Wow the afternoon and evening lightening and rainstorms have been scary and dramatic lately. Last night driving back from the gym lightening was going off at least every second from a storm that had just blown through minutes earlier soaking everything. While I am on the topic of water and summer I want to share with you how very important it is to take care of your health by drinking more water. Drinking water is to often forgotten in our busy day but is a key component to good health. Several years ago, I had a very uncomfortable pain in my lower back and I found out what it feels like to pass a kidney stone. More water in my system might have prevented that. I am writing this in hopes of inspire you and as a reminder to myself.
Did you know that: the human brain is made up of 95% water, blood 82% water, and lungs 90%. Just 2% drop in your body’s water supply can cause dehydration, fuzzy memory and mental function, difficulty in reading small print, skin disorders, kidney issues, and is a major cause of daytime fatigue. 75% of Americans have mild chronic dehydration.
To know how much you need to drink here is a simple formula:
Body weight x .5, if you weigh 150lbs times .5 that equals 75. So you need to drink 75 ounces to meet your daily fluid needs. Somewhere between 8-12 glasses and 64 to 96 ounces per day of water is encouraged. That seems like a lot of water and that is because your body needs much more than most of us realize.
At Boulder County we are taking the next 30 days to monitor our water intake as a way to bring awareness to this important health factor. Set as a goal to make sure you get enough water and other healthy fluids to reach your body weight calculation.
Some healthy tips:
· Drink a glass or two of water or juice first thing in the morning
· Set your Outlook calendar for daily water drinking reminders (I set my daily reminder at 2pm and then have it remind me every hour the rest of the day since I know that is when I tend to forget)
· Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go
· Drink a glass with each meal and one glass between meals
· Drink before, after and during exercise.
· Start the day with the amount of water you need in a container(s) and keep on drinking until you are done
· Lemon or lime added can encourage more drinking
· Diluted fruit juice can add more flavor and increase intake
For a healthy rest of the summer, drink lots of water and enjoy the benefits.
Note: Don’t forget to contact your Congressman and Senator and share your support for real change in healthcare in this country. A single payer/public option is essential to any worthwhile proposal. Let’s take the profit motive out of the health care insurance business. Please ignore the typical fear tactics of the Right (not right) about not getting the health care you want.