High quality H2O leads to a quality lifestyle & wellbeing

How much water should you drink?  There are many basic guidelines. But like everything else, we are all individuals. Genetics & lifestyles vary between each individual & play a role in hydration needs. The 3 more important questions are;  why we should hydrate, symptoms of dehydration, & easy ways to hydrate more in our daily lifestyle?

Reasons to Hydrate:

• Water is one of the best conductors of energy & the primary conductor within the human body.  Our body communicates energetically via kinetic charges to & from the brain via the Nervous system.  Think of the body as group of electrical grids throughout the Nervous system. The Nervous System communicates actions to the Muscular system kinetically.  A poor or weak connection will cause muscles to fire improperly within the body.  This creates imbalances within the kinetic chain.  Therefore, poor hydration leads to poor performance of the human body leading to muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalances may lead to chronic injury, particularly in a repetitive motion atmosphere. 
• A major component of Blood is water.  The Cardiovascular system provides the body with nutrients & cleanses it of toxins. Naturally, blood flows more efficiently in a hydrated setting. 
• Water is also a component of the Skeletal system.  The last receivers of hydration within the body are bones.  Dehydrated bones eventually leads to brittle bones.  Brittles bones equal weak bones.  Dehydration can be a major contributor to Arthritis.  Of even greater importance is the Spinal system.  The Spinal system contains major intersections of our Nervous system.  Brittle weak bones cause nerve impingement creating pain & further miscommunication of the nervous system. 
• The Lymphatic system is basically our immune system.  It fights internal imbalances & helps overcome illness & injury.  It plays a big part in releasing toxins from the body, sweat.  Sweat's major component is water.  .

How to know if you are dehydrated: 

• Are you thirsty or have a scratchy throat? 
• Do you feel weak?
• Are you nervous or shaky?
• Do you get sick often?
• Is your urine yellow?
• Are you moody?
• Is you performance of an activity sub-par?
• Are you depressed?
• Do you have dry skin?
• Do you have dry, brittle hair?
• Do you have varicose veins?

Your overall appearance is a great indicator of your current state of hydration.  In addition, most of the above questions all relate to the Kinetic chain (Skeletal, Nervous, & Muscular system).  And if the answer is 'yes' to any of the above questions, it does not mean hydration is the solution. It means it may a factor of the symptom & an indicator of dehydration. 

Ways to hydrate more:

• Drink water with a straw.  You drink more rapidly through a straw.
• Sleep with a glass of water at your bedside.  If you awaken with a dry throat, it's right there.
• When you wake up in the morning, have a nice glass of cold water (room temperature if you prefer).  It gives you a head start on a day of good hydration.
• Take cranberry extract. It encourages a functional urination system.
• For every cup of coffee, soda, or alcoholic beverage, drink a glass of water.  You can also give them up. It may be more important to build it into your lifestyle than sacrifice a guilty pleasure.  This will naturally reduce consumption of other beverages as well.
• Keep a container of water nearby.  Convenience encourages use.
• Get a water purifier.  Clean water taste better. 
• Get a digital scale that measures hydration.  Don't pay as much attention to the percentage. Pay attention to the range in percentage change over time.  The readings may not be completely, scientifically accurate or encouraging.  However, the increases & decreases are accurate indicators.  Through personal research, I find the hydration percentage to be 5-10% less in women than men due to body fat composition. Also, not taking weight into consideration,  Body fat & Hydration percentages react conversely.  Meaning if hydration goes up, body fat goes down & vice versa. Write it down. Tracking the percentage changes over time will allow you to learn what good hydration feels like.

Simply stated, a properly hydrated body allows you to look, feel, & perform better. It may also be a simple solution to a long term imbalance in your lifestyle.