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Have you  worked up a thirst?

That’s not really a good thing…

People start to feel thirsty when they have already lost around 2-3% of their body’s water. But you will start to lose your mental edge and physical coordination before thirst kicks in, typically around 1% dehydration!

Those are some powerful reasons to drink water and means that you need to drink water BEFORE you become thirsty.

To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. There are many reasons to drink water or other calorie-free or low-calorie beverage such as green tea with each meal and between each meal (just sure to avoid the artificial sweeteners).  If you like the taste of an Arnold Palmer (lemonade mixed with tea) and need an all-natural sugar free energy boost, you might want to try this thirst quenching tasty beverage  as a water alternative.

How much water should you drink?  Drink ½ your body weight in ounces.  So if you were 150 lbs, drink 75 oz throughout the day.

I know it may seem like a lot, but make drinking water more fun by infusing it with flavor!  I’ve made a different infused water flavor every day of the week.  Check out my video to see what I’ve come up with.

Fun Infused Water Flavors

If you’re interested in seeing the flavor variations I’ve come up with you can click here  or check out my Facebook Page.  This will give you lots of reasons to  drink water!

Ten Reasons to Drink Water:

Weight Loss!   We often turn to food when in fact we are thirsty.  When you do get hungry, try to incorporate some foods that have high water content.  They look larger, take up more space in your stomach, often require more chewing and is absorbed more slowly by the body which helps you to feel full.  Go for fruits, veggies, broth based soups, oatmeal, and legumes.

Energy.  When we are dehydrated, cells can’t maintain their fluid and electrolyte balance.  This can result in muscle fatigue.  So, it’s a good idea to drink water before, during and after exercise to replace the water we lose by sweating.

Younger Looking Skin.  Dehydration makes your skin look dry and wrinkly.  So drink up to plump up your skin and keep it looking its best.

Toxin Reduction.  Body fluids transport waste in and out of our cells.  The waste products are eliminated in our urine and in our sweat.  We know we are drinking enough when it is easy to pee, the pee is straw colored and free of odor.  On the other hand, if your pee is a very dark yellow or brown you can become more prone to urinary tract infections and kidney stones.  Instead of getting a running to the doctor, drink water to see if the problem will go away!

Know You Can “Go”.  Drinking enough water keeps things moving along your intestinal tract and is key in preventing constipation. When you don’t get enough water, your big intestine actually pulls water from your stools to stay hydrated.  And the result is not being able to “go”.

Enough water and fiber is the perfect combination to help keep moving things along.  The water pumps up the fiber and the fiber acts like a broom to keep the pipes clean!

Have less joint pain. Drinking water can reduce pain in your joints by helping to keep the cartilage soft and hydrated. This is how glucosamine helps reduce joint pain, by helping the cartilage to absorb water.

Prevent headaches. Some headaches can be caused by dehydration, so before you reach for a pain pill, drink water to alleviate that aching head.

Prevent cancer. Yes, that’s right – various research says staying hydrated can reduce risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50%, and possibly reduce breast cancer risk as well.

Be less grumpy. Research says dehydration can affect your mood and make you grumpy and confused.  Who doesn’t want to think more clearly and be happier?  Drink your water!

Better Athletic Performance. Having enough water can contribute to increased athletic performance. Water composes 75% of our muscle tissue!  Dehydration can lead to weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and electrolyte imbalance.  So, it is really important to drink before, during and after an athletic event to perform best.

Beyond Water – Your True Health Assessment

Besides drinking plenty of water,  good nutrition plays a critical role in everyone’s health and helps us to perform our  best.  Why not check out which nutrients are best for your body?  Take the True Health Assessment and get personalized supplement recommendations specific to your individual needs.  Visit www.audreyweidman.usana.com and take the confidential test.