Top Hydration Myths You Need to Stop Following

Top Hydration Myths You Need to Stop Following How many times have you heard your friends or family members tell you to “stay hydrated”? No beverage is always the optimal choice like water. Water is great for keeping you hydrated, improving your digestive system, removing bacteria from your bladder when you urinate, and many more. Because water aids us with our health in different ways, we assume that drinking lots of water is always good for you. How much is water really good for us? Here are some myths about water and staying hydrated that you need to stop following!

1. It is recommended for everyone to drink 8 glasses of water every day. Do you think this is the right amount for every individual? Not everyone can handle the same amount of fluid in their bodies due to different factors such as medical conditions, how physically active you are that day, the weather, etc. If a person was out playing a sport or going out for a run on a hot and sunny day, their craving for water would be bigger than someone who stayed in the house all day. The Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board suggested that females over 18 need 9 cups of water a day while males over 18 need 13 cups of water every day. Girls who are between the age of 14 and 18 need 8 cups of water whereas boys between the ages of 14 and 18 need 11 cups of water. 
2. You’re not dehydrated if you don’t feel thirsty. How do you know if you’re dehydrated or not? You can determine if you’re dehydrated based on the color of your urine. If your urine is a dark yellow to brown tone, this means you are dehydrated. If your urine is a more clear or pale liquid, you are hydrated and drinking the right amount of water you can intake. If you use the restroom and notice that your urine is yellow, make sure to moderately drink water throughout the day, 
3. There is no such thing as drinking too much water. No matter how good water is for our health and body, it backfires when we intake more water than we can actually handle. Consuming too much water can lead to hyponatremia where you experience irregularly low sodium levels in your blood. You can determine if you have hyponatremia if you experience any of these symptoms such as nausea, headaches, confusion, low energy, seizures, or muscle spasms. 
4. Drinking sports drinks after an intense workout session. Many people prefer to fuel their body with electrolytes through energy drinks, but they’re not as good for our health as you think they are due to their high sugar content. If you are intensively working out for a long period of time, a sports drink can aid you in being energized and hydrated quickly. If your workout sessions aren’t as long and intense, water will do just the trick! 
5. You can only be hydrated by drinking water. While water is an optimal way to stay hydrated, you can stay hydrated through other resources such as food. Did you know that 20% of your hydration comes from foods such as watermelon or cucumbers?

 How To Improve Your Hydration:

1. If you want to increase your water intake and stay healthier, you can start tracking how much water you drink in a day and also observe the color of your urine. If your urine is yellow, drink more water. If your urine is a clear or pale white color, you’re drinking the right amount. Keep track of how many glasses of water you drink every day and slowly increase that amount.
2. Switch up the flavors of your water if you’re tired of it tasting like nothing. Infuse fruits into your water and let those natural juices get mixed into the water. You can incorporate strawberries, oranges, mint, cucumbers, and many other fruits and vegetables that contain benefits.
3. Set a goal for how much water you’ll take or high fluid content food you’ll consume each day. Drinking water is not the only way to stay hydrated so you can always switch around with different resources.