Proper Hydration

When it comes to long-term health and longevity, one of the many forgotten keys to success is proper hydration. Our bodies are comprised of almost 60% water and our brains almost 75% water!

Furthermore, did you know that a significant amount of all Americans are chronically dehydrated? It’s hard to imagine this being the case given that we are in the year 2022 and have what seems to be nearly unlimited access to clean drinking water. However, that isn’t the case unfortunately.

One of the major answers lies in the fact that even though most people drink the so-called recommended 8 glasses of water per day, it’s coming from caffeinated beverages, alcohol, and sugary soft drinks. Coupled with diets high in refined sugars, flours, seed oils, and table salt, it completely offsets the body’s natural ability to actually stay hydrated, causing a net loss in our body’s fluids.

Proper hydration hosts a bevy of beneficial functions for the body from energy and brain function, to the carrying of nutrients and oxygen to the cells, physical performance, lubricating joints, to even natural cleansing of toxins that accumulate in the body.

Dehydration, on the other hand, can cause fatigue, poor cognitive function, and even raise one’s chances of developing numerous chronic diseases.

When it comes to how much water we should each be drinking per day for optimal health, it’s hard to identify a particular number of fluid ounces. Everyone’s needs are going to be different depending on factors such weight, diet, age, level of physical exercise, as well as a variety of other biological and environmental factors.

But in terms of what the best forms of hydration are, let’s get to them.

1. Spring Water - In essence, spring water is water in its most purest form. Unlike purified water, the most common type of water consumed in the United States, spring water is rich in oxygen and minerals and so it oxygenates the body and provides it with many important nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Spring water is also naturally alkaline, helping the body to balance its pH, and a much better option than chemically alkalinized water.

2. High-Quality Filtered Water - If you don’t have access to spring water or have the necessary means to purchase it, try to invest in a proper water filter that can turn everyday tap water into suitable drinking water, all while keeping those helpful minerals intact. I’d suggest doing research on the best filters, though I really like the company Clearly Filtered.

3. Pure Coconut Water - This is nature’s thirst quencher. Low in sugar, while still giving you all the electrolytes and potassium you could ever need after a vigorous workout, day in the sun, or night of drinking, coconut water is a far healthier option to products like Gatorade or Pedialyte.

4. Lemon Water - Rich in Vitamin C, lemon greatly aids in proper hydration and digestion, and even helps the body naturally detoxify itself of toxins in the body, and especially the liver. In addition, adding in a pinch of Himalayan pink salt to your lemon water helps it become a natural electrolyte drink. Simply add the juice of half a lemon to 8-16 ounces of spring or filtered water for an effective, yet refreshing drink.

5. Water-Rich Fruits & Vegetables - Not only does eating these water-rich foods help keep you hydrated due to their high water content, but they provide you with essential nutrients at the same time. Some of my favorites include watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, lettuces, celery, zucchini, cucumber, and bell peppers.

Some are some other tips to consider when it comes to proper hydration:

1. Limiting caffeine, alcohol, and sugary soft drinks
2. Limiting processed and pre-packaged foods
3. Limiting water/drinks in plastic bottles as they contain micro-plastics that leach into the water, that we then digest
4. Limiting unfiltered tap water as it likely contains heavy metals, fluoride, chlorine, and arsenic depending upon your city’s water quality

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/

https://www.sharp.com/health-news/eat-your-water.cfm