The majority of our body is made up of water – 70% in fact. The reason why such a big portion of our bodies are made of H20 is that all of our body’s physiological processes require it. Unfortunately, all drinks, other than water, are diuretic in nature. Diuretics cause our kidneys to excrete the water that we need to function. TBM (Total Body Modification, a technique we practice at Dronyk Health Clinic) recommends you drink one Litre of water a day for every 50 lbs of body weight. For example, if you’re 150 pounds, drink 3 Litres of water. This might be difficult to do right away, so we recommend increasing your water consumption gradually.
It’s estimated that 75% of North Americans are functioning at low levels of dehydration. When we’re dehydrated, we don’t perform as well and can suffer from symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, constipation, brain fog, and dry skin. While some people may say that they aren’t thirsty, it’s likely that they are misinterpreting their body’s thirst signals as sleepiness or hunger.
In short, you most likely are drinking less water than you should and your body isn’t functioning the best it can. The good news is that there are only two things you need to do to get hydrated:
Buy a Water Bottle
Invest in a water bottle you find comfortable holding and that you like drinking out of. Here are a few questions to consider when buying: Do you prefer a straw, pop top, or screw top? Is the opening wide enough to fit ice, fruit, or vegetables (if desired)? Is it lightweight and easy to pack into your bag? Is it easy to clean? We recommend stainless steel or glass as the safest solutions (staying away from harmful plastics is important).
Fill It with Water (That You Like)
If you don’t like water because of its taste, try adding some fruit to it. Lemons, limes, oranges are very common. If you’re feeling adventurous, try pineapple or watermelon. Consider mashing up some berries and just pouring water over it. Vegetables work too. Cucumber water and mint leaves are classics.
Aside from flavour, you can also play around with texture. Yes, water can have texture. If you like fizzy soft drinks, you might like sparkling water, seltzer, or club soda. Don’t be fooled, though, and make sure to check the labels for added sugar, such as what is found in tonic water. Also, try playing around with ice. Most people prefer ice water over room temperature water. If you want to get fancy, you can freeze some of your favourite liquids. Adding chunks of fruit, herbs, and/or vegetables to the ice, or freezing cubes of your favourite herbal teas all make for tasty cool cubes.
Challenge:
Do you have a health-related New Year’s resolution? How about starting with increasing your water consumption? A small thing to do to improve your health greatly! Remember: for every 50lbs of body weight you have, drink 1 Litre of water per day.
We wish you a healthy and happy 2018, from all of us at the Dronyk Health Clinic
