, depression, and fatigue can all start happening with a 2% body water decrease.  If you are chronically dehydrated, what happens?  Think years and years of not getting enough water?  Well, the brain cells can shrink, and it contributes to quicker cognitive decline in older adults.  

However, the biggest thing I want you to think about is mental and physical fatigue.  In sports science, we know dehydration is the first thing that decreases physical performance.  If you want peak performance from your mind and body, let's talk about how to ensure you are getting enough water daily!  


How Much Water?  

There has been a huge debate about this for as long as I can remember.  The most common range is eight glasses of 8 oz a day (64 oz or ½ gallon) and up to 1 gallon daily (think the #75 hard challenge).  I am not going to give you a specific number.  I want you to pick a starting target point and work up to that number.  Honestly, I have tried to drink a gallon of water in a day and cannot do it.  This is sad because I wanted to complete the #75 hard challenge.  (See the picture of water bottles—this was my attempt.  This is what 1 gallon looks like in the water bottles I have at home).  I have settled on a base number of 64oz daily, with more on days I am outside and active.  

How to Pick Your Number: 
 
1- How many of your daily foods contain high amounts of water:  fruits and vegetables vs. processed foods.  (If you eat more processed foods and caffeine then you will need more water).  

2- How physically active you are during the day.  (More activity means more water). 

3- Physical symptoms:  Anxiety, depression, fatigue, cravings for food, and color of your urine.  (Stronger means you need to increase your water).  


Strategies for Success:

-Choose your water container carefully.  Do you need multiple that you can fill up in the morning and track the amount by how many you drank?  Do you need one container that you take with you?   
-Flavor matters:  Do you like your water infused with fruits/herbs to enhance the flavor?  Look for water infusion recipes.  I really like raspberries and mint or lemon in the morning.  There are also products like Liquid IV that can help with hydration and have different flavors.  
-Accessibility:  How close the water is to your mouth and do not forget the bathroom.  In the first few days your body will need to adjust to the increase in fluids.  You may need to plan more breaks during the first week.  
- What will you do if you forget?  Drinking lots at the end of the day will create a problem for good sleep habits…  Setting an alarm every hour is one option.  Figure out what time in the evening you need to finish by is another important number.  
-Get outside more.  It helps you be more tuned into your body and needs.  You will need more water but that can kick start or reset your thirst response.  When you are chronically dehydrated your brain adapts and may send different signals like hunger. ​ ​