When we think of health and wellness, the most common advice we receive would be to hydrate. However, not all are well-versed in proper hydration techniques. Some even think that drinking water should be enough to keep our bodies at their optimal level, which is why many people still make hydration mistakes that can only do more harm than good. Read on to learn about the common hydration mistakes and find out how you can best avoid them.
Hydration Mistakes You May Be Making
1. Removing Sodium From Your Diet
Many have the notion that sodium is bad for the body, and it’s fairly common to hear people advising against eating salty foods. However, the idea is to cut down on salt and not to avoid it entirely. In case you are unaware, sodium is an important electrolyte that helps your cells to absorb water, and having a low-sodium diet can make you prone to dehydration.
Consult your doctor to see if you should reduce your salt intake. If not, then you should actually be having your daily dose of sodium, mainly when you are working out, as this means that sodium leaves your body as you sweat.
2. Drinking Eight Glasses of Water
It can be a mistake to confine yourself to drinking only eight glasses of water each day. While it is good to have this much water intake, in most cases, this may not be enough. Sometimes, it may even be too much. Each person’s fluid requirements depend on various factors, such as age, weather, activity levels, and even underlying conditions. For a better measure of hydration, urine color may be the best measure. The goal is to have pale yellow urine to indicate proper hydration.
3. Using the Wrong Water Filter
A water filter is critical in ensuring that your water is devoid of any impurities. If you are using the wrong water filter, it means that you are willingly allowing harmful microorganisms to enter your body. Water impurities, such as can have long standing effects on the body. Before buying filters, check out water filter reviews to see if they effectively remove microorganisms and are appropriate for your home water filtration system.
4. Drinking When Thirsty
Thirst is a bodily response, signalling that our body is already severely dehydrated. It is not the first sign, in fact. When you are thirsty, it means that your body is already undergoing physiological changes to compensate for the low levels of fluid in your system. This can be particularly critical for children since they don’t have the proper information about hydration and older adults as they have a weakened thirst sensation.
It is important to hydrate throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Another trick is to weigh yourself before and after a workout to know how much water you should consume to replenish your body. Some experts believe that drinking before the workout and taking sips during the course of the exercise help prevent hydration issues.
5. Relying On Sports Drinks for Hydration
Due to the popularity of sports drinks, many believe that they are the best ways to hydrate, particularly after a gruelling game or workout. However, these drinks do not contain enough electrolytes to help your body recover. Another mistake that people commonly make is consuming these sports drinks during diarrheic episodes, as they think that the drink’s electrolytes can help. However, it can only worsen dehydration since they contain tons of sugar.
Hydration can be a lot more straightforward than you would believe. By simply following these tips, you can be assured that your body will benefit from hydration.
