Let’s talk about proper hydration shall we? Did you know it’s just as easy to become hydrated during the winter as it is the summer? While we may not be sweating as much we are still losing water through our breathing. And in many parts of the world winters can be very harsh and dry.
How do you know if you’re dehydrated? Here is a list of some early and mature signs of dehydration:
Early:
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Depression
• Cravings
• Cramps
• Headaches
• Hunger
Mature:
• Heartburn
• Joint Pain
• Back Pain
• Migraines
• Constipation
So why is water so important? It plays such a huge part in so many bodily functions! It helps remove waste and flush toxins, transports nutrients, improves delivery of oxygen to our cells, maintains normal electrical properties of cells, empowers the body’s natural healing process, regulates body temperature, enables cellular hydration, moistens oxygen for easier breathing and the list goes on.
For those of us with cystic fibrosis being properly hydrated can help the thick sticky mucus in our lungs not be AS thick and sticky, it can make it a little easier to bring up. I know that when I am dehydrated my lungs feel even more junky and my sinuses are worse than normal.
Plus, many of the medications we are on can cause dehydration and be hard on our kidneys.
How much water do we need? Well, that’s different for everyone. Take your body weight and divide it by two. That’s how much water you should be drinking in ounces at the very least. So, if you weigh 125 pounds, divide that by 2, and you should be drinking 62.5 ounces of water per day.
Now, if you drink any diuretics (coffee, soda, kombucha, tea, etc) you need to drink an additional 8-12oz of water for every 8oz of diuretic you drink.
But did you also know that you could be drinking more than enough water and STILL be dehydrated? Sounds backwards right? Well if we don’t have enough sodium then there is nothing in our body’s to hold onto the water so we end up flushing it all out. And because we have cystic fibrosis we lose more salt than most making this an even bigger problem.
Here are my tips and tricks to stay hydrated as well as a recipe for a homemade, and delicious, electrolyte drink without all the added junk, sugar and chemicals.
-Add some flavor to plain water. Some of my favorite ways to add flavor are cucumber, mint and raspberries, or plain old lemon. Just add your mix-ins to a cup, muddle or smash them with a spoon just to help release the flavors and top with water.
-Drink bubbly water! This is what helped me to finally kick my soda habit for good. Perrier and La Croix (which has yummy flavors) are my top choices.
-Coconut water is full of electrolytes and great when on IV’s or exercising. I know there are a lot of coconut waters out there that taste HORRIBLE! Keep trying them until you find a brand you like.
-Add a pinch or two of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt (NOT table salt) to your water. I do this all the time. The sea salt is full of minerals and helps hold on to the water. Don’t add so much that it tastes like ocean water though. A pinch or two should do it, and it makes water taste better to me! I know I’m really dehydrated when I add more salt than normal and can’t taste it all.
Aimee’s homemade electrolyte drink:
Mix 1 cup coconut water with ¼ to ½ cup of pure pineapple juice* and a pinch of sea salt.
*Make sure the pineapple juice is 100% juice with no added sugar or anything else for that matter. If you have a hard time finding some but own a juicer make your own. Not a fan of pineapple? Try another 100% pure fruit juice of your liking.
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Aimee Lecointre is 30 years old and currently resides in Orange County, CA. She works full time as a substance abuse counselor and if a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. She hopes to launch her nutritional counseling business by early 2016. She is also an active board member for the Cystic Fibrosis Lifestyle Foundation. In her free time you can find her kayaking or paddleboarding in the ocean, at the pool, cooking and creating new recipes, getting her yoga on or hiking may of the local trails. She’s happiest when she’s outside in nature! You can follow her on Instagram @yogi_aims or on Facebook at Innate Living with Aimee.
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