Keep an eye out for our monthly WellCats newsletters as we will highlight important health tips. This month, we will focus on the importance of water consumption, especially with summer being around the corner.
June 21st officially marks the start of summer! Summer months in Texas mean you may find yourself sweating more often during the day. Once it hits noon, you may even second-guess leaving for lunch to avoid the heat at all costs! Although sweating is a natural bodily function that helps you to regulate your body temperature, it is crucial to rehydrate to compensate for your net loss in water throughout the day. As temperatures reach scorching levels, consuming enough water each day can help to regulate your body temperature. According to the National Institute of Health, dehydrated individuals tend to have an increase in core temperature since fluid loss is not compensated with adequate fluid intake. The higher your core temperature, the harder your body works to cool itself off, causing you to sweat and lose more water. Water has other physiological benefits to sustain healthy lifestyles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, water keeps your joints lubricated and assists the digestive system in releasing toxins and wastes. Point of emphasis – drink more water and your body will thank you!
The amazing properties of water
Alongside its counterparts, carbohydrates, protein, lipids, vitamins, and minerals, water is an essential nutrient for the body. It provides wonderful benefits that cannot be seen, such as aiding cellular function, to more visible benefits, such as supporting weight management and hydration status. For example, when we spend time in the Texas heat, our brain will send signals to inform us we are thirsty. However, when our hydration status is low, and we begin to experience mild dehydration, the signals may present as hunger and drive us to grab the closest food item instead. You may also feel other symptoms, such as headaches or even dizziness. As an alternative, try drinking a cold glass of water to cool off. This will give time for your body and hunger/thirst signals to reset. Doing so will help aid your hydration status and improve any symptoms you are experiencing. It may even contribute to other benefits such as weight management support.
Water is also a vital component of metabolism by assisting in the digestion, absorption, and transportation of other essential nutrients. An important function of water is to help regulate body electrolytes including sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride inside and outside our cells. When our electrolytes are imbalanced, adverse effects may arise, such as difficulty managing blood pressure. Water also accounts for most of our body weight. Did you know 80% of muscle mass is water? The work of water in our bodies is truly amazing!
Just how much water should I consume?
Many factors influence how much water a person should drink such as daily body water losses, body size, age, activity level, outside temperature, pregnancy, and more. For example, normal body processes, such as making urine and having bowel movements cause you to lose water on a daily basis. As mentioned above, higher activity levels and outside heat cause additional water loss through sweat. Other influences on body water loss include higher altitudes and illness/chronic diseases.
Adequate intake levels for water are estimated for generally healthy people and are based on age and sex. These estimates account for fluids consumed from both beverages (including water) and foods. Approximately 20% of our daily water intake comes just from the foods we eat alone! Considering these factors, women should aim for approximately 8-9 cups of fluid per day and men should aim for 12-13 cups of fluid per day. Incorporating a variety of beverages including water can help you to meet daily fluid goals. Plan to consume the majority of your fluids each day from unsweetened beverages like water and unsweetened tea which provide hydration while also limiting the added sugars found in beverages such as sodas and sugar-sweetened drinks.
Here is a link to a 32-ounce water bottle that helps track your water throughout the day.
30-Day Water Consumption Challenge:
For the month of June, we are focusing on the benefits of water and challenging you to consume water each day! You may want to use the link above to guide your water consumption. If you’re a male, aim for 3 full 32oz bottles a day. If you’re female aim for 2 full 32oz bottles a day. After you’ve completed the first 30 days (about 4 and a half weeks), continue for another 30 days!
