Week #1 Healthy Habits Challenge – Honor Your Body and Hydrate!

Welcome to Week #1 of the 12-Week Healthy Habits Challenge!

Drinking sufficient water could be one of the most overlooked healthy habits, and yet it is one that we can easily incorporate into our daily life.

Do you know that water makes up about 50-60% of the body weight in adults, and that skeletal muscle is about 75% water?¹

There are good reasons why the body has such high proportion of water. Water is an essential medium where all biochemical reactions needed for life occur.²

Adequate hydration is required for optimal functioning of all major organs and systems including cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and reproductive systems, liver, kidneys, brain, nervous system, skin, etc.²

Additionally, adequate hydration is important to^2–5

• Support proper digestion and mobilization of nutrients around the body.
• Facilitate liver detoxification function.
• Flush metabolic waste products and toxins out of the body through urine (kidneys), stool (colon) and sweat (skin).
• Support proper functioning of the lymphatic system, essential for detoxification and immune health.
• Act as lubricant in joints and mucous membranes.
• Act as shock absorber to protect certain organs and structure, in particular, brain, and spinal cord.
• Regulate body temperature.

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How Do You Know If You are Dehydrated?

Perhaps the most obvious symptom one can observe is thirst and dry mouth/tongue. It is important to note that the dehydration-thirst response becomes less sensitive in elderly people.⁷

There are also other common symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration that one should watch out for, including:^6,7

• Headache
• Lethargy
• Fatigue
• Dry skin
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Light-headedness
• Lack of focus, alertness, short-term memory
• Mood change

Chronic dehydration can increase the risk of certain diseases and conditions including:^6,7,15

• Urinary tract infections
• Kidney stones
• Chronic kidney disease
• Exercise related asthma
• Elevated blood glucose levels
• Fatal coronary heart disease
• Dental diseases
• Constipation

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How Much Water Do You Need to Drink?

It is difficult to establish a single standard recommendation for daily water consumption because it is dependent on how much water is lost mainly through perspiration, respiration, urine and stool, which in turn are dependent on many individualized factors including climate, physical activity level, propensity to sweat, kidney function and other health conditions, medications used and diet (certain foods such as caffeine and alcohol are dehydrating, while other foods such as fruits and vegetables have higher water content).

Some general recommendations of total water intake (including fluid from foods) per day for adults by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in the U.S. and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are as follow:⁸

• Men: 2.5 to 3.3 liter (i.e., 85 to 112 ounces, or 10 to 14 cups)
• Women: 2 to 2.3 liter (i.e., 68 to 78 ounces, or 8.5 to 10 cups)

IOM and EFSA estimated that about 20% of water intake comes from foods (aside from beverages), although such estimation may not be accurate for certain countries, culture, and season of the year.⁸

Nevertheless, if we assume 20% of water intake coming from foods, the actual recommendation of water intake from drinking water or other beverages are:⁸

• Men: 2 to 2.6 liter (i.e., 68 to 88 ounces, or 8.5 to 11 cups)
• Women: 1.6 to 1.8 liter (i.e., 54 to 61 ounces, or 6.8 to 7.6 cups)

The above numbers are just some general guidelines, as many factors affect individual’s water intake requirement, as previously discussed.

One simple rule of thumb that one can use is to observe the color of urine. If healthy and adequately hydrated, the urine should be clear and between colorless and the color of light straw. If the color is amber or darker, it can be sign of dehydration. However, it is important to note that certain foods and medications can temporarily affect the color of urine.

Ideally, our water intake should be mostly from clean or filtered water, or healthy, non-caffeinated beverages prepared with clean/filtered water, e.g., herbal tea, lemon or fruit infused water, smoothies made with whole fruits and vegetables, etc.

Freshly prepared juice from whole fruits and vegetables, and coconut water are also good options.

Eating foods rich in water content such as fruits, vegetables, soup, and congee is also a good way to keep us hydrated.

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What About Electrolytes?

We may have often heard about the need to replenish electrolytes in our drinking water.

It is true that the body needs the right proportion and balance of various electrolytes to function properly. Sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, phosphate and bicarbonates are the most significant electrolytes in the body.^1,9

The main source of electrolytes for the body should come from the foods we eat rather than from water. Whole fruits and vegetables are rich is various electrolytes. As long as we eat a healthy, whole food plant-rich diet, there should be adequate levels of electrolytes in the body.

