Hydration is an important yet often overlooked aspect of health. I’m sure you have heard many people say “just drink more water”. Have a headache? Drink some water. Number one weight loss tip? Drink more water. When it’s hot out? Be sure to drink water.
But hydration is not a weight-loss fad or health gimmick. Hydration is one of the most essential parts of human life and good health.
The body interprets insufficient water intake as drought conditions that will have to be endured until the next time water is available. Although the body can seemingly function without much water intake (consider the people who drink very little water yet are still alive), a state of dehydration is stressful to the body and is not something that is meant to be endured for weeks, months, or years on end.
The 2 main functions of water in the body are:
- It impacts the shape of the cells that are found in organs, glands, muscles, brain, etc., which is essential for cells to do their job effectively; and
- It aids in the transport of several different waste products out of the body.
If water has difficulty reaching the cells in sufficient amounts, this is called dehydration. Most people are chronically dehydrated due to insufficient water intake compared to their body’s water needs.
Each human adult has a baseline water intake requirement of about 2 – 2.5 litres per day, however, intake need will increase if the following factors are present for an individual:
- Caffeine intake (coffee, cola, tea, energy drinks, all act as diuretics)
- Alcohol intake (alcohol requires water to process and eliminate)
- Medications (many medications require water to process and eliminate, some medications also act as a diuretic)
- Activity level (the more activity and the higher the intensity levels, the more water the body eliminates therefore the increased need for water)
- Sweating (hotter climates and environments increase water loss)
Since most people are in a state of constant dehydration, most would benefit from increasing their water intake. Naturally, when someone starts increasing their water intake, they will probably start urinating more. This is normal as their body gets used to more water being available. The body likes the new conditions but isn’t quite sure what to do with the water after enduring the drought it’s been living in. It will take time for the body to get used to the new situation of plentiful water.
Do you recognize when you get thirsty? Some people may notice that once their body gets used to having a certain amount of water available if they don’t drink water for a while, they will notice a thirst response. For many people, this will be the first time they ever notice feeling thirsty.
As well, sometimes what a person perceives as hunger is actually a signal from their body that it’s dehydrated. We are much better at identifying signs of hunger than those of dehydration.
If the only water a person consumes is that found in fruit juice, fruits, coffee, tea, pop, etc.- those are liquids, but they aren’t hydrating their body. In fact some, especially those containing caffeine, have a dehydrating effect. What counts as water to a body is pure, uncoloured, unflavoured, non-carbonated water for it to have maximum hydrating effects at the cellular level.
What if you know you aren’t drinking enough water and are wondering how to increase it? The first step is to go slow. Add about half a cup (125mL) of water a day to your current intake. Once a week try to increase water intake by an additional half cup a day and stay at that level for the week. As stated above, this may mean more trips to the bathroom as the body gets accustomed to the change, try to stick with it. And take note of how you feel (body, mind, emotional state, joint pain, headache, etc.) as you start increasing water intake.
What kind of water to drink? In the beginning, it’s more important to increase water intake than it is to focus on the source of water. With time, start exploring other sources of water such as natural spring water. Municipal tap water that hasn’t been filtered may not be the best for hydrating the body as it will often contain chlorine and in some cases, fluoride. A number of books have been written on the subject of drinking water fluoridation and its effects on health.
KEYS TO REMEMBER:
- Water is important to the healthy functioning of the body.
- Although the body is able to function in a state of dehydration, it does so at the cost of sub-optimal wellness behind the scenes.
- Chronic dehydration can lead the way to poor health down the road.
- Daily intake of pure water is one of the best habits we can adopt to ensure continued good health.
The one exception to all of this is when a person has chronically low blood pressure. These people should be cautious about increasing their water intake since it could worsen their situation.