It’s officially summer time! One of the first things we like to kick off summer to is the topic of proper hydration. We all know being hydrated is good for us – but I don’t think we all realize JUST how beneficial it really is to be hydrated!
Below are some of the key benefits of being hydrated:
- Keeps your body cool. This is especially helpful in the summer when we are sweating and burning more calories. We need to replace this water amount and THEN some to stay on top of our game.
- Helps muscles and joints heal faster and work more efficiently. This is very helpful especially if you have had an injury you are trying to recover from. If your muscles do not have the proper hydration, they will be struggling to recover and it will take a lot longer vs. if you were to be getting adequate hydration.
- Cleanses toxins from your body. Another GREAT one. This is very beneficial when you pick up a virus like a cold, studies have shown drinking more water has the ability to shorten the duration of your illness.. Flush it out! This also ties into helping your muscles – say you get a massage or are doing PT, the reason we push each and every patient to push fluids after each appointment is when your muscles are worked out, toxins build up and it is important to flush these toxins out to keep your muscles moving freely.
- Gives you energy! I mean really, who in their right mind wants to feel fatigued all day?!
- Helps keep your skin hydrated and healthy!
- Slows the aging process & helps keep weight off… BONUS!!!
We all want to be hydrated but…. Water is so BORING!
…… Right? Wrong! There are so many ways to increase your water intake that are DELICIOUS! Aside from getting hydrated from beverages themselves- here is a chart of the highest water content fruits & veggies!
So, just how much water should we be drinking?
As a general rule of thumb, about half your body weight in oz. For example, if you weigh 135 lbs – try and drink at least 68 oz of water a day. However, because everyones body is different, listen to what your body is telling you. You will be able to tell if you’re drinking enough water or need more. Another way to tell if you are drinking enough water is to monitor your urine color throughout the day. Take a look at the chart to the right, it is a great reference to approximately what shows hydrated and what is not.
Along with eating foods with an already high water content, you can also make water itself more flavorful. Below are some fun ideas:
- Infuse your water with fruit! Fill a jug with water and some sliced fruit (like apples, citrus, berries or melons), throw in some ice and refrigerate overnight. My personal favorite is to mix slices of granny smith apples along with a stick of cinnamon and let that sit overnight. Tastes delicious, helps you stay hydrated & is also GOOD for you!
- Freeze juice into ice cubes and use in your water for added flavor as they slowly melt. You can also freeze fruit and use them as ice cubes!
- Use herbs – you can mix in mint or crushed basil for a great flavor kick!
There are SO many options to make your water more flavorful and FUN! What are your favorites?? Let us know in the comments section below for a chance to win a FREE Physical Therapy Consultants water tumbler!!!
Alyssa Hart
Clinic Coordinator
Physical Therapy Consultants
Alyssa Hart
Clinic Coordinator
Physical Therapy Consultants
PTC_therapy June 5th, 2017
Posted In: General