There are exceptions, however, when both water and electrolyte replenishment may be needed. This is when there is an acute, large loss of fluid and electrolytes such as from profuse sweating during prolonged strenuous exercise especially in hot climate. Other examples are severe vomiting and diarrhea.¹

Certain chronic health conditions, such as chronic kidney disease, Cushing’s syndrome, Addison’s disease, etc. can cause electrolyte imbalance, where medical intervention may be warranted.¹

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Tips to Keep Well-Hydrated

Here are some tips that you can incorporate as part of your daily healthy habits to keep well-hydrated:

1. As a general guideline, target to drink about 1.6 to 2.6 liters (or 7 to 11 cups) of clean or filtered water daily. Note that this is just a general reference based on U.S. and European recommendations as previously discussed. The required water intake is highly dependent on many individualized factors including climate, physical activity level, body weight, propensity to sweat, kidney function and other health conditions, medications used and diet.
2. Use a simple rule of thumb as a guidance on the required water intake, i.e., by observing the color of urine. If healthy and adequately hydrated, the urine should be clear and between colorless and the color of light straw. If the color is amber or darker, it can be a sign of dehydration. (Note that certain foods and medications can temporarily affect the color of urine.)¹⁰
3. Drink clean or filtered water, as regular tap water contains many contaminants and toxins. (Check out ewg.org to find out what contaminants are in your city tap water.)
4. Rehydrate the body upon rising in the morning by drinking 12-16 Oz of water, rather than reaching out for coffee or other caffeinated drinks (caffeine is dehydrating), as the body continues to loss water through breath and skin during sleep. Add freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon for vitamin C and antioxidants, to support the liver and digestion.^13,14
5. Spread your water intake throughout the day. Most of the water consumption should be in between meals rather than during a meal. Set a schedule reminder if needed.
6. Drink when you feel thirsty. We often ignore thirst especially when we are engaged in or busy with other activities. It is a good habit to always carry or keep a water bottle near you.
7. Drink clean or filtered water as the primary beverage. In addition to plain water, explore other non-caffeinated beverages prepared with clean/filtered water, e.g., herbal tea, lemon or fruit infused water, smoothies made with whole fruits and vegetables, etc.
8. Consume lukewarm or body temperature water to reduce ‘shock’ to your digestive system.
9. Consume a whole food diet rich in whole fruits and vegetables, which have high water and electrolyte contents.
10. Limit consumption of caffeinated drinks and alcohol as they promote urination and loss of water.
11. Avoid soft drinks and other beverages that contain added or artificial sweeteners and other food additives as they can damage the gut/gut microbiota and liver. (See more details in our previous articles: Tips to Promote Gut Health for a Healthy Body & Mind, Take Care of Your Liver for Healthy Immunity and Overall Wellness.)
12. Refrain from drinking large amount of water at least 3 hours before bedtime to avoid sleep interruption due to urination.
13. Ensure good quality and sufficient sleep (~7 to 8 hours) as sleep deprivation can contribute to dehydration.¹¹
14. Drink more water than usual during flight travel, especially long-haul flight, as the microclimate within airline cabin promotes dehydration.¹²

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Related Articles

Tips to Promote Gut Health for a Healthy Body & Mind

Take Care of Your Liver for Healthy Immunity and Overall Wellness

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References

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2. Jéquier E, Constant F. Water as an essential nutrient: the physiological basis of hydration. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010;64(2):115-123. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.111
3. Stephens M, von der Weid P. Chapter 3 – Lymphatic pumping and pathological consequences of its dysfunction. In: N.E. Gavins F, Alexander J, ed. Lymphatic Structure And Function In Health And Disease. Academic Press; 2020:19-54.
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8. Gandy J. Water intake: validity of population assessment and recommendations [published correction appears in Eur J Nutr. 2015 Sep;54(6):1031]. Eur J Nutr. 2015;54 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):11-16. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-0944-8
9. Shrimanker I, Bhattarai S. Electrolytes. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; July 26, 2021.
10. Cleveland Clinic. Urine Color: What It Says About Your Health. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-urine-color-means/. Published 2021.
11. Rosinger AY, Chang AM, Buxton OM, Li J, Wu S, Gao X. Short sleep duration is associated with inadequate hydration: cross-cultural evidence from US and Chinese adults. Sleep. 2019;42(2):10.1093/sleep/zsy210. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsy210
12. Zubac D, Buoite Stella A, Morrison SA. Up in the Air: Evidence of Dehydration Risk and Long-Haul Flight on Athletic Performance. Nutrients. 2020;12(9):2574. Published 2020 Aug 25. doi:10.3390/nu12092574
13. Zhou T, Zhang YJ, Xu DP, et al. Protective Effects of Lemon Juice on Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice. Biomed Res Int. 2017;2017:7463571. doi:10.1155/2017/7463571
14. González-Molina E, Domínguez-Perles R, Moreno DA, García-Viguera C. Natural bioactive compounds of Citrus limon for food and health. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2010;51(2):327-345. doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2009.07.027
15. Nakamura Y, Watanabe H, Tanaka A, Yasui M, Nishihira J, Murayama N. Effect of Increased Daily Water Intake and Hydration on Health in Japanese Adults. Nutrients. 2020;12(4):1191. Published 2020 Apr 23. doi:10.3390/nu12041191