Water is the foundation of all life.
One of the things that I do consistently with clients, is to give them tools to create a foundation of good health so that they can have less stress in their life, and to provide them with coping techniques to handle any stress when it does come their way.
A topic that I discuss almost every time, is water, and more specifically, the lack of H2O in your body, and how dehydration affects you with regards to stress.
STRESS AND DEHYDRATION
Dehydration has made national news surrounding 2 prominent political figures. The first was with regards to President Jimmy Carter back in July, and the other was with former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. President Carter was not staying hydrated well enough while working in the hot sun. With regards to Mrs. Clinton, many reports said that her staffers and those around her say that she doesn't drink water, and they are constantly reminding her to hydrate. Never has it been highlighted so strongly the need to stay hydrated for you to be at your best.
Just because it is now winter, and for many, not the heat we get in the summer, doesn't mean you don't need to drink as much.
The average adult human body is 50-65% water, averaging around 57-60%. Men have a higher percentage of H2O in the body than women, and unfortunately, menstruation and symptoms of peri-menopause and menopause can reduce that percentage even further.
Water is Life
Water plays a vital role in nearly every bodily function. Because your brain is made up of almost 85% water, just a mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. Dehydration is also the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
Many common ailments such as headaches, and joint pain, can also be caused by dehydration. Remember, we can go for weeks without food, but only 3 days without water - it is THAT important.
Similar Symptoms
One of the things that I find most interesting about dehydration is that many of the symptoms of chronic dehydration are similar to the symptoms of chronic stress, and the way the body responds to stress is also similar to the way it responds to dehydration. Things like fatigue, high blood pressure, digestive disorders, weight gain, skin issues and premature aging are symptoms of both dehydration and stress.S
Pretty crazy, right? The Catch 22 of this, is that dehydration can cause stress, and stress can cause dehydration.
Obviously, dehydration is not the only cause of stress, but it is safe to say that drinking enough water to stay fully hydrated is the number one thing you should do if you are experiencing any type of stress—acute or chronic
Most of us simply do not drink enough water to stay hydrated.
Recently, I have been running a stress busting challenge, and this was one of the challenges I gave the participants.
* DRINK WATER *
How much Water should you drink?
Specifically, I want you to drink half of your body weight in water (in ounces of course!) For example, if you weigh 140 lbs, you will need to drink 70 ounces of pure, filtered water. More water is necessary if you are exercising or sweating excessively.
One thing I want to let you know, is that caffeine is a diuretic, so it contributes to water loss. If you are a coffee drinker, try replacing one or two cups a day with a herbal tea or fruit infused water. I like to squeeze half a fresh organic lemon into a cup of warm water in the morning. I always recommend that for every cup of coffee or caffeinated beverage that you drink, that you drink an additional 2 glasses of water to offset the diuretic effects of caffeine.
If you are drinking less than 2 - 8 oz glasses of water a day right now, you might find it difficult to start drinking 8 or more glasses a day straight away. Try adding 1 or 2 glasses a water each day, until you are at the recommended amount of water for your body weight.
If you want more ideas on how to incorporate water into your day, please email me or CLICK HERE to book a 30 minute Health Discovery Consultation.
Looking for ways to reduce stress in your life? Join the 10 Day Stress Buster Challenge - CLICK HERE to join
Have a great day, and remember - Water, it does a body good!
I used to never drink water but now that I do I notice such a huge difference! My skin, energy, you name it!
So many people don’t realize the importance of water, not just for not being dehydrated, but for all of the other benefits like you mentioned!
Yes! All the water! I try to drink at least 3 quarts a day, but my goal is always a gallon. It’s so hard when I’m working because I’m running around my whole shift so I always keep some in the car for the ride home. Thanks for the information!
Hi Lauren, that’s great that you’re staying so well hydrated! Thanks for commenting!