Why do you need to drink water?
I’m writing this article on the last day of a 5-day heatwave here in Sydney, Australia. Where temperatures have been in the high 30’s each day, peaking at 39 degrees Celsius today. Phew!
And while it is easier to remember to drink water in order to stay hydrated on days like today, on cooler days it is so much easier to forget.
Water is essential to life. And sadly, most of us living in the industrialised world are dehydrated and we don’t even know it.
We mistakenly think that drinking soft drinks, teas, coffees, alcohol etc. are sufficient for our stressed out and dehydrated bodies, thinking we're getting enough fluids during the day.
But most times, it’s just not enough.
Water and your body
As a society, we have become increasingly dehydrated not getting nearly enough water. Did you know that roughly 75% of your body and 85% of your brain tissue is made up of water?[1]
THAT is how important water is for you.
And when you don’t drink enough water, the lion’s share goes to the brain, and the rest of your body’s organs receive just enough to maintain their basic functioning.
Drinking enough water each day is important for many bodily functions including:
carrying nutrients and oxygen to your cells,
preventing constipation,
flushing bacteria from your bladder,
normalising blood pressure,
regulating body temperature,
protecting organs and tissues,
aiding digestion,
and many other important tasks[2].
Your body’s thirst signal
And when it comes to water and weight loss, if we don’t drink enough water we become increasingly dehydrated. And often we end up mistaking a thirst signal from our body for one of hunger.
And so we reach for a snack that our body doesn't want or need. And we wonder why it didn't quite 'hit the spot'. That's probably because you weren’t really hungry for it in the first place, you were likely just thirsty.
The hunger signal and the thirst signal are so similar, that it's pretty hard to tell the difference between them. So play it safe. When you think you’re hungry, have a glass of filtered water. Wait 15 to 30 minutes and if you feel satisfied, you were actually just thirsty. But if you still feel a pang in your stomach, then you are truly hungry. So go ahead, and tuck right in.
Very often, if you think you are hungry and you drink some water, you’ll notice that you weren’t actually hungry after all. You were just thirsty.
The next time you are craving a piece of chocolate, freshly baked bread, or whatever your favourite piece of food is, stop for a moment and ask yourself this. If someone offered me a juicy orange segment right now, or a strawberry, would I fancy that just as much as I’m fancying chocolate right now? You might realise that it’s not really chocolate you are after, you are just after something.
If the juicy orange segment sounds particularly appealing, maybe you are actually thirsty. Thirst often disguises itself as hunger. If you then have a full glass of water you might find the craving and/or hunger disappears.
But how do you do that if you’re always forgetting to drink water? Or you don’t particularly like the taste of water?
1. Set a daily goal
Set yourself a daily goal for how much water you are going to drink for the day. And work out how much you need to drink, and how often, in order to reach that goal.
2. Set reminders
Use your cell phone or an App to remind you to drink water. As, if you’re anything like me, you’ll get deeply involved in something on your laptop and next thing you know, 4 hours will have passed.
3. Track your consumption
Use an App or your Fitbit to track your consumption throughout the day. Google “daily water free” for a list of recommended Apps.
4. Sip throughout the day
It’s a lot easier to drink small amounts regularly than it is to down massive amounts of water all in one go. So have a glass or bottle next to you so that you don’t have to get up every time you feel thirsty.
5. Drink from larger containers
Instead of using teeny-tiny glasses or water bottles, use a large one. This means you’ll be far more likely to drink more water, as you won’t keep reaching for an empty tiny glass.
6. Get a travel bottle
Buy a reusable water bottle and take it with you everywhere you go. Preferably BPA free.
7. Get yourself a water filter
Water is so important, but even more important, your water should be clean and filtered. If your tap water is clean great stuff, but otherwise invest in a water filter. I use a Genzon Water filter which is super convenient, I just keep it topped up and I have fresh water on hand at all times. I use this to fill up my water bottles to take with me on the go.
Do your own research, but look for a purifier that filters toxins and contaminants out of the water, such as bacteria, chemicals and heavy metals, and puts good stuff back in, like alkaline minerals. Some even ionise the water, which restructures the water molecules allowing for more rapid hydration at the cellular level.[3]
8. Reward yourself
Reward yourself for reaching your weekly water targets. And remember, a reward does not have to involve food. It can also be a nice long soak in the tub, an hour with your favourite book, or a nice long walk. Something soothing and nurturing is just as rewarding.
9. Do one-for-one
When consuming drinks known to increase dehydration, such as coffee or alcohol, have one glass of water for every drink consumed.
10. Replace other drinks with water
Perhaps you reach for a nice cold can of Coca Cola, or a beer or cider when you’re hot and thirsty. Replace that habit with reaching for a nice cold glass of water instead. Perhaps keep water in a jug in the fridge for warmer days.
11. Add flavour to your pitcher
And speaking of jugs of water, if you don’t like the taste of water or find it boring, why not add some flavour to your pitcher?
What about adding some:
Fruit - grapefruit, strawberries, lemon wedges
Veggies - chunks of cucumber, ginger, celery
Herbs - basil, mint, lavender
There is so much you could add to enhance the flavour of the water.
12. Eat foods high in water
An easy way to get more water in your diet is to eat foods high in water content.
Foods such as:
Cucumber (96% water)
Tomatoes (95% water)
Spinach (93% water)
Mushrooms (92% water)
Melon (91% water)
Broccoli (90% water)
Brussels sprouts (88% water)
Oranges (86% water)
Apples (85% water)
Blueberries (84% water) [4].
Try these tips to increase your daily water consumption. Once you do, you may even notice additional benefits. Benefits such as increased energy, less foggy thinking, clearer skin and a metabolism boost[5].
And perhaps the next time you think you are hungry, why not drink some fresh, clean water and wait 10-15 minutes to see if you really were hungry, or just thirsty?
Your body, and your waistline, will thank you for it.
Last updated: 10/04/2022
References:
[1] Batmanghelidj, F, M.D. (2008). Your Body's Many Cries For Water. Global Health Solutions, Inc. p6
[2] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-much-water-should-you-drink
[3] https://genzonwater.com/pages/genzon-water
[4] https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/ten-water-rich-foods-hydration
[5] https://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20040105/drinking-water-may-speed-weight-loss
