What am I?
I am a vital nutrient to the life of every cell. I regulate internal body temperature. I flush toxins from the body. I act as a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord. I lubricate joints. I make up to 60% of the body.
What am I?
Water!
Water comprises 73 percent of the brain and heart, 83 percent of the lungs, 64 percent the skin, 79 percent of muscles and kidneys and 31 percent of bones according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Water Science School.
The clear inconspicuous liquid finally surpassed soda as America’s favorite drink in 2017. A clear indicator, hopefully, that many of us are jumping on a healthier bandwagon.
The most memorable water related adage is probably to drink 8 glasses per day. It is thought that amount came from the USDA recommended allowance chart years and years ago. Some sources say to only drink when you’re thirsty and others say to drink a gallon per day.
A better rule of thumb would be to drink half your body weight in ounces everyday. So, a 130 pound person would need to drink at least 65 ounces per day, or a little more than 3 20 oz bottles per day.
A hydrated body is a happy body. Water will increase energy, optimize brain function, decrease headaches, relieve constipation, prevent hangovers, assist with weight loss, flush toxins from the body and improve digestion (don’t drink too much right before or during a meal though as it can dilute stomach acid).
When increasing water intake, do so gradually. If you usually drink a glass a day and then drink four bottles, you will see more of the bathroom walls than your desk.
If you drink a couple bottles normally and increase to four or five, that is okay, just know that initially, you may have to go to the bathroom about every hour or so, especially if you chug a whole bottle at one time.
Once your body gets used to the additional fluids you won’t have to visit the restroom as often.
People tell me they don’t like water and ask if they can drink something else instead. Nothing beats good old fashion water but only one other drink would be acceptable in tallying up your ounces of water.
Herbal tea. Adding herbs such as peppermint, chamomile, holy basil, rose hips or kava kava will bring additional benefits to your body as well as increase hydration. Sometimes, I’ll pop an herbal tea bag into my glass water bottle and sip on that all day. If I’m feeling stressed, I reach for the kava kava.
Another way to enhance water and make it easier to drink is to infuse it with lemons, limes, berries, apples, mint or cucumber.
Place washed and sliced lemons and limes into a pitcher, squash or muddle them, add ice (optional) and fill with water. Give it a good stir and enjoy all day.
Apples and cinnamon sticks are a great combo as well as cucumbers and mint. If the cucumbers are not organic or have a thick waxy coating, peel them first.
Don’t forget to enjoy the snack once the water is all gone!
If you are into juicing, cucumbers and celery are wonderful veggies for hydrating the body. Cucumbers are a good source of silica and are excellent for your skin. Think of celery as nature’s Gatorade. It can replenish salt and electrolytes.
Coconut water can also replace electrolytes but make sure it doesn’t have any added sugar as it has plenty of it naturally occurring. If you are watching your carb intake, beware. Get the purest form you can but note the tropical beverage does not count toward water intake goals.
Hitting the market shelves are all sorts of flavored, sparkling water drinks. Read labels carefully. Be on the lookout for artificial flavors and added sugar – avoid those. I like the Zevia brand of flavored water.
Zevia also offers “healthier” sodas which can be helpful if you are trying to kick a soda habit. I like them for a treat every now and then as they are very sweet. The Zevia sweetener of choice is stevia, and the clear sodas will not initiate a blood sugar response like a regular soda will.
I challenge you to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day for one week. I can pretty much guarantee you’ll feel more pep in your step.
Try it out and let your coaches know if you notice any difference in how you feel or perform!
Coach Lauren!
