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Water. It's the fountain of health! We always hear about how amazing water is for our overall health and because of that, we should be guzzling approximately two litres every day. But have you ever stopped to consider why?
In simplest terms, water is essential to almost every facet of your health. It not only balances your body’s nutrients, but it also aids your digestion, improves your mood and energy levels, clears your skin, and is ultimately the primary building block for cells. Your body is continuously losing fluid from sweating, skin evaporation, breathing and going to the, ahem, loo. These losses must be replaced daily for good health. Drinking water will flush out the body of toxins and restore lost fluid. Hence dehydration is not at all good when it comes to being healthy.
But don’t worry you don’t have to lug around gallons of water and drink litres and litres every day! There is actually such a thing as ‘drowning’ from overdosing on water, which is extremely dangerous! There is also such a thing as ‘water weight’, which is when extra water builds up and can bloat/puff up the body. So, as much as water is needed every day, try not to overdo it! You can in fact have too much of a good thing.
And believe it or not, some foods already contain hidden water, like watery vegetables, which all count towards your water intake.
With health guidelines being updated regularly, there has understandably been quite a bit of confusion surrounding the amount of water that individuals should be consuming daily. And so, just to keep you updated, let’s turn to the Australian dietary guidelines. It is said that women should be consuming 2.1 litres, which is roughly 8 glasses of water and men should be consuming 2.6 litres, which is roughly 10 glasses of water.
But if you’re like a lot of us and simply do not crave this sometimes ‘tasteless’ drink, then read on because we have 12 fun and easy ways for you to up your daily water intake:
Pre-plan your water intake: Fill up your drink bottle the night before and pop it somewhere where you’ll remember to take it with you wherever you’re off to the next day.
Written reminders: Simply write ‘drink water’ into your diary or on your to-do-list each day.
Carry a reusable water bottle practically everywhere: We mean everywhere… car, gym, work, you name it. It is now and forever going to be a handbag essential. This way it is always in your sight and will act as a constant reminder. We love stainless steel ones, as they keep our water cooler all day and is more enviro friendly.
Make it a healthy habit: Feeling hungry? Bored? Drink water! You might be much more dehydrated than you think.
Get a drink water app: Setting audible or phone reminders is an extremely effective and savvy way of keeping on top of your water consumption. There are plenty out there! Set yourself rules. What about drinking water at all mealtimes? Try to make sure you have one glass before and one glass during each and every meal. This will actually fill you up more, evidently reducing the risk of overeating!
Exercise regularly: By exercising regularly, you will naturally acquire more of a thirst for water!
Infuse your water with fruit or herbs: By improving the taste of your water with delicious fruits or herbs will most likely make you reach for it more, adding some freshness! We love grapefruit, lemon, strawberries or orange and mint or basil leaves!
Tea counts: Give your water a twist by incorporating herbal tea into your life. Some of these teas are also superfoods, like Green tea! Other delicious options include peppermint, mixed berry or lemongrass and ginger, and all contain their own amazing health benefits!
Jazz up your water: Why not go with carbonated or sparkling water? A 2014 study on water consumption found that people who drank carbonated water were actually drinking 43% more water! Consume fruit and vegetables with high water content. Some great examples of foods with high water content are tomato (94%), watermelon, cucumber, strawberries, celery, radishes, grapefruit and iceberg lettuce.
Pop a straw in your drink: Believe it or not, this simple trick is something that a lot of people find quite helpful in drinking more water. But don’t forget to use a reusable aluminium or paper one.
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