subject: How to increase your daily water intake [print this page] How to increase your daily water intake How to increase your daily water intake
How much water should you drink a day? Many health professionals believe adults should drink between 6 and 10 cups per day. Others believe the amount needed varies from individual to individual and is dependent on many factors such as general overall health, the climate we live in and the amount of exercise we get. For example, if you perform strenuous exercise, you will probably need to increase your water intake compared to someone who participates in a less strenuous exercise regimen.
Eat water-rich foods
Most of the foods we eat contain water. According to the Mayo Clinic , we consume approximately 20% of water from the foods we eat. Foods such as cucumber and watermelon are composed mostly of water and are delicious to eat. This leaves 80% to be consumed from water and other beverages such as juices, caffeinated drinks, even wine. Wine and caffeinated beverages should be consumed in moderation and are not necessarily the most nutritional sources of water.
There are many benefits to getting the proper amount of water including:
Carrying oxygen and nutrients to our cells
Helping rid the body of toxins
Provide us with energy
Reduce constipation
Drink when you are thirsty and not when it is convenient
Thirst is a sign that our body needs fluids. Some doctors, believe if we drink water when we become thirsty that we should be getting the proper amount of fluid for our bodies. Others say we are already on the path to dehydration before we actually become thirsty. To increase your daily water intake requires planning. If we fail to plan, we may or may not achieve the goal of increasing the amount of fluids consumed each day.
Create a "Keep Me Hydrated" plan"
Another way to ensure that you consume the proper amount of water, create a "Keep Me Hydrated" Plan. This plan will provide a record of how much water you are actually consuming each day and help you track your fluid consumption. For example, if you need 8 (8ounces) cups/glasses per day. Consider drinking 1 cup when you get up in the morning, another one during breakfast, 1 cup at break time; 1 or 2 cups at lunch and so on. This is just a suggestion. I created a "keep hydrated" plan and it works. Rarely are "sodas", "pops" wine, etc. included in the plan to meet the recommended daily water intake because they are limited in nutritional value.
Drink water with meals or snacks. Before you grab a caffeinated drink, grab a bottle of water. A 16.9 fl. oz bottle will provide you with 2 cups of water with nine tenth of an ounce to spare. Eat more fruits and vegetables whose contain is mostly water, e.g. celery, peaches.
Water is an essential nutrient for life, it provide many benefitsand should be consumed daily. Many doctors agree that adults should drink between 6 and10 glasses of water per day.There are many ways that we can increase our daily water intake- drink when we are thirsty, include water-rich foods in our diet and create a "Keep Me Hydrated" plan.
