3 Ways to Make Hydration Easy

Is it just me, or has, “Drink more water!” become the official battle-cry of all health-related social media influencers?

Don’t get me wrong; water is key for overall health. Out of all the things that these uninformed and fear-mongering influencers promote and “teach”, this is certainly the least problematic one.

After all, water is needed for digesting food, transporting nutrients, removing waste, cushioning joints, and maintaining body temperature. All SUPER important things.

However, I realize that many people do struggle with getting in enough water throughout the day (it’s not exactly the most fun of beverages).

Aaaaand if you’re a busy person, getting up to pee all the time is ANNOYING. Ain’t nobody got time for that, amirite?

(just kidding, please drink water).

How much is enough?

The most common recommendations I’ve come across in blogs, forums, and social media is to drink 8 cups of water or half your body weight in ounces. However, this suggestion is kind of…baseless.

How much water any individual person needs to drink is variable and depends on age, sex, size, weight, activity level, the weather, and also what the rest of the diet looks like.

For instance, someone that eats a lot of water-rich fruits and vegetables may not need to drink as much liquid water to be adequately hydrated. On the flip side, someone who goes for 1-hour long jogs in 30°C weather may need to drink more water to replenish their fluids.

Despite these nuances, 8 glasses/day is certainly a good target for those that currently don't drink much water. The good news is that all things you consume that are liquid at room temperature are fair game; this includes coffee, tea, and even ice cream and popsicles! Not that I would recommend getting your hydration in through ice cream alone.

3 Ways to Step Up Your Hydration Game

1. Keep a water bottle next to you

In the past, there was this notion that only hippie tree-huggers carry around water bottles with them...but trust me, ALL the cool kids are doing it ;) Using a reusable water bottle or just having a topped-up glass of water next to you while working or doing whatever can make a big difference.

It acts as a visual cue that can trigger the behaviour of taking a gulp now and then. Also, I know for me personally, if I start feeling parched but am already knee-deep in work, I am really unlikely to walk over to the kitchen or nearest water fountain to grab water. If it’s already right beside me though, easy-peasy, I'll take a quick swig and keep on working.

2. Flavour it up

My next suggestion is to not be afraid to add flavour to your water. Squeezing a lemon or lime wedge into your glass or making a pitcher of strawberry-infused water are great ways to make your water more enjoyable to drink. Even tea is a great way to get in more hydration (and bonus: many teas have a whole host of other health benefits too!).

3. Try a little bubbly

...and I don’t mean champagne! Carbonated water is great and can be extremely refreshing, particularly on a hot day. There are so many flavoured and unflavoured varieties on the market these days or, for those who can, investing in a SodaStream is also an option.

Stay nourished (and hydrated!) my friends,

Robena