Did you know that hydration can impact nearly everything about your bodily functions including your pain levels? This applies to chronic pain and exercise-induced pain alike. There are so many maladies that can present due to dehydration and it's such an easy thing to remedy. So let's talk about how much water you need in your life...
You Should Be Drinking AT LEAST Half Your Body Weight in OZ of water daily
(That means: 150lbs = 75 oz of water every day)
You should be drinking at least 8 oz of water to compensate for each caffeinated or alcoholic beverage you drink.
(1 cup of coffee = adding 8 oz to your daily requirement.)
Things that count when considering hydration:
-Water
-Herbal (non caffeinated) teas
-Coconut water
Things that don't count (and most dehydrate you):
-Sodas
-Coffee
-Alcohol
-Caffeinated Teas
-Fruit Juices
-Sparkling Waters
Tricks to maximize your water intake:
-Get a fun water bottle, or one that you find aesthetically pleasing. (Consider containers from other beverages like wine bottles, juice bottles, etc. Keep it interesting!)
-Get a larger water bottle... You may be more motivated if you only have to drink two of a certain size of bottle per day than if you have to refill a small one many times throughout the day.
-Drink out of a straw or a water bottle with a straw. Many people find that drinking from straws encourages them to drink more.
-Add fruits, veggies, or herbs for flavor. (Infused Water Recipes)
-Drink 16 oz first thing when you wake up in the morning!
-Drink water every time you do a certain task during your day.
-Download an app for your smart phone to remind you to drink water every day.
-Write positive affirmations on your water bottle.
-Get a fun tea cup and use it exclusively for herbal teas.
-Suck on some ice chips for variation.
-Make it manageable.... while the ideal is to drink enough water daily, work up to it one day at a time.
The great thing about hydration is that once you have optimized your body's hydration levels, you'll start to feel a difference when you aren't hydrated enough. Your body may ache more, you may get headaches... soon you'll know just when you need to drink more to feel your best!
Additional Reading:
*Sore No More! is not a licensed physician. All information on this blog is researched by our staff and is subject to inaccuracies. No information found here should be used in the place of advice from your doctor. * Sore No More 150 East Center Street Moab, Utah 84532 Tel: (435) 259-5931 Toll Free: (800) 842-6622 www.sorenomore.com
*Cross-posted to Whole Balance Being*
