Staying hydrated is one of the most important tools in your self care routine. When you haven’t drank enough water it can cause a whole host of problems like weight gain, skin irritations, headaches, and much more. It isn’t good enough to just drink when your thirsty either, because once you’re thirsty you’re already dehydrated.

I can hear it now, “I don’t like water.” Yeah and neither did I. For real. I didn’t realize the importance of drinking water and until my 20’s I rarely drank it because I didn’t like the taste. Yes that’s right I thought it tasted gross, and I stuck to soda mainly with the occasional lemonade, milk, juice or coffee. That was until I was admitted into the hospital for a severe kidney infection. They thought I had kidney stones. With further examination they found my kidney was so swollen it was doing it’s best to push other organs out of the way. The cause of this severe infection… You guessed it. Dehydration. I drank plenty of fluids. I would have coffee in the morning, and multiple sodas throughout the day. Little did I know all of that was a diuretic and my body was crying out for WATER.

So being that I didn’t like water this transition was very difficult, but I have come a long way. I gave up soda over 10 years ago, and in the last year gave up coffee. Water is my drink of choice throughout the day.

Now I’m sure you’ve heard something like this before, drink 8-10 8oz glasses of water a day to stay well hydrated. Well that can be the case for some people. There are a few different theories on how to determine your needed water intake. The one I’ve followed for many years is to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water everyday. An example would be (180 lbs ÷ 2 = 90 oz). So this individual would need to aim for minimally 90 oz of water a day. I aim to start my day off with 16 oz of water when I get up. Then I continue to drink a glass of water before every meal throughout the day. Plus I sip on water in between meals. Getting into this habit has made remaining hydrated much easier.

Is it difficult to remember to pick up your cup and drink?

There are ways to track how much water you’ve drank. There are water bottles that have rubber bands on them that you move the rubber bands up or down as you drink a bottle. I use an app called Plant Nanny, where I water a plant throughout the day so it grows. This is especially fun because my son likes to watch it grow and then I better not let it die. haha! The app allows me to set reminders, and when it goes off if I haven’t drink I do so then.

There are other apps too like:

•  Water Logged (Itunes)
• Hydro Coach (Android)
• Aqua Alert (Itunes) (Android)
• Water Balance (Itunes) (Android)
• Water Time Pro (Android)
• Water Drink Reminder (Android)
• Hydrate Daily (Itunes)

If you really don’t like the flavor of water you always have the option to squeeze in some fresh lemon or lime. Also you can try infused water recipes that you leave a pitcher or bottle of water in the refrigerator overnight with fruit, veggies or herbs in it. Look at some of the recipes here that will also not only help hydrate but detox you too.

Some Benefits of Hydration:

1. Decreased Appetite
2. Less Aches and Pains including Headaches
3. More Energy
4. Less Skin Blemishes, Acne, Blotchy, Blackheads
5. Aids in Stopping High Cholesterol
6. Flushes Out the Bladder & Kidneys
7. Aids in Reducing High Blood Pressure
8. Helps to Fight Against Aging Creating Healthy Skin
9. Aids in Digestion
10. Improves Brain Function & Mood

Don’t let something like what happened to me be your driving force to start drinking more water. Make hydration a priority in your Self Care Routine. Your body will thank you and reward you with energy, radiance and much more.

Please share this article if you’ve found it beneficial. Drinking more water throughout the day is such an easy addition to aid in your bodies function. Help make sure others realize the importance, benefits and ways to make it easier.