The human body is composed of 50-75% water. So naturally, the benefits of staying hydrated are countless! Drinking water keeps your energy up, weight stable, muscles strong, joints agile, and digestive system smooth. Hydration plays a pivotal role in keeping our systems in physical balance.
A good rule of thumb is to consume eight cups of water a day. While this is a solid recommendation for most, it’s important to note that it doesn’t take into account gender, environment, altitude, or fitness level—factors that could affect fluid intake needs. Start recording your water intake throughout the day, and pay attention to your energy levels. Eight cups is an excellent benchmark for healthy people (and will earn you five points if you’re currently
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Fact. Drinking too much fluid can lead to hyponatremia, a condition that occurs when the level of sodium in your blood is abnormally low. Symptoms include confusion, headaches, nausea and bloating. In severe cases, hyponatremia can lead to seizures, organ failure and even death.
Are you at risk for hyponatremia? Likely, the answer is no. Water intoxication in healthy people would only occur after ingesting an excessive amount of water in a short period of time. In rare cases where water intoxication is actually fatal, the victims had consumed over six litres of water within a few hours – an exceptionally uncommon intake.
5 Tips for Happy, Healthy Hydration:
1. Wake up hydrated. If you’re thirsty when you get out of bed in the morning, you may not be consuming enough fluids.
2. Read the label. When choosing flavored drinks, search for labels with low sugar. Experts recommend about five grams of sugar per eight-ounce serving of liquid.
3. Eat your water. Fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, grapefruit, cucumber and tomato can keep you hydrated throughout the day.
4. Thirst can be disguised as hunger. Our bodies can’t always decipher between feeling hungry and thirsty, and sometimes when our bellies feel empty, it is just