Hydrating your Body to Stay Healthy
By: Michelle Lewis, Dietetic Intern

 Most people do not consume enough liquids to keep their body healthy and hydrated.  Drinking enough fluids allows your body to create an electrolyte balance within its cells.  Water helps with digestion and disposing of your body’s waste.  It also plays an important role in keeping your skin healthy and maintaining your internal body temperature. 

 Dehydration can cause devastating effects to your body.  When you lose about 1% of your body weight due to dehydration without replacing the fluids lost you will start to feel thirsty; this is the first sign your body is becoming dehydrated.  After a 3% loss of body weight from dehydration there will be a decrease in your blood volume and impaired physical performance.  If your body experiences an 11% or more loss in body weight due to dehydration your blood will not circulate normally and kidney failure and death may occur.  In order to prevent dehydration replace the fluids you lose everyday with more fluids.

 Meeting your hydration needs differs for each individual depending on size, age, activity level, etc...  A good rule of thumb is to drink 64 ounces of fluids a day or 8, 8 ounce glasses.  Athletes often need more fluids than 64 ounces to meet daily requirements.  When you are exercising it is recommended to weigh yourself before you start exercising, then again after.  For every pound lost during exercise, drink 16 ounces of water.  Also, drink water while exercising to prevent dehydration and allow your body to perform better.  You may need to drink more fluids during the summer months because of the heat, however; your body can still become dehydrated during the winter months making it important to drink plenty of fluids throughout the year.

 Not all beverages will hydrate your body equally.  For example, highly caffeinated beverages will not hydrate your body as well because of a diuretic affect.  The diuretic affect in caffeinated beverages causes the body to lose more liquids instead of using them for hydration.  Other beverages hydrate the body but are not the best choices when trying to lose weight or consume a healthy amount of calories.  Beverages such as soda, juice, or other sugar sweetened beverages have an abundance of calories from sugar but not a lot of nutritional value.  It is okay to have these beverages in moderation, however; water and other low sugar and non-caffeinated beverages will provide hydration without excess calories and sugar.

 Tips to increase your fluid intake include: carry a water bottle with you wherever you go, take a drink out of the drinking fountain as you pass by, drink water or low fat milk with meals, and drink a glass of water when you wake up in the morning.  Make it a goal to increase your fluid intake and your body will thank you.