Self Care Series - Part 4 0f 7 - Hydration

By Susie Black - get free updates of new articles here

The benefits of staying hydrated

Did you look at the benefits of flexibility? In it, I linked you to a rather alarming video to demonstrate why we should all move more This blog post will address the role of hydration for our health. Why should we drink more fluids? Read on.

Drinking plenty of water can help you lose weight.

This is because water can increase satiety and boost your metabolic rate.

• Some evidence suggests that increasing water intake can promote weight loss by slightly increasing your metabolism, which can increase the number of calories you burn on a daily basis.

• A 2013 study in 50 young women with overweight demonstrated that drinking an additional 500mls of water 3 times per day before meals for 8 weeks led to significant reductions in body weight and body fat compared with their pre-study measurements

• The timing is important too. Drinking water half an hour before meals is the most effective. It can make you feel more full so that you eat fewer calories 

• In one study, dieters who drank 500mls  water before meals lost 44% more weight over a period of 12 weeks than dieters who didn’t drink water before meals

May help relieve constipation

Constipation is a common problem that’s characterized by infrequent bowel movements and difficulty passing stool.

• Increasing fluid intake is often recommended as a part of the treatment protocol, and there’s some evidence to back this up.

• Low water consumption appears to be a risk factor for constipation in both younger and older individual

• Increasing hydration may help decrease constipation.

May help prevent and treat headaches

Dehydration can trigger headaches and migraine in some individuals

• Research has shown that a headache is one of the most common symptoms of dehydration.

• What’s more, some studies have shown that drinking water can help relieve headaches in those who experience frequent headaches.

• A study in 102 men found that drinking an additional 1.5 litres of water per day resulted in significant improvements on the Migraine-Specific Quality of Life scale, a scoring system for migraine symptoms 

• Plus, 47% of the men who drank more water reported headache improvement, while only 25% of the men in the control group reported this effect

• However, not all studies agree, and researchers have concluded that because of the lack of high quality studies, more research is needed to confirm how increasing hydration may help improve headache symptoms and decrease headache frequency

Significantly affects energy levels and brain function

Your brain is strongly influenced by your hydration status.

• Studies show that even mild dehydration, such as the loss of 1–3% of body weight, can impair many aspects of brain function.

• In a study in young women, researchers found that fluid loss of 1.4% after exercise impaired both mood and concentration. It also increased the frequency of headaches

• Many members of this same research team conducted a similar study in young men. They found that fluid loss of 1.6% was detrimental to working memory and increased feelings of anxiety and fatigue

• A fluid loss of 1–3% equals about 1.5–4.5 pounds (0.5–2 kg) of body weight loss for a person weighing 150 pounds (68 kg). This can easily occur through normal daily activities, let alone during exercise or high heat.

• Many other studies, with subjects ranging from children to older adults, have shown that mild dehydration can impair mood, memory, and brain performance

Helps maximize physical performance

If you don’t stay hydrated, your physical performance can suffer.

• This is particularly important during intense exercise or high heat.

• Dehydration can have a noticeable effect if you lose as little as 2% of your body’s water content. However, it isn’t uncommon for athletes to lose as much as 6–10% of their water weight via sweat

• This can lead to altered body temperature control, reduced motivation, and increased fatigue. It can also make exercise feel much more difficult, both physically and mentally

• Optimal hydration has been shown to prevent this from happening, and it may even reduce the oxidative stress that occurs during high intensity exercise. This isn’t surprising when you consider that muscle is about 80% water

• If you exercise intensely and tend to sweat, staying hydrated can help you perform at your absolute best.

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Some little pointers to help you on your way to better hydration:

• Your body can only take in and utilise around 250mls water in one go so sipping is better.

• Plain old water is best but you could also increase your intake of fruits and veggies to up your fluid levels. Think cucumbers, watermelons, raw peppers, celery, lettuce, tomatoes. CLICK HERE for a list of the highest-water ranking veggies.

• Avoid fizzy drinks (even sugar free ones) if possible as some sweeteners may have the same insulin response as sugar.

• Why not set yourself a reminder alarm for a few days and increase your water intake? Even a glass before meals may make a huge difference to your wellbeing. In the book 'French women don't get fat', Mireille Guiliano recommends having a light salad or soup as an appetizer before meals; what more is this except a low calorie drink to avoid eating your way to better hydration?