An Easy Way to Improve Your Body’s Functions

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Hydration matters. According to NASA, the human body is about 70% water. In some parts of the world, alcohol or soda are more easily accessible than clean drinking water, but it’s important that every human being is consuming water daily. There is still debate on how much water the average human should be drinking because necessary water intake is dependent on a multitude of different variables including diet, weather, and activity level. The body loses liquid not just through urine, but through perspiration and respiration.

Dehydration starts to have an effect on both the body and the mind once as little as 1% of the body’s water is lost. Losing 2-3% reduces the body’s ability to regulate temperature and reduces energy levels and mood. It will also reduce brain and memory performance. This makes physical activity feel more difficult, and can also affect performance at work or school.

Staying hydrated is beneficial for the organs, too. Dehydration can lead to both constipation and kidney stones. Water ensures that organs are functioning properly and clearing out any unwanted materials and toxins.

Dehydration is also a key component in why most people feel miserable during a hangover. It is the number one contributor to the thirst, fatigue, headache, and dry mouth experienced the morning after intoxication. Alcohol is a diuretic and interrupts communication between the brain and the kidneys. It causes the kidneys to release more water from the body.

Finally, water intake can help regulate food intake. Foods with a higher water content tend to be or look larger. These foods require more chewing and are generally slower to digest. This allows the stomach to feel fuller longer. Drinking a glass of water before meals also helps the stomach feel fuller. This regulates hunger pangs and can help with proper food intake.

In conclusion, whether you are an athlete, watching what you eat, or trying to improve your performance at work, making sure you are hydrated is a quick way to ensure that you are helping your body perform at its best.

How to Treat A Horrible Hangover

Although Christmas and New Year’s Eve are behind us, this season is still full of parties and gatherings. The party invites can stack up, often leading to overindulgence in libations. The morning after can mean a headache and damage to all of your body including your skin. Excessive alcohol consumption can severely dehydrate the skin, making it tight, dry and puffy – a hefty price to pay for a night of fun.

Drinking dehydrates the body--so be sure to
hydrate throughout the night.
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Relieve your tight skin with a splash of water. While most of us rely on moisturizer to get rid of dry skin. But did you know that over moisturizing, especially if you are prone to acne, can lead to clogged pores? Instead, try filling the sink with cold water and ice cubes. Once they are melted, splash your face 25 times.

Load up on vitamins. Since alcoholic drinks can deplete vitamins from the skin and body, it is important to load up on topically and internally. Green veggies like kale, spinach, cilantro, mint and parsley contain high concentrations of antioxidants; consuming additional nutrients and electrolytes can also help heal a hung-over body.

Hydrate your body by drinking water. If you get tired of plain old water, munch on strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and watermelon instead. Your body will be able to absorb a lot of water from these fruits. You can also try a sports drink like Gatorade to gain back electrolytes you lost from dehydration the night before.

Practice hangover prevention. Limit your alcohol intake and choose your drinks wisely. Go for drinks with less sugar and you will likely drink slower and less. Try to drink a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you have as well. This provides the dual benefit of slowing your alcohol intake while at the same time rehydrating.  You’ll thank yourself in the morning.

H2O’s the Word

Coffee and I have a love-hate relationship.
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I love coffee. I love the taste, the routine… the general feeling of peace as I sip my morning cup of Joe at the kitchen table, the dog leaning against me for warmth and love and the cat curled up on my lap. I love the warmth and the peace of the moments I associate with coffee.

Yet, sometimes I hate coffee--or at least what it does to me. On Starbucks day (my one budgeted coffee purchase day), I have to remind myself to eat because the caffeine and sugar sometimes make me forget. I have to remind myself to drink water because if I don’t, I’ll get to lunchtime feeling jittery and a little sick.

On normal days, I make a concerted effort to drink at least a few glasses of water while at work, but when I have a cup of steaming caramel macchiato or pumpkin spice latte, I tend to just drink that instead. But on other days, I guzzle my water like there’s no tomorrow.

Not everyone is as dedicated a water drinker, though. According to the CDC, only about 22% of Americans consume the recommended 8 cups of water per day or more. Forty-four percent of adults don’t even make it halfway, and about 7% don’t drink any water at all. Instead of hydrating our bodies with the most basic of necessities, we consume coffees, sodas, and juices galore—forgetting that our bodies need water to function correctly.

78% of Americans don't drink the recommended
8 cups of water per day.
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About a quarter of kids don’t drink plain water throughout their day. One quarter. And, according to the CDC, people who drink fewer than four cups of water per day are also less likely to be moderately physically active. Plus, low water intake was also associated with low fruit and vegetable intake—meaning a less balanced and healthy daily diet. 

Almost every system in our bodies relies on water to function properly. Water is responsible for carrying valuable nutrients to cells, helping to release toxins, lubricating our joints, regulating body temperature, keeping soft tissues moist, protecting vital organs, dissolving minerals, and much more.

So, as I sit here drinking my once-per-week Starbucks, I remind myself that it’s nothing but water for the rest of my workday. My body will thank me for it. Do the same, and yours will, too.