Drink enough water.

Posted on by writershilpa

 

“Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day.”

it’s common advice we hear on an everyday basis, isn’t it?

Water plays an important role in every physiological process that takes place in our body. Be it blood circulation, or digestion, cooling our body or driving away exhaustion, our body’s need for water can never be underrated.

But, rarely do we remember to drink water the way we remember other things. We prepare to-do lists for every little thing we need to do in a day but never include “Drink enough water” to it.

Often, during the day, we feel exhausted and irritable and blame our tight schedules for it. Seldom do we pause to think if we have been drinking water while completing our tasks. The irritability and the fatigue is a signal from our body that it needs water–a signal we fail to read.

Hours pass before we realize we haven’t had a glass of water!  Nothing can make you realize the impact of not having enough water as much as your body can. So, why not add ‘DRINK WATER EVERY HOUR” to our to-do list?

There are simple ways to increase your water intake. All it needs is a gentle reminder with the help of your smartphones! Yes! Read on to know how you can do it….

TIPS TO REMIND YOU TO DRINK WATER:

  1. Set an alarm on your smartphone for every hour that will remind you to drink water.
  2. Label the alarm: DRINK WATER NOW.
  3. Drink two glasses of water every hour, or more/less, as per your requirement.

 

10 SIMPLE TIPS TO INCREASE YOUR WATER INTAKE:

This again is something we all know about, but don’t bring into practice as often as we should–which is every day!

 

  1. If you find drinking plain water boring, you could add some mint leaves and citrus fruits to it. Or, include green tea, fruit juices (home-made), coconut water and buttermilk, too.
  2. Drinking coconut water after a workout, instead of a protein shake, will help replace the electrolytes and potassium that your body loses while exercising.
  3. Include vegetables like cucumber, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, zucchini and broccoli that are high in water content.
  4. Include fresh fruits like oranges, lemons, grapefruits, watermelons, musk melons and pineapples that also have high water content.
  5. Having a bowl of cucumber+tomato+carrot salad for dinner will not only supply you with enough fluids for the night but also help flush out toxins and supply you with the much-needed fiber for a healthy gut.
  6. Starting the day with two glasses of warm jeera (cumin) water has wonderful health benefits, too.
  7. Keep sipping warm lemon water at regular intervals instead of tea or coffee. But, be careful if you have sensitive teeth. The acid in lemon can make your teeth more sensitive.
  8. Opt for fruit juices made at home, or cut fruit. Sugarcane juice is also one of the best thirst quenchers that also energize you on a tiring day.
  9. Drink a glass of water an hour before bedtime so your sleep won’t be interrupted by bathroom visits.
  10. Lastly, drink a glass of water an hour before meals and an hour after meals, instead of during the meals.

The best way to check if you have had enough water during the day is to observe the color of your urine. If it’s clear or light yellow, it means you have had sufficient water. If it’s dark in color and has a strong smell, it means you need to hydrate.

 

A word of caution here:

Drinking excessive water can harm your health! I came across this note in the papers today. Do read about the side-effects of drinking too much water.

Too much water can harm your health!

 

Much love,

SHILPA…

 

How to increase your water intake

 

 

I am participating in the April A to Z Blogging Challenge and my theme this year is ‘SELF-CARE’.

You will find all the posts here.

A TO Z BLOGGING CHALLENGE

 

 

Published by writershilpa

Writing and art are a panacea for my restless Geminian nerves. Blogging gives me peace in the chaos called Life, and art helps me distract my wandering mind. An obsession with healthy eating and fitness led me to create this health and wellness blog. Apart from health posts, you will also find my artwork and my experiments with words here, at Metanoia. My writing companions--my pets--offer me precious insights into Life and are a constant source of inspiration to me! So, do get comfy, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy your visit. Your presence here means a lot to me, you know?

25 thoughts on “Drink enough water.”

  1. Oh i couldn’t agree more. I was a no-water person once upon a time. However in my 30s when I started taking exercise seriously I started paying attention to my water intake too. Since I’m not naturally a water-drinker I try some of the ideas you’ve listed – lemon, mint even apple cinnamon flavouring is great. With rising temperatures drinking water has become so very important.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It has, Tulika. And, often, when we don’t get the water we need, it leads to cravings for coffee or snacks or something spicy–that’s what I have observed.
      Do change your ways to that of a water-person! ❤

      Like

  3. I am very diligent about drinking water even during winter. I keep a 1 litre bottle filled at my work desk and near my bed That way I can monitor how much water I have been drinking. It being so hot now, my water consumption has gone through the roof.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s indeed the best practice, Rachna. I don’t keep a bottle next to my work area and prefer visiting the kitchen for my glassful. This way, I have to leave my table and move around–which is what keeps my legs from paining from sitting in one place for hours.

