The Importance of Optimal Hydration and Drinking Enough Water
Too often the importance of water and hydration towards our health is overlooked. Water is necessary for a myriad of different functions within our body. From transporting nutrients around the body, regulating our body temperature and supporting our digestive system, to detoxification and supporting energy production, water is essential for life.
How much water should we be drinking?
We are all individuals, which means we each have different water requirements. The amount of water we need to be drinking can be worked out for our individual requirements by multiplying 33 by our body weight.
Formula for how much water we need to drink:
33 x (body weight in kilograms) = (amount of water needed in millilitres)
For example, a person that weighs 70 kilograms would need: 33 x 70 = 2310 millilitres (or 2.3 litres).
There are other factors that can contribute to us needing more water, like humid weather, hot climates or our physical activity level. For this reason I always recommend using this water formula to find the minimum amount of water we need to drink each day.
Why we need to be drinking filtered water:
Just as important as the amount of water we drink is the quality of that water itself. While in first world countries like Australia, tap water is safe to drink, this doesn’t mean it is the cleanest or best it can be. Unfortunately tap water is still contaminated with heavy metals, chemicals, bacteria, etc. So it is really important that we use a water filter to ensure we’re getting the cleanest water possible. Water is essential for detoxification after all, so let’s make it easier for our body by drinking clean water and not giving our liver even more things to detoxify.
I use a water filter that also removes the added flouride and my personal choice is the Gentoo Jug from Ecobud. Of course if you can get an under tap or whole house system that is even better, but for an affordable option the jug is a fantastic choice.
Tips to help you drink enough water:
Some things I do or recommend doing to ensure you’re meeting your water requirements include:
Drinking a glass or two of water upon waking
Carrying your water bottle with you everywhere you go
Using reminders like alarms or apps that remind you to drink
Creating a ‘trigger’ by linking it to another thing/event. For example, having a glass of water each time you get back from the bathroom
Why you should seperate drinking water and meal times:
Did you know we’re not actually supposed to drink much while eating a meal? Drinking can actually dilute our salivary and digestive enzymes that we need to digest the meal that we’re eating - digestion starts in our mouth after all. Instead of drinking lots of water or liquids with a meal, try just sipping if you feel you need something. Try to seperate meal times and water intake by 15 minutes either side.
Increase your water intake with herbal tea:
Herbal teas are a fantastic way to increase your water intake, especially in the colder months. As they are caffeine free, these do contribute to your overall hydration status. Of course we should still have some plain water throughout the day and not rely on herbal tea as our only source of water, however they are a great boost and I personally enjoy multiple cups of tea per day.
Herbal teas are those that are caffeine free, which means green tea, matcha, black tea, white tea and gotu kola are not considered a herbal tea and do not contribute to our water intake.
There are so many types of herbal teas and each has their own benefits and medicinal properties. So you’re not only getting the benefit of hydration, but also the great healing properties of the particular herb/flower you’re drinking the tea of. For example:
Chamomile is a calming and relaxing tea
Peppermint is great for our digestion
Ginger is good for nausea and is a warming spice
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties
Lemon and ginger has immune boosting benefits
Dandelion root is great for detoxification
Nettle is said to be good for hair and skin
The list goes on! This is just a small sneak peek into the many benefits of herbal teas and there are so many other types of teas to try that aren’t listed above. Head to the tea section of your local store and try a few to find the ones you enjoy.
Not a fan of plain water? Try natural infusions:
It surprises me how common it is for people not to enjoy drinking plain water, but never fear, there is a way you can learn to love it. Adding various fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices is a great way to make water flavoursome.
Things you can infuse your water with:
Citrus (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)
Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Stone fruit (apricot, peaches)
Spices (ginger, cinnamon stick, turmeric, clove)
Herbs (mint, rosemary, thyme)
Pineapple
Frozen coconut Chunks
Kiwi Fruit
Mango
Cucumber
Get creative with the combinations of the above ingredients, or just keep it simple and add one to your water. The longer you leave them sit, the more flavour the water will be infused with. This is best done with a big jug so you can leave it to infuse and pour yourself a few glasses over the day.
So there you have it, so many tips and tricks to help you meet your water intake needs. Don’t underestimate the power that drinking enough clean water can have towards our overall health and wellbeing. If you change just one thing today, let it be that you drink enough water.