The body is 70% water by composition. Much like a river, to sustain healthy life the water needs to be flowing. For us this means drinking enough water each day to keep our body hydrated and stop our cells from drying out.
Some of the roles of water and hydration in the body are, transportation of nutrients, elimination of wastes, lubricating the joints and tissues, facilitating digestion, aiding concentration, keeping the skin looking younger and more vitality.
When we get low on water we can get headaches, dizzy, tired and even our thinking can go fuzzy. We are just not quite right!
We all know this but that does not mean we all drink as much water as our body needs. We get busy, we forget, we may not even be sure how much water we need.
There are different recommendations as to how much water we need each day. The most useful guide is 30ml/kilogram body weight per day.
If you are doing any physical activity or it is hot, then you need more water. People who work outdoors on hot days may require four, five or six litres of water per day.
One way of gauging our hydration status is the color of our urine. The darker the color the more concentrated it is. This means the body is hanging on to water to preserve what it has. Urine should be clear or pale straw yellow and is so when we have enough water on board.
The upgraded i health coach app lets you assess your hydration status with the urine color chart and lets you know how much water you need. Plus you can set the app to remind you when it is next time to drink some water.
Some say they do not like the taste of water of are just not used to drinking it. Here are some tips to overcome this.
1) Squeeze lemon or orange juice into the water.
2) If you’re not used to drinking much water, every time you have one glass, have a second.
3) To start more gradually, have an extra half glass when you have one full glass of water and build it up from there. The aim is to get this to a stage where you actually miss your water if you don’t have it.
4 )When you feel hungry between meals, first have a glass of water. If after ten minutes you are still hungry have another. If you are still hungry ten minutes later have something to eat
It is much better for all the cells in your body for you to be one step ahead with your water intake rather than playing catch up. You may even be surprised how much better you feel when you are adequately hydrated. Some people are in a constant state of slight dehydration without even realizing it.
Stay healthy and hydrated with the i health coach app.
Medical Doctor, author, speaker, media presenter and health industry consultant, Dr Joe Kosterich wants you to be healthy and get the most out of life.
Joe writes for numerous medical and mainstream publications, is clinical editor at Medical Forum Magazine, and is also a regular on radio and television.
Joe is Medical Advisor to Medicinal Cannabis Company Little Green Pharma, Chairman of Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association and sits on the board of Arthritis and Osteoporosis WA. He is often called to give opinions in medico legal cases.
He has self-published two books: Dr Joe’s DIY Health and 60 Minutes To Better Health.
In 2024 due to public demand he commenced a podcast, Dr Joe Unplugged, which can be accessed via Spotify, Apple or YouTube.
Through all this he continues to see patients as a GP each week.
