Before your eyes glaze over, notice that I used the word “hydration” and not “water” in the title. See, so many folks focus on the mantra that “only water is water”, and then they fail to achieve “good enough” in their pursuit of perfection. Obviously, when we’re talking about liquids that one can drink, some choices are better than others, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the idea that hydration is the goal. Water isn’t the only beverage that can hydrate us.
With the record-breaking heat in many parts of the U.S. this year, hydration has likely been at the forefront of most folks’ minds at one point or another. Adequate hydration is crucial for so many bodily functions, and maintaining that hydration goes a long way to keeping us at the top of our game.
I happen to be one of those folks who struggles with hydration, so I thought I’d share some strategies that work for me. As always, your mileage may vary.
For me, the most important piece of the hydration puzzle is palatability. I don’t need something that’s sickeningly sweet. In fact, I like the taste of filtered water. When I’m drinking nothing but filtered water though, I tend to drink very little. When I do something as simple as adding a peppermint tea bag to the bottom of a quart-sized water bottle, I find myself going back to my beverage much more frequently. I don’t even need to add sweetener. The light peppermint flavor alone is enough to get the job done. In fact, I tend to leave tea bags in the bottom of bottles or cups even when I’m adding fresh water. Like I said, for me, it doesn’t take much.
If you happen to be one of those folks that needs more flavor though, there are a lot of options. Personally, I like “lemonade”. Lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt, and a bit of stevia makes a tasty glass of lemonade, and drinking that concoction adds vitamins and minerals that I wouldn’t otherwise get from my reverse osmosis-filtered water.
And despite what “they” say, I’d rather see someone drinking something like Crystal Light for hydration rather than going thirsty. My husband and I joke that he’s “allergic” to water. I’ve known him to drink the stuff ONCE in the 16 years I’ve known him, and he only did so grudgingly because he was headed for a nasty case of heat exhaustion. Before he was diagnosed with candida, he drank Kool-Aid, iced tea, and coffee, all sweetened with ridiculous amounts of sugar. After his diagnosis, he switched to artificially sweetened beverages, and although that’s not “perfection”, it certainly is “good enough”. He can maintain adequate hydration without the sugar that was making him sick, and he’s not avoiding fluids because he can’t stand the taste. I’ll take that any day over a person who’s sick from inadequate hydration.
Another thing that helps me stay hydrated is the use of a cup with a straw. It might sound silly, but I drink more when I’m sipping through a straw versus up-ending a bottle or a cup. I’ve heard folks suggest this before, and I didn’t put much credence in it until I tried it for myself and discovered that it helps!
Lastly, I’ve noticed that cold beverages are harder to drink that warm or room temperature drinks. I know that some people have a tough time with beverages that are anything other than frigid, but if you’re having trouble staying hydrated, perhaps trying something SLIGHTLY warmer might help to get more fluid into your system.
I think the most important “take away” from this topic is the fact that hydration is extremely important. Even if you’re not a “water” drinker, do your best to maintain hydration with beverages that won’t add unnecessary calories and won’t encourage dehydration (like alcohol and caffeine-containing drinks.) It’s amazing how well we can look, feel, and perform when we’re not chronically dehydrated.
One word: Amen!