Stay Hydrated To Prevent Joint Pain
Your body depends on water to survive. There’s no way around this. Every cell, tissue, joint and organ in your body needs water to function properly. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate your joints. Water is essential for overall good health and to prevent joint pain from becoming an issue requiring chiropractic treatment.
Water makes up more than half of your body weight. You lose water each day when you go to the bathroom, sweat, and even when you breathe. You lose water even faster when the weather is really hot, when you are physically active, or if you have a fever. Vomiting and diarrhea can also lead to rapid water loss. If you don’t replace the water you lose, you can become dehydrated.
Obviously, you should drink water every day. Most people have heard they should drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. That is a reasonable goal. However, different people need different amounts of water to stay hydrated. A better guide is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. A person that weighs 180 pounds should have an intake of 90 ounces of water daily.
A good indicator to tell whether you are drinking enough water or not, is to check your urine. If your urine is usually colorless or light yellow, you are well hydrated. If your urine is a dark yellow or amber color and has a pungent aroma, you may be headed toward dehydrated.
Water is best for staying hydrated. Other drinks and foods can help you stay hydrated but should be consumed only in moderation with a majority of your intake being water. Fruit and vegetable juices, milk, and herbal teas add to the amount of water you get each day.
Even caffeinated drinks (for example coffee, and tea) can contribute to your daily water intake. A moderate amount of caffeine (200 to 300 milligrams) is not harmful for most people. This is about the amount in two to four 8-ounce cups of coffee.
Having a diet that supplies an adequate amount of fresh fruits and veggies daily will also add to your net water intake.
If staying hydrated is difficult for you, here are some tips that can help:
• Keep a bottle of water with you during the day. To reduce your costs, carry a reusable water bottle and fill it with tap water.
• If you don’t like the taste of plain water, try adding a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber to your drink.
• Drink water before, during, and after a workout.
• When you’re feeling hungry, drink water. Thirst is often confused with hunger. True hunger will not be satisfied by drinking water. Drinking water may also contribute to a healthy weight-loss plan. Some research suggests that drinking water can help you feel full.
• If you have trouble remembering to drink water, drink on a schedule. For example, drink water when you wake up, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and when you go to bed. Or, drink a small glass of water at the beginning of each hour.
We want our patients to be healthy and happy so they can get the most of each day. That’s why we take a holistic approach to your health including regular chiropractic adjustments, having a proper focus on exercise and nutrition and making sure you stay properly hydrated so you can look and feel your best.