Fundamentals of Elevated Health: Are you properly hydrated?

Did you know that you most people don't drink enough water?

Typically, men need 3.7 litres and women need 2.5 litres per day. That's probably double what you are currently drinking on an average day, right?

We all know that drinking water is important, but let’s find out why…

Water is used by all cells, organs and bodily systems. It plays a key role in:

• Regulating body temperature

• maintaining blood volume

• Aiding in digestion and nutrient absorption

• Protecting your organs and tissues

• Carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells

• Lubricating and cushioning joints

• flushing out waste products via perspiration, urination, and defecation

• optimising sleep quality

• memory and cognition

Memory and cognition

Controlling temperature

Joint Lubrication

Basically, water is essential to ensuring our bodies can work as they were brilliantly designed to do.

Sometimes, it can seem difficult to drink enough. Most of us are used to being constantly dehydrated and our body isn’t asking for or using water as it should. Therefore, we need to make an effort to increase our water intake - especially at the beginning.

Keep your water levels up by:

• starting your day with a glass of water

• drinking water regularly throughout the day

• replenishing water after or during exercise

• ADDing water-rich foods such fruits and vegetables to your diet

• drinking extra water on a hot day

• limiting tea, coffee, sodas and alcohol that are ALL diuretics

• Track your water intake by using a refillable bottle. We like this glass bottle that allows you to see how much you've drank and helps you keep track of your progress during the day (although you need to drink a little more than just two bottles per day!) and recommend you use the Waterlogged app to properly keep tabs on your intake.

Woman with water bottle

Fruits and vegetables

Coffee with glass of water

While it's important to drink adequate amounts of water each day, drinking water alone is not enough! To be properly hydrated we also need to have sufficient minerals alongside the H2O. Sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and magnesium are the five main nutritional minerals and are known as electrolytes. Electrolytes are essential for basic life functioning, such as regulating nerve and muscle function, balancing blood acidity and pressure, and rebuilding damaged tissues.

There are a small amounts of electrolytes in water, and the rest we get from our food.

Some electrolyte-rich foods are: bananas, spinach, yogurt, sea salt, coconut water, avocados, lemons & limes. If you are doing intense exercise, work in very hot conditions or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may need additional electrolytes from supplementation.

Lemons

Avocado

Sea Salt and electrolytes

Poor hydration and electrolyte imbalance can cause many issues such as;

• headaches and migraines

• fatigue

• poor concentration & brain fog

• joint stiffness and pain

• disc and spine issues

• poor sleep

• constipation and digestive issues

• skin & eye problems

• poor sporting performance and recovery

Migraine and headache

Tiredness and fatigue

Pain

At Elevate Chiropractic, we test your hydration and work with you to optimise your water and electrolyte intake, depending on your unique needs. For us, being properly hydrated is essential to elevated health.

Are you properly hydrated?

Book your chiropractic Assessment now to discuss your health needs.

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