Five Tips for Proper Hydration

Water is impor­tant for every process in the body. It’s also key to keep­ing us alert, ener­gized, and has been shown to be impor­tant for weight loss and main­tain­ing a healthy weight. Look for signs of dehy­dra­tion early.

1. Don’t avoid headaches: although there are many rea­sons for headaches, they are often a sign of dehy­dra­tion. This can accom­pa­ny nau­sea and weak­ness as well. Start your morn­ing with 8 – 16 oz of water to rehy­drate after the night.
2. If you’re out in the hot weath­er and are not sweat­ing, there is a good chance you’re dehy­drat­ed. Also drink water before, dur­ing, and after any type of activity.
3. Hunger is a great indi­ca­tor of thirst; if feel­ing hun­gry at an odd time, try drink­ing a large glass of water first before giv­ing into snacking
4. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty, this is already too late in the dehy­dra­tion process. Each per­son is dif­fer­ent in the amount of water they need. Pay atten­tion to urine col­or. Urine should be clear or light lemon­ade col­ored, nev­er amber.
5. Sum­mer makes for a lot of out­door events, includ­ing BBQs, par­ties, and sport­ing events. Always car­ry a bot­tle of water with you. Try to make sure to drink 8 – 12 oz at each meal to make sure you’re hydrat­ing well. If drink­ing alco­hol or oth­er sug­ary drinks, try to alter­nate between those and water so you are rehydrating.