I’ve always known that keeping your body properly hydrated is important but understanding why and actually doing it are two different things. Most of my fluids came from coffee, almond milk, an occasional soda or wine. Water was only consumed during the night or while exercising and I didn’t do much of that…exercising that is!
Keeping your body properly hydrated is important because our bodies depend on it to keep us alive. Every tissue, cell and organ in our bodies require water to function properly. Water also helps us to maintain our bodies temperature, eliminate waste and keeps our joints lubricated and moving.
According to www.familydoctor.org some common signs of dehydration include:
- Little or no urine
- Urine that is darker than usual
- Dry Mouth
- Extreme thirst
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Lightheaded or Dizzy
- No tears when crying
They recommend that you not wait until you notice symptoms of dehydration but rather actively prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of water each day.
In January 2016, I was experiencing extreme thirst, and drinking water by the pitcher full and not being satisfied. I began to feel exhausted and was having a hard time breathing and decided I should go to the doctor. I found an urgent care that accepted my insurance and went in thinking I might have gotten altitude sickness, pneumonia or bronchitis while on vacation in Colorado and ended up in ICU with Diabetic Ketoacidosis for four days! (To learn more about DKA: http://www.drugs.com/health-guide/diabetic-ketoacidosis.html) This was a life changing experience for me as I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and am now insulin dependent the rest of my life. What a shocker.
Since getting out of the hospital I have made staying hydrated part of my wellness plan and here are a few tips that I have used to be sure I drink plenty of water every day.
- Drink 8 oz. of room temperature water as soon as I get out of bed in the morning.
- I now drink decaffeinated coffee so it counts as fluid intake – 2 cups which gives me another 16 – 20 oz.
- Mid-morning, I fix a large glass of water with ice and add an Arbonne Fizz stick. Pomegranate is my favorite flavor but they also have Citrus which is very refreshing. I drink two thirds of that cup and refill and drink that as well with the melted ice. This gives me another 32 oz. of fluid before lunch.
- At lunch I typically drink another 8-16 oz. of water with fresh squeezed lemon
- Mid-afternoon, I do the same Fizz stick regimen giving me another 32 oz. and then I am pretty much done for the day unless I have water with dinner or a cup of hot tea in the evening then I might get another 16 oz.
By drinking this much fluid on a daily basis it helps keep my sugars from building up, keeps my skin looking fresh and me feeling alive!
Are you up for a Water Challenge? How do you stay hydrated? Do you find it hard to drink enough water? What are your challenges?