Keeping our body well hydrated is essential if we want it to continue to be in optimum condition both physically and functionally. To be properly hydrated means to keep the fluid balance in our body stable, which consists of between 60 and 70 percent water in adults, depending on gender and age.
Because the human body is unable to store water and because we experience natural water loss throughout the day, it is imperative that we stay hydrated by drinking water on a consistent basis.
Should I Get My Hydration From Water, or Is There Another Way?
There are a lot of people who are under the impression that the fact that they consume a lot of different liquids throughout the day is sufficient, and that they do not need to continue to consume water as well. Although the majority of drinks do hydrate one to some extent, there are certain liquids that actually cause one to lose water, thus unfortunately this statement is not entirely accurate.
The following beverages are not very effective in hydrating:
Milk Milk is not a beverage; rather, it is classified as a food, and adults rarely have the ability to digest it all the way through. Whey is exceptionally simple to digest, but because it includes substances that cause urination, it should not be ingested on a daily basis.
Drinking alcohol really causes you to get dehydrated because it draws water out of the tissues, which causes the tissues to dry out and creates a greater need for water in the body.
Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa: Coffee, black tea, and drinks based on cocoa are all high in purines, which are poisons that must be expelled from the body through sweating or peeing. Purines are found in all three of these beverages. Because purines have to be diluted in a significant amount of water before they can be eliminated without causing irritation, this means that the majority of the water that is consumed along with these beverages is used to flush out the toxins that they contain, and as a result, there is almost no hydration that takes place.
The following beverages are excellent sources of hydration:
Herbal Teas (Infusions): The leaves of plants like linden, balm, verbena, and mint add a wonderful flavour and aroma when they are steeped in hot water. These leaves also have medicinal properties, which means that they do not have any adverse effects on the body’s ability to assimilate the water and are therefore a satisfying alternative to simply drinking water. It is essential to highlight, however, that this does not include plants that have qualities similar to diuretics, such as dandelion, nor does it contain infusions that are sweet.
Fruit and Vegetable Juices: The juices in fruit and vegetables are essentially water provided by nature for hydration. However, because this water is bound to a substance, most notably a nutrient or sugar, fruit and vegetable juice, despite the fact that it is hydrating, should not form the primary resource for hydration. Take note that this only applies to juice that is made entirely from fruits and vegetables.
Water: When it comes to providing the human body with the optimal amount of hydration, the best beverage to drink is water. It is recommended to consume water that has been filtered via pure water first, as this type of water does not contain any toxins or other potentially hazardous components and will properly hydrate the body.
A minimum of seventy percent of your daily fluid intake should be made up of simple water if you want to ensure that your body is adequately hydrated, is in good health, and remains in the best possible functional condition. Make an investment in a water cooler for the office that provides easy access to fresh filtered drinking water almost around the clock. A water cooler will not only encourage you to drink more water, but it will also encourage others in the surrounding area to drink more water, which will ultimately improve the health of everyone.
