Time and time again, doctors and other health professionals remind everyone to drink water throughout the day. Water makes up at least 60 percent of the human body. It’s required to produce bodily fluids like saliva and help keep a healthy weight.
Sadly, many fail to drink this inexpensive and largely available resource. PR Newswire revealed that approximately 80 percent of working Americans don’t consume enough water every day to meet their health needs.
Depriving yourself of clean, filtered water can damage your body and ruin your health. You’ll need to increase your H20 intake when you experience one or more of the following signs:
1. Constipation
Water promotes regular bowel movements by keeping your stool soft and moving it easily in your digestive tract. Failure to drink adequate amounts of water could cause your body to pull water from the stool to compensate for the loss of fluid. This results in firmer and harder stool that’s difficult to expel.
If you’re experiencing infrequent and irregular bowel movements, increase your water intake. This will help loosen your stools and alleviate bloating and constipation.
2. Exhaustion
Dehydration can cause fatigue. If you’re working the night shift or handling a critical job position, you can’t afford to come into the office or the job site exhausted. You may need to increase your water intake if you’re constantly feeling tired or sluggish despite getting a good night’s rest.
3. Bad Breath That Won’t Go Away
Water is instrumental for the production of saliva in your mouth. It helps wash away bacteria, so you could keep your teeth and gums in good shape. Not drinking enough water negatively affects saliva production and causes bacteria to accumulate on the gums, teeth and tongue, contributing to halitosis or bad breath.
If you practice good oral hygiene but suffer from chronic nasty breath, you may not be consuming enough water. So make sure to bump up your water intake. If the bad breath persists despite replenishing the fluids in your body, schedule an appointment with a doctor to rule out other underlying causes, such as liver disease, type 2 diabetes and gum problems.
4. Dark Urine
The color of your urine can tell a lot about the water levels in your body. Ideally, your urine should look like light lemon juice. If the color appears darker, be sure to bump up your water intake throughout the day and reach for hydrating foods.
5. Infrequent Urination
Apart from the color of your urine, pay attention to the frequency of your urination. When you’re experiencing dehydration, the kidneys hold as much fluid as they can to stay functional. This can result in decreased urination.
Urinating less frequently can increase your likelihood of developing urinary tract infection (UTI), especially when your body lacks sufficient fluids to flush out bacteria. You’ll know that you’re drinking enough water when you begin to notice that you’re urinating more frequently.
6. Brain Fog
Do you still remember what you ate for breakfast? If you can’t recall simple details, you may be suffering from dehydration because this can affect the brain. This large organ is composed of 70 percent water. When you are not getting enough fluids in your body, gray matter can’t function properly. This results in forgetfulness and feelings of irritability.
When you’re going over your diet, make sure that you are drinking enough water for every meal.
7. Dry Skin
Water hydrates cells, which helps keep your skin healthy and vibrant. The lack of water can cause your skin to lose its elasticity and plumpness, resulting in wrinkles, fine lines, flakiness and dryness. If beauty products aren’t improving the overall look of your skin, increase your fluid intake.
8. Nausea
When you’re feeling dizzy, you may be tempted to steer clear of eating food or drinking water. Not replenishing the lost water in your body, however, is the last thing you want to do. Dehydration can cause dizziness. If you haven’t been drinking anything for the past several hours, take a break and sip water to help keep nausea and tummy troubles at bay.
9. Cravings for Sweet Foods
Dehydration disrupts the ability of the body to tap into glucose for energy. This can trigger cravings for foods loaded in carbohydrates and sugar. Sudden and unusual cravings for sugary treats, such as candies, cookies and chocolate may indicate that your body needs water, not food. If you’re experiencing hunger pangs or sugar cravings even though you’ve just finished a meal recently, don’t reach for a Snickers bar. Drink more water to keep your cravings at bay and rehydrate your body.
Life can get busy, but you should always remember to drink water. Maintaining regular fluid intake can ward off dehydration and help you stay physically and mentally fit.