Let's Talk About Water!
Water.
We all know it is vitally important to our survival. And you have no doubt heard your massage therapist, yoga instructor, doctor, or maybe your mom tell you time and time again to "Make sure you drink enough water". But for some reason many of us still don't drink enough of it (myself included sometimes).
Why is it that we have such a hard time doing such a simple thing? Perhaps it's our busy schedules, the lack of making it a priority, or possibly, even with the best of intentions we simply forget. Maybe some of us don't even fully grasp all the things in our lives that water affects.
In an effort to get us drinking as much water as we should, here are a few of the amazing benefits that may help motivate you to drink up as well as some helpful tips to build new water drinking habits in your life.
AMAZING BENEFITS!
1. Increased Energy, Less Fatigue, & More Focus!
Who amongst us can't use more energy? Our brains are about 75% water, so by ensuring that we are properly hydrated we increase our focus and concentration as well as boosting energy! So the next time that third cup of coffee is still just not doing the trick, maybe stop and check in to see if you have gotten enough water.
2. Better Skin!
As our body processes the water that we drink the majority of it is used by our internal organs and systems BEFORE providing it to our most external organ, the skin. So unless we are getting the full amount needed to hydrate all parts of our body we are likely to see skin prone to dryness. And because dry skin is less resilient it is more prone to wrinkles.
3. Fewer Headaches!
A substantial amount of headaches are caused by dehydration. In fact, I have found this to be so true in my own life that the moment I feel a headache coming on my first thought is "Have I had enough water today?". Try this for yourself. The next few times you experience the start of a headache, instead of reaching straight for the aspirin or ibuprofen, drink a big glass of water and see what happens.
And SO much more! Including weight loss, flushing of toxins, boosting your immune system, prevention of cramps, and on and on.
TIPS FOR DRINKING MORE!
1. Wake up with water!
This tip from my amazing yoga instructor has revolutionized my water consumption more than anything else! Every night before I go to bed I pour myself a big glass of water and set it on my nightstand. Now when I wake up, the first thing I do is sit in bed and drink the entire glass. This gets your day off to a perfectly hydrated start!
2. Get the perfect water bottle (and take it everywhere)!
So much about building habits is making things fit into our own personal lifestyle. Find the perfect water bottle for yourself. Maybe that means a stylish bottle with a cute pattern like a S'ip, a heavy duty and utilitari
an bottle like Hydro Flask or Klean Kanteen, or perhaps you just have a big old mason jar that you love to drink out of. Keep it filled with water and carry it everywhere with you (to your office, in your car, etc), so that the moment you think about having a sip of water you can.
3. Use an App to track your water intake!
There are some great apps out there now like Daily Water Free and Carbodroid that can help track how much water you are taking in, as well as set alarms and reminders to keep you on track. And they even make high-tech water bottles that sync directly to an app on your phone now like the H2OPal.
4. Jazz up your water!
There are a myriad of delicious natural things you can add to your water if the plain stuff gets too boring for you. Lemon, grapefruit, ginger, cucumber, raspberries, basil, lavender, melon, and so many more can be used. Get creative and try an exciting combo like Jalapeño-Cantaloupe or Strawberry-Thyme! Just make sure that you stick to fruits, vegetables and herbs and never use any sweeteners or artificial ingredients.
5. What are your ideas?
There really are endless ways to get ourselves to drink more water! If you have a great tip or something that has helped you, I would love to hear it! Please feel free to share in the comments below!
**This article is not intended to diagnose or recommend treatment for an disease or disorder. These is simply information based on personal experience and what has helped me in my own life.**
**No products mentioned or linked to in this article are paid sponsors. They are merely items that I find interesting and believe may be of use to my readers.**
