The importance of being hydrated and the warning signs you aren’t

Staying hydrated is critical to being healthy and maintaining function in the body. Fluid carries nutrients to your cells, flushes bacteria from your bladder and is crucial to heart, brain and muscle function. As we transition into the warmer months we can often forget or be out of the habit of drinking adequate amounts of water. The amount an individual needs per day varies on their weight, activity levels and environment. However as a general rule consuming 33ml for each kg of body weight is a good goal. So a 70kg person would require 2310mls (2.3L) per day. This may seem like a lot but when we factor in water content from fruits and vegetables it is achievable. Drinking throughout the day will help you stay consistently hydrated and won’t place too much pressure on your kidneys.

Signs of dehydration

• Shrivelled and dry skin that doesn’t look elastic and doesn’t bounce back when pinched
• Sunken eyes
• Tightness or tautness in skin
• Fine lines emphasized
• Lack of concentration
• Feelings of dizziness
• Bad breath
• Dry, sticky mouth
• Irritability
• Headache
• Constipation
• Minimal urine
• Muscle cramps
• Few tears when crying

Tips for staying hydrated

• Start your day with a large glass of warm water and lemon – high in vitamin C, this drink will help flush toxins from the body and aid digestion.
• Experiment with DIY flavoured water – we wrote a post about this a while back so check it out here.
• Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit – these are a great way to stay hydrated as well as getting essential nutrients into your diet.
• Ensure your diet is full of essential minerals including calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride – we need these minerals for the water we drink to be absorbed by cells. The best food sources for these minerals are wholefoods that are grown in healthy soils (think organic or biodynamic products). Celtic sea salt and Himalayan pink salt are also great sources of minerals , typically containing 84 different types.
• Increase your herbal tea, soup and bone broth intake to mix up your sources and gain other health benefits while getting hydrated.