Total Health Challenge Week Four: Hydrate!

We took a break from our total health challenge last week as we celebrated Thanksgiving. Now let's just take a moment to recap the changes we've made so far:

Week 1: Eat a good breakfast

Week 2: Move your body for 30 minutes everyday

Week 3: Get a good night's sleep

On to this week...

Week 4: Hydrate!

Water, the Sweet Nectar of Life

pic from freefoto.com

There is a reason why NASA is so interested in looking for water elsewhere in the solar system. Water is the building block of all life as we know it. According to this dramatic HowStuffWorks article by Charles W. Bryant, humans can live about 8 weeks without food. However, in conditions of high heat, dehydration can kill a person in just hours. Even in mild weather, a healthy human won't last a week without water.

Of course, there is a difference between dying of dehydration and running a quart low. If you want your body to function at optimum levels, though, you need to provide it with the necessary raw materials. Every cell in your body requires water.

You are losing water constantly. Every time you exhale, water escapes-- as much as 4 cups per day. Evaporation robs moisture from the skin. Sweating isn't just a factor when exercising. Many people perspire in our over-heated office environments, or have sweaty feet inside their boots or sneakers. Your body also needs water to expel toxins from the body as urine and solid waste.

Am I Thirsty?

Unfortunately, we can't rely on thirst to guide our water intake. Nutritionists say that by the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. The thirst drive also decreases with age, and many people have trouble distinguishing between hunger and thirst anyway. So how can you tell if you need to drink more water?

The color of your urine is the most reliable indicator of how hydrated you are. Urine should be clear or very light yellow, like lemonade (real lemonade, not Countrytime with FD&C Yellow food coloring!). If your urine is gold or darker, you are definitely dehydrated. Frequent urination can be an indication of dehydration, so go by the color, not frequency. Dry lips or a dry mouth are also surefire indicators that your body needs more water.

Some people may meet their hydration needs just by drinking a glass of water between and with meals, and before and during exercise. Other people in different environments may require much more water.

What Should I Drink?

At one time, doctors told us that caffeinated beverages subtracted from our water balance. The caffeine is diuretic, they said, and so you will actually need to consume more water to make up the difference. Today, doctors and nutritionists believe that caffeinated coffee, teas, and even water-rich fruits and vegetables all count toward our fluid balance.

For your general health and well-being, choose beverages that are free of additives and artificial preservatives, and limit daily caffeine intake. Beware flavored waters with artificial sweeteners! They may be low or zero-calorie, but the artificial sweeteners they contain can spark your body's desire for the real thing, leading to hard-to-control sweet cravings.

Pure water has the benefit of being calorie-free, but it isn't always the best choice. If you are working out for longer than an hour, you should consume a fluid replacer that contains electrolytes, sodium in particular. The rare condition hyponatremia results from losing a great deal of water and salt to sweat, and consuming too much water without replacing the salt. During sweaty workouts, consuming 4 oz of fluid every 15 minutes is a good baseline.

Water as Medicine

Finally, if you are one of millions of Americans who suffer from exercise-induced asthma, water is even more important to you. A 1999 study at the University of Buffalo showed that dehydration exacerbated bronchial spasms (read more at ScienceDaily.) It appears that drinking water keeps airways moist, reducing the occurrence of irritation and constriction. So drink up!