Water

You know this.  We all know this. “Drink water.”  Do you hate water?  Don’t despair–I’m not going to make you toss all other beverages to the curbside.  Baby steps, remember?  I have a plan for you.

But here are some things you might not know…  “Not enough water” is called “dehydration” and most people associate dehydration with being in the desert for 3 days without liquids.  That’s totally not the case.  

Mild levels of dehydration can cause disruptions in mood and cognitive functioning.  This can include concentration, alertness and short-term memory (especially in those aged 25 and under or 50 and older).

Lack of sufficient water intake can be the source of constipation and other gastrointestinal problems.  You might think you drink enough, but your body may need more than you believe is “enough”.

Inadequate water intake can also be the root cause of headaches (and migraines).

If you are getting leg cramps, it could be dehydration.  It could also be other things, but dehydration is on the list.

If you are frequently hungry, this could be thirst.  Same for your kids.  The body craves water in everything and we don’t readily turn to liquid–we turn to food. 

Chronic mild dehydration has been linked with cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular problems.

So this month, I want you to work on water.  Here’s how we’ll do it:

Drink one glass of water for every non-water beverage you drink–alternating between water and whatever else you are drinking.  

If you only drink water already:

Drink one glass of water when you first wake up in the morning.  It can be helpful to leave it waiting for you on a nightstand if you have one (and live in a situation where this would not be dangerous).

 

If you need a tracking log, feel free to use this one:

If you’d rather have more of a journal to write in, try THIS ONE!

 

References:

Blau, Joseph Norman, Christian Alexander Kell, and Julia Maria Sperling. “Water‐deprivation headache: A new headache with two variants.” Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain 44.1 (2004): 79-83.

Chan J, Knutsen SF, Blix GG, Lee JW, Fraser GE. Water, other fluids and fatal coronary heart disease. Am J Epidemiol. 2002;155:827–833.

Kleiner, Susan M. “Water: an essential but overlooked nutrient.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 99.2 (1999): 200-206.

Maughan, R. J. “Impact of mild dehydration on wellness and on exercise performance.” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 57 (2003): S19-S23.

Popkin, B. M., D’Anci, K. E., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2010). Water, Hydration and Health. Nutrition Reviews, 68(8), 439–458. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x