Stay Hydrated

Did you know chronic dehydration can lead to serious mental AND physical health problems?😳 I know I have spoke on this before, now I am going to share some tips to help you stay hydrated!

According to Benton et al. 2016; Enhörning & Melander 2018; Guelinckx et al. 2016; Melander 2016; Perrier 2017; Roumelioti et al. 2018, dehydration can negatively affect:

• mood
• cognition
• metabolism
• kidney
• cardiac health

Also, research suggests dehydration can cause an overstimulation of the body’s stress response system increasing levels of cortisol; the fat causing hormone (Kavouras & Anastasiou 2010; Lang et al. 2017; Stookey et al. 2013).

What?!- No one wants that!

Here are some tips to stay hydrated!

• Drink water regularly: Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go and sip on it frequently. Set reminders, I use an app, WaterMinder which gives me a push notification every hour (intervals are customizable and it’s free).
• Eat hydrating foods: Foods with high water content, such as fruits and vegetables e.g., watermelon, cucumbers, celery, and strawberries.
• Avoid sugary drinks and caffeine: Sugary drinks, juice, and caffeine can actually dehydrate you. Opt for ice water or a flavored carbonated water.
• Be mindful during exercise: Add electrolytes (or salt) to your water if you are doing intense physical activity or sweating excessively.

LMK if you try any or all of these and how you feel! 💖J