Common Hydration Mistakes You Should Know About
We all are well aware of the fact that our bodies are up to 60% of water. According to reports, the brain and heart consist of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. Whereas the skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery 31%.
After knowing all this, we don’t think you need any more insights into the crucial role of water for our body! While keeping ourselves hydrated we might make a few mistakes, let’s know them.
How can one make mistakes about hydration?
Drinking water seems to be an extremely simple action, many people believe that drinking more water, the better. But there are ways of making mistakes and drinking enough water you drink, the more thirsty to drink.
While some people completely forget to keep themselves well-hydrated when they are so occupied with their work schedules. On the other hand, some people drink too much water to curb those cravings and lose weight easily.
We REPEAT never try this! It is going to be more harmful than you can imagine.
5 Common Hydration Mistakes you are making without knowing about them:
Staying properly hydrated improves the appearance and texture of your skin, keeps muscles and joints well lubricated, prevent brittle hair and nails, improves overall health, and even helps prevent overeating. It also affects our mental ability and overall physical performance.
However, staying properly hydrated is much more than simply drinking eight glasses of water every day. Let’s talk about some common hydration mistakes we all can make and later on how to avoid them.
1) Drinking Too Much and Too Fast
On a hot and humid day after working outside, biking or whatever strenuous activity, a lot of people go inside to grab a big glass of ice-cold water and slam it right away! That’s mistake number 1 which is quite common!
Our stomach can only absorb 2- 4 ounces every half hour. Many people when they are hydrating drink too much water and/or too quickly without any gaps.
This can eventually flush right through to overload the kidneys and cause swelling in the cells.
You might think you are doing a good thing by drinking lots of water to get hydrated, but you can be doing your body more harm unknowingly. Don’t make unrealistic water goals. Drink throughout the day and when you are thirsty.
2) Going for too many sugary beverages
If you also think, sugar is an electrolyte, you are wrong as it is a non-electrolyte. These sugary beverages and lots of sports drinks are loaded with extra sugars that the body doesn’t require. The body doesn’t need this high fructose corn syrup.
Do you know that too many sugars can trigger hyperglycemia, which causes an increase in urination to get rid of excess sugar? This can lead to dehydration which isn’t what you want. This is why an increased urge to urinate occurs commonly in diabetics.
Moreover, these are filled with empty calories with zero nutritional value.
So, Drink water to hydrate, not some sugary sports drink just for the sake of keeping yourself hydrated.
3) Drinking ice-cold water on a regular basis
Do you know that drinking ice-cold water can stimulate the valgus nerve which can cause serious shock? This can make you pass out. Drinking cold water also constricts the blood vessels which makes it harder to hydrate.
So, it is best advised to avoid this common mistake you might make in order to keep your body functions fully effective in good health.
Water should always be consumed at room temperature and not directly from the refrigerator.
4) A Big no-no to plastic bottles!
The best way to make sure you are getting the right amount of water is to carry a container with you while on work or travelling, so you can be well hydrated throughout the day.
What’s your water bottle made of? It shouldn’t be plastic. Plastics are full of toxins and estrogen-mimicking chemicals that leach into your water. If your plastic bottle changes shape while you are drinking, it’s made from oil or polyethene, so we want to avoid that altogether.
Instead, go for a glass or stainless-steel bottle and reuse it for a healthy you and a healthy planet by keeping a sustainable development approach.
5) Missing out on the electrolyte balance
The biggest hydration mistake people make is not complementing water with adequate electrolyte balance. You can drink a lot of water but still miss out on all the essential electrolytes needed for proper hydration.
A lot of times we are drinking water and offsetting the osmotic balance, which is very inflammatory in the long term. That’s the saltwater balance within your cells. If that’s not balanced your cells aren’t getting hydrated well.
A lot of people like to drink lemon water. Lemon contains calcium and potassium which are vital electrolytes so that is a good addition but make sure you are also adding salt. Lemon doesn’t have all the electrolytes you need. You want to get all of the electrolytes like the ones found in unrefined salt. Adequate unrefined salt intake assists in the movement of water into the cell which in return promotes‘ cellular hydration.’
Also Read: Salt & Dehydration
Effects of hydration mistakes on the body:
Hydration mistakes and dehydration could cause a whole host of problems. Here are a few side effects:
- Sluggish bowel function
- Persistent headaches
- Dull skin
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
- Dry mouth
Ways to avoid these hydration mistakes:
- Do not miss out on water-rich fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, watermelon and cucumbers, since they’re loaded with water and the hydration-friendly mineral potassium.
- Do not mistake hunger for thirst! Think about the symptoms of both hunger and thirst — fatigue, headache, irritability, lightheadedness and difficulty concentrating and choosing wisely.
- Go for stainless-steel or glass bottles rather than plastic bottles for better hydration and good health.
- Be aware of your fluid loss while involved in strenuous activities like gyming or riding a bike. Find ways to cope up with the fluid loss.
- Drink fruit juices, sports drinks, milk, and broth, but avoid high-protein drinks and alcoholic beverages. They can dehydrate you.
Takeaways:
We all can make mistakes and rather learn from them! While the above-mentioned hydration mistakes are very common but can be easily handled with proper care and consideration.
To keep your body well hydrated, focus on the electrolyte balance as it plays a very crucial role. Along with this, do not skip water-rich foods and look for sustainable ways while handling your water bottles.
Next time, avoid these hydration mistakes for a better you!
Related Articles
