Being dehydrated can have a negative impact on your body. Joint pain, headaches and foggy memory are just a few of the outcomes of the lack of daily water intake. In recent studies, it has also been shown that kidney stones are particularly resulted from dehydration. Here are a few ''how's'' to inform you about keeping your hydration level high.
How to Know if You're Dehydrated
Pinch yourself
First off, check if you're dehydrated by pinching the skin of the back of your hand and holding it for a couple of seconds. When you release it, if the skin takes a while before it returns to normal, you might be dehydrated. Although this is not a completely reliable way for everyone to check it, it can get you an idea.
Check the color
Another option would be to keep an eye on the color of your urine. If it's in the lighter and transparent tones, then you are well hydrated. If it's the yellow-ish darker tones, you definitely have to consider drinking more water daily.
Outcomes of Dehydration
- Dry, sticky or smelly mouth
- Sleepiness
- Dry skin
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Deconcentration
- Chronic joint pain
How to Get Hydrated
Scheduled water bottle
To never forget when you're supposed to drink, there's a really efficient trick! Get motivated to drink more water by marking the time and quantity of water intake for each hour. As long as you follow this, you'll be sure to drink your recommended doze everyday!
Foods
If drinking water isn't your thing, there are other alternatives to stay hydrated. Fruits and veggies like watermelon, celery, cucumbers, strawberries, spinach and lettuce are some of the things you can eat throughout the day to stay hydrated
Liquids
If you aren't hungry but you still want to hydrate yourself with something else than water, coconut water is the way to go. It's known to be a super hydrating beverage. If the taste isn't your favorite, try to make fresh juices with real fruit, and no, juices from the store don't count.
Also, replace your usual milk with skim milk, it's way more hydrating!
What to avoid
Try to avoid alcohol and caffeine as much as possible, because those beverages dehydrate the body more than hydrating it.
How Much Water Do You Need
There are some factors like age, weight and height that play a role in determining your daily water intake to stay hydrated. If you click here, you can calculate what's the exact amount of water you need to drink daily.
