How much water are you consuming daily?  Think about it.  Do you bring a water bottle to school or sports practice?  Do you sip on it at home?  Water consumption varies person-to-person based on what their daily schedule may hold, but inevitably. the majority of people are uninformed about just how much water their body requires.  Water is really and truly the solution to many health-related issues, so it’s important to know how to manage your hydration for optimal benefits.

Whether you find yourself drinking what seems like gallons of water, or you realize you haven’t had a drop of water all day, it is imperative to find a healthy balance to maintain proper hydration.  According to Penn Medicine,  you should ideally be drinking at half of your body weight in ounces; not more, not less.

For those who catch themselves over-hydrating, it may seem as though you are nourishing your body with lots of cool, crisp H2O, but I have news for you. . . you are actually harming yourself more than helping.  The human body requires a balance of electrolytes to function, so when you “drown” your body in water, you are eliminating the electrolytes, therefore harming your kidneys and your bodies overall homeostasis.

For all those dehydrated members of society who survive off coffee, energy drinks, or whatever else your beverage of choice may be other than water (you know who you are) – THIS IS THE WORST POSSIBLE THING YOU COULD BE DOING FOR YOURSELF !  Your body directly relies on your level of hydration to function, so if you find yourself feeling dehydrated, it WILL affect your physical performance and mental stability, not to mention the harm you are doing to your skin, heart, kidneys, and bladder.

Accurately monitoring your water consumption is a commitment, but there are ways to turn this commitment into something you actually enjoy.  How?  Check out these tips:

• Unless you’re living under a rock, you have probably noticed every teenage girl (and even some of the guys) carrying around their unnecessarily enormous Stanley water bottle (myself   included).  Stanley owners (and other large water bottle possessors of society) have made drinking water an enjoyable experience because of the various color choices these companies have   to offer.  Mia Johnson, a junior at LTHS, said, “I love how big my Stanley cup is!  I feel like I drink more water when I bring it to school and track practice because it is fun to sip on   throughout the day, and I don’t have to refill it as often as my other water bottles. I love all the fun color options that they have on the website, and I want to collect all of the colors to add to   my Stanley collection.”
•  People have also found drinking water more enjoyable when adding flavoring!  The next time you are in the grocery store, look for flavoring packets or drops to spice things up.  Some of   these flavoring products even include electrolytes which we previously discussed. “I use electrolyte packets that dissolve in my water,” said Ava Lattier, a sophomore at LTHS.  “I use a specific brand called “Liquid IV” because they have a lot of good flavors that makes drinking electrolytes easier because it tastes so good.”
• Set a timer on your cell phone or place post-it notes around your home or workplace as a reminder to get your sips in!
• Purchase a water bottle with water drinking “deadlines” on it to help you stay on track hour by hour (rumored to be extremely effective AND motivational).

Keep in mind that you should be frequently hydrating throughout the day; not depriving yourself all day then pounding however much water your body requires at the end of the day.  Why?  It completely defeats the purpose of hydration.

Ultimately, it is up to YOU to make the choice to be hydrated but don’t think of the commitment to doing so as a chore.  Think of it as a way to keep your mind and body healthy, strong, and in its best shape possible!

Stay tuned for more health and fitness tips in April!