We all know that when it comes to staying hydrated, water is often our main source of it. Our bodies are made up of 70 percent water, and sweat, our built-in cooling system, consists almost entirely of water. Staying hydrated is vital to our overall health. It lubricates our joints, helps naturally detox our organs while keeping our immune system in check.
We also need to drink water to avoid dehydration, which can cause fatigue, cramps, and sap the endurance from even the most accomplished athlete. Even being mildly dehydrated can interfere with your mood and ability to focus.
Growing up, our parents told us to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to keep ourselves properly hydrated, but according to the National Academy of Medicine, that number is a little off. Adult women are to drink around 91 ounces of water and adult men are to drink 125 a day. Despite our efforts to keep up with that number, sometimes only drinking water isn’t enough to hydrate our bodies. But never fear, there are tons of other ways to stay hydrated besides drinking water.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to stay hydrated when drinking water just isn’t enough.
Eat Your Fruits and Veggies
One of the tastiest ways to hydrate yourself is by eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Not only are they packed with vitamins and are an excellent source of fiber, but most of them are also made up of water. Like lettuce, which is 94 percent water.
Take your hydration to the next level by blending up your favorite fruits and vegetables into smoothies and incorporating moisture-rich yogurt into it. Unsure which fruits and vegetables to use? We suggest using fruits like peaches, strawberries, blueberries, and oranges. For vegetables, try spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, and cucumbers.
Eat Oatmeal
Starting your day with oatmeal is a classic way to hydrate yourself without drinking water. Oats are a hearty and filling grain that will keep you incredibly hydrated. One of the ways it keeps you hydrated is that it soaks up whatever liquid you cook it in, which means cooking them in water, milk, or almond milk will put you on a speeding train to hydration city! If cold oatmeal is more your preference, you can still find hydration with overnight oats. This take on oatmeal requires you to soak your oats overnight in the refrigerator and packs the same benefits as eating it hot. For an added boost, sprinkle in chia seeds, which are said to soak up 10 times their weight in extra liquid!
Slurp Some Soup
We know this hydration method strays from the other foods and drinks found on this list, but we promise, soups and stews are an excellent way to get hydrated during the cooler months. Don’t hesitate to add them to your roster! For maximum hydration, try soups and stews that are broth or water-based and call for vegetables like tomatoes, white beans, and cauliflower that are, too water-based. Our favorites include farmer’s market vegetable soup, classic homemade chicken noodle soup, and minestrone.
If you’re not a soup in the summer kind of person, don’t fret! You can opt for cold soups like yogurt-based chilled tomato soup or gazpacho, which is made of celery, bell peppers, carrots, and tomatoes to hydrate yourself.
Bulk Up on Electrolytes
Most of us are familiar with electrolytes because of sports drinks, but that’s the extent of our knowledge about them. One thing is for sure, sports drinks should not be responsible for our daily dose of electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals found in our blood and other bodily fluids. These minerals affect the amount of water our bodies retain.
An imbalance of these bad boys allows dehydration to set in and can have some serious adverse effects, including blackouts, stroke, kidney failure, muscle malfunction, and in extreme cases, death. Calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium are among the list of most common electrolytes we encounter and can be found in foods like milk, bananas, fish, coconut water, and avocado. You can even purchase electrolyte powders to mix into your water to give it a boost!
Tip: If you’re feeling dehydrated, mixing a little bit of sugar and salt into your water can rehydrate you in a pinch.
Sip Some Tea
Tea is the simplest way to hydrate yourself second to drinking straight water. After all, tea is water elevated. In addition to curbing your appetite and providing emotional calm, teas, are a soothing way to keep your body operating efficiently, with green teas and herbal blends being the most hydrating kinds. Be sure to steer clear, however, of teas that are high in caffeine like black teas, or its cousin, coffee, as they tend to do the opposite and pull water from your body.
Add Chia Seeds to Your Diet
Though small, chia seeds are a powerhouse. They’re an excellent source of fiber and protein and an excellent source of long-term hydration. Like oatmeal, chia seeds soak up whatever they’re placed in, making them incredibly diverse. You can drink chia seeds and even make pudding out of it — yes, pudding! But not the kind you pack in a kid’s lunch.
The Science of Water
Staying hydrated is vital to keeping your body healthy and operating efficiently, and as you’ve seen in our list, there are many ways to do so. Although water is the go-to source for hydration, the contaminants and toxins in our household water keep us from reaping the true benefits.
Our team at the Science of Water can help you change that. The best kind of water for maximum hydration is filtered water, and we can supply you with a whole house water filtration system that not only supplies you drinking water but clean, contaminant-free water throughout your whole home.
Are you interested in learning more about our services and staying hydrated with the best water you’ve ever tasted? Contact us at (352) 745-7070 or (904) 580-0000.