Tips for drinking more water for health

Water is essential for every cell in the body to function correctly; it aids the digestive system, helps prevent constipation, flushes toxins from the body, promotes good kidney function, keeps joints and muscles lubricated, supports healthier and younger-looking skin as well as regulates body temperature.

Whether you prefer your water iced, filtered or infused with fruit, it’s important to make sure you’re drinking water and taking in enough of it.

If one of your goals is to drink more water, you’re on your way to a healthier body because water is critical for the function of the digestion, heart, lungs, and brain.

Drink plenty of water in whichever form you desire every day because you lose a lot of water through natural bodily functions; you lose water through breathing, perspiring, urine and bowel movements.

Therefore, you must continually replace your body’s water supply by eating food and drinking beverages that contain water. About 20 percent of the daily intake of liquid comes from food and the rest from drinks.

It is recommended that a woman must at least take 11.5 cups of water daily and a minimum of 15.5 cups for men. While every individual can get dehydrated,  infants, young children and people who work or exercise outdoors are at greater risk of dehydration.

In addition, older adults are more likely to become dehydrated because as people age, the body fluid reserve becomes smaller and ability to conserve water is reduced as their thirst sense becomes less acute.

Your fluid consumption is adequate for your needs if you rarely feel thirsty and your urine is colorless or light yellow. However, increasing your water intake may seem easy, but it can take a lot of work to remember to drink up.

Below are tips for taking in more water:

Flavour it: Add fruit e.g lemon, oranges, cucumber, watermelon, strawberries or herbs

Tie it into a routine: Drink a glass of water every time you brush your teeth, eat a meal or use the bathroom.

Eat fruits because they have high water content.

Track it: Invest in a high-tech bottle that connects to your smartphone and records how much you drink or set an alarm as a reminder and track your intake in your calendar.

Challenge a friend to see who can meet their guzzling goal most often.

Take your filled water bottle along on daily travels.

Alternate your drinks: If you can’t give up soda or juice completely, try alternating with water.