      Like

  4. I have been very particular about drinking enough water for a long time now. And I’m glad this is part of my being. Even when it’s freezing in winters I have liberal amounts of warm water through the day. Of course to a balanced extent. I’m so glad I’m such a water child. 🙂

    I lace my water at home with Pudina. My family and I only drink water from the matka/earthen pot, through out summers. Chilled refrigerator water does not suit me and I love the fragrance of the matka water.

    Useful post, Shilpa.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I, too, became very particular about drinking water. And, since I am so obsessed about my health, I make it a point to ensure I do everything right.

      I, too, prefer matke ka paani. I cannot drink the chilled water from the fridge–it just doesn’t satisfy me as much as the water from the humble matka!

      Thanks for sharing your water-habits, Natasha! 😛

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Your body can only absorb about a liter of water in an hour – AT MOST. Sipping throughout the day is best; don’t try to chug two liters of water at bedtime to make up for what you didn’t drink all day. See also: https://www.hammernutrition.com/knowledge/hydration-what-you-need-to-know/

    You wisely mention the dangers of drinking TOO MUCH water (most of us drink too little, but when water is touted as the miracle cure for everything from obesity to dry skin, and one gets that “H2O religion,” it’s easy to overdo an otherwise good thing). Hyponatremia is a real risk: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6261509.stm. Also, some medical conditions lead to your retaining too MUCH water in the body (and sometimes necessitate diuretic medications to help eliminate it); drinking excessive amounts of water, then, can make the problem worse.

    For healthy people, keeping a bottle or a large mug of water handy at all times is a good habit. I had a doctor who suggested that people drink more if they use a straw (though contrary opinion includes a heightened risk of wrinkles around the mouth, and environmentalists would urge you to use a reusable metal or silicone straw) so try that and see if it helps. It helps me, as I like my water cold but dislike ice chunks smacking me in the nose.

    I have also noticed that, when I drink enough water, my cravings for caffeine decrease. Much of my coffee craving appears to be water craving. Also, if I replace the coffee I don’t drink with an equal or greater amount of plain water, I don’t get caffeine withdrawal headaches. I suspect most “caffeine withdrawal headaches” are really due to dehydration.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. First of all, thank you so much, Holly, for this valuable info! I am glad I choose topics to which you add extra info–makes my post that much more helpful for the reader! 😛

      I too noticed that after drinking enough water, my craving for some snacks decreases, else I feel forever hungry. I don’t drink chilled water from the fridge, but prefer drinking cool water from the earthen pot we use at home.The water is filtered and filled in the pot that cools down the water to the desired temperature.
      Yes, some people do end up drinking excess water thinking that it will solve their health problems, which instead worsens the issues. Hence I shared that clipping from the newspaper.
      We just need to know how much water our body requires and how often we need to drink.

      Thanks once again, dear Holly! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Water is the elixir of life. It does wonders to my skin and digestive system. When at home, there’s a bottle near me always but my water intake goes for a toss when I am traveling. I consciously drink less water, I know, I shouldn’t be doing that but traveling circumstances have to be kept in mind. Sigh!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh yes, Shilpa. It’s while travelling that the water consumption reduces. You suffer if you can’t find a clean washroom, and your body suffers due to lack of fluids. EIther way, it can be troublesome!

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Hi Shilpa. Good article and very apt to follow during the on-going Summer season. I heard from one of my friend who is from Madikeri district that drinking hot water is more beneficial. In fact i was surprised to hear that she used to feed her baby daughter with nearly boiling water from the feeding bottle in sips. Chinese have the tradition of drinking different flavours of Tea throughout the day. Most important is the Tea they consume is without Milk and Sugar. Interesting theme, I will watch out for all your posts.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, it’s what my dance teacher used to insist on–drinking hot water, even when it was hot outside. Maybe not boiling water, but warm water is what we can sip all day. It keeps the skin soft and helps our body get rid of all the toxins.

      Thank you for visiting, Anjana! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  11. This really was a good topic for D on Self-care!
    I tend to get water retention in my legs if I drink too little or too much water. So yeah. I have to remain conscious of my water intake throughout the day.
    It’s funny, how many things in life we take for granted and don’t ever think about, isn’t it?
    Find my D post @ When I Drove A Car

    Liked by 1 person

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