The importance of drinking water
Why should we drink more water?
This is one of the most significant changes that I have made to my lifestyle and it is a really simple habit that we can implement. In the western diet we drink far too much fizzy drinks and energy drinks with high sugar and caffeine, and we can slowly adjust our habits to drink more water as part of our daily routine.
There is scientific evidence that sugary drinks are contributing to the global increase in type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Adult humans are 60% water and it is critical that we can keep hydrated
The benefits of drinking water
Drinking water can prevent dehydration and this is a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat and lead to constipation and kidney stones. When I analysed my daily habits I realized that I would drink a coffee in the afternoon (usually 3pm) and maybe a little muffin treat!. However, I have realized that my energy was reducing in the afternoon as I was dehydrated and I was not drinking enough water or eating enough fibre in my diet. The strong coffee and sugary treats were just providing me with quick energy spike but the caffeine was also having an adverse impact on my sleep. Please read my article, the importance of sleep to health, weight management and general wellbeing.
Some of the benefits of drinking water.
Drinking water helps carrying nutrients and oxygen to your cells
Flushing bacteria from your bladder
Water will support your digestive system and prevent constipation and support gut health, please read my post on the importance of gut health.
Help to normalize your blood pressure
Help to stabilize your heartbeat
Protect your organs and tissues and cushion your joints
Regulate your body temperature
Improves skin complexion
Promotes weight loss as you have the feeling of filling up your stomach and reduces hunger
Drinking water can raise your metabolism and it also contains zero calories.
Signs that your are not drinking enough water or healthy fluids
Felling weak
You feel hungry - listen to your body as sometimes you are dehydrated and actually your body is thirsty for water rather than food. Try drinking a glass of water and wait 15 minutes to see if you are still hungry
Low blood pressure
Lacking focus - dehydration can lead to a lack of ability to focus and creating short term challenges on performing tasks
Feeling dizzy or confused
You have a headache
Feeling constipated
You’re grumpy - dehydration can cause neurological effects that lead to irritability
If your urine is dark in colour (Please see urine colour chart below)
Reading articles and scientific journals there is no real agreement on the amount of water to drink but I believe it varies between each individual and how active you are and how much you sweat. According to the US National academies of sciences, engineering and medicine the average recommended daily intake of water is 3.7 litres for men about 15 cups a day.
“The national health service (NHS) in the UK recommends 6 to 8 glasses or 1.9 litres including water in food such as fruit and vegetables”
For me personally, I aim for the 2 litres a day and I have made a daily habit change to start my day with a large glass of water in the morning for breakfast, a large glass with lunch and dinner. You will be surprised by making these small changes a few extra glasses during the day you can easily reach the 2 litres target a day!
Environmental and health advantages of resusable water bottles
We should all aim to reduce our consumption of single use plastic drink bottles and inspire our family and friends to protect our environment and make small changes to our daily routine. and become more conscientious consumers.
The rise of plastic over the last 50 years has created an ecological disaster in the form of plastic waste collecting in our rivers, streams and oceans. My son has always been interested in marine life since he was a child and it is devasting to see these lovely creatures die from consuming plastic.
I personally use the below stainless-steel water at home and for my commute into the office. During the summer I like to add slices of lemon, orange and ice and the water stays cold for the entire day. I know the below might not be a 100% perfect solution due to the packaging and plastic straws, but it has dramatically reduced my consumption of single use plastic bottles. It would be great to receive your feedback if you have any suggestions on a great environmentally friendly water bottle.
One tip is to purchase a 2 plus litre water bottle and keep it by your desk at work or home or carry with you as work. I know some people do not like the taste of tap water or have concerns about the quality, but you can purchase a water filter.
*The above is my Amazon affiliates link and I am paid a small commission for every purchase.
Warning, when I made the above adjustment, I was visiting the toilet on a more regular basis but as your body adjusts it will return to a more normal frequency, but you know you are doing well when your urine starts to change colour from dark brown to light yellow. Please see below for the urine colour chart from www.NHS.com and this is a great indication of how well you are doing with your hydration. I know there is a taboo about talking about toilet habits, but the below guide is a great indication of your hydration levels, and you will see a remarkable difference by increasing your water intake throughout the day!
Drinking more water is one of my pillars of success for your health transformation and please use the below chart and after a week of drinking up to 2 litres of water a day you will definitely notice a change in colour to 1 to 3.
I hope you found this article useful and drinking more water during the day is one of the key healthy habit changes to see an improvement in our health and wellbeing.
At this point I would like to add that we are very lucky to have access to clean water but 771 million people around the world still don’t have access close to their home. Climate change is making the issue even worse globally, please visit the amazing charity www.wateraid.org to find out more and to see how you can help support the charity.
Good luck with this healthy change to your daily habit and remember water is zero calories and for comparison a monster energy drink is 200 and a Coca-Cola 150!