Hydration Station

Good morning!  How have you all been doing with your resolutions?  Speaking of which, if you missed the post on mine, you can catch it here.  One of the areas that I want to focus on in 2013 is proper hydration.  So often our bodies can become dehydrated and sluggish without even knowing, especially in the winter months.  Let’s face it, we aren’t craving liquids when it’s thirty degrees outside.  Despite our lack of thirst, it still is important to keep our bodies filled with plenty of H2O.  

To aid in the quest to fill my belly with more water, I am using my new Tervis water tumbler.  I received this as a Christmas gift from a student and I'm in love.  In fact, I need to get one for both home and school.  

Through research along with some reasons of my own, I came up with a list of benefits for pumping liquids all year long...

Skin health – Hydration keeps skin moist and supple.  I don’t know about you, but I can feel the difference in my skin when I haven’t had the proper amount of water I need.  Honestly, my skin is one of my first indicators of dehydration and it tends to feel dry when I am lacking water. 

Better exercise – Water keeps your cells moving and helps to fuel muscles which gives you more energy.

Detox – Water helps the body flush out toxins, leaving you feel more vibrant and energentic.  Rather than deprive yourself with a detox that will leave you hungry and unfulfilled, drink a ton of water…it will help.    

Staying healthy – Proper hydration will boost your immune system to help fight flu, colds and other winter sicknesses. 

Mental Sharpness – Hydration helps to keep the mind sharp and the body alert.

Feeling full/weight control – We all know that drinking a glass of water before a meal helps us feel fuller.  Therefore a fuller stomach = less calories consumed.  

Digestion – Plenty of fluids aid in digestion by helping the body move food through our body.

Essential to Live – Since the brain is about 70% water and the body is 60-65% water, we cannot live without it.  Obviously, there are certain times of the year when we need more water than others {think runs on hot, summer days} but regardless, proper hydration is essential. 

Finally, one last tip that I find fascinating:  Drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces of water per day will not only put you in a good mood, but it will make you feel great!  If anything, it's a good "rule of thumb" to follow...

Tips to increase water consumption:

·      Have a water bottle with you at all times!

·      Skip the soda and juice and drink water with every meal.

·      Incorporate more decaffeinated herbal teas into your diet, especially during the winter months.

·      Fruits and veggies have water too, especially those such as watermelon, celery, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes and cucumbers. 

How are you hydrating today?