Kim’s Korner: Boost Your Water Intake This Fall

by Kimberly Wendschlag
 

​     Happy Fall! Whew! We all survived the heat of the summer and went briskly right into fall. Have you turned your heat on yet? We tried our best to hold out, but brrrrrr! Those early mornings are a bit chilly…even with my fuzzy blanket. This is the season that we bring out the crock pots, the tea kettles, the hot chocolate, the soups, stews and all the pumpkin spice one can find.
     Along with all of these warm, cozy, comfort items comes less activity for many.  Less busyness (except for you mama’s running your kiddos to all of their activities. I see you! ) Less heat, less outdoor work and my favorite, less sweating!
     The soups begin to replace the fruits. The hot chocolate starts to replace a glass of ice water, and warm muffins take the place of a good, cold piece of fruit. We are so fortunate to live in the country that we do. We have so many choices of foods to consume. Watermelon, strawberries, cucumbers, cantaloupe and oranges, oh my!
     Did you know that each of these have a water content of at least 90% or above? Not only are they delicious but they are also a great source of H2O. For example, 1 cup of watermelon contains over one half of a cup of water. You are killing 2 birds with one stone! Healthy fruit + water intake = Hydration!
     The human body is made up of approximately 60% water. Most of that water is contained in our cells with lean tissue holding more water than fatty tissue.
     On average, most of us have been told to drink 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water daily to maintain a good hydration level. This is a terrific place to begin and to strive for.
     Another way to balance your water intake is to strive to drink about half of your body weight in ounces of water daily. For example, a person weighing 200 pounds should do their best to get about 100 ounces of water into their diet daily. This water can come from multiple sources, such as fruits, vegetables, unsweetened tea, water, black coffee and even skim milk.
     I hear you. “There’s no way my body needs that much water.” “How in the world am I going to do my job? I don’t have time to be in the restroom that often.” I hear that one a lot! Friends, you don’t have the time NOT to. Unless, that is, you are a frog. Ribbit.
     Did you know that frogs, some types of lizards, and a few other species do not drink water? Nope. They soak it all in through their skin. They do not swallow water. They do not lick up water. They do not even choose food that has a high water content.
     They have the life. Eat what they want, do what they want, then just soak up the liquid and live happily ever after. Can you imagine? Soaking in the jacuzzi for days on end. Saturate ourselves with a warm bath and forget the H2O ounce counting once and for all. Oh, how heavenly that would be. Much less stressful for sure.
     We must step back into reality and realize that we aren’t frogs, or sand gazelles, camels or woodrats. We are humans and we must drink water. We can survive 3 weeks without food, but only around 3 days without water. On any given day a person typically loses between 4 and 9 cups of water. We lose water through breathing, sweating and restroom elimination. If we aren’t consuming enough water to accommodate this loss, we become dehydrated. Dehydration can result in achy joints, digestive problems, constipation, increased blood pressure and an overly acidic stomach. Without drinking enough water our body also has a difficult time ridding unwanted fat. It’s simply a vicious cycle.
     Let’s change the way we think about water! Here are a few easy steps to take to help you get your daily water consumption in:
 
Drink before you eat;

Carry around a large water bottle;

Use an app (Yes…there’s an app for that);

Have an accountability partner;

Remember, WATER is LIFE.
 
Kim is a business owner in Grain Valley, as a Health and Wellness Advocate with Plexus Worldwide. www.plexusslim.com/kimberlywendschlag