Hydration

 “Water, water, everywhere, and, nor any drop to drink.” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

The excerpt of the popular poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is fitting for this guest post. We seem to have water all over the world, and yet, there is still an issue with our population consuming enough water to maintain health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014).

Water is necessary for every day bodily functions and when there is not enough water in the body, dehydration can occur, which can be life-threatening (National Institutes of Health, 2013).

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health provide these tips for increasing water consumption and maintaining your water balance.

• Drink 6-8 eight ounce glasses of water each day.
• While drinking water is the best option, eating foods high in water content can also be a source of hydration. Such foods include: celery, melons, tomatoes, and soups.
• If you are physically active, experiencing digestive discomforts such as diarrhea or vomiting, are running a fever, or are
  in warmer weather areas, your body needs more water.
• Avoid sweet drinks that might fill you up on sugar instead of water.
• Drink water before, during, and after physical activity.
• Water should be a top priority in your day. The body needs water to function at its full potential – and to allow you to function at your full potential.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014). Drinking water. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/nutrition/index.html

Coleridge, S. T. (1834). The rime of the ancient mariner. Retrieved from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173253

National Institutes of Health (2013). Water in diet. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002471.htm

Written by: Ashley Long

Ashley Long is a graduate student in the Health Studies Department at Texas Woman’s University completing her MS in the spring of 2015. She received her BS in Health with a minor in Health Communication from Texas A&M University in 2010. Her health interests include sexual health, women’s health, and methods of contraception.

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