We all try and fit our 8 glasses of water in each day, because that is what we are told to do. Right?! But should we be drinking more? Does the amount we drink differ depending on our age, size, gender and lifestyle? Does being dehydrated affect our skin, sleep, energy levels?

Ask yourself some of these simple questions to check if you should be increasing your water intake:

• Do you mainly drink caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee and only limited amounts of plain water per day?
• Does your water intake increase/decrease depending on the weather conditions? I.e., does it increase during the warmer months?
• How often do you pass urine? And, is it usually darker in colour?

Asking yourself these questions will make you become conscious about your water intake and staying hydrated. We should all be reducing the amount of caffeine we drink each day. Limit this to 2 caffeinated drinks. Increase your water intake, especially during the warmer seasons, and, if you are exercising often. This is when we tend to sweat more, meaning that we lose more electrolytes and have a higher rate of becoming dehydrated. If you urinate and your urine is of darker colour, this is a sign that you are dehydrated and need to increase your fluid intake. Also, not only can we gain water from actually drinking it. It is, in fact, found in most liquids and foods. Fruits and vegetables, especially, contain a high amount of water - around 80-95% water.

Following these simple steps will help to keep you hydrated!

So, what is so good about water and why should we be drinking plenty of it?

Well, water is one of the key elements that are essential for life. It consists of hydrogen and oxygen and makes up around 55-65% of an adult’s body weight. Most of the body’s water is in the blood and lymph vessels and lean tissue. It makes up around 70% of muscle, brain tissue and skin! A man’s body, in fact, contains about 10% more water than a woman’s body. And, our body water content does, in fact, decline with age. A key piece of information to remember as we get older!

Many individuals do not actually notice the common signs of dehydration or the actual benefits of drinking water each day. There are many more reasons to maintain our water balance and with that vital functions. Many more than we know. So, let me lay out some simple ones for you.

Cell function

A constant amount of water inside and outside of our cells, is necessary for cell formation.

Hydrolytic reactions

Hydrolytic reactions are important for digestion. During digestion, water from the body is passed into the gut along with digestive enzymes, and is used to split food components into small absorbable units.

Transport

Water is the transporter that carries blood cells, oxygen, hormones, immune chemicals, waste products, secretions and nutrients to and from the body tissues. Water is also part of the lymph which is the fluid that circulates throughout the lymphatic system and which transports dietary fats and fat-soluble nutrients from the digestive tract to the bloodstream.

Regulation of body temperature

Water has a large capacity of absorbing heat. It evaporates out of the skin as sweat in hot conditions, providing a cooling effect.

Elimination of waste

Water is important to assist in excreting waste products from our body through bowel movements.

Remember, though, that there are some factors influencing our body status and we have to remember the ones below.

Skin loss

More water is lost through increased sweating in hot weather conditions and during physical activity. Sweating also increases at night due to bed coverings and lack of air flow. This, in turn, can affect our sleep, hormones and aggravate skin conditions.

Hormone activity

Pregnancy and breast feeding increases the need for water.

You may be asking yourself, what exactly should our daily intake be to keep us from becoming dehydrated and this affecting our body? In order for us to maintain a good balance between input and output, as adults, we need to be consuming around 2.1L for females and 2.6L for males. Just remember, however, that this will vary depending on an individual’s lifestyle. This is when I would recommend seeing a nutritionist to discuss your personal requirements.

For more information on this or to discuss your health and wellness goals, simply contact me on info@eatlovebelieve.com.