Signs of Dehydration
If you are experiencing these symptoms on a regular basis - you are dehydrated!
If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated, but even when you don’t feel thirsty, you can still be dehydrated. If your body is chronically dehydrated, you will see symptoms such as dry skin, headaches, fatigue and achy joints. Digestive problems like constipation are also symptoms of low-level, chronic dehydration. Long term dehydration will lead to many health problems; over 75% of your body is water, and just like a plant, when you dry out you begin to wither and die.
A Simple test to find out if you are dehydrated
The best way to find out if you are dehydrated is to pinch the skin on the back of the hand near the knuckles; it should flatten back out immediately or within 2 seconds. When you are dehydrated it stays pinched up for several seconds. You can also check the color of your urine, it should be very light yellow or clear, if it is dark yellow you are dehydrated. Lastly if your lips look wrinkly, parched or peeling, you are dehydrated.
How much you should drink to avoid dehydration
As a rule of thumb, health experts recommend drinking 8 ounce glasses of water, 8 times per day, but some people will need more. People who exercise will need to replenish fluids lost through perspiration. Experts recommend an extra 8 ounces per day to keep a person hydrated when they work out regularly. When you drink your water is important too, a previous entry on this blog discusses when you should drink in order to achieve superior hydration.
Water Quality Matters
Clean water is important for good hydration, and it you can’t get it from a bottle. Plastic water bottles contain Bisphenol-A, a known endocrine disruptor which can actually make it harder to lose weight (and can cause cancer!) Experts agree that you are better off filtering your home tap water.
Alkaline Water is best for Hydration
Ionized alkaline water has several properties that make it better for hydration than ordinary water:
- Microclustered – Easier for the body to absorb
- pH balanced for health
- Beneficial Alkaline Minerals
- Antioxidant Hydroxyl Ions
The best way to get alkaline water is with a water ionizer. High quality LIFE Ionizers come with a free custom-configured pre-filter, which works with LIFE’s exclusive Vitamin C Ceramic Block® internal filters to take harmful toxins out of tap water while leaving in beneficial alkaline minerals. The water is then ionized which puts a negative electrical charge on the minerals dissolved in the water, and release hydroxyl ions. Life’s ionizer’s microclusters water to ensure optimal hydration
The negatively charged hydroxyl ions in alkaline water act as powerful antioxidants. The negatively charged water attracts positively charged contaminants and attach to them, allowing the body to flush them out. The negatively charged ions in alkaline water produce high pH levels and antioxidant Oxidative Reduction Potential (-ORP), all this in a glass of water!
Find out more about how pH and –ORP help your body become hydrated with our free e-book on the benefits of alkaline water!