Staying Hydrated and Healthy the Right Way

According to the National Institutes of Health, your body is two-thirds water. Every cell of your body relies on hydration, and you can’t survive more than a few days without water.  

“There’s a lot of different reasons we need water,” says Isabel Reckson, C.D.C.E.S., C.D.N., R.D., M.P.H. registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Weill Cornell Medicine. “We need it to protect our organs and joints, regulate our body temperature, help with digestion and blood pressure and maintain focus.” 

Thirsty to learn more about hydration? Keep reading to learn how to stay hydrated. 

How Much Water Is Enough 

The amount of water you should drink depends on many factors. By looking at your urine, you can tell if you drink enough every day. If your urine is pale yellow, you’re well hydrated. Dark yellow urine may indicate you need to drink more. 

On average, you should aim to drink the following amount every day: 

When gearing up to gulp down water, remember that your water needs change day by day. Plan to drink more when exercising or sweating a lot. You should also increase your water intake if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or have diarrhea. If you have certain health conditions, such as chronic kidney disease, you may need to limit fluid intake to avoid swelling and other issues. 

Also, keep in mind that water doesn’t just come from the faucet. There’s water in milk, tea and other drinks. You also get about 20 percent of your water needs from the foods you eat. 

Hydrating With Electrolytes 

You work and play hard. When you do, you sweat. This is your body’s natural way of helping you cool off and avoid overheating. However, every drop of sweat contains water your cells can no longer use. If you don’t replenish your body’s water stores, you put yourself at risk for dehydration and a number of complications. 

To prevent dehydration, replenish the fluid you lose through sweat. Water makes up 99 percent of your sweat, so drink water before, during and after vigorous activities.  

The remaining 1 percent of your sweat contains minerals called electrolytes. These are important for your body, as they help maintain healthy blood pressure, heart rate and more.  

Electrolytes found in your sweat include: 

To ensure good health, you need to refill on electrolytes as well as water. Fortunately, a healthy diet with fresh fruits and vegetables is full of electrolytes. Dairy foods provide calcium, salted nuts provide sodium and chloride and bananas have potassium and magnesium. 

While sports drinks can help you refill on fluid and electrolytes, they often come with empty calories and extra sugar. As a result, Reckson recommends leaving them on the shelf. 

Ready to stay hydrated and maintain your good health? Find a doctor at Weill Cornell Medicine to lend a hand.