Most of us know by now that hydration is key in improving almost every aspect of our health, but it’s not that easy to incorporate it into the daily routine of our busy lives. I have put together a simple guideline to do just that.
5 Steps to stay well hydrated
Did you know the average adult is comprised of 50-65% water and we can survive only a few days without it? Water is essential for cells to function properly, enables the biochemical breakdown of food, contributes to the transportation of nutrients, and helps to regulate body temperature. A sign of being well-hydrated is having a clear urine color, as opposed to dark yellow.
In pregnancy, water helps to build the placenta and the amniotic sac and counter-acts overheating.
1. Drink Enough Water
Being well hydrated helps to naturally detoxify our body and support our digestive system.
As a general rule, we should consume about ½ our body weight in ounces of water /day.
Climate, activity level and diet influence the demand of hydration. Dehydration can show up as headaches, fatigue, constipation, in pregnancy it can trigger preterm labor and have a negative effect on amniotic fluid levels.
2. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are packed with high quality electrolytes like magnesium, calcium potassium and sodium and are a great source of hydration.
Some of the most hydrating foods include:
| Vegetables: Celery Cucumber Radishes Cauliflower Spinach Broccoli Bell Peppers Carrots | Fruits: Pineapple Watermelon Tomatoes Kiwi Grapefruit Lemons/Limes Oranges Berries |
3. Salt to Taste
In addition to the regular iodized salt you already consume, alternate with an all-natural sea salt — either Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt – to balance your water and potassium levels.
4. Exercise
Movement increases circulation and can improve your overall electrolyte levels by getting more nutrients into your cells. Obviously, strenuous movement will demand extra hydration. For pregnancy you want to make sure it is an appropriate exercise regimen for you. – check out Spinning Babies for help creating a personalized exercise routine for you.
5. Take an Epsom Salt Bath
Epsom Salt helps to balance your magnesium levels – supporting relaxation, natural detoxification, and hydration.
Quality of Water
Surprisingly, bottled water is not regulated or controlled like our tap water. Environmental Working Group (link) suggests that consumers get back to drinking filtered tap water. Not only does it cost far less than buying bottled water, it doesn’t create extra waste. Plastic bottles also leech toxins into the water, especially when exposed to heat (hello! Leaving water bottles in the trunk of your car…)
While there are some good mineral & spring waters it is important to do your research. Click here for a quick reference guide on the dos and don’ts of water safety.