Winter dehydration

I don't often think of becoming dehydrated in the winter, but this is as much of a concern as it is in the summer. I find myself drinking less water and opting for tea or just not drinking much of anything.

The body is made up of 50-75% water. It cannot store water, but it needs it for every bodily function - removing toxins, absorbing nutrients, maintaining homeostasis and more. Without enough water, the risk of kidney stones increases and women increase their risk of urinary tract infections. Headaches can be a first signal that you are becoming dehydrated, as well as fatigue. Without enough water, congestion is difficult to tackle and mucus stays thick.

Dehydration can occur in the winter because:

1. Many of us have dry, forced air heat and so our nasal passages, as well as our whole body, will tend to dry out. We notice this as our skin gets flaky and itchy, our sinuses can dry and it can be harder to breath, or at least we are more conscious of our breathing.
2. Cold air is often dry too and so as we step outside, the moisture evaporates almost instantly off our skins, nasal passages and can leave us depleted without our really thinking about it.
3. We can tend toward sickness in the winter and often this is accompanied by limited intake of fluids, especially if we have a stomach or diarrhea bug.
4. We tend to eat more junk food, processed foods and less fresh fruits and vegetables in the winter, and this depletes fluids that we would get from our food. Dried foods require moisture to digest, so you can see how we could continue to deplete our body's "water table".

How do you know if you are getting dehydrated? One easy way to tell if you are dehydrated is to pay attention to your bowel movements. Are they regular, smooth and soft? If you have marbles or bullets, or you have diarrhea, then your bowels are having problems and water could be the issue. In the movie Food Matters, David Wolfe tells us that simply drink a large glass or two of water upon rising each day before eating anything will get things "moving".

I have heard people say that they don't want to drink much water because it will make them have to go to
the bathroom more often. Exactly! This is how your body gets rid of toxins, especially in the winter when there are germs and sickness in every public place. If your pee is very yellow (and you haven't just taken your vitamins) then you are probably becoming dehydrated. Urine should be almost clear.

 My biggest struggle with drinking enough water is forgetting. I will sometimes carry a 24 ounce water bottle with me throughout the day and at the end of day I realize the bottle is nearly or completely full. Not good!

I have decided that drinking more water is another of my health goals for 2014. Without enough water, my supplements are less effective and I am compromising my body's ability to detoxify. I have committed to drinking a large glass of water first thing each morning. I am not allowing myself to eat a meal until I have had a full glass of water, preferrably 30 minutes before the meal. This is also good for weight management as there is less tendency to overeat. I will drink a full glass of water an hour before bed (any closer and I will be up early having to use the bathroom). I am getting a flip top for my water bottle and a large straw to make drinking even more accessible and appealing (sucking is a comforting sensation) and carrying it with me wherever I go.

Putting essential oils in my water will also make it appealing to drink. Be sure you are using a glass or stainless steel container as the oils will "detoxify" plastic bottles or cups and then you will be drinking the toxins. One oil that I just recently tried was fennel oil and I love the taste. It is beneficial to digestion and the intestines, so I have the therapeutic benefits too. Lemon, tangerine & cinnamon bark, Citrus Fresh, spearmint, peppermint are just a few other great options for enhancing both taste and health.

Some of my favorite oils to put in water

Your thoughts? Any suggestions for me? I'd love to hear what you could add to this discussion?