Up Your Water Intake

8 Tips to Help You Stay Hydrated

Water is an essential part of life and a prime building block in the formation of our bodies. For adults, water makes up about 60% of the body, and it keeps us chugging through the simplest, and most complex, everyday activities. For this reason, it is essential that we provide our bodies with the hydration it needs, especially during the hot summer months. Below, we discuss the importance of staying hydrated, the signs of dehydration, and the best tips to help your body get the water it needs.

How Does Water Benefit Our Bodies?

Staying hydrated leads to a wealth of benefits – physical, cognitive, and emotional. Physically, water helps to regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, and moisturize skin. It’s also crucial to the digestive process, helping to flush toxins and work against kidney stones.

Our brains also love water! If you’re zoning out during those morning meetings, drinking a glass of water can infuse your brain with the energy it needs to stay alert and aware. Staying hydrated also supports restful sleep and reduces the chances of catching pesky headaches. All of these physical and mental benefits not only leave you feeling energized and productive, but they also promote overall feelings of health and happiness!

How Do I Know if I’m Dehydrated?

As long as you know what signs to look for, dehydration can be easy to spot. One of the first signs of being dehydrated is feeling thirsty, so make sure to grab a glass of water when your lips, mouth, and throat start to feel a little dry! Another common and easy-to-spot sign of being dehydrated is infrequent and dark-colored urine.

Untreated dehydration can lead to light-headedness, fatigue, and eventually heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Dehydration perhaps can be dangerous and sometimes life-threatening, so it’s paramount to stay hydrated by any means possible. Fortunately, there are many ways to make staying hydrated both fun and easy!

So, How Can I Make Sure I’m Staying Hydrated?

1. Know How Much Water You Need

Knowing how much water you need daily is the first step to maintaining a healthy lifestyle that incorporates hydration. For women, 75 ounces (2,200 ml) per day is typically adequate. Men should get more, around 100 ounces (3,000 ml). If you aren’t sure if this amount of water is right for you, it’s also acceptable to take half your weight (in pounds) and “copy” that number to ounces, i.e., if you weigh 150 lbs., half your weight is 75 lbs., and therefore you should get 75 ounces of water.

Water intake recommendations also change with age, activity level, and weather. Those who are older, very active, and/or live in hot climates should strive to drink more water than average. Also, note that certain health conditions and medications can cause water retention or dehydration, so it’s important that you speak with your doctor if you don’t know what water intake amount is right for you.

2. Eat Water-Rich Foods

If you’re tired of drinking water all the time, you can try to get some water from hydrating foods. Vegetables are at the top of the hydration list, with cucumbers, zucchini, celery, and tomatoes all being flush with water. Fruits are also hydrating but should be enjoyed carefully due to their sugar content. Try a little watermelon, grapefruit, or pineapple. You can even mix these into plain yogurt for a simple hydrating snack. Another great option is to make a vegetable-rich soup with hydrating broth. Kroma’s broths are a great base for any soup, and they contain plenty of protein to keep you feeling strong throughout the day.

3. Use A Tracker App & Challenge Yourself

One of the easiest ways to keep track of your hydration status is by using a tracker app on your phone. There’s a wide variety of apps, so it’s easy to find one that works for you. Some apps even have built-in challenges and games that add a fun aspect to staying hydrated. You can also motivate yourself to stay hydrated by coming up with challenges and goals to reach during the day or week. If you want to go the extra mile, you can also challenge a friend or family member, and you can keep each other accountable and enthusiastic throughout the challenge!

4. Spice Up Your Water

If you don’t like the taste of plain old water, you can try adding flavor to your water using herbs, fruits, and veggies. Combinations are endless, but more common ones include lemon, mint, and cucumber. If you don’t want to go through the process of picking out a flavor combo, you can try Kroma’s Cranberry Hydration Elixir. With hints of coconut and cranberry, this refreshing Elixir adds just the right amount of electrolytes, minerals, and flavor to that boring glass of water. Nutritious and delicious hydration has never been so easy.

5. Buy A Stylish Reusable Bottle or Smart Bottle

The right water bottle can be a huge motivator! You’re more likely to remember to bring your water bottle with you when it’s stylish and eye-catching. You can also buy a water bottle that’s large enough to contain the entirety of your daily recommended water intake, so you know how much water you’ve consumed and how much you have left for the day.

If you want some extra help, you can try using a smart water bottle. Smart water bottles will track your water intake via an app, and alert you when you need to drink more water. Some bottles even offer extra features, like built-in speakers or lights.

6. Avoid Sugary Drinks, Alcohol, & Coffee

It’s best to avoid dehydrating drinks, so opt out of drinking a soda, mimosa, or mocha frappuccino, and instead opt for flavored water or other hydrating drinks. You can try coconut water, plain teas, low-sugar juices, or seltzers. If you aren’t sure whether a drink is actually hydrating, save it for another time. Kroma’s Supergreens Elixir is a great alternative to dehydrating drinks, and it’s loaded with superfoods rich in vitamins and minerals. The Supergreens Elixir has everything your body needs to feel powerful, with vegetables, fruits, antioxidants, herbs, mushrooms, and adaptogens packed into every spoonful. It’s a great way to elevate your hydration game!

7. Always Drink Throughout the Day

Consistent hydration is key to staying healthy throughout the day. To make sure you aren’t intaking all of your water at one time, try to set aside times to drink water. We recommend drinking a glass of water after waking up, during each meal, and before going to bed. It’s also important to drink at least one glass of water during physical activity, but you should strive to drink more. By following these “rules,” you’ll already be getting at least 5-6 glasses of water a day, or about half the recommended daily amount.

8. Reward Yourself for Staying Hydrated

Staying hydrated can be difficult when you're trying to find personal time while also being busy with work, school, friends, and family. It’s important to reward yourself when you reach your hydration goals. Try to reward yourself with activities, gifts, or delicious treats (we recommend the OMG Cookie Butter) to keep you motivated.

The Bottom Line

We use water every day, in everything we do. It’s no surprise, then, that we should strive to get water every day, in almost everything we do. With the right strategy, tailored to your needs, staying hydrated can be a breeze. Kroma’s here to help, which is why we designed our Cranberry Hydration Elixir to boost the natural hydration abilities of water. It’s easy to use, tastes delicious, and contains the right minerals and electrolytes to intertwine with water and unlock max hydration.

Sources

Water, Hydration and Health | PMC

Rehydration with soft drink-like beverages exacerbates dehydration and worsens dehydration-associated renal injury | PMC

How much water do we really need to drink? | PubMed

Water and Healthier Drinks | CDC

How much water should you drink? | Harvard Health

Dehydration | Cleveland Clinic

Can dehydration cause headaches? | Harvard Health

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