By: Amanda Blount
The importance of being well hydrated is essential to your health whether you’re playing sports, traveling or just relaxing in the sun. With the temperatures on the rise, it is especially important to increase your fluid intake to counteract warmer temperatures and high humidity.
Our bodies are 60% water by weight, and consuming water is necessary to keep the body’s systems functioning properly, regulate body temperature and flush out waste. Ways of staying hydrated are drinking six to eight glasses of water each day (consult a doctor for specific amount specifically for you), drinking water before and during meals, and using reusable water bottles.
Listening to your body and drinking water throughout the day can avoid dehydration. Some of the signs your body can give are feeling thirsty, headaches or lightheadedness, fatigue, decrease in urine output, darkening of urine color to dark yellow or amber colored, and constipation. Dehydration can be a serious condition that can lead to problems ranging from swollen feet or a headache to life-threatening illnesses such as heat stroke.
Drinking clear fluids throughout the day is the best way to stay ahead, don’t wait until you are thirsty or fatigue.
