Say Hello to H2O.
Water is essential to nearly all of your body’s functions. Not consuming enough water and becoming dehydrated can be very damaging to the body and your health.
Older adults are more prone to becoming dehydrated, so it is even more important for them to increase their water intake. Signs you are dehydrated include dry mouth, no sweating, bloating, cramping, body weakness, and more. It is easy to increase the amount of water you are drinking, so here are some tips.
- Enjoy water rich foods with each meal. These include cucumbers, watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes, and celery.
- Reduce alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates the body by making it release excess fluid.
- Use smaller glasses to drink, larger glasses may feel overwhelming to some.
- Use a straw or water bottle with a straw.
- Reusable water bottles are great to hold a large amount of water, so you only need to fill it up a few times during the day.
- Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge, or any type of water easily accessible.
- After drinking a caffeinated drink make sure to drink water afterwards to balance the influence caffeine has on hydration.
- Drink water constantly, do not wait for you to feel ‘thirsty’ because that may be a sign you are already dehydrated.
- Make it a part of your daily routine! Implementing drinking a glass of water several times throughout the day is an easy way to make it a habit.
Your goal is to drink an average of 8 glasses of water each day, but the amount of water necessary for you is personalized to your lifestyle.
Water the brain! The brain is made up of mostly water, so when you are dehydrated, the brain is negatively impacted. Keeping your brain hydrated is necessary for your overall health, wellness, and mood.
H2O makes you Glow! Stay Hydrated.