Water (H2O)

Tactics, Physiology, Electrolytes, Fitness, Skin

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Introduction

Water is essential for life, and it is often suggested by online blogs, fitness magazines, etc. that the more water the better. Fortunately the majority of the people experience low volume loss of sweat. This article will cover the tactics you can begin to implement today, or tomorrow for a better fueled and hydrated state of mind and body.  

Physiology and Electrolytes 

So we have water in our cells (intracellular fluid) and outside of the cells (extracellular fluid). A estimate of about 60% of our body is made up of water. According to this study, The recommended total daily fluid intake of 3,000 ml for men and of 2,200 ml for women is more than adequate (Meinders, 2010). 2,200 ml is about half a gallon of water. If you are into endurance sports and or lose a lot of water i.e. sauna use then it’s probably a good idea to replace that lost fluid with a little more water.

There are 2 electrolytes that will determine which part of your body will fill with the water or not: potassium (K+) and sodium (Na+). If you use the sauna frequently its not a bad idea to replace those lost electrolytes with a electrolyte solution such as this . That electrolyte solution contains 2 net carbs and is useful for endurance sport athletes and/or hikers. Another one of my favorites that I use after meeting weight for meets is pedialyte or some sort of electrolyte drink like this. Pedialyte is super refreshing and offers a easy way to quickly replace the electrolytes lost after excessive use of the sauna. This is another great electrolyte source as well.  Another way to replace lost electrolytes is getting a IV fluid solution near you. Here is a example.

A alternative or addition to water or pedialyte is cow milk. Cow milk is high in sodium and potassium making it a great recovery drink (Pritchett & Pritchett, 2012; Shirreffs, Watson, & Maughan, 2007). Although I typically use almond milk and enjoy cow milk too, the amount of sodium and potassium in the cow milk outweighs the amount in almond milk.

Tactics for Drinking More Water + Benefits for Skin

The easiest way for you to see if you need to drink more water is looking at the color of your urine:

If you experience confusion, anxiety, and even vomiting it could be another sign you need more water. I suggest to all my clients to drink at least (1) 8 oz of water in the morning before eating; drinking up to even 1 liter in the morning before breakfast is also a good way to prevent you from overconsumption of food in the morning. If you practice intermittent fasting then definitely drinking water all morning until you break your fast will only help you with satiety. 

Although the relationship of more water = better skin doesn’t seem to be confirmed, i’ve seen a correlation to more water and youthful skin in some people. According to this study, it was suggested that more water may positively influence the physiology of the skin.

Well that’s all for now, the bottom line is drink more water. Especially in the morning…

Be well.