Today, we’re talking all things hydration! Most of us know that drinking water everyday is good for us, but a lot of people downplay the serious health hazards of dehydration. And with our bodies being made of up to 60% water, we need to stay on top of our hydration in order to keep ourselves functioning perfectly.
Some signs of dehydration are quite severe, such as migraines, dizziness and headaches. But some symptoms are very subtle and often go unnoticed, including dry skin, fatigue and needing the loo a little less than usual. That’s why it’s so important to discover the best ways to stay hydrated and start implementing them today.
The great news is, staying hydrated is easy, and it can also be fun! Plus, it’s not just water that keeps our levels of hydration up, as we’re going to discover.
Today, we’re going to take a deep dive into how to stay hydrated in order to remain active, healthy and lead a full life. We’re going to discuss the dangers of dehydration and why it’s so important to keep yourself hydrated. And, of course, we’ll give you lots of tips and advice on which drinks are best and how to incorporate them into your diet.
So sit back and relax and let’s begin.
Dangers of Dehydration
Dehydration is what happens when your body loses more fluid than it takes in. We all know the sensation of dry mouth or feeling thirsty, but these are not necessarily the best ways to gauge dehydration, and there are many other symptoms that people often don’t associate with being dehydrated.
Common symptoms or signs of dehydration include fatigue, lightheadedness and an inability to concentrate. These things can really affect your day, such as your work or even home life, if you find it hard to enjoy your free time and/or be productive.
Other physical signs include constipation, dry skin and less urination. But that’s not all! In some cases, severe dehydration can cause much more serious health problems, including an inability to produce sweat, low blood pressure, sunken eyes and even disorientation. And, not to scare you, but in the most extreme cases dehydration can sometimes lead to death, if not treated quickly and effectively.
So how do we combat this potentially disastrous catalogue of health issues? We need to stay hydrated! And it’s easier than you think.
Why We Need to Stay Hydrated
Being fully hydrated does not mean that you simply don’t get thirsty. It’s so much more than that, and hydration has an essential part to play and how our bodies function on a daily basis.
For example, remaining adequately hydrated is crucial to regulating your body temperature. It also acts as a lubricant for your joints and bones. Not to mention, without good hydration our organs do not function properly, and our bodies ability to deliver nutrients to cells and prevent infection is also compromised.
But if you’re fully hydrated, you’ll feel tip top throughout your day! That means better productivity at work and more time spent enjoying the things you love with friends and family. Plus, hydration affects our mood and sleep, so you can look forward to feeling more positive all-round and getting a better night’s rest.
So as you can see, hydration is a bit more serious than some of us have given it credit for. But if you’re feeling daunted, or even a bit nervous about improving your hydration and health, have no fear! We’re here to give you everything you need to know about how to stay hydrated and live your best life.
How to Stay Hydrated
For many of us, we have this image that drinking a sufficient amount of water involves downing glasses upon glasses of water all throughout the day and peeing continuously. However, staying hydrated doesn’t need to be daunting, and it definitely doesn’t need to be boring.
The ‘EatWell Guide’ says that we should drink 6 to 8 cups of glasses of fluid a day, and you’ll be pleased to know that milk, soft drinks, tea and coffee are all included in this quota.
Depending on where you live, you may need to take in more fluids than others. This is the case if you live in a hot or very dry climate, which will dehydrate you more rapidly than living in a cold and/or wet location. As a rule of thumb, children need slightly less fluid and older people need slightly more. Your lifestyle also affects your hydration levels, and if you’re someone who works out often, then you can expect to add on some more glasses of fluid per day.
As expected, water remains King of the Beverages, but you can also top up your hydration levels with other drinks, such as tea and coffee, soft drinks and smoothies. But water will always be our first choice! Plus, you can spice up your water by adding a slice of fruit, a splash of concentrate, or even simply by swapping still water for sparkling. Water is so fabulously versatile, and doesn’t come with any added sugar or colourants. All hail H20!
But, while we love nothing more than a glass of delicious, filtered, chilled water, there are plenty of other ways to stay hydrated. So with that in mind, let’s check out some great ways to keep those levels of hydration up throughout the day.
Milk and Semi Skimmed Milk
If you’re old enough to remember the old slogan ‘nice cold ice cold milk’, then you’ll know that a tall glass of chilled milk can be extremely refreshing.
Full of calcium and important minerals, milk helps with various bodily functions, including keeping you hydrated. Although it’s not advisable to get all of your 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day via milk, the odd delicious and creamy glass of the white stuff can do wonders for your health and keep you nice and hydrated at the same time.
However, do keep in mind that full fat milk is, as the name suggests, full of fat! We therefore recommend skimmed or semi-skimmed varieties, or even nut or soy milk alternatives, if you’re going to drink milk regularly.
Fruit Juices and Smoothies
Fruit juices and smoothies, depending on what you put in them, offer a whole world of nutrients and vitamins. If possible, try to consume the whole fruit (smoothies), as this is where most of the benefits lie.
That said, the juice from fruits will still offer you lots of lovely nutrition, as well as keeping you hydrated throughout the day. Plus, smoothies and juices are definitely some of the most delicious drinks you can put into your system.
However, fruit juices bought from a shop are often laced with unnecessary added sugar, so if you can find freshly squeezed juice and/or make your own smoothies, then this is definitely the most beneficial and a more low-fat option.
Fizzy Drinks and Squash with Added Sugar
While fizzy drinks should only be consumed in moderation, they still help with hydration. But do be careful not to consume too many cans of pop, as they are full of sugar, artificial sweeteners and e-numbers.
A healthy alternative is to take some fresh chilled and filtered water and add a little squash. Again, if you can avoid squashes with tons of added sugar, then you will get all of the benefits of hydration without putting unnecessary nasties into your system. We recommend citrus-based squashes, such as lemon or lime, which tend to be slightly lower in added sugar.
Energy and Caffeine Drinks
Another set of drinks only to be consumed in moderation are high caffeine or energy drinks, such as Red Bull or Monster Energy. While these drinks are definitely tasty, and pack quite a punch when it comes to caffeine, they are also chock-full of added sugar, colourants and e-numbers.
And although a healthy adult is safe to consume these drinks in small quantities, they should be completely avoided by children at all times. So even though these drinks aren’t the best for you in a nutritional sense, they still offer adequate hydration if consumed in moderation.
Tea and Coffee
Chances are you drink either tea or coffee, or both! Most of us love to start our day with a hot drink, and we usually enjoy the little buzz of caffeine that tea and coffee provide.
The good news is, both of these drinks offer high levels of hydration, as they are both made with large volumes of water. Of the two, tea is more beneficial, especially if you opt for varieties such as green, black or rooibos.
But regardless of which hot drink you prefer, avoid adding sugar to tea or coffee, in order to eliminate unnecessary calories, and keep up your hydration. Also, avoiding fancy coffees with whipped cream, syrups and the oh-so-cute-and-delicious marshmallows on top will also help you enjoy your favourite hot drink without adding unneeded calories into your diet.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks manufacturers have done a fantastic job of marketing their beverages as beneficial for people who live active lifestyles.
One thing that they usually purport is that these drinks are specifically designed to encourage hydration. And although they often have added extras, such as electrolytes and vitamins, sports drinks still also contain lots of added sugar. This puts them in the same category as things like fizzy drinks, squashes and energy drinks.
Full of sweeteners and often added sugar, these are on the list of drinks that should only be consumed in moderation.
Fruit and Veg
Good old fruit and veg! If you love your veggies, then you may already know that a good intake of fruits and vegetables is a fantastic way to keep on top of your hydration.
Many common fruits and vegetables are made up of as much as 90% water, so not only are they packed full of flavour, nutrients and other lovely good stuff, but they also keep you hydrated throughout the day.
Things like tomatoes and cucumbers in a salad, or a big juicy piece of watermelon as a dessert or snack, can seriously boost your hydration without you even noticing it. Not to mention, if you like your smoothies and juices, then why not fling a few high water content staples in there as well? Your smoothies will not just taste better, but they will also offer you far greater levels of hydration as well.
Tips to Stay Hydrated Throughout the Day
Now that you know all about which drinks you should stock up on, and which ones you should minimise, it’s time to take a look at some tips on how to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Firstly, we recommend starting your day with a glass of water. This helps to kick-start your metabolism, and will also top up your hydration levels after a night of sleep.
If you want to seriously up your water consumption, then we recommend carrying around a reusable bottle. Not only will this help the environment by keeping more plastic out of bins, but you will also have a nice little reminder throughout your day to top up and drink more water. To the same end, you can also set an alarm or a reminder to drink more water at regular intervals.Plus, drinking a glass of water before every meal helps with digestion and is a great way to get those extra glasses of fluid into your diet. We also recommend that you drink a glass of water within 2 hours of going to bed, as this will aid a more restful sleep and keep you hydrated throughout the night.
Finally, check the colour of your urine when you go to the toilet. Dark orange or brown urine is a sign of dehydration, so up your water intake until your urine becomes a light straw colour. This is the ideal colour for your pee brackets (yes, there’s an ideal colour for pee!)
Finally, keep track of your water consumption throughout the day and try to limit your intake of fizzy drinks or drinks laced with lots of sugar. Remember, you can always liven up your water by opting for sparkling over still, as well as adding in a drop of low-sugar squash and/or pieces of fruit.
How BIBO Helps People Stay Hydrated and Healthy
Our mission, as a water dispenser provider, is to help you keep hydrated with the freshest, tastiest and healthiest water around. BIBO customers who install one of our state-of-the-art water dispensers can access both ice-cold and boiling-hot water in an instant, ideal for making a refreshing soft drink, tea, coffee or juice.
Plus, BIBO customers enjoy all the benefits of filtered water. Free from chlorine and other nasty contaminants as well as keeping all of the good minerals you will find naturally in water. Our BIBO water dispensers use carbon-block filters and UV lamp purification system, so you know you’re getting the freshest glass of water possible, without having to buy endless bottles of mineral water!
Once you have increased your hydration, you can look forward to some incredible benefits which include a better ability to concentrate, an improved ability to control weight gain and all-round better digestive help. Other perks include more subtle joints, better skin texture and vastly improved bodily and organ functions.
Finally, hydrated people are more productive and find themselves in a consistently better mood than those who do not drink enough fluid. So go forth and be happy…with perfectly coloured pee, of course!
As we’ve seen, keeping yourself hydrated is easy, and can be a great way to introduce new and interesting drinks into your diet. The best ways to stay hydrated include drinking fresh fruit juices and smoothies, eating delicious fruit and veg and, of course, drinking lots of water.
So if you’re looking to increase your water intake, and you want filtered, fresh and tasty hot and cold water at the touch of a button, we recommend our BIBO water dispensers for all your H20 needs! They’re modern, compact and cost-effective, so staying hydrated has never been easier.
For help selecting your new water dispenser, as well as answers to our most frequently asked questions about installation and maintenance, check out our FAQ page, call us or fill out our online webform.
How can BIBO help me stay hydrated?
Want to find out more about how BIBO can help you to drink more water? Get in touch with our expert team to find out more about our range! We’re more than happy to answer any questions or queries you may have.
