We’ve written about hydration before (around Christmas time…. all the excess of drinking taking its toll!) but during the summer it is important to keep hydrated too. Are you drinking enough water?
Hot summer days (hopefully they’ll be here soon!), days on the beach (yes please) and a few summer cocktails, it’s a recipe for dehydration. So how do you know if you are dehydration? and how much water should you be drinking? We recap and take another look….
Put simply, dehydration occurs when your body does not have as much water and fluids as it should.
Drinking plenty of water everyday is vital for our bodies to function at their best. And if we don’t, all sorts of issues can start to occur since our bodies are made from about 70% water!
Your vital organs cannot function at their best. Think about it…. your filtration organs (kidney, liver, bladder and digestive tract) need water to filter out the toxins from your body properly, If they can’t do that you will feel lethargic, sluggish and generally worn down.
Have you been sleeping badly? Is your skin blemished? Your hair dull? Maybe you even feel constipated?
Joints and muscles, digestion, skin, energy levels, allergies, weight control, mental and emotional problems, insomnia and blood disorders are just a few areas quickly affected by water intake.
So, how much water should we be drinking each day?
Ideally, your water intake should be half of your body weight in ounces.
For example, someone who weighs 166 lbs should drink 83 ounces of water per day – that’s 2.3 litres. It might sound like a lot, but if you keep a bottle or large glass of water with you or on your desk, you can sip away!
Of course, here at Torbay Chiropractic Clinic, we always recommend you up your intake of water, it is so important, especially after being adjusted to help the body eliminate toxins to heal and repair itself.
Let’s look at the top signs you need to top up your water levels.
A banging head!
And not just from a night out (although this is dehydration), when your hydration levels drop, a chemical reaction occurs in your blood which your brain is highly sensitive to. Your brain reacts by triggering a headache. The headache gets worse the more water you lose, as the more your blood volume drops, the less oxygen flows to your brain. This causes your blood vessels to dilate and your headache to get worse! Scary!
Muscle cramps
Do your muscles ache and feel sore? It could be down to dehydration. Our muscles need water, and lots of it! If they don’t get the water they need lactic acid collects and they become stiff and sore.
Clogged pipes!
You need water in system to get things moving, with out adequate hydration you r body can’t move your food waste efficiently, resulting in constipation.
Always hungry?
Often, an early sign of thirst is a feeling of being peckish. Try a glass of water first, it might be a drink you need rather than a chocolate bar or packet of crisps.
You’re making me so DIZZY!
Blood volume and pressure drops when you are dehydrated. The outcome – dizziness or light-headedness. Do you get a sudden rush of light-headedness when you stand up quickly? If so, reach for the water.
Dark wee
This one is easy to detect, dark yellow wee often means your urine is over concentrated with waste! Water down the waste and look for pale straw coloured wee!
It’s getting hot in here!
A well hydrated body can regulate body temperature. If you are getting a bit hot under the collar it could be a sign you need to up your water intake. When we are hot we sweat, if you don’t have enough water in your body you can’t sweat and cool yourself down, quickly overheating.
A dry mouth
Simple. You need more water when your mouth feels dry. It’s a naturally moist environment so when it’s dry you are already dehydrated!
Skin isn’t bouncing back
Try this quick test – pinch the skin on the back of your hand, if it bounces back quickly you are hydrated, it is take a while to go back, you need to reach for the water!
Zzzzz…
Fatigue during the day, even when you’ve had a good night sleep can be a sign of dehydration.
It doesn’t take much to become dehydrated, so, if all fails, remember these two things:
1. Drink twice as much as it takes to quench your thirst, and
2. Drink frequently throughout the day to prevent dehydration.
Have fun this summer and remember to keep hydrated to keep your body healthy.
The Torbay Chiropractic Clinic
01803 329799