The Power of Hydration
Hydration: Why It's So Important
Hydration is making sure the body has enough water. Hydration is important in many ways including maintaining a healthy metabolism, controlling body temperature, removing waste through urine, and balancing blood pressure and heart rate. The average human body is between 50-75% water. In the brain, it is upwards of almost 75%, compared to the blood where it is 90%!
Bottom line, the body is a LOT of water. Therefore, it is so important to make sure we stay hydrated. This is achieved, yes, by drinking plenty of water, but also by having electrolyte balance.
Hydrate in a cellular way.
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Drinking tons of water will make you urinate but will not be helpful in hydrating in a cellular way. Hydrating in a cellular way means that you have the essential minerals to get the water into the cell. This is where it counts the most, so that your cells can function optimally, allowing your BODY to function optimally. These minerals are potassium and magnesium. Potassium encourages movement of water into the tissue and magnesium helps potassium get into the cell. Since over 40% of the population has magnesium deficiency, this is very problematic for hydration status.
How much should you drink every day?
You should aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces daily (unless otherwise directed by your provider). In addition to that, you should use a higher quality salt. This needs to be unrefined sea salt. It presents an opportunity for our body to receive trace minerals that you would not get from regular table salt. You can also use kelp granules. They are a good source of trace minerals and iodine (which is also good for hormone sensitive tissues). Here is a good brand:
https://seaveg.com/collections/shakers/products/kelp-granules-sea-seasoning-shaker-organic
Make Hydration a Habit.
When you wake up in the morning, drink 1-2 cups of room temperature water. The reason for doing this is because when we wake up, we are typically dehydrated and toxic. Also, if you drink water first it helps to flush your system before drinking anything else such as tea or coffee (which will dehydrate you more!). You can also eat foods that count as water, such as watermelon or soup.
Don’t chug water before and after a meal. This will dilute stomach acid and impair digestion. Stomach acid is needed in good, potent intensity to support our digestion. Instead, try to drink the most water between meals.
In closing, hydration is something that should be a priority in your life, as most of our body is water. More importantly, it is not just water that is important for hydration. Making sure you get daily trace minerals is a must, because without these, the water cannot get transported to where it needs to go by the cells. Start by waking up in the morning to a glass of room temperature water and drink before doing anything else. This will help to begin your day flushing toxins and hydrating right off the bat!
Written by Virginia Conner, PA-C