Editor’s note: One Small Thing is a new series that helps you take simple steps toward healthy, impactful goals. Try this and you’ll be on the right track.
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What are you doing to improve your health in the new year? Of course, regular exercise has been proven to help, as has eating a plant-based diet. Increasing quality sleep, reducing stress, limiting alcohol, and connecting with other people in meaningful ways are also important ways to increase your sense of well-being.
But there’s one behavior change that’s often overlooked when thinking about improving your health in the new year. It’s hydration. Water is the elixir of life, but few people make drinking enough water a priority.
But it’s so easy – no need to join a gym, prepare meals or work out Search the internet for delicious mocktails. Experts say the benefits of water are too numerous to list. Drinking plenty of water can improve your blood pressure, diabetes, joint, gut, and kidney health, as well as relieve migraines, improve skin glow, and more.
“Staying optimally hydrated is a relatively simple lifestyle modification with potentially significant benefits in extending your disease-free life,” says the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine in Bethesda. said Natalia Dmitrieva, a researcher in the lab. Maryland.
How can you add this little thing to your daily life? Make drinking a glass of water part of your other important routine that you do without thinking.
Coffee or tea drinkers? While you wait for the coffee to brew or for the kettle to whistle, fill a glass with water (like me, add ice if you like) and wait. Drink it up while you’re at it.
Do you take your dog for a walk? Fill up your stainless steel or ceramic bottle with water (to avoid plastic, of course) and drink it down before you leave.
Do you get up to stretch? Grab a glass of water and drink it before you sit down.
Would you like to heat up your lunch? Drink a glass of water while your food warms up.
Habit formation experts say that connecting new habits to old ones (called habit stacking) helps you remember to accomplish new tasks. Drinking a glass of water while waiting is a healthy way to multitask.
Statistics show Americans often don’t drink enough water, Dmitrieva said. I studied the link Between hydration and aging.
Many experts suggest that women drink about 8 to 10 cups of water each day, and men 10 to 12 cups, she said. “However, more than 50% of Americans do not meet these recommended levels,” Dmitrieva said in an email.
“One reason for this shortage is that most people don’t consciously think about how much water they need to drink and are often unaware of these recommendations.”
Another main reason is that many people drink only during meals or rely on the sensation of thirst. But then it’s too late.
“Thirsty often occurs when you are already dehydrated, so the negative effects of dehydration may already have begun,” Dmitrieva says.
Should I drink only water to meet my needs? No, he says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Regular coffee and tea, sparkling water, seltzer, and flavored water are low-calorie options. However, regular sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened water, and sweetened coffee and tea have no nutritional value and should be avoided.
Some foods contain water and can help you stay hydrated. “Examples include tomatoes, cucumbers, oranges, and lettuce, which all contribute significantly to your daily water intake,” Dmitrieva says.
Ready for another tip? Aim to drink 2 to 3 quarts of water on a normal day, on days when you don’t do strenuous exercise or spend long periods in hot environments. In that case, Dmitrieva says, more water is needed.
“One effective strategy is to fill up a 32-ounce bottle of water in the morning and make sure to drink it throughout the day, in addition to other beverages consumed during meals or coffee breaks,” she says. I did. “At the end of the day, assess whether you drank an additional four to six cups of water. If not, refill your bottle and drink more before the day is over.”
Ready to do more to nourish your body? Sign up for the Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style newsletter. If you need help setting and maintaining a goal to drink more water, try these tips for building a habit.
