Hydration tips from your Denver physical therapist
August 6, 2020
We all know how important it is to stay hydrated, especially during these hot Colorado summers. Consuming enough water is key to a well-functioning body and critical in the success of your Denver physical therapy treatment. Water flushes out toxins, regulates body temperature and pH, transports nutrients, and can help soften tight muscle tissue. Not drinking enough fluids can cause dehydration, migraines, and make it more difficult to concentrate. While staying well-hydrated can aid in weight loss, help your mood, and improve sleep quality. Clearly water is integral to your wellness but drinking enough can be a difficult task. Because of this, we have compiled some tips for keeping your body well hydrated this summer.
How much to drink
Wonder if you are drinking enough water? Although many consider eight glasses of water a day the standard, that might not be enough. In fact, According to the National Academies of Medicine, the average man should ingest around 16 cups of fluids a day. While the average woman should have a little more than 11 cups. Although this is the recommendation, many experts suggest a more personalized goal of ounces in half your body weight. For example, a person weighing 160 pounds would aim for 80 ounces of water per day. It is also important to be aware of additional fluids lost throughout the day. Consider drinking even more after physical activity, in hot and humid conditions, or while experiencing illnesses like fever, diarrhea, or vomiting.
As mentioned before, not getting enough fluids can have serious side effects. The most dangerous of them being dehydration. Dehydration is essentially when more water leaves the body than enters it. Symptoms of dehydration in adults include dizziness, fatigue, headache, confusion, extreme thirst, decreased urination, and dark urine. In children and infants, dehydration signs are a little different. Symptoms include irritability, sunken eyes and cheeks, a dry tongue and mouth, no tears when crying, and a shrinking of the child’s soft spot. Serious dehydration can trigger migraines, cause constipation, prolong headaches, and promote kidney stone formation. Even a mild case of dehydration can wreak havoc on your mood and energy levels. It can also cause weight gain, as many confuse dehydration with hunger. To get a sense of your hydration status, keep an eye on your urine. If the color looks a little darker, like apple juice, it may be time to increase your water intake.
Eat your water
If you continue to find yourself not drinking enough water, maybe it is time to try eating more water. Although drinking water is best, fluids from fruits and vegetables can help tremendously in the battle to stay hydrated. In fact, nearly 20% of your daily water intake can come from foods. The key to this is, however, is finding fruits and vegetables that have a high water content. Vegetables high in water include lettuce, radishes, celery, tomatoes, green peppers, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower. Although the vegetable that packs the most hydrating punch is the cucumber. With the highest water content of any solid food, cucumbers are a great addition to salads, sandwiches, wraps, and sauces. Looking for something a bit sweeter to help with hydration? Consider incorporating more watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, and star fruit to you diet. For a warm and nutritious option, you can also try adding more broth-based soups to your diet to boost your fluid intake.
Water alternatives
If you do not like the taste of water, there are still some fantastic alternatives to keep you hydrated! A great, healthy option is adding fruits and vegetables to enhance the flavor. Try adding berries, lemons, limes, oranges, or cucumber slices to your water to infuse it with natural flavors. If you still find water unappealing, there are alternatives to help keep you hydrated. For those who need an energy boost, tea and coffee are great at getting in more fluids during long days. Preferably unsweetened (or naturally sweetened), these water- based drinks can aid in hydration. In fact, coffee can also help with diabetes and act as a mild antidepressant. Low-fat milk and milk alternatives (like unsweetened almond and soy) are also great additions to your daily fluid intake.
Although they can be tempting, fruit drinks and sodas are not adequate alternatives to water. These sugar and sodium laden beverages can leave you feeling even more thirsty than before. It is best to steer clear of these as they offer almost no nutritional value, lots of calories, and artificial ingredients. With little nutritional value and high sugar contents, fruit juices are also not ideal water replacements.
One of the best alternatives, especially for sugary soda drinkers, is seltzer water. Essentially just water and pressurized carbon dioxide, seltzer water has been steadily gaining in popularity and offers flavors ranging from typical, like lemon and lime, to tropical, like coconut and passionfruit. The best part about this fizzy treat, it counts toward you daily water intake. In fact, seltzer water is just as hydrating as regular water. Although it has not been shown to have any major adverse effects, seltzer water is slightly acidic and can cause stomach discomfort in some. Also, avoid seltzer waters with added sugars and sodium, as those can negatively affect your health.
Clearly, staying hydrated is important to your health and wellness. However, If you are looking to improve your physical health situation and are in need of physical therapy, or have questions about what physical therapy consists of, contact Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness today. We are ready to assist you in your first steps toward recovery. With an extensive team of qualified physical therapists and specialists who care deeply about their clients and go above and beyond the call of duty to provide the highest quality treatment in the industry. If you are looking for a therapist who will carefully assess your individual needs and formulate a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to your needs, Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness is your preferred choice for the physical recovery process.
How much to drink
Wonder if you are drinking enough water? Although many consider eight glasses of water a day the standard, that might not be enough. In fact, According to the National Academies of Medicine, the average man should ingest around 16 cups of fluids a day. While the average woman should have a little more than 11 cups. Although this is the recommendation, many experts suggest a more personalized goal of ounces in half your body weight. For example, a person weighing 160 pounds would aim for 80 ounces of water per day. It is also important to be aware of additional fluids lost throughout the day. Consider drinking even more after physical activity, in hot and humid conditions, or while experiencing illnesses like fever, diarrhea, or vomiting.
As mentioned before, not getting enough fluids can have serious side effects. The most dangerous of them being dehydration. Dehydration is essentially when more water leaves the body than enters it. Symptoms of dehydration in adults include dizziness, fatigue, headache, confusion, extreme thirst, decreased urination, and dark urine. In children and infants, dehydration signs are a little different. Symptoms include irritability, sunken eyes and cheeks, a dry tongue and mouth, no tears when crying, and a shrinking of the child’s soft spot. Serious dehydration can trigger migraines, cause constipation, prolong headaches, and promote kidney stone formation. Even a mild case of dehydration can wreak havoc on your mood and energy levels. It can also cause weight gain, as many confuse dehydration with hunger. To get a sense of your hydration status, keep an eye on your urine. If the color looks a little darker, like apple juice, it may be time to increase your water intake.
Eat your water
If you continue to find yourself not drinking enough water, maybe it is time to try eating more water. Although drinking water is best, fluids from fruits and vegetables can help tremendously in the battle to stay hydrated. In fact, nearly 20% of your daily water intake can come from foods. The key to this is, however, is finding fruits and vegetables that have a high water content. Vegetables high in water include lettuce, radishes, celery, tomatoes, green peppers, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower. Although the vegetable that packs the most hydrating punch is the cucumber. With the highest water content of any solid food, cucumbers are a great addition to salads, sandwiches, wraps, and sauces. Looking for something a bit sweeter to help with hydration? Consider incorporating more watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, and star fruit to you diet. For a warm and nutritious option, you can also try adding more broth-based soups to your diet to boost your fluid intake.
Water alternatives
If you do not like the taste of water, there are still some fantastic alternatives to keep you hydrated! A great, healthy option is adding fruits and vegetables to enhance the flavor. Try adding berries, lemons, limes, oranges, or cucumber slices to your water to infuse it with natural flavors. If you still find water unappealing, there are alternatives to help keep you hydrated. For those who need an energy boost, tea and coffee are great at getting in more fluids during long days. Preferably unsweetened (or naturally sweetened), these water- based drinks can aid in hydration. In fact, coffee can also help with diabetes and act as a mild antidepressant. Low-fat milk and milk alternatives (like unsweetened almond and soy) are also great additions to your daily fluid intake.
Although they can be tempting, fruit drinks and sodas are not adequate alternatives to water. These sugar and sodium laden beverages can leave you feeling even more thirsty than before. It is best to steer clear of these as they offer almost no nutritional value, lots of calories, and artificial ingredients. With little nutritional value and high sugar contents, fruit juices are also not ideal water replacements.
One of the best alternatives, especially for sugary soda drinkers, is seltzer water. Essentially just water and pressurized carbon dioxide, seltzer water has been steadily gaining in popularity and offers flavors ranging from typical, like lemon and lime, to tropical, like coconut and passionfruit. The best part about this fizzy treat, it counts toward you daily water intake. In fact, seltzer water is just as hydrating as regular water. Although it has not been shown to have any major adverse effects, seltzer water is slightly acidic and can cause stomach discomfort in some. Also, avoid seltzer waters with added sugars and sodium, as those can negatively affect your health.
Clearly, staying hydrated is important to your health and wellness. However, If you are looking to improve your physical health situation and are in need of physical therapy, or have questions about what physical therapy consists of, contact Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness today. We are ready to assist you in your first steps toward recovery. With an extensive team of qualified physical therapists and specialists who care deeply about their clients and go above and beyond the call of duty to provide the highest quality treatment in the industry. If you are looking for a therapist who will carefully assess your individual needs and formulate a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to your needs, Peak Physical Therapy and Wellness is your preferred choice for the physical recovery process.