Hmm…considering how much water I have been drinking lately, today’s theme is definitely Water & Wellness Wednesday! Don’t get me wrong, I love a good glass of wine, but I also love alliteration and Water & Wellness Wednesday works! (Also, I love water. I realize that people find that odd. But that’s ok. I’m good at odd.)
I didn’t realize it’s been over three years since I last posted about water, but there you have it. Recently, when I finished a shower with COLD water (yikes that was brisk) I was reminded that in hot, hot weather, as we are starting to have in Iowa, staying hydrated is absolutely critical. Balancing between drinking enough water and drinking too much is also critical, and, yes, it is possible to over-hydrate. Let’s revisit some important info.
Why is water so important?
Go look at yourself in the mirror. You look pretty solid, right? (I mean, unless you’re a vampire. But I think then maybe there are other concerns if that’s the case…) Can you guess how much of the human body, on average, is made up of water? Depending on various factors, it can be anywhere from 50% to 70% water. Water is critical for your body to function properly. You also need various minerals and vitamins for your body to function properly, which is why over-hydrating is a concern. Water-soluble vitamins can leach out if you drink too much water and have to go to the bathroom a lot as a result. (Do you see now why it’s so difficult to find hard & fast rules about how much water to drink??) If you lose too much sodium you can have some pretty severe physical problems.
“But, Jolie, I don’t like drinking water. It’s boring.”
“Tough toodles, toots, drink up!”
Not all water tastes the same and not all water tastes good. Is this when I say not all water is created equal? But I digress. And, again, unless you’re new here, you are accustomed to that!
Strategies? Of course you know I’ve got them!
Get a filtered pitcher or water bottle. If you like cold water (I don’t), keep the pitcher/bottle in the fridge. Otherwise, give it a space on the counter. Buy bottled water. (And recycle those bottles, please!) Find low-calorie (or no-calorie) flavorings you can add to your water. Lemon juice is refreshing. Lemon juice (or lime juice) is also present in nearly every refrigerator in the country, or so it seems to me! Add a little lemon (or lime!) juice to your water.
Make some iced tea and drink it without sweetener. Have some really good black coffee! (Yes, such a thing exists! Also…coffee is good for you! No, really!) Tea and coffee are just water…with flavor, but without sugar and creamer they count toward your daily water consumption! Don’t know where to begin? I love making cold-brewed iced tea using herbal tea sachets from Epicure. I was drinking cold-brewed iced tea while I drafted, and black coffee while I edited. Hey. It’s a thing. I do attempt to live what I blog!
What’s your favorite thing about drinking water? If you don’t have one, what one strategy are you going to try with the goal of drinking more water?
Cheers! Here’s to your health!