The #H2O facts

February 12th, 2016     Blog Post, Health and Wellbeing, Nutrition,

#H2O – when is it most important to hydrate!

Drink Water When You First Get Up

Imagine starting your car in the mornings and putting it into gear without waiting for the engine to warm up. That's a disaster waiting to happen.

The same is true of the human body. Without water to wake up and turn on the body in the morning, you may be running on empty, especially if you skip breakfast.

Drink Water Before a Meal

Drinking water before eating helps you feel fuller; that means you'll be less likely to scarf your food down.

When you're hydrated the stomach is also prepared for food; water wakes up taste buds and moisturizes the stomach lining so brittle or acidic foods won't be uncomfortable. Having a glass of water moistens the mouth and clears out leftover tastes from earlier food, drinks or smoking in anticipation of the coming meal or snack.

Drink Water When You're Hungry

If you're hungry between meals, pour yourself a tall glass of fresh drinking water first to see if you're dehydrated. Sometimes people think they're hungry when they're really just thirsty.

Drinking water before a snack or with one will help you feel full faster, helping keep calorie intake in check.

Drink Water Before a Workout

Depending on the temperature, humidity and your body's fluid levels, you may need one or several 8-ounce glasses of water to protect against dehydration during and after your workouts. Hydration is essential to guard against heat stroke in warm weather and frostbite in cold temperatures, as your body's circulation plays a protective role in both extremes of temperature and needs water to function properly.

Drink Water After a Workout Following vigorous exercise, you may need to drink a lot of water to replace fluids lost through perspiration and urination. The amount you'll need depends on your weight, health and whether you exercised in hot or humid conditions – especially for long periods – among other factors.

Be sure not to drink too much water too quickly or you could bring on stomach cramps.

Drink More Water When You're Ill

The advice your mum gave you still applies: When you're sick, you need to drink plenty of fluids, including water, to get better.

Drinking eight glasses of water daily (8 ounces per glass) is still a good goal for most people, but other fluids like tea, juice and soup count toward your total intake, too.

Drink Water When You're Tired

If you're feeling the need for a nap but can't take one, have a glass or two of water instead.

Did you know that fatigue is one of the signs of dehydration? Because of its ability to move quickly through the body, water can reach your brain and give you, say, a little boost before a big meeting or when you're on deadline, even if you didn't get as much shut-eye as you'd like.