Suck at Hydrating? Eat More Water.

Most of us know we could be drinking more water, and we also know why it’s so important that we do so. Yet for so many young professionals (YPs), keeping sufficiently hydrated continues to be a neglected chore, a forgotten task even in the face of fatigue, headaches, and brain fuzz.  If you are one of the multitude of YPs who suck at downing water and are in need of a new trick for staying hydrated, we’ve got a notable tip for you: eat more water! To help us learn the whys and hows of consuming water in food form, we’ve enlisted the genius of our go-to wellness expert Adele Tevlin.

Beyond Parched
Adele Tevlin, as featured on Etalk, The Social, Chatelaine and, of course, Notable.ca, is a certified nutritional practitioner and executive weightless coach, and she says that one of the leading causes of imbalance and disease among YPs is dehydration. So first off, we asked her that age-old question: just how much water should we be consuming on a daily basis? “Half your body weight in water ounces,” she says, which translates roughly into the 8-12 glasses a day we have always been taught. Though, as she notes, “very few of my clients, mainly executives, are anywhere close to that number. A busy lifestyle makes it hard for most to get the right amount of water in, compounded with coffee and alcohol, which dehydrate us. It’s a cause for concern.” She also points out that we need two glasses of water for every cup of coffee in order to prevent dehydration. 

Ok, so many of us are walking around with some degree of dehydration, perhaps feeling a little fatigued, maybe a little woozy, but what’s really the big deal? It’s the other, lesser-known effects of dehydration that Adele says we must also be aware of: muscle cramps, overheating, increased heart rate, even constipation (ugh!). And for YPs, perhaps one of the most annoying and problematic effects of dehydration is unrelenting hunger. “If you’re always hungry and thirsty in a way that is insatiable, it’s a true sign of dehydration, because water and hydration affect the satiety signal in the brain,” she says. “So start drinking water. Or eat it.” 

Quench and Munch
Sure, we know we have to do it, but if downing water just hasn’t stuck as a regular habit, there is another way. Adele says we can incorporate more water-rich foods into our diets. Such foods are mainly fruits and vegetables made up of 85-98% water, like cucumbers, grapefruit, spinach, watermelon (duh), broccoli, celery, bell pepper, pineapple, radish, tomato, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkin, strawberries, blueberries, and even yogurt. Additionally, by ingesting water in food form, we also benefit from their nutritional and antioxidant properties, as well as from longer sustained hydration. And along with all the mind-clearing and muscle-lubricating that noshing on water-rich foods can provide, Adele also notes that it can help us drop pounds. “A definite bonus from eating water-rich foods is satiety, and as a result, weight loss. Foods that are water-rich tend to be lower calorie and higher in fibre; both tremendously helpful when trying to lose weight.” 

If you are among the many parched YPs in need of a way to add more moisture to your life, try throwing some extra water-rich foods into your lunch bag and onto your dinner salad and enjoy all the benefits of being hydrated, satisfied, and, of course, overall awesome.  

#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)

 

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