Our nervous systems are electrical systems and therefore need a conducting medium: water. A great way to support our work together it to make sure that you are well hydrated.
We have all heard that we are made up of 75-80% water and that it is wise to make sure our tank is full. But what does that mean with respect to our body size and lifestyle? Here is a useful chart on how to gauge the minimum quantity of water and/or herbal tea* that one needs to consume per ordinary day:
If you weigh….. Please drink this much…..
23 kilos or 50 pounds 0.75 litres or 25 ounces
32 kilos or 70 pounds 1 litre or 35 ounces
40 kilos or 90 pounds 1.25 litres or 45 ounces
50 kilos or 110 pounds 1.5 litres or 55 ounces
59 kilos or 130 pounds 1.75 litres or 65 ounces
68 kilos or 150 pounds 2 litres or 75 ounces
77 kilos or 170 pounds 2.25 litres or 85 ounces
86 kilos or 190 pounds 2.5 litres or 95 ounces
0.25 litres = 8 ounces = 1 cup
Herbal tea: Please read the ingredients to assure that it is truly ‘all natural’. Drinking herbal tea made from only leaves and flowers is a more pure choice rather than with ‘natural flavours’ or other questionable ingredients such as sweeteners.
Important considerations: Pregnancy, exercise, hot weather and, oh no…. coffee and alcohol consumption!
Drinking for 2? It is recommended that you drink at least 10 cups of water a day when pregnant and 13 cups when breastfeeding. Of course, if you weigh more, drink more.
Common sense certainly dictates that if we sweat more due to hot weather and exercise that it be wise to replace that water. A pinch of sea salt will help to replace lost salt as well.
Do you know how coffee can make you run to the washroom? This is because it is a diarrhetic which means it causes us to lose water. How much? Coffee causes us to lose twice its volume of water. Therefore, to compensate for one cup of java it would be wise to drink two cups of water in addition to the quantities listed above.
And it gets better! For each alcoholic drink we will lose four, yes 4, times the volume of water. Are you up for the challenge? Need support? Give me a call.
Please note that if you are very dehydrated you may get pretty frustrated about how often you need to go to the washroom when you begin to drink more. Be patient, and excited. Imagine that your body is like a dry, hard sponge when you are dehydrated. At first, water will just run off of it. Then, there is a tipping point where the sponge starts to soak up the water and finally will be saturated. Know you are loving your body every time you go one more time.
How do I know if I am dehydrated? Dry mouth Sleepiness Dizziness Constipation Headache Difficult to exercise Crankiness and anxiety Achiness Skin breakouts Memory issues Slow metabolism
Another helpful way to gauge our level of hydration is by simply checking the colour of the urine. If it is a light yellow colour or clear, then that’s a good sign that the body is well-hydrated. If it is dark in colour, it may mean that it’s time to increase fluid intake. Additionally, if the urine smells strong, either it means too much asparagus or not enough water intake.
Paying attention to the frequency of restroom visits can also help inform us of our level of hydration. A decrease in the need to use the restroom may be a sign that we need more water.
Playtime (aka practice):
Getting in touch with your body's need for hydration
Carry a bottle of water with you which you refill at lunch. This is a great way to monitor how much water you’re getting. Or, keep a pitcher on the counter with your water quantity goal set to go in the morning.
Use an app to track how many glasses you’ve drunk that day.
Find an everyday task to associate with drinking water like checking your email, phone or social media.
Empty and refill: grab a full glass each time after you visit the bathroom.
Try adding lemon slices, fresh mint, berries, a cinnamon stick or a slice of ginger for flavour. Consider adding liquid chlorophyll which is alkalinizing and detoxifying and it comes in many wonderful natural flavours.
Consider investing in a water filter if it makes the taste more appealing to you. Even a simple carbon filter pitcher makes a difference.
For those who just do not like to drink water, try drinking through a straw, a reusable one of course.
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