Drink. Water. NOW!

I spent over 6 hours with friends and family yesterday. During that time, I was the only one who used the restroom, 3 times! I was also the only one of us out of 8 people that was drinking water. This is not an uncommon theme. I've noticed the same thing at work. Not so much the number of times people use the restroom, ain't nobody got time for that, but the water thing. If anyone is drinking anything at their desks, it's usually coffee or soda.

Now, I drink my fair share of coffee, at least a  couple of cups each morning and most evenings I have one or more alcoholic beverages. But I always, always, drink water as well and sadly, I seem to be fairly unique in this. Friends have made fun of me for not getting hangovers, I think it's safe to say that my water habit is a big reason for that.

My Mother, a 67 year old woman thinks Gatorade hydrates her better than water. WTF? I've also had people say that they don't drink water so they don't have to go to the bathroom. You realize that that's actually a good thing, right?

Drinking enough water is very important and I'm not even going to pretend that I always drink as much as I should. The old adage of eight, 8 oz glasses of water a day is of course a generic guideline but it's not a bad one and that's why I try to shoot for.

Most people are not getting enough water. Rodale Wellness says that "In fact, most of us function in a chronic state of dehydration."

Attempting to function without enough water is similar to trying to run a car that doesn't have enough oil to lubricate its system. And what happens to a car that isn't lubricated? It heats up, and the engine can crack and get damaged. A similar effect occurs in the body when you're not well hydrated, which often happens because you're too busy and your system is running too fast and too long without a break.

There are a host of problems that arise from or at least are aggravated by dehydration: allergies, joint pain, constipation, depression, irritability, or mental fog, bad breath, dry skin, muscle cramps, and many more. You'd be surprised what a big difference a little water can make.

The easiest way I've found to make sure I get the most amount of water each day is by using a 32 oz Nalgene.
Just one of these is half of the recommended daily amount and still I would guess, more than most people typically drink in a day.

It's not really that hard. I usually finish one during the workday and then I refill it again and keep going. Having a bottle this large, reduces the number of times it needs to be refilled which gives me less excuses for not getting around to filling it. And of course, I'm not using bottled water and wasting all of that plastic every day which makes me happy.

There are reusable water bottles of every size, material, and design out there...you just need to find one that resonates with you and that will work for your lifestyle.

Do yourself a favor; drink. water. NOW!!!

0 comments

Disclaimer

The contents of this site are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of content found on this site.