Sustainable 60: Hydration Fundamentals
If you Google "how much water should I drink in a day," you will likely see all kinds of recommendations. Like a lot of the topics in the health world, it is hard to decipher what is best for you from what is popular.
Here's what you should know:
1. Your body is about 60 % water. If you have a high amount of muscle mass, that percentage is likely higher.
2. If you are pregnant, older, are extremely active, live in a hot and dry climate, etc you could also require more water than the average person. Basically your body will likely need a different amount of water than the next person and there are a multitude of factors that can increase or decrease your needs on a daily basis.
3. Just drinking water will not keep you hydrated. In order to utilize the water we consume, we need electrolytes and minerals: sodium, potassium, and magnesium to name a few. We get these things primarily from food, but you can also add extra salt (sea salt is great!) to your food as well. Making sure to include mineral-rich foods like black beans, red meat, and fruits and vegetables can help make sure you are getting enough of these critical micronutrients.
4. We get water from our food. The more water-based foods (fruits and vegetables) we consume, the less water we MAY have to drink and the more micronutrients and minerals we supply our body with.
A good rule of thumb is to start by aiming for half of your body weight in ounces of plain water, and then adjust based on bodily cues. Before you change your water intake, pay attention to any dehydration symptoms you have. Some symptoms include:
- headaches
- dry mouth
- thirst
- dark colored urine
- fatigue
- muscle cramps
- dry skin
- bad breath
- not peeing very often throughout the day
and more
If you consistently are drinking half your body weight in ounces of water per day and dehydration symptoms are still occurring, up your intake by a cup or two of water and/or add some electrolytes/minerals (like sea salt) and keep assessing for improvements